After George Floyd was murdered, actor, comedian and musician Jamie Foxx traveled to Minnesota to join protestors and rail against police brutality. While there he gave an impassioned speech about lending his support to the cause.
After highlighting the work of the Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton and the Circle of Motherhood, Foxx expressed how personal the issue was to him.
“This is the toughest time when things like this happen. My man Jack when I saw him speaking on his Instagram, I called that Black man, I said, ‘Hey, whatever you need from me,’” Foxx said. “We have a connection; so all I wanted to do is let you know that we’re not afraid to stand, we’re not afraid of the moment; and I think what you saw on television – to watch this man plead for his mother as I sit with my two daughters, my nephews … it overcomplicates everything as a Black man trying to tell his son or his daughter how to function in life. Even the things that we’ve taught them don’t seem to work.”
Foxx stressed he wasn’t there in any celebrity capacity, but as a Black man from humble beginnings in Terrell, Texas who is all too familiar with the gaping inequality his people face.
“All I wanted to do today is let you know that I’m not a celebrity, I’m from Terrell, Texas. These are my brothers. this means everything because at the end of the day, when we see you guys out here on the front line, we want to let you know you got support. We want to let you know that Anytime you need us, you can call us we’ll come,” Foxx said.
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He concluded by sending condolences to the Floyd family and challenging his friends from other races to try and see things from Black people’s perspective.
“God bless George and his family, please wrap your arms around them. And to all of my friends who aren’t Black, just try to put yourself in our position,” Foxx said, thanking protestors and telling them he loved them before ending his speech.
Foxx has also been active in protests in California and online.
