CELEBRITY CULTURE

Celebrities have the unique and often overwhelming ability to become both leaders and lightning-rods for the issues they condone or endorse. Whether its politicians, parades, or products, celebrities are hot-commodities in the world of endorsements, and their ability to immediately reach a large group of people through their social media has great weight and value. This ability, however, often falls in line with the age-old Spiderman quote: “With great power comes great responsibility”.

The Power of Beyonce

Arguably one of the most influential celebrities on the planet, Beyonce has become known for her powerful and artistic takes on current issues, using platforms such as the Superbowl halftime show and her latest visual album "Lemonade" to make a statement.

Two Notable Outspoken Celebs Using Their Platforms for Change

"Grey's Anatomy" star Jesse Williams

"Now — this award, this is not for me. This is for the real organizers all over the country, the activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students that are realizing thata system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do. All right? It’s kind of basic mathematics.

The more we learn about who we are and how we got here, the more we will mobilize.

Now, this is also in particular for the black women, in particular, who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves. We can, and will, do better for you.

Now: What we’ve been doing is looking at the data. And we know that police somehow manage to de-escalate, disarm and not kill white people every day. So what’s gonna happen is we’re going to have equal rights and justice in our country, or we will restructure their function, and ours.

Now I got more, y’all. Yesterday would have been young Tamir Rice‘s 14th birthday. So I don’t want to hear any more about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive by on a 12-year-old playing alone in a park in broad daylight, killing him on television and going home to make a sandwich. Tell Rekia Boyd how it’s so much better to live in 2012 than it is to live in 1612 or 1712. Tell that to Eric Garner. Tell that Sandra Bland. Tell that to Darrien Hunt." -Williams' Acceptance Speech for BET's Humanitarian Award in 2016

"How to Get Away With Murder" star Matt McGorry

"Some people think they are being more inclusive by saying #AllLivesMatter in response to #BlackLivesMatter but in reality, they're (un)consciously undermining the purpose of the movement. Because this PARTICULAR movement is about SPECIFIC issues, as any decently effective movement is. You can't just have a protest for "Make Everything In The World Better!" How can you have an effective protest that's about gender equality, animal rights, racial equality, and saving the environment? Pro-tip: you can't. Because that's not how getting shit done works. And I've never seen #AllLivesMatter promoted by someone who ACTUALLY fights for racial equality. So someone getting up in arms bc of #BlackLivesMatter while they sit on the sidelines and do nothing for black lives or anyone's other than their own is not actually promoting that "All Lives Matter (equally)" as much as they're trying to take down the idea that #BlackLivesMatter and denying its necessity and value. Whether it's conscious or unconscious, you're contributing to societies racial issues if you're responding with #AllLivesMatter." -McGorry's Instagram, July 18, 2015