Over the decades, the term “woke” has become a call to recognize issues like police brutality and systemic racism, particularly during movements like Black Lives Matter.

However, more recently the term has acquired negative connotations. According to Merriam-Webster, “woke” is sometimes considered synonymous with extreme political liberalism. The term has expanded to include phrases such as “wokeness”, “wokeness” and “woke ideology”, often criticized by conservatives who see it as a divisive influence in areas such as workforce diversity , public schools and legislation.

Early in the race for the White House, a resurfaced 2017 clip of Kamala Harris saying that “everyone needs to be woken up” reignited debates over the term.

Now some within the The Democratic Party would consider whether moving away from “woke” rhetoric might be the smarter solution.