Using her Instagram follower count of 178 million people for good. Selena Gomez announced that she will let black leaders take over her account to shed light on important causes amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I have been struggling to know the right things to say to get the word out about this important moment in history,” the singer, 27, captioned a Thursday, June 4, post. “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 influentials [sic] 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.”
Gomez accompanied the message with artwork from Charly Palmer titled “Speak With Confidence.”
The Disney Channel alum previously showed her support for Black Lives Matter on Saturday, May 30. “I have spent the last 24 hours just trying to process this all,” she explained via Instagram. “Nothing anyone says can take back what has happened. But we can and must all make sure to take action. Too many black lives have been taken from us for far too long. They deserve better. They deserve to be heard. We all need to do better and not sit in silence as this injustice continues. #blacklivesmatter #justiceforgeorgefloyd #icantbreathe.”
The death of George Floyd on May 25 sparked a social justice movement across the country. Police officer Derek Chauvin was seen pressing his knee into the 46-year-old’s neck for nearly nine minutes in a video captured by a bystander. “I can’t breathe,” Floyd said before he eventually became unresponsive. Chauvin has since been fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and charged with third-degree murder as well as second-degree manslaughter.
Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson were among the stars who attended a memorial for Floyd on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Gomez is not the only celebrity to speak out regarding the cause, while others have participated in protests and donated to organizations assisting in the movement.