Why Are Celebrities STILL silent on Ferguson? An open letter from a fan.
I am a millennial. When something of importance happens, I read. I read articles, I read the comments of the strangers below. I share the articles I liked with friends on social media to discuss with a group I can better gauge than the masses, I read the articles my friends have posted and lastly… I look to see what a celebrity I admire has to say about the issue.
I’m a little ashamed to say that I do that… but I do. I care whether celebrities I like are on the right side of history. I like seeing musicians encouraging me to get out and Vote on election day, It matters to me which celebrities support equal rights and marriage equality. It matters to A LOT of us.
“The influence of celebrities in the 21st century extends far beyond the traditional domain of the entertainment sector of society.” (1). Look only to Emma Watson and her role as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and her AMAZING speech on Gender Equality to see how celebrity influence in the public eye can be used to educate and inspire the world.
Which is why I am so disappointed when it comes to the Celebrity response to Ferguson.
Even when Mike Brown was first shot there was this HUGE engagement by celebrity in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, but very few speaking on Ferguson. Seriously, I found a video with over 50 celebrity ALS challenge videos and my search for response to Mike Brown came up dismal, at best. Now with the continued silence after the lack of indictment, I truly feel hurt. I wasn’t even really sure why.
I actually went to Ellen’s page just to make sure nothing was there. I mean, I’d been waiting for something on twitter… she got to #AlexfromTarget in a day. Surely this person who stands for Honesty, Equality, Kindness, and Compassion would have something to say on this major human rights issue. Black lives matter, right? Where are you Ellen? Zoe? Oprah? all these people that I LOVE, and admire, and virtually stand proudly with when they take a stand for injustice. Where are you?
My Grandmother, a civil rights activist amongst other things, and my Grandfather founded the Compton,CA chapter of the NAACP. She once shared a story about all the chapters coming together to bus to Las Vegas, Nevada to protest segregation.
Now, a lot of the west coast was desegregated but Vegas, being a place that a lot of tourists visited, was one of the most strict in segregation policies to appease it’s clientele which came from all over. When they got there my Grandma said they opened their doors and ended the segregation right there on the spot, everyone was very surprised.
They soon learned the Casinos were tired of fighting because this fight had already been going on for about a decade by the Black preformers of Las Vegas and their allies. Elvis Presley, the Rat Pack, Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, Nat King Cole. These performers had been coming in back doors for years to play at Hotels where they were not even allowed to stay as guests.
There was protest and over time the celebrities won those rights for themselves and their entourages, and although some people question if these things in themselves were true civil rights victories, I think my Grandmother’s story shows that even if they didn’t secure segregation for everyone, they had already weakened the resolve when the NACCP showed up to do just that.
“Celebrities play a big role in the actions of our society. They may not all realize that when they deviate from social norms, they are also giving a nod to the American people that it can become an accepted thing.” (2).
Research shows Millennials are most likely to react to messages delivered from celebrities they admire or relatable characters/themes. This is brand research but is quickly spilling over to all areas of society.
Where are the voices here with Ferguson? Where is the celebrity stand on basic human rights? At this point there is a decision to be made between what is right, and what is easy. I get that this is not a “safe” cause like ALS, I get that this is not easy. But a decision to say something anyways is an ethical one that you need to make. (Great article on this topic, here.) I encourage you all to use your voice for good, even if your publicist doesn’t think you should “go there”. Maybe if you go do, other people will too and it will start to change the narrative.
I challenge every single celebrity who took the ice-bucket challenge to also take the challenge issued by Orlando Jones. “To listen without prejudice, to love without limits, and to reverse the hate.”
Read the articles on what is happening in Ferguson, share your opinion, use your voice. Please stop sitting idly by… say something, share a video, or just let the poor people of Ferguson know you hear them. Millinneals are on our way to becoming the most educated generation yet. We are a generation that cares. Our greatest wish for an issue or message that is of importance to us is for it to go Viral so that it can start a conversation. The fastest way to do that, is with Celebrity support and voices, voices that can change the conversation. Please use them.
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