Educating herself. Iskra Lawrence wrote a message for her newborn following George Floyd’s death, then shared practical ways she plans to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
“This is my beautiful innocent black baby,” the model, 29, captioned a close-up Instagram shot of her infant on Sunday, May 31. “As your mother I will protect you in anyway I can. But I know that will never be enough. Your skin color will impact your life in a way I will never be able to understand.”
The British star went on to write, “Your father, [Philip Payne], will have to teach you things as a privileged white child I never had to learn.”
The “outraged” Aerie model shared a slideshow of graphics with her followers explaining white privilege and system racism, as well as listing organizations to donate to.
“If you’re not outraged and trying to figure out how you can do your bit, ask yourself if your daughter or son, sister or brother was at risk everyday of being murdered for the color of their skin would you not be doing everything you could?” Lawrence concluded. “Every opportunity, every micro aggression, constant racial profiling [is] all feeding into oppression.”
She shared the post on her Instagram Story that same day, writing, “I’m aware this post won’t be perfectly worded, but we have to speak up. Being silent is being complicit.”
The new mom penned her message for her infant one week after George Floyd was killed on May 25 when a police officer pressed a knee into his neck for nearly nine minutes. In the wake of Floyd’s death, thousand of protestors in cities across the U.S. have demanded justice and advocated for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Lawrence and Payne, 32, welcomed their child in April. “Thank you @philipapayne you’ve shattered any expectation I had of you as a father already I am so proud you’re my partner and I’m holding back tears writing this and every time I look at you with our baby,” Lawrence captioned their baby’s Instagram reveal. “Love you and love our family unconditionally.”
For more information, visit Blacklivesmatter.com.
