Through the song “Formation” Beyonce wanted to make a statement and she did. She release the song not only in February, Black History Month but also on Trayvon Martin’s birthday, which was no coincidence. I believe Beyonce wanted to use this song and the video as a way for her to say that she is proud of being black, her roots, and where she came from along with bringing attention to the days of slavery, the catastrophe of Katrina, and police brutality that is still continuing. The video displays the real history that the African-American community has gone through and continues to face and even brings you through out the different times periods that is shown through Beyonce’s costumes throughout the video. 

     Towards the end of the “Formation” video was a scene that really stood out to me, when the boy is faced by a row of armed police officers. The police officers do not shoot and put their hands up after the little boy puts his hands up. This is a very powerful scene to me, especially with the recent police brutality incidents that have been all over the new. I think Beyonce was trying to show through this scene black people having control. This is one of the parts of the video where it really stands out to me that Beyonce is trying to promote social change through her video, it was a really powerful image. 

     Beyonce also clearly used the song/video “Formation” for the purpose of uniting black women, even though it does recognize the difficulties all black people go through. For example, she says through out the song “ladies lets get in formation” along with the line “I slay (okay), We gon slay… All day” which is a way for her to call attention to and bring together all women of color so they can support each other throughout lives challenges and the oppression that they face everyday, and that she is there to speak out for them and stand with them. I feel that Beyonce being such a powerful musician did an amazing job standing up and drawing attention to, along with stating how she is proud of being part of the black community.