Celebrities with tens of millions of followers are handing over their Instagram accounts to Black change makers. Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, and Lizzo are among the stars who have asked Black leaders to takeover their accounts. As thousands of people take to the streets in Black Lives Matter protests across the country, Selena announced she would be highlighting influential leaders and allowing them to speak directly to her more than 179 million followers.
It comes amid the tragic death of African-American man George Floyd, who died after Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer, pinned him to the ground for almost nine minutes despite repeatedly telling him that he couldn’t breathe, during an arrest on May 25. His death prompted outcry as thousands of protesters, including celebrities, have taken to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Here are some of the celebs handing over their social media pages.
Selena Gomez
The “Rare” singer announced she would be handing over her accounts to leaders like Alicia Garza, the co-creator of 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,” Selena wrote. “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. We all have an obligation to do better and we can start by listening with an open heart and mind.”
Shawn Mendes
Shawn revealed the first person he would hand over his account to was Black activist Zyahna Bryant. “I’ve decided to hand over my platform on Instagram & give my stories for the next few days to some incredible young Black changemakers on the frontlines in the fight against systemic racism,” he wrote. “Please receive them with love and solidarity.”
Lady Gaga
“Shallow” singer Lady Gaga has vowed to lift up voices within the Black community. She took to Instagram to reveal she would be handing over her account to Black leaders. “Starting tomorrow, I’m giving over my Instagram account to each of the organizations I’ve recently donated to, in an effort to amplify their important voices,” she wrote. “And after I vow to regularly, in perpetuity, across all of my social media platforms, post stories, content, and otherwise lift up the voices of the countless inspiring members and groups within the Black community.”
Lizzo