Drawing on my experience of isolation during the COVID -19 pandemic, this autoethnographic contribution explores my experiences as an Italian migrant in the UK, and an environmental activist in the STOP HS2 campaign. Building on lived experiences that incorporate technology for connection, I will reflect on the role played by the internet and social media in bridging communities and loved ones, and the 'affective paradoxes' emerging from this practice (Leurs, 2019). This presentation highlights the tensions between mediated connectedness and feelings of exclusion, silencing, and self-censoring. In addition, I will consider the phenomena documented in current literature, speaking to the potential of online platforms to aid in fostering inclusivity and empathy, bridge cultural divides, and challenge dominant representations (Montgomery, 2018). I will also consider the role that online (and offline) communities have to play in developing mitigating strategies to minimise exclusivity (Nyabuto, 2023).