The phrase stay woke is a slang term that originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and has gained popularity in recent years. It is used to urge people to remain aware of social injustices, particularly those related to race.

Stay woke is commonly used to encourage people who aren't being discriminated against to not look away from problems but instead be part of the solution. The phrase is often used by movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM) that attempt to keep racial injustices in the spotlight through demonstrations and protests.

The phrase "stay woke" has long been used in Black communities to indicate staying alert to others' deception--especially law enforcement--as a survival mechanism, but in 2014 "stay woke" became common usage among Black Lives Matter activists after the police killing of Michael Brown, bringing it into the wider lexicon.