CELEBRITY

Jordin Sparks Shares Why She Is Fearlessly Promoting Racial Equality

by HollyMcLoughlin posted on June 17, 2020
Instagram

Jordin Sparks shared a candid message with her fans expressing why she’s no longer afraid to speak out against racial discrimination.

Chatting with Joe Madison on his SiriusXM show, the former American Idol star admitted her celebrity status has made her hesitant to voice political thoughts in the past, saying “I’ve always been one of those people that’s feared being misunderstood.”

While her words resonate with the fear many people have about prominent anti-racist action, the singer emphasized why recent protests are so important. Referring to the tragic death of George Floyd last month, she said she reached a point where she couldn’t remain silent after realizing “that could have been my dad. That could have been my brother. It could have been my cousin. It could have been my husband.”

Sparks has taken lead from other celebrities using their platforms to drive the fight against systemic racism in the U.S., attending Hollywood’s Black Lives Matter protests and projecting calls for justice over the recent deaths of Black civilians through her newly released music.

 

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SAY HIS NAME. George Floyd, was murdered in broad daylight by a white officer FOR NO REASON. Even when he said “I can’t breathe!”…even when he cried out for his mama…even when he stopped breathing—this white, police officer never let up on his neck. He didn’t resist arrest, he begged for his life and they still killed him. HE WAS A GOOD MAN. PERIOD. HE WAS HUMAN. PERIOD. I’m 1/2 white, 1/2 black but in the eyes of the world, I am black. My dad is black, my brother is black, my nieces, my dad’s side of my family, my husband & my son… One night, @_danaisaiah was driving home from the gym in a rental car bc his car was in the shop. For some reason, he was pulled over. It was dark & there were two officers. I remember him texting me & telling me that he was pulled over…my whole body buckled. I was terrified. Dana would never hurt anyone, has no priors, has worked hard & cared for whatever community he’s in. But that doesn’t matter to racist people. They see his skin & think threat. Thankfully, he came home. But so many do not come home. So many do not get to see their babies again. The fear I felt for his life that night was very, very real. I feel it now. I’m angry, I’m shaking, my heart hasn’t stopped racing…I have to tell DJ one day that people will judge him just because he and his parents have melanin in their skin. I got up to write this after weeping while hugging DJ and praying for his safety. “Watch over my baby, keep my baby safe…” He pulled back and wiped my tears. Even he knows the heaviness of what we’re feeling even if he doesn’t understand it. If you are white, have black friends, spouses, lovers, kids, employers, pastors…this is your problem too. This is a call to you!! Black people are hurting, tired, living in fear for their life & angry about it & you wonder why. We have been marching & calling & writing…I have been in action calling the DA & will continue!! If you are white, we need you to USE YOUR VOICE and speak up about these injustices! Things will only change when those with privilege stand up & say NO MORE. Rest in Power, King. 💔 “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” #georgefloyd #justiceforfloyd

A post shared by Jordin Sparks Thomas (@jordinsparks) on

While the mobilization of equal rights movements has been “incredible” to witness, Sparks stressed how “We have to keep going. We gotta keep our foot on the gas. We can’t just let up.”

We stand by Jordin Sparks in her fight against racism. We can all play a part in steering the nation towards meaningful structural reform by speaking out against inequality once and for all.

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