While Melania Trump was preparing to deliver her plagiarized speech Monday at the Republican National Convention, Nick Cannon led #BlackLivesMatter protestors in the streets of Cleveland, Ohio.
Cannon is one of many celebrities using his voice, platform and presence to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement and speak out on the injustices faced by the black community. The protest in Cleveland was significant considering the string of disturbing events happening around the 2016 Republic National Convention.
“My community brought me down here today and the lack of representation for my community brought me down here today,” Cannon told Vibe. “We are just crying for help and we are losing lives by the hour.”
In his Instagram posts from the protest, Cannon proclaimed that he wouldn’t be voting until black lives matter. These statements were met with disappointment from some fans, however, Cannon continued to push his point using a series of memes, in proper “I said what I said” fashion.
Real talk. I’m out here in it and they’re laughing at us! #StayWoke
A photo posted by Nick Cannon (@nickcannon) on
Other posts explained the role of the Electoral College in the voting process, again reinforcing Cannon’s point. Yet, at the end of the day, his choice is backed by his belief that #BlackLivesMatter should be at the forefront of conversations about the future of America.
“We want to be respected,” Cannon said. “We want to feel safe. We want the American Dream. You are messing with our peace of mind. We can’t operate as Americans when we can’t walk outside and feel safe.”
