In a Show of Solidarity, Selena Gomez Hands Over Instagram Account to Black Individuals and Organization
In the wake of worldwide condemnation and protests against police brutality and racial injustice towards Black people and persons of color in America, international brands and celebrities have come out to identify with the #BlackLivesMatter movement and also join in the protests. Over the last few days, superstar Selena Gomez has gone a step further to handover her Instagram account to Black activists, leaders and organizations whose messages she believes the public needs to hear right now.
Selena Gomez, one of the most-followed people on Instagram with a massive following of 180 million has been using her page to promote the work and ideas of Black people such as New York best-selling author, Prof. Ibram X. Kendi; activist & media strategist, Raquel Willis; and actor & activist, Kendrick Sampson.
This initiative has also seen her cede her IG stage to Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, New Yorker writer and Columbia University professor Jelani Cobb; and Harvard University African & African American Studies professor Sarah Elizabeth, activist and rapper Killer Mike among others.
“After thinking about how best to use my social media, I decided that we all need to hear more from Black voices,” wrote Gomez in an Instagram post, sharing a piece of art from Black artist Charly Palmer. “We all have an obligation to do better and we can start by listening with an open heart and mind.”
Gomez’s Instagram takeover comes amid ongoing anti-racism protests across the US, sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man killed by members of the Minneapolis Police Department in Minneapolis on 25 May. These protests have also led to wider discussions about race, racism and policing in the United States and across the world.
Selena Gomez has neither posted a photo of herself nor her brand in almost a month. She gave away her 180 million platform to solely Black activists and leaders speaking and educating her followers and everyone who connects to the page on critical issues. On the flip side, she is also getting major hate and is reportedly losing thousands of followers because of her actions of solidarity.
Civil rights icon, Ruby Bridges who happens to be the first black child to be integrated into an all-white school in the US is one of featured guests on Selena’s page. Taking over the page on Sunday 14th June, Bridges shared archival footage from protests outside the school she attended in Louisiana in the 1960s.
“I’m physically shaken by the intensity of those racists hatred and in awe to see how strong black women and children are. #BLM” – Ruby Bridges quoted
She also urged the singer’s 180m followers to stay united in the “fight to save black and brown lives”.