This year has been the year of being vocal when it comes to the Black revolution. People have been protesting in the streets, social media is used as an outlet to unite the public, and celebrities have been using their platforms to educate and stand up for those who can’t for themselves.
Award-winning Black actresses and activists, Viola Davis and Taraji P Henson, have put out a call to action to boycott against biased media.
Henson, who was the first to express her concern, went on social media to show her outrage towards media outlets because of their handling of the Black narrative in their publications. The way people are displayed in the media are shown differently based on the color of their skin. Henson pointed this out after the fatal shooting of two protestors from 17-year-old, Kyle Rittenhouse, in August.
Henson posted a side by side screen shot of an article about Rittenhouse and another about 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, who was unlawfully killed by George Zimmerman in 2012. Davis followed suit and reposted the photo for her audience as well.
“You are foul for this [New York Post] you are a part of the problem!!!,” Davis echoed from Henson. “Entertainers, we need to boycott publications that continue to criminalize innocent POC after they have been murdered by the law!!! This is cruel and traumatizing to the loved ones left behind. You are heartless and cruel!!! #Fixthisshit #Trayvonmartin was walking home with candy and tea in his hands, not the blood of innocent lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Both articles were New York Post originals and depicted both boys in different ways. Rittenhouse, who committed a crime, was shown doing positive acts in the community while Martin, who was a victim, was depicted as a marijuana smoking gangbanger.
Media bias and objectivity in newsrooms has been a long ongoing debate. The families have to deal with the loss of their loved one as well as deal with the media depictions of that person to the public. Both actresses are using their platform to take a stand against it.