This past Monday we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Most of us know of his legacy - peaceful fight for racial equality - and many strive to continue it. However, it’s no secret that although progress has been made since the ‘60s, we are still in desperate need of change in order to fully achieve the dream that Dr. King spoke of.
In the world of beauty, blogging and advertising, it’s often criticized when the issues (politics, injustice and etc.) aren’t addressed or acknowledged, but at the same time there’s a fine line to walk when it comes to addressing politics in business. However, it’s refreshing to see some of beauty influencers we follow using their voices to acknowledge important matters such as these. We thought it would be a great idea to shine light on some of these ladies who are speaking out in hopes of working towards equality.
Whitney White, better known as @Natptural85, has posted on a few different occasions regarding racial and other social/political issues including net neutrality, bettering conditions for underprivileged youth and breaking the cycle of systemic oppression.
image from @naptural85 for @epiphanyschool
In one post regarding she stated, “Respect my right to celebrate who I am, physically and culturally, and I respect YOUR right to do the same… I believe we CAN celebrate our skin colors as well as cultures, it’s what makes us physically unique, and honestly many Black Americans have slavery roots and STILL don’t know what their culture is! So being black BECOMES their culture.”
Whitney continues to use her platform to not only inspire us through her healthy hair routines and formulas, but also by speaking on the tougher issues, in an effort to improve our current societal conditions. We love that!
Nicole of @Watermeloneggrolls has also posted about racial issues and how they have affected her life on a personal level, especially regarding her marriage.
image from@watermeloneggrolls
“Racism is a real thing, it’s not outdated and over-exaggerated... You cannot be complacent, you cannot be indifferent. You’re either with it or against it, period. Your silence is a deadly weapon that allows it to brew and manifest continuously.”
Everyone has the right to share what they wish on social media. Those that keep their views private have every right to, and we definitely respect that. However, with that, it is also both important and encouraging to have a mix of influencers who are making efforts to tackle these issues directly on their platforms. Thank you Whitney, Nicole and everyone else out there taking daily strides, publicly or privately, to make Dr. King’s dream come true!
