Why Black Activists & Celebrities Are Taking Over White Influencers' Instagram Handles
Tomorrow, a coalition of nearly 50 Black female activists, celebrities, and entrepreneurs will be taking over the Instagram handles of white performers, fashion designers, and athletes in solidarity with the #ShareTheMicNow social media campaign. A-listers including Julia Roberts, Kourtney Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Diane von Furstenberg are relinquishing their accounts as part of a movement calling for white women with large social media presences to magnify the voices and efforts of Black women.
What's the message behind #ShareTheMicNow?
#ShareTheMicNow was conceived by Endeavor chief marketing officer Bozoma Saint John, author/podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones, author/Together Rising founder Glennon Doyle, and alice + olivia founder Stacey Bendet. The Instagram campaign's goal is "to magnify Black women and the important work that they're doing in order to catalyze the change that will only come when we truly hear each other's voices."
The #ShareTheMicNow organizers also outlined four stated goals for the June 10 movement: "To form a social media campaign that magnifies Black women’s lives and stories. To form relationships among Black women and white women - so that our future activism is born from relationships. To create a network of disruptors who know and trust each other. To create action that could make change."
#ShareTheMicNow will see 46 Black women take over the accounts of 46 white women, reaching a total audience of 300 million on Instagram, according to the campaign's planners.
A post shared by Share the Mic Now (@sharethemicnow) on Jun 5, 2020 at 1:05pm PDT
How do you participate?
The campaign encourages participants beyond the 92 Black and white women listed below to #ShareTheMicNow. "The #ShareTheMicNow campaign was born from relationships," a statement from organizers reads. "We invite other Black and white women in relationship to recreate this action in their own spaces." Women across the globe should be in conversation about ceasing their social media accounts for the day or amplifying Black voices in meaningful ways for forever.
Selena Gomez and Lady Gaga have also had Black leaders and anti-racist organizations take over their massive IG accounts in support of Black Lives Matter. Amongst the celebrity partnerships for #ShareTheMicNow, organizer Bozoma Saint John will work with Kourtney Kardashian; fashion and beauty founder Kahlana Barfield Brown will work with Julia Roberts; Mama Glow founder Latham Thomas will work with Gwyneth Paltrow; actress and transgender activist Angelica Ross will work with Hilary Swank; human rights activist Opal Tometi will work with Ashley Graham; and Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad will work with Alex Morgan.
Which Instagram accounts will be magnifying Black voices so far?
The mission statement for #ShareTheMicNow reads, "When the world listens to women, it listens to white women. For far too long, Black women's voices have gone unheard, even though they've been using their voices loudly for centuries to enact change. Today, more than ever, it is NECESSARY that we create a unifying action to center Black women's lives, stories, and calls to action. We need to listen to Black women."
Below, a complete list of both the Black and white women observing #ShareTheMicNow so far.
According to the press release, here's a full list of the Black women participating:
Alencia Johnson, Alexa Idama, Angelica Ross, Austin Channing Brown, Bozoma Saint John, Brittney Cooper, Candace Marie, Cari Champion, Christina Rice, Deesha Dyer, Devi Brown, Elaine Welteroth, Elle Hearns, Eunique Jones Gibson, Fresco Steez, Gia Peppers, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Jessica O. Matthews, Jovian Zayne, Julee Wilson, Justina Omokhua, Kahlana Barfield Brown, Keah Brown, Kimberly Blackwell, Latham Thomas, Lauren Wesley Wilson, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Melina Abdullah, Miatta Johnson, Monique Melton, Myleik Teele, Naima Cochrane, Nikki Ogunnaike, Nimotalai Ganiyu, Opal Tometi, Rachel Cargle, Activist, Seun Adigun, Stephanie Thomas, Stephanie Young, Tai Beauchamp, Tarana Burke, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Tiffany Aliche, Yaba Blay, Yvette Noel Schure.
A full list of the white women participating:
Abby Wambach, Ali Krieger, Arianna Huffington, Ashley Graham, Ashley Judd, Ashlyn Harris, Barb Schmidt, Brandi Carlile, Brené Brown, Busy Philipps, Cameron Esposito, Chelsea Handler, Cheryl Strayed, Chrissy Metz, Debra Messing, Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth Gilbert, Esther Perel, Glennon Doyle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank, Jen Hatmaker, Jenny Mollen, Jessica Seinfeld, Julia Roberts, Julianne Hough, Kathryn Budig, Katie Couric, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kourtney Kardashian, Liz Plank, Mandy Moore, Megan Rapinoe, Melissa Urban, Michelle Monaghan, Nina Tame, Sara Bareilles, Sarah McBride, Sarah Paulson, Sarah Sophie Flicker, Seane Corn, Selma Blair, Sophia Bush, Stacey Bendet, Sue Birda.
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