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Celebs' link to Black Lives Matter can be risky

Arienne Thompson
USA TODAY
Janelle Monae delivered an impassioned speech after her "Today" show performance on Aug. 14.

Last Friday, singer Janelle Monae ended her Today show performance on NBC with a short-but-heavy speech about racism, police brutality and justice.

“God bless America. God bless all who’ve lost lives to police brutality,” she said breathlessly as the camera swept across the screaming crowd. “We want white America to know that we stand tall today. We want black America to know that we stand tall today. We will not be silenced.”

And yet some viewers assumed that was exactly what happened when producers cut away from the singer and a Today anchor announced a commercial break while Monae was mid-speech.

Monae’s decision to literally use her platform to get a message out to millions was certainly not the first time she’s been vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement, and it won’t be her last.

She is one of the celebrities engaged and involved in the movement, which was born, in part, out of the police-shooting death of teenager Mike Brown in Ferguson, Mo., a year ago. Since then, other black celebrities have also used their access, influence, wealth and privilege to support and further the cause in various ways.

Monae, who has participated in a number of Black Lives Matter marches, has billed her latest single, Hell You Talmbout, as a protest anthem. Last month, Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams dropped a 24-part viral Twitter rant about police brutality, racial bias and white privilege. In May, Prince hosted a free “Pray 4 Peace” concert in Baltimore following the unrest prompted by the death of Freddie Gray, who died in police custody.

This spring, media outlets picked up on journalist dream hampton's  tweets crediting Beyonce and Jay Z with bailing out jailed protesters in Baltimore and Ferguson. And, last December, LeBron James and Kobe Bryan warmed up in “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts, and John Legend funded a fleet of food trucks to feed protesters in New York in the wake of the Eric Garner — killed in a police chokehold — grand jury decision.

But, is speaking out on a morning show or hosting a concert or tweeting out an opinion or wearing a T-shirt enough to be an agent of change?

Yes, says activist DeRay Mckesson, a member of the planning team behind WeTheProtesters.org and a leader in the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Most people understand the movement to be the work in the streets, and that is fundamental to this work. That was my call to action and I remain committed to in-person protest and I think that will remain a part of the movement for a long time,” Mckesson says. But “there are also many ways to protest and many ways to confront and disrupt a system that is killing people.”

LeBron James warms up in an "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt before a game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center in December 2014.

Mckesson explains that when it comes to celebrities and high-profile influencers, they can help benefit social justice of all kinds by acting in three ways: amplifying the message, assisting with resources and creating space.

“Jesse Williams epitomizes the amplified message. Because of his influence, he’s able to take the message of the movement — equity and police violence — to spaces that might not otherwise get it. With the resource piece, you get people who work primarily behind the scenes, whether it’s time, money or advice. That's what is said about people like Beyonce and Jay Z. (There are) many people who can get into different rooms. They are not on the streets, but they can just call the governor and walk into (a statehouse). That’s huge. Celebrities who have privilege can get into rooms and can link people who can mentor in ways that are important.”

Celebrities must, however, assess the risks that may come with speaking out, says Saptosa Foster, managing partner of Atlanta-based public relations firm 135th Street Agency.

“Usually, the higher profile an individual, the more stakeholders they have as a part of their business; the endorsers, companies that they have, brands they’re associated with launching,” she says. “Most corporate brands have very conservative views and. if anything, they like to stay out of politics. If that person’s enterprise involves many other people, they have to think about the risk.”

Jesse Williams has been outspoken on Twitter about police violence and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Risks such as losing endorsements, being passed over for mainstream opportunities and even stunting one’s career.

“If you are somebody that thinks, ‘My career is dedicated to getting an Oscar,’ then you do have to play the game. You do have to be careful about what you say, because you are working within a system that essentially can affect your chances of getting that Oscar,” Foster says.

Legendary actor Harry Belafonte, a mover and shaker during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, spoke about the impact of such a risk in Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s 1997 book Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Black Man. Belafonte described turning down now-iconic movies, To Sir, With Love and Lilies of the Field, because he felt they demeaned black people. And, it was his best friend, Sidney Poitier, who took on the roles — and made history.

“When I read Lilies of the Field, I was furious,” Belafonte recalled to Gates. “You’ve got these nuns fleeing Communism, and out of nowhere is this black person who throws himself wholeheartedly into their service, saying nothing, and doing nothing except being commanded by these Nazi nuns? He didn’t kiss anybody, he didn’t touch anybody, he had no culture, he had no history, he had no family, he had nothing. I just said, ‘No, I don’t want to play pictures like that.’ What happened was that Sidney stepped in —  and got the Academy Award.”

Modern celebrities must also consider the rabid social media backlash that can come from fans who think they're not doing enough to further a cause. Some online critics have targeted Beyonce and Jay Z, for instance, demanding that the megastar couple do more and give more.

That kind of outrage may be common, but it's counterproductive, Mckesson says. "I get it. I understand it. They are commenting on their relationship with that person’s celebrity, and that makes sense to me," he says. However, everyday people should be more concerned with the celebrities who work against the movement than those who seem silent just because they are not publicly involved, he adds.

"When you see celebrities posting about black-on-black crime, I have more comments about those people than I do about the people who have chosen to work in back channels. There are some influencers who have come out and said some really unproductive things. It demonstrates a wholesale ignorance of the complexities of the violence black people face at the hands of the state."

Former Orange Is the New Black actress Lorraine Toussaint says that stars' decision to do good does not always have to be a public act, even though they live their lives in the spotlight.

Beyonce, Jay Z, left, Trayvon Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton and Al Sharpton attend the National Action Network 100 City "Justice For Trayvon" vigil in 2013.

"Social justice is a very personal thing — it’s like religion —  it’s really personal. There’s nothing more unpleasant than people who wear religion on their sleeve. When it comes to social justice, you can’t make people do it. There’s so many different ways in which to personally and or publicly make a stand," she says. "Even the tiniest stand when no one is looking makes a difference; it moves the planet forward. It’s a personal choice and I can’t fault people who choose not to. At the end of the day, you don’t even know what people are actually doing. I’m going to trust that there’s so many people that don’t have some big outward show of standing up for a worthy cause, but do so in the privacy of their families or on a one-on-one basis."

Toussaint adds that trying to fully grasp all sides of an issue may make some celebrities reluctant to get involved right away, too.

"Sometimes it’s really hard to take a stand on things, because I am not that clearly informed. It’s never ever black and white. Sometimes, you can feel paralyzed, but you do what you can, and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn’t."

Mckesson says he has fielded calls from some boldfaced names, none of whom he would name, requesting more information about Black Lives Matter and asking how they can help propel the movement forward.

"People have reached out and said, ‘What can I do?’ or just wanted to talk beyond an explicit ask, wanting to create space and talk about the issues or learn more about a specific case like Sandra Bland (who died in a Texas jail) or connecting with local protesters. And, I don’t think I’m unique. I’m never surprised that people want to fight for justice."

During his performance at the Grammys in February, Pharrell featured dancers in hoodies who incorporated the "hands up, don't shoot" gesture in their choreography.
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