“Why Black Joy Is Activism: The Meaning Behind the ‘Boots on the Ground’ Line Dance.”

How Black Joy as Activism Challenges Traditional Forms of Protest

Adreinne Waheed/Black Joy and Resistance (available on Amazon)Adreinne

Let’s have a lil’ chat about line dancing, viral moments, and why some folks get tight when Black folks have too much fun—and why Black joy as activism is just as important as any protest

So let’s set the scene: TikTok is booming, “Boots on the Ground” is the latest line dance taking over parking lots, barbershops, and Black brunches everywhere—and naturally, it goes viral. Folks in matching T-shirts at an event hit the moves in sync. Somebody’s auntie been waiting her whole life for this moment. The joy? Immaculate.

But then—you already know what happens next. The internet starts internet-ing.

• “This what y’all doing while the world’s burning?

• “Activism ain’t supposed to look like this.”

• “Dancing? Really? Where’s the outrage?”

Whew. Can Black people breathe?

Everybody’s Not Gonna Protest the Same

Look, when some folks hear “boots on the ground,” they imagine picket signs, megaphones, and march routes mapped out like a military op. And that’s real. That energy has moved mountains.

But let’s be honest—there’s a whole segment of us who are trying to survive without burning out, and if a lil’ two-step at a community event helps keep folks plugged in, how is that a bad thing?

Some folks act like you can’t have rhythm and revolution.

Black Joy Be Making People Uncomfortable… and That’s Not New

Singer Cupid preforming his Song "The Cookout"

Every time Black people lean into joy—especially publicly—there’s always someone who sees it as unserious. Like we’re supposed to be in a constant state of mourning to prove we care.

And it’s not just outside the community, either. There are Black voices—loud ones—who’ve taken it upon themselves to remind us, every chance they get, that “now’s not the time to dance.” That “the ancestors didn’t fight for this.”

But can we be real for a second? The ancestors sang, danced, laughed, and threw fish fries in the middle of struggle too. Joy wasn’t just a release—it was resistance. They knew that if you waited for the world to be healed before you smiled, you’d never smile again.

Maybe the Problem Ain’t the Dance—It’s the Narrative

Let’s talk about the deeper issue: some people don’t know how to engage in activism unless it feels like pain. If it’s not grueling, if it’s not traumatic, if it’s not rooted in constant outrage, they don’t think it’s real.

But a whole generation is flipping the script. This new wave of Black folks is saying:

We can advocate for justice and still post memes.

We can care about Palestine and still go to the Renaissance Tour.

We can protest AND pregame.

From Kendrick’s surgical summer to Beyoncé reclaiming country like it owed her money, from the Met Gala’s Black Dandy realness to the everyday joy of Black folks growing food, building wealth, rocking their natural hair, and taking naps unapologetically—that’s movement too.

And yes, even “Boots on the Ground” being danced in front of a community center on a Saturday afternoon? That counts.

Activism Has Seasons. Some of Y’all Just Been in Winter Too Long.

Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Los Angeles. July 1st, 2020; Source: Yahoo Images

Truth is, people are tired. Tired of screaming. Tired of grieving. Tired of working twice as hard and still being told it ain’t enough. And instead of shaming people for not doing activism your way, maybe take a beat and ask why joy threatens you.

Do you only feel useful when you’re suffering?

Do you feel like if other people are smiling, your pain doesn’t matter?

Or are you scared folks are starting to dream again—and that joy makes them harder to control?

Final Thought: Let Black People Breathe

We don’t need everyone to hit the “Boots on the Ground” shuffle. That’s fine. But let’s not act like dancing, joy, or going viral means folks have stopped caring. Sometimes we just have to move our bodies to move through the grief.

And if we’re being honest? Nobody’s ever changed the world while they were bitter, burnt out, and boring. That’s not strategy. That’s self-destruction.

So next time you see people joyful & dancing, don’t get tight. Slide in or slide out.

But let the people be.

Go ‘head and press play on 803Fresh’s “Boots on the Ground”—’cause this ain’t just a dance, it’s a joyful stomp on struggle’s neck.