I feel like I’m playing a game I never agreed to participate in and furthermore I don’t play kid like games with grown ass folk. Hide and seek might be fun to these big corporations but we ain’t chasing yall asses, we will ask this question and how you respond is on you, but, WHERE DA FUCK YALL AT?
There is this thing called BRAND ACTIVISM, which is a so called stand on social, environmental and political issues. We should know by now that everything is game. I’m not here to school yall on who has donated what nor on who has said what. That’s honestly a waste of a conversation and who cares what’s being donated if the faces of the boards are still fully or majority paled face (white folk) and if there is no action matching those donations, its all BULLSHIT.
“… a 2018 survey covering 35 countries showed that 64% of consumers would reward firms which they see as engaged in some kind of activism.” (Fernando Duarte, BBC.com) Which means what, exactly? We will give our money to these companies for delivering the bare minimum, a statement attached with financial promises lacking actual plans of action and involvement.
Founder of UOMA
Involvement can go a long way, without money ever being introduced. “…as of 2020, only four out of America’s 500 biggest companies had a black chief executive.” (BBC.com) Sharon Chuter launched #PULLUPORSHUTUP, which challenges beauty brands to let the world know how many blacks are working in the executive level and also asking the public not to buy from businesses who do not provide the information.
While all these “choose us to represent your blackness,” companies made all these cute ass statements and supposal donations, were loud in the beginning and we don’t hear a peep weeks later, I’m calling BULLSHIT until proven otherwise. There is no different in throwing a rock and hiding your hand, YOUR VOLUME IN BLACK LIVES MATTER SHOULD NOT DECREASE. The very decreasing volumes these companies are displaying places them right back to regular programming.
THE REGULAR PROGRAM IS DEAD. The time is up for companies participating in brand activism just to go silent as soon as other hashtags gain more following. Are you with BLACK LIVES MATTER or are you with THE HASHTAG? We don’t have time to play with yall asses, the merry-go-round is dead homeboy and this boat ain’t gone float this time.
It’s pretty clear that we really have everything that we need, always have, always will. What’s not clear is that, YOU (Corporate Companies), are under the assumption that chiming in, dropping a few post and statement while the topic is trendy, and announcing donations to the community is enough BUT ITS NOT. If we don’t see any action and continued conversation intertwined with visual change (specifically the black and brown demographics) WE, THE BLACK PEOPLE, DO NOT BELIEVE YOU.
Now…. I’m not telling you how to run yo shit, NERP, but I am telling you to be clear on what side you are on. It’s either in or out with us. It’s about consistency and amplifying the voices, but y’all wanna play hide and seek. Our movement is permanent and your temporary voice does nothing for us. Get with the new program or get the fuck out the way. And YES, I’m yelling when I use ALL CAPS!
SIGNING OFF…. My name is SIKA *drops mic*
