People all over the world are participating in social media activism in support of the fight against racial injustice in America.
Now more than ever, it’s important that above all, Black voices are being uplifted to be leaders for the Black liberation movement. One campaign, in particular, is aiming to amplify the voices of Black women by giving them bigger platforms online to be heard.
Today, one day only, nearly 50 Black women activists, celebrities, and entrepreneurs will take over the outsized Instagram accounts of A-list white women actresses, authors, fashion designers, athletes, politicians, and executives to drive the #SharetheMicNow campaign, Variety reports.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, #SharetheMicNow is the brainchild of Endeavor CMO Bozoma Saint John, bestselling authors Luvvie Ajayi Jones and Glennon Doyle, and fashion designer, Stacey Bendet. The campaign arrives as a result of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism in the U.S.
“When the world listens to women, it listens to white women,” reads the official statement of the #SharetheMicNow campaign. “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.”
According to organizers of the campaign, #SharetheMicNow has four goals in mind:
“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.”
The full list of Black women taking part includes:
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.
The full list of white women taking part includes:
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 Bird.
Overall, 46 Black women will take over the accounts of 46 white women, with a total audience reach of 300 million users on Instagram for the inaugural #SharetheMicNow campaign, according to the organizers.
“Today, more than ever, it is NECESSARY that we create a unifying action to center Black women’s lives, stories, and calls to action,” the statement added. “We need to listen to Black women.”
For more information on the campaign, follow Share the Mic Now on Instagram.