An open letter to my fellow (non-black) bloggers, influencers & those with large platforms

Please read this post carefully; if it leaves you feeling guilty, then that is absolutely something you need to address. It is up to you do so.

LINKS TO BLACK LIVES MATTER PETITIONS, FUNDS AND MORE

Over the past week I have watched as the world burned, all in the name of justice for George Floyd, a black man murdered at the hands of law enforcement in Minneapolis. I have watched peaceful protests turned violent by the police. I have watched innocent people tear-gassed and attacked with rubber bullets by the police. "Who do you call when the police are the murderers?" has never been so true. And I stand by everyone who is fighting in the ever ongoing fight against white supremacy.

The UK is not innocent in this. It is a worldwide issue. We may be in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic but there is an even bigger one that has been going on throughout history: racism.

My platform isn't huge, by any means. Collectively I have around 13,000 followers - people who follow me/my blog for all things to do with beauty, books, travel and more. This week, I have been incredibly vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement. I have tweeted and retweeted petitions, video evidence and more; I have written to my MP, shared links to helpful resources, and done my best to amplify the voices of black people around the world. And offline, I have tried to educate myself further.

And I'm no hero. This is the bare minimum that should be expected of me as a white person with a platform. I don't expect or want any thanks or praise for doing so - I'm doing it simply because it is the right thing to do, and something that should be done always. We cannot let this conversation end, and I vow not to. Please do not see this as self-worship; I'm simply trying to show you how easy it is.

Image from the Liverpool Echo.

But still I'm seeing people with platforms the same size and bigger, doing nothing. Staying silent. Distancing themselves from this worthwhile fight. Scared of losing followers, losing brand deals, losing the happy go lucky ray of fucking sunshine persona they present themselves as. And it's not good enough.

Performative activism falls under the 'not good enough' umbrella too. So you posted one black square with the #blackouttuesday hashtag, or a cute graphic you probably stole from a black woman without crediting them? And then you went on with your life, sharing what you're having for tea or how you can't wait for Disneyworld to re-open or what cleanser you're using tonight. Is that it? Is that all you can manage?

I'm not saying don't share the content that your followers enjoy. That's why they follow you, and why you have the platform you do. That's why you're an influencer, because they love books or they love cheap holidays or they love skincare reviews. They are your audience, and you owe it to them to see them as multifaceted human beings. They're already there, and you have a duty to educate them alongside the recipes and fashion hauls. You have an opportunity to start a conversation, to get people thinking, to get eyes on the petitions and the issues - it's abhorrent to not use it.

Please, just think about it. Not for me, not for yourself, but for black people around the world who are constantly suffering at the hands of white supremacy. Share petitions and resources, uplift black creators, talk about your own white privilege and encourage your followers to do the same.

Do better; be better.

HERE'S THAT LINK ONE MORE TIME: PLEASE SHARE, SIGN AND DONATE