‘Calling people out works but we must differentiate between when we are dealing with a lack of understanding, and when we are being intentionally baited… Writer Siana Bangura says on Instagram: “As much as we must keep being angry and using that as fuel for action, I’m really trying to use my energy productively this year – if I don’t I will run out of energy completely because the frequency of this type of racism and racist representation is, if anything, increasing.”
‘This is not to say ignore these events. It’s a call for weighing up the costs for yourself. A call for thinking about if you would be better served by expending that same energy elsewhere. A call for pausing to breathe and taking a time out from a world where our blackness is constantly under assault. It’s acknowledging that these are deliberate and calculated marketing ploys, where such online buzz will have these companies trending worldwide. It’s knowing that while Stephanie has bravely used her voice and platform in the face of direct and unrelenting racism, I might not be able to withstand that same pressure – is there some way to take this negativity and churn out something positive?’ – Paula Akpan
