Kim Kardashian Makes Black Lives Matter Statement: "Hashtags Are Not Enough"
“I want my children to grow up knowing that their lives matter. “
With the passing days more celebrities are speaking out against police brutality in America, and Kim Kardashian is the latest to offer a statement of her own. As tensions rise following the deaths of black men killed by police across the country as well as police who were gunned down by snipers following a protest in Dallas, Texas, on July 7, she took to her website in support of the Black Lives Matter movement to share how “appalled and completely heartbroken” she felt. “I want my children to grow up knowing that their lives matter,” Kim wrote about her and Kanye West’s children, North and Saint.
Like Beyoncé, who penned an open letter titled “Freedom,” KKW urged people to contact their local legislators and donate to the families of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two men whose deaths were captured via smartphone and broadcasted on the internet within 48 hours of occurring. Read her statement in full below.
This week we watched Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, two innocent black men, get senselessly murdered by police officers. Like a lot of you guys, I watched the videos, and was appalled and completely heartbroken. I was left speechless, angry and numb.
I want my children to grow up knowing that their lives matter. I do not ever want to have to teach my son to be scared of the police, or tell him that he has to watch his back because the people we are told to trust—the people who “protect and serve”—may not be protecting and serving him because of the color of his skin.
The last thing we need is to fuel anger with more hate or violence, especially toward the many incredible police officers who risk their lives every single day to protect our families and communities. We must peacefully use the power of our voices and the strength of our numbers to demand changes in the judicial system so that brutality doesn’t ever go unpunished.
It is our responsibility as Americans and as parents to create a safe future for our children. We must do something NOW. We must speak up until we are heard and real, effective changes are made.
Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Sean Bell … and unfortunately so many more.
Hashtags are not enough. This must end now.
