‘I decided that we all need to hear more from Black voices’: Selena Gomez says she’ll use her massive social media platforms to shine light where it’s needed amid time of ‘listening with an open heart and mind’
- Star has more than 287 million followers on Instagram and Twitter
- She urged her fans to listen ‘with an open heart and mind’
- Pop superstar has been outspoken in support of Black Lives Matter
Selena Gomez will use her massive social media platform – more than 287 million followers on Instagram and Twitter – to highlight black voices amid a national discussion on race relations in the wake of George Floyd’s death.
‘I have been struggling to know the right things to say to get the word out about this important moment in history,’ the 27-year-old singer wrote on Instagram Thursday. ‘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.’
Focused: Selena Gomez, 27, will use her massive social media platform – more than 287 million followers on Instagram and Twitter – to highlight black voices amid a national discussion on race relations in the wake of George Floyd’s death
Powerful sight: The Texas native posted an image called Speak With Confidence by artist Charly Palmer
The Come And Get It artist said that everyone has ‘an obligation to do better, and we can start by listening with an open heart and mind. ‘⠀
The Texas native posted an image called Speak With Confidence by artist Charly Palmer, depicting a crying black child with elements of the stars and stripes of the American flag; the art depicted allusions to bloodshed.
The message came on the day Floyd was remembered at North Central University in the first memorial service in a series for the late security guard.
Among the notable names in attendance included entertainers such as Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart and T.I., and politicians such as Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Reps. Ilhan Omar, Sheila Jackson-Lee and Ayana Pressley.
Forging ahead: Gomez has used her platforms to spread awareness for Black Lives Matter following Floyd’s tragic death
It came a day after prosecutors in Minnesota charged the officer primarily involved, Derek Chauvin, with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, while the three police officers he was with faced new charges of second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the deadly incident.
The national unrest began last week in Minneapolis when Floyd, a 46-year-old security guard, died after Chauvin kneeled on the back of his neck while he was handcuffed, rendering him unable to breathe in a horrifying incident that was caught on camera. In the incident, arresting officers said Floyd matched the description of a forgery suspect, and subsequently resisted them when they took him into custody.
In an accompanying clip, Chauvin was seen pinning his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck as Floyd pleaded with him to relent.
‘Please, please, please, I can’t breathe … please, man … my stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts … I can’t breathe,’ said Floyd, who later died in police custody.
All four of the officers were fired from the police department last week.
The incident has drawn parallels to the Los Angeles riots of 1992 which broke out after police were acquitted in their trial over the beating of Rodney King, which was caught on video camera. In the five days of rioting, more than 60 people died, 2,000-plus were hurt and damages to destroyed property topped $1 billion.