On Friday, Selena Gomez introduced Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, who did an Instagram takeover on the actress and singer's account for the day.
"Please meet Alicia Garza (@chasinggarza)," she wrote. "She co-created #BlackLivesMatter, runs the @BlackFuturesLab to make Black communities powerful, has her own podcast at @ladydonttakenopod, and is an all around force for change. Alicia is taking over my account today!"
Garza posted a video on Gomez's account. In the video she shared the following message, in part:
"So look, there's a lot happening in our country right now…here's the deal: People are in the streets right now, because Black people are being murdered by police, and police are not being held accountable. This is a big, big problem. Everybody is taught that if you do something wrong, you have to make it right. And when it comes to Black folks and police, there is a dynamic where Black people are being murdered, sometimes on camera, sometimes not by police, and police are not having to make it right. Huge problem in this country. We've seem it time and time again for decades and decades and decades, and people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Well, I am also sick and tired of being sick and tired, which is why I work in an organization that works to organize Black communities and train our communities to change the rules that allow police officers to not be accountable when they do bad things in our communities." The video (which you should definitely watch in full) is here:
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You can also visit Gomez's Instagram account to see the resources that Garza shared there, but here are some of her posts on Gomez's story:
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As part of her takeover, Garza shared resources from Black Futures Lab, her organization which "works with Black people to transform our communities, building Black political power and changing the way that power operates—locally, statewide, and nationally." You can learn more about getting involved and signing the "Black Agenda 2020" here. Garza also shared a"Q&A by—and for—people with privilege who want to learn more about racial justice." Before you ask the Black people in your life to put in the emotional labor for your questions, read the Q&A from The Bold Italic.
Garza also recommended Gomez's followers hit "follow" on the Equal Justice Initiative and Color of Change accounts.
In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests across the U.S., Gomez and Lady Gaga are inviting Black activists to takeover their Instagram accounts.
"I have been struggling to know the right things to say to get the word out about this important moment in history," Gomez wrote in a post this week. "After thinking about how best to use my social media, I decided that we all need to hear more from Black voices. Over the next few days I will be highlighting influential leaders and giving them a chance to take over my Instagram so that they can speak directly to all of us. We all have an obligation to do better and we can start by listening with an open heart and mind."
Hilary Weaver Hilary Weaver is a freelance writer based in New York who writes about politics, queer issues, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and every woman the Queen has ever made a dame. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.
