- Charli D'Amelio, the 16-year-old
TikTok star and top influencer, posted a video condemningGeorge Floyd 's death and stating she would continue being an ally to theBlack Lives Matter community. - D'Amelio said that she was speaking out as an influencer who has "a job to inform people on the racial inequalities in the world right now."
- The video was posted as
protests raged in cities across the US for the fifth day over Floyd's death and police brutality. - Beauty influencer Bretman Rock criticized fellow social media heavyweights days earlier for not speaking out to support the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of Floyd's death and ongoing protests.
Charli D'Amelio, the 16-year-old TikTok star and top influencer, posted a video statement on George Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter movement.
D'Amelio, who has almost 60 million followers on the platform, said that she was speaking out because "as a person who has been given the platform to be an influencer, I've realized that with that title I have a job to inform people on the racial inequalities in the world right now."
The video was posted as violent protests raged in cities across the US for the fifth day to reject the killing of George Floyd, a black Minnesota man, at the hands of a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes as Floyd said he couldn't breathe.
"How come when it comes to the color of a person's skin they're treated differently?" D'Amelio said. "A man was killed, his life was ended, 'don't kill me,' George Floyd says as his last words. His life should not be over and his name needs to be heard."
"We, people of all colors, need to speak up at a time like this," D'Amelio added.
The influencer went on to say that she learned the Black Lives Matter fist icon that many users set as their profile pictures on the platform in a sign of support "are for the black community to use only," so she changed the photo back, though she plans to continue to spread messages and "be an ally."
"We all have a voice, we need to stand up for what is right and stick together," D'Amelio concluded.
As of Sunday afternoon, the video earned at least 28 million views and 8 million likes.
@charlidamelio ♬ original sound - charlidamelio
D'Amelio's comment about using her platform echoes criticism influencer Bretman Rock leveled at fellow social media heavyweights who hadn't spoken out to support the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of Floyd's death and ongoing protests.
Rock posted a series of Instagram Stories on May 28, in which he said: "some people have been too quiet lately and not using their voice."
"Yes, retweeting things is cute and all, but, that is not using your voice," the influencer said before suggesting some weren't posting for fear of alienating brands and losing out on possible deals.
"I want more people to listen," he said. "I want more people to be aware of what's really going on in the political climate."
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