Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Rhianna and more aren’t staying silent. They are using their social media platforms to speak up about racial injustice and are encouraging others to do the same.
- Rihanna
“For the last few days, the magnitude of devastation, anger, sadness I’ve felt has been overwhelming to say the least! Watching my people get murdered and lynched day after day pushed me to a heavy place in my heart! To the point of staying away from socials, just to avoid hearing the blood curdling agony in George Floyd’s voice again, begging over and over for his life!!! The look of enticement, the pure joy and climax on the face of this bigot, murderer, thug, pig, bum, Derek Chauvin, haunts me!! I can’t shake this! I can’t get over an ambulance pulling up to an arrest, a paramedic checking a pulse without removing the very thing that’s hindering it! Is this that ******* normal??? If intentional MURDER is the fit consequence for “drugs” or “resisting arrest”….then what’s the fit consequence for MURDER???! #GeorgeFloyd #AhmaudArbery#BreonnaTaylor”
Photo and caption: Rhianna Instagram Post
- Beyonce
“We need justice for George Floyd. We all witnessed his murder in broad daylight. We are broken and we are disgusted. We cannot normalize this pain. I’m not only speaking to people of color. If you are white, black, brown or anything in between, I’m sure you feel hopeless by the racism going on in America right now. No more senseless killings of human beings. No more seeing people of color as less than human. We can no longer look away. George is all of our family and humanity. He’s our family because he’s a fellow American. There has been too many times that we’ve seen these violent killings and no consequences. Yes, someone has been charged, but justice is far from being achieved. Please sign the petition and continue to pray for peace, compassion and healing for our country. Thank you so much.”
Photo and caption: Beyonce Instagram Post
- Taylor Swift
“After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’??? We will vote you out in November. @realdonaldtrump”
Photo and caption: Taylor Swift Twitter Post
- Arianna Grande
Again, I ask my followers to please keep signing these petitions, making donations if u are able to, continue having conversations w family and friends about racism (overt and covert) and the senseless acts of murder that happen in this country far too often, please keep reading up, following accounts on here (i will recommend some!) to keep u updated and learning and sharing links and resources.. our black friends need us to show up and to be better and to be vocal. Now more than ever. Online. Offline even more so. This is more than a post. We have to show up. There is work that needs to be done and it is absolutely on us to do it.
Photo and caption: Arianna Grande Instagram Post
- Jay-Z
“After our very earnest conversation, thank you to Governor Walz for doing what’s right and calling in Attorney General Keith Ellison to take over the George Floyd case. Earlier today, Governor Walz mentioned having a human conversation with me —— a dad and a black man in pain. Yes, I am human, a father and a black man in pain and I am not the only one. Now I, along with an entire country in pain, call upon AG Ellison to do the right thing and prosecute all those responsible for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent of the law. This is just a first step. I am more determined to fight for justice than any fight my would-be oppressors may have may have. I prevail on every politician, prosecutor and officer in the country to have the courage to look at us as humans, dads, brothers, sisters and mothers in pain and look at yourselves.”
Photo and caption Roc Nation Instagram Post
- Lady Gaga
“I have a lot of things to say about this, but the first thing I want to say is I’m afraid to say anything that will incite further anger, although that is precisely the emotion that’s justified. I do not wish to contribute to more violence, I wish to contribute to a solution. I am outraged by the death of George Floyd as I have been by the deaths of exponentially too many black lives over hundreds of years that have been taken from us in this country as a result of systemic racism and the corrupt system that supports it.
The voices of the black community have been silenced for too long and that silence has proven deadly time and time again. And no matter what they do to protest, they are still met with no compassion by the leaders that are meant to protect them. Everyday people in America are racist, that’s a fact.
Right now is a critical time for the black community to be supported by all other communities so we can put a stop to something that is intrinsically wrong by the grace of God or whatever creator you do or do not believe in.
We have known for a long time that President Trump has failed. He holds the most powerful office in the world, yet offers nothing but ignorance and prejudice while black lives continue to be taken. We have known he is a fool, and a racist, since he took office. He is fueling a system that is already rooted in racism, and racist activity, and we can all see what is happening. It’s time for a change.
I urge people to speak gently to each other, speak with passion, inspiration, and impress the importance of this issue until the systems that keep us sick die, instead of people we love.
We MUST show our love for the black community. As a white, privileged woman, I take an oath to stand by that. We haven’t, as a privileged community, done enough to fight racism and stand up for those people who are being killed by it.
This isn’t justice. This is an epic tragedy that defines our country and has for a long time. I am sad. I am angry. And I will use the words that I can find to try to communicate what needs to change in as an effective and non-violent way as possible for me.”
Photo and caption: Lady Gaga Instagram Post
- Alicia Keys
“Please place the light in the hearts that feel darkness
Place the wings on the back of those that feel hopeless
Place love in the souls of the ones that are heartless
There’s no stopping us
Ain’t no stopping us!
