Shafiqah Hudson: The Twitter Activist Who Fought Disinformation and Paid the Ultimate Price
In early June of 2014, Shafiqah Hudson was on the hunt for a job, scrolling through Twitter and email, when she stumbled upon a peculiar hashtag gaining traction on the platform: #EndFathersDay. The hashtag, supposedly championed by Black feminists with questionable usernames, aimed to abolish Father’s Day, citing it as a symbol of patriarchy and oppression.
Recognizing the absurdity of the movement, Hudson took matters into her own hands. She created the hashtag #YourSlipIsShowing to call out the fake accounts behind #EndFathersDay and urged others to block them. With the help of her Twitter community, including fellow Black feminists and scholars, Hudson exposed the hoax orchestrated on 4chan, a hub for right-wing hate groups.
Despite Twitter’s lack of response, Hudson’s efforts proved effective in silencing #EndFathersDay. Little did she know, her actions would serve as a crucial defense against future disinformation campaigns, including those aimed at disrupting elections.
Tragically, on February 15, 2024, Hudson passed away at the age of 46 in Portland, Oregon. Struggling with health issues, including Crohn’s disease, respiratory problems, long Covid, and a recent cancer diagnosis, Hudson faced financial hardships and a lack of access to proper healthcare.
In the wake of her death, Hudson’s community mourned the loss of a tireless activist who had never been compensated for her work by the tech companies she monitored or properly credited by scholars and news outlets. Her story sheds light on the plight of Black activist women who often suffer in silence, unrecognized and unsupported.
Shafiqah Hudson’s legacy lives on through the impact she made in the fight against disinformation and the injustices she faced in her own life. Her dedication to truth and justice serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by marginalized communities and the importance of supporting those on the front lines of activism.
