13 Celebrities Who Are On The Frontlines Of Fighting Racial Injustice
In just a few weeks, society as we knew it has been thrown into complete turmoil. While the images that we see on social media these days may be unsettling, sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can come together and I believe I speak for everyone reading this when I say we outside and it's time that people in powerful positions pull TF up.
During this time of social unrest, it's become clear that silence is mad loud and it's important that we remember who was a member of the movement when all of this is over. The black dollar is valuable as f*ck and after the dust settles, we won't forget the support (and lack thereof) of the celebrities that fought for our right to exist.
Along with Keke Palmer, Kehlani, and Miguel, who stood in solidarity with protestors to storm the streets of LA, was Insecure's Kendrick Sampson, a longtime activist who was brutally attacked and shot with rubber bullets by LAPD officers during a peaceful protest further proving that even celebrities are not immune to the disease that is systemic racism.
Keke, Kehlani, Kendrick, and Miguel aren't the only celebrities who are on the frontlines fighting the good fight, and their dedication makes us love our faves even more. From J. Cole to Tessa Thompson, here are 13 celebrities who are doing their part when it comes to combatting racial injustice:
Meagan Good & Devon Franklin
Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan out here protesting! https://t.co/mSGEPwB1Pb— BILLBOARD BULLY 😈 (@BILLBOARD BULLY 😈) 1590881669.0
"This country was built on the backs of our ancestors––backs that had a target the entire time and this month is no different with more black lives caught in the crosshairs. Too many look at us as public enemies, only some see us as humans, and yet we need to be superhuman just to survive. We must strategize, organize, and train ourselves as we demand more. One arrest isn't enough. This is just the beginning."
J. Cole
J. Cole out here protesting with the people. He’s living his raps 🙏🏾 https://t.co/LseTbMUszy— BlackySpeakz (@BlackySpeakz) 1590890744.0
John Boyega
“Look I don’t know if I’m going to have a career after this but, f**k that.” John Boyega. https://t.co/KPFDUUFGlM— The Nikki Diaries (@The Nikki Diaries) 1591193409.0
"I'm speaking to you from my heart. Look, I don't know if I'm going to have a career after this, but fuck that. Today is about innocent people who were halfway through their process. We don't know what George Floyd could have achieved, we don't know what Sandra Bland could have achieved, but today we're going to make sure that won't be an alien thought to our young ones."
Keke Palmer
I love @KekePalmer. She’s out in the streets of LA talking with the National Guard. https://t.co/7iZ2tvubXn— Anthony Dominic (@Anthony Dominic) 1591137553.0
Porsha Williams
"A very peaceful group of us protesters had pepper spray bombs thrown at us! In the post right before this one you can hear the music and peaceful chanting right before we were had bombed! SMH -What a shame to try to silence the people once again."
Chance The Rapper
Kendrick Sampson
"Peaceful to violent. The violence comes entirely from LAPD. You can hear the commander yell 'MOVE!'––cop talk for 'F**K EM UP!'––At the end watch THREE COPS coming at me as I defend someone on the ground they were beating!!!"
Tinashe
Miguel
"Ultimately if we want the kind of change that addresses the root of the problem, we cannot lead with our anger or rage. Human history across cultures and civilizations prove this. Now is the time to educate ourselves and each other and organize and strategize."
Tessa Thompson
https://t.co/mw4lb1A6LM— Tessa Thompson (@Tessa Thompson) 1590883501.0
Ariana Grande
hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage. all throughout beverly hills and w… https://t.co/8SJQ4vSyRJ— Ariana Grande (@Ariana Grande) 1590949706.0
"Hours and miles of peaceful protesting yesterday that got little to no coverage. All throughout beverly hills and west Hollywood we chanted, people beeped and cheered along. we were passionate, we were loud, we were loving. cover this too please."
Halsey
fired rubber bullets at us. we did not breach the line. hands were up. unmoving. and they gassed and fired. https://t.co/K8YauF0APn— h (@h) 1590890694.0
Featured image by Instagram/@tinashenow.
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images