Antiracist movement since 2013, for short - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue, "Antiracist movement since 2013, for short," is a prime example of how modern crosswords incorporate contemporary social and political topics. This clue points to a well-known three-letter acronym that has become a significant part of global discourse over the last decade.

Clue Analysis

Let's break down the clue's components:

• "Antiracist movement": This is the core definition. We are looking for a group or movement whose primary goal is to combat racism.
• "since 2013": This is a crucial time marker. It tells us the movement was founded in or after 2013, which helps narrow down the possibilities significantly.
• "for short": This is the structural giveaway. It signals that the answer is not the full name of the movement but rather an abbreviation, acronym, or initialism.

Putting these pieces together, we're looking for the acronym of a major antiracist movement that began in 2013.

Thinking Approaches

A solver's mind should immediately jump to the "for short" part of the clue. This means we're likely dealing with an acronym. The next step is to use the other parts of the clue as filters. What major antiracist movements started around 2013?

For anyone following current events, the movement that began as a hashtag in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin is the most prominent answer. This leads directly to the acronym for Black Lives Matter.

If the answer doesn't come to mind immediately, using crossing letters would be very helpful. Since the answer is only three letters long, even one or two crosses would likely make the answer obvious.

Background Context

The answer refers to Black Lives Matter, a decentralized political and social movement that advocates for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against Black people.

The movement began in July 2013 with the use of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter on social media. It gained national and international recognition for its street demonstrations following the 2014 deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, and its prominence grew exponentially during the global protests in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. You can learn more on its Wikipedia page.

Conclusion

This clue is a straightforward and culturally relevant piece of fill. Its reliance on recent history makes it accessible to a wide range of solvers while also reflecting the evolving nature of crossword puzzle content. The "for short" and the specific year make the clue fair and direct, leading solvers to a clear answer.

Hints

1. Hint 1: This clue refers to a well-known social justice organization and hashtag.
2. Hint 2: The movement gained significant global prominence following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
3. Hint 3: The full name of the movement includes a phrase indicating that the lives of a specific racial group are important.
4. Hint 4: The answer is a three-letter acronym for 'Black Lives Matter'.