Celebrities are publicly reflecting on white privilege and violence against women of color in the wake of 18-year-old Nia Wilson’s senseless killing.
People were shocked by the attack on Wilson, and assault of her 26-year-old sister Lahtifa Wilson, Sunday night at a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station platform. A 27-year-old suspect, John Lee Cowell, has been booked with murder. The attack has been characterized as unprovoked and random, but many are wondering about the racial elements at play.
Media coverage of Wilson’s death has been disrespectful at times to the victim’s memory, negatively characterizing her. In the wake of the tragedy and public response, Anne Hathaway spoke out on Instagram, using her platform and privilege as a white celebrity to bring attention to Wilson’s death.
“The murder of Nia Wilson—may she rest in the power and peace she was denied here- is unspeakable AND MUST NOT be met with silence,” Hathaway wrote in her Instagram post.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlqdpDOgNE7/
Hathaway didn’t just bring attention to Wilson’s death, but also turned a mirror to society, saying, “ALL black people fear for their lives DAILY in America and have done so for GENERATIONS. White people DO NOT have equivalence for this fear of violence.”
Other celebrities such as Sophia Bush, Bevy Smith, and Tracee Ellis Ross have spoken up about the killing and explicitly called out racism. “Nia Wilson was murdered by a white supremacist on parole,” Bush wrote in her Instagram post.
@RWitherspoon & #annehathaway saying #NiaWilson name puts this heinous racist murder in front of many people who would prefer to ignore it! I applaud them for using their platform
— bevysmith (@bevysmith) July 26, 2018
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlofNNHj2D9/
NIA WILSON//SAY HER NAME
— Tracee Ellis Ross (@TraceeEllisRoss) July 25, 2018
Our bodies and our humanity deserve safety and joy.
video by @oranicuhh via @fatbellybella#SayHerName #NiaWilson #JusticeforNia pic.twitter.com/3S9EIzh5ej
People are thanking celebrities for bringing attention to Wilson and white privilege, and for keeping the conversation about violence against women of color at the front of the public consciousness.
Yessss Anne Hathaway with the solidarity post. Being black in America invokes some fear. However, I only fear God. She understands and gets it, we need more solidarity white people in actions, not silence. I've experienced the silence too many times. Speak up! #NiaWilson
— Ja.nele (@Slim_Hen_) July 26, 2018
https://twitter.com/RXMANSPHOENIX/status/1022332031164981249
Hathaway also used her post to request that white people examine their privilege and internalized racism, saying, “We must ask our (white)selves- how ‘decent’ are we really? Not in our intent, but in our actions? In our lack of action?”
H/T Buzzfeed News