Celebrities from the entertainment industry have teamed up with Alicia Keys, her We Are Here movement and media company Mic to bring attention to 23 Black people who have been killed in America. The nearly three-minute video features an all-star roster delivering a one-sentence synopsis surrounding the circumstances around each person’s death, most of which were high profile cases that set off debates about race and violence in America.
In “23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America,” Beyonce honors Philando Castile, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota after being pulled over for a broken taillight. His girlfriend and her daughter were in the car at the time of the shooting. Taraji P. Henson gives homage to Alton Sterling, who was thrown to the ground and killed by police outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He sold CDs and DVDs outside the store for years. Both men died a day apart from each other last week.
Among the other victims acknowledged are Freddie Gray, who died from injuries sustained while riding in a police van in Baltimore after being arrested. His tribute is given by Chance the Rapper. Pharrell honors Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watchman after he was walking down the street in a hoodie. A$AP Rocky remembers Renisha McBride who was shot and killed on the porch of a house after she knocked on the door to ask for help after a car accident.
After listing the names of some the victims of violence, the film moves toward a call to action given by Keys.
“The time for change is now,” she says. “We demand radical transformation to heal the long history of systemic racism so that all Americans have the equal right to live and to pursue happiness.”
“23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America” asks viewers to go to WeAreHereMovement.com to petition President Barack Obama and Congress to make the necessary steps towards equality. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #23Ways to raise awareness about the project.
Watch the video below:
They’re really pushing the agenda.
Its necessary, regardless of opposing views.
Alicia Keys has more white privilege than African American opression. Tell us about your struggle Alicia, how difficult it is to have everything handed to you. Oh, what color socks will I wear today? Great job making a documentary about refugees and not giving them one cent. This is a meaningful issue, but Alicia Keys doesn’t represent us.
1 thru 22 were killing each other
Let’s hear them list off all of the blacks killed by other blacks…in the past 30 days. You’d be shocked at how long that would take.
And the number one spot goes to? Blacks killing each other. Number two? Blacks killing others and getting the death penalty or dying in prison… Death by cop would be like, number 40 or so, but let’s address this because it’s “trending.”
Hehe, white people always trying to deflect blame to protect their precarious oppression of others.
If you really believe that, enjoy forever being on the bottom rung of the ladder.
Are most of those ways being killed by other black people? Cause that’s the actual truth and why black-majority cities are the most violent and crime-ridden in America.
89% of black people are killed by other black people. 82% of white people are killed by other white people. Now that we put it out there that people are likely to die by someone of their same race, what does that have do do with this article or the issue of police killings?
Misleading stats, but not necessarily false. There is such a thing called per capita and blacks comment violent crimes and murder at a higher rate than all the other races combined. That means more blacks commit violent crimes against whites and kill whites than whites on whites. Nobody likes black americans anywhere near them, not whites, but asians, middle eastereners, latinos don’t like blacks for the same reasons whites can’t stand blacks.
BLACKS ARE FERAL AND DANGEROUS TO ALL.
It’s sad that all these black killings are barely spreading awareness in Hip-Hop, when we been telling these stupid mfers for years. But they too wrapped up with their fame and partying and trying to dress the best to impress other celebs.
Ppl talking shit about Blacks Killing Blacks. Take a look at the source of why this happens.. We live in poverty, can’t get jobs, low paying jobs, government put drugs and guns in our neighborhoods, we don’t make drugs and we don’t bring in extended clips and semi automatic weapons.. Ppl turn to selling drugs to make more money than a $9 an hour slave job to support there families. Ppl kill eachother for this because we are all trying to survive. Were all thrown in a cage and gotta fight for the meal.. But you white folks would never understand because u never had to live like we do.
Excuse, condone, deny, etc..
Whites are starting to tune you people because of your excuse, condone, deny routine.
Really Robb? You think your people are the only ones to struggle, to starve, to have to fight for your rights? I grew up on the south side of Chicago, dirt poor and fighting every day for what we needed to live. Was I an angel, of course not. We would go days with little to eat, yet we never picked up a gun and killed our fellow man. We took those menial jobs you feel are beneath you, worked two and three of them at a time. Today, we are all doing well, and our children are going to college to improve themselves even further. Take a lesson, you self entitled, whiny cowardly punk
The truth is, police are equally brutal with all races. The problems blacks face, they will continue to face as long as they continue to deny they are accountable for their own actions. Not one of these celebrities mentioned the main causes of black deaths.. other blacks. Your decisions to “be cool” and live the gangster life are the reasons your brothers kill you. And for the last time, Trayvon was not killed cuz he was wearing a hoodie.. he was killed cuz he went back looking for trouble.. I for one, am glad he found it.