Hi Sarah. You- or some members on your team- seem to follow our discussions here pretty closely. So, please hear me out. Let's all put aside all the tension and disagreements we've had around your content. Just hear me out and think about this for a bit. Please, consider what I'm saying here.
We do not choose the skin colour we are born into. We do not choose our bodies. At our core, we are all human. We all feel pain, joy, exhaustion, elation. We all suffer and triumph in different ways throughout our lifetimes.
It's a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, this massive platform, all these people looking to you for direction, a new family, trying to build your future home, running your 2 businesses, taking care of yourself with your hefty workload, answering a gazillion DMs and comments, and somehow creating content for YT amidst it all. It's a lot on your plate. I listened you when you said that. I listened.
This issue is important and it's time you listen to your followers the way we do when you speak on issues that are important to you.
This may be the biggest fight your generation will have. It is about humanity. So this may be your best chance to really make a mark in this world and be a positive influence on your platform. This is bigger than the shredded body, the lux lifestyle, the instaworthy holidays. This is about the right to live and be treated as a human being, period. Some people are not given that right, Sarah.
If a dog were killed in the street the way these people of colour are, we would all be outraged. Imagine a dog running in the street and getting killed for no reason. You would be in tears. You would be shocked and angered and appalled. We all would be. That is what is happening to human beings all over the world, just because they were born with a different skin colour. Not because they did anything wrong, but because of something they had no control over. You would be outraged if it were a dog. You should be outraged that it is happening to people, daily.
You say you understand and you stand by everyone. You say you love everyone. You say you want a positive tribe. Then please, take a moment, and feel what I've just described. Imagine that life. Racism exists in every corner of the world, so this is on your doorstep too. Living in oppression and fear like PoC do, that is what causes true anxiety. You want everyone to live their best lives, then start by giving them a chance to speak their truth.
Influencers all over the world are opting to go mute for a week, giving up their chance to make profits, and instead showcasing PoC, linking to small businesses run by PoC, sharing resources and information about this issue of institutional racism. Your product promotions, the censoring of everyone's comments and the ray of sunshine you are aiming to bring with lighter content is actually harmful right now. It is belittling the cause.
It's a lot of work trying to understand this issue because it runs deeper than just surface level racism. It's a lot of work when you already have so much on your plate and it doesn't directly affect you, so you have to work even harder to understand. I get that it's a big thing to ask of you, when you are already so overwhelmed with work and family.
But you have a chance to put in this work now and show that you truly care, show that you meant what you said when you posted that you stand by the movement.
Put everything on hold, just like other influencers, promote this movement, learn a thing or two about how deep this runs, and then go back to your product launch next week. You won't lose money. You'll likely sell more if people see you stepping up. And you may find yourself happier after taking the time to research this a little more deeply, because you're a loving person who wants to support everyone, and understanding other people's positions in life will be deeply gratifying for someone like you.
There's no hate here. I'm putting my personal issues with your content aside. I mean this sincerely. Please consider it. This is bigger than your channel and your day and your meals and your positive vibes.
Look how many comments you had to delete. Think why so many are trying to reach out and tell you that something is wrong. They can't all be wrong, can they? Take a minute. Look at what other people are doing and follow suit. You shouldn't be spending your time cleaning up one PR disaster after another, posting story after story about haters. That is a red flag: people are telling you something is wrong in your house, listen for a second and correct it.
Don't delete comments around this conversation. They are not about you. Your page is the medium but the conversation is about race, oppression, inequality and unjustified murder. This is so much bigger than you. When you delete the conversation, you remove the hope that PoC have of being heard. You remove the chance that someone may learn something that will make them a better person.
Create the positive vibes you speak of. Create the inclusive tribe you dreamed of. Act now, put your brand aside for a moment and be a human being. Feel the urgency in this cause. Act now because you still can.