Following a summer of tragedy, some argue that the good times have stopped rolling in Louisiana. However, in a city known for its joie de vivre, Baton Rouge turns tribulation into unity, with social media as the perfect outlet.
Hashtags such as #unBRoken and #WhyILoveBR allow users to tell their story, redefining the narrative of Baton Rouge by showcasing the strength of the city’s community members.
Mass communication assistant professor Diane Francis, who teaches courses in public relations and social media strategy, said social media has changed how people grieve. 
Francis said grief is becoming much more public.
“People are much more forthcoming in terms of their grief on social media, and people are willing to let others know,” she said. “There is more public acceptance and public knowledge of grief, and social media definitely facilitates that.”
She said campaigns and hashtags allow users to present a specific type of story or narrative about a particular crisis or location. Though they do not amplify content, Francis said they gather it in one place, allowing
information to pass quickly.
“A hashtag immediately brands your campaign,” she said. “It’s one way to be able to quickly say that this is who we are and this is what we’re about in 10 letters or so.”
Francis agrees that these campaigns have been successful at putting the recovery in Baton Rouge at the forefront of what is going on in the world, but there is still more that can be done. 
She suggests going beyond creating a hashtag and figuring out the key messages users are communicating. There needs to be a way to sort through the content and assist users in getting what they need, whether it is assistance or health-related information, Francis said. 
Francis said art sometimes moves more quickly than text, allowing people to see what is happening around the city at a certain time.
“We are a city of love,” said Kenny Nguyen, CEO of Three Sixty Eight, a Baton Rouge digital experience agency. “Rather than focusing on current community pain and the race conversations, we wanted to share a different timeless side, on why we always have loved Baton Rouge.”
Three Sixty Eight started the #WhyILoveBR campaign as a different take on the city’s recovery process. An open submission website of the same name allows users to share why they love the city with community members. He said submissions were made public and shared through social media to promote the awareness that, even through hard times, residents never forget why they love their city.
With social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, community members can go beyond their keyboards to make an impact on these projects. 
Local graphic designers like Matt Dawson have lent their visual communication skills to unite people toward moving forward. 
Dawson created both the #WhyILoveBR and “Fight The Flood” logos.
“When the opportunity arose to create graphics for these projects, there was no hesitation,” Dawson said. “Making logos with no restraint, for projects you can stand behind, for reasons you believe in and for places you care about comes easy. There’s really no other sense of pride like Louisiana pride.”
To donate to Louisiana flood victims visit www.redcross.org.