– Alicia Keys
We need more than poems. We need deep systemic change. But when I wrote these words it was a little prayer that I personally needed. Maybe u do too. We won’t let up! Link in bio and story for a resource I found helpful. Sending you love and light always ✨✨✨✨”
Photo and caption: Alicia Keys Instagram Post
- Halsey
“It’s become very clear to me that some of you need to see what I’ve seen. Please swipe through this. These pictures and videos don’t even scratch the surface. It’s easy from the comfort of your home to watch looting and rioting on television and condone the violent measures being taken by forces. But what you don’t see is innocent peaceful protestors being shot at and tear gassed and physically assaulted relentlessly. You think it’s not happening, it’s only the “thugs” and the “riots”, right? The police are keeping you safe right? You’re wrong. This is happening everywhere. And innocent people exercising their rights to speech and assembly are facing violence and abuse of power. With all of our medical professionals being CONSUMED and EXHAUSTED with Covid, there is little to no medical attention available. I have first hand treated men, women and children who have been shot in the chest, the face, the back. Some will lose vision, some have lost fingers. I have been covered in innocent blood. My father is a black man. My mother is an EMT. This week I had to put those two associations together in ways that have horrified me. This is NOT a virtue signaling post. But I HAVE to show you what I am witnessing with my own eyes. With Trump’s decision today to enforce the mobilization of armed forces on our own citizens, this has escalated beyond your privilege and comfort to not care. Please care. We are begging you to care. This is war on Americans. This is everyone’s problem. Everyone’s. #BLACKLIVESMATTER”
Photo and caption Halsey Instagram Post
- Billie Eilish
“I’ve been trying to take this week to figure out how to address this delicately. I have an enormous platform, and I try really hard to be respectful and take time to think through what I say and how I say it…….but holy ******* **** I’m just gonna start talking.
If I hear one more person say “aLL liVeS maTteR” one more ******* time I’m gonna lose my ******* mind. Will you shut the **** uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup????. No one is saying your life doesn’t matter. No one is saying your life is not hard. No one is saying literally anything at all about you……All you MFs do is find a way to make everything about yourself. This is not about you. Stop making everything about you. You are not in need. You are not in danger. (im gonna try to explain this as if you were a child because is FEELS LIKE THAT’S THE ONLY WAY YOU MFS WILL UNDERSTAND) if your friend gets a cut on their arm are you gonna wait to give all your friends a bandaid first because all arms matter? NO you’re gonna help your friend because THEY are in PAIN because THEY are in need because THEY ARE BLEEDING! If someone’s house was on fire & someone is stuck in the house, are you gonna make the fire department go to every other house on the block first because all houses matter??? NO! Because they don’t ******* need it. You are privileged whether you like it or not. Society gives you privilege just for being white. You can be poor, you can be struggling..And still your skin color is giving you more privilege than you even realize. & nobody is saying that makes you better than anyone. It just lets you live your life without having to worry about surviving simply because of your skin color!! You are privileged!!
If all lives matter why are black people killed for being black? Why are immigrants persecuted? Why are white people given opportunities that people of other races aren’t? Why is it okay for white people to protest literally being asked to stay at home while carrying semi-automatic weapons? Why is is okay for black people nto be called thugs for protesting the murder of innocent people? Do you know why????
White. *******. Privilege.
Does white privilege affect Hispanic people? Native Americans? Asian people/ Yes for ******* sure it does. 100000000000000%.
But right now right in this moment…
We have to address hundreds of years of oppression of black people.
The slogan of #blacklivesmatter does not mean other lives don’t. It’s calling attention to the fact that society clearly thinks black lives don’t ******* matter!!!!!!
And they ******* do!!!!!!
It means black. Lives. *******. Matter.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
Say it again.
#justiveforgeorgefloyd”
Photo and caption: Billie Eilish Instagram Post
- Eric Bellinger
“‘ENOUGH’ OUT NOW!!!
So many emotions. So many feelings. So much hurt. So much pain. So much sadness. It’s a shame we have to fear the ones that are meant to protect us. Who do we call when the help brings us harm? We as a people are outraged. We must come together as one human race. We gotta figure out a way to get rid of all the racist cops. The job training must be more rigorous. The background checks must go deeper in the searches. Check the family history. Check their school records. Check their intention. Check their mental space. Check their spirits. Good cops… You must hold the unjust accountable… I’ve hated driving my entire life simply because of the fact that I know I’m a target. Too many times I’ve gotten pulled over for no reason and feared for my life. I know I’m not alone in this. When will it stop? How many more innocent black lives do we have to lose? We’re crying for help. Enough is Enough!!! I’m not sure what it’s gonna take and when it’s gonna stop but I had to take a moment to speak out and express myself the only way I know how. By writing a song. Thank you @soufwestmusic for producing this track for me to get this message off of my chest. And thank you @jmaurice_artfor capturing such a heartfelt cover art. Showcasing the racism that has gone on for far too long! Engineered By @iamredvision Directed By @jacklumetri Link in my Bio! #EnoughIsEnough ✊?”
Photo and caption: Eric Bellinger Instagram Post
