Erin Napier Had a Powerful Conversation with a Fan on Instagram About Her Response to Black Lives Matter
Home Town’s Erin Napier recently added to the celebrity conversation surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement.
Erin shared a fan exchange she had via Instagram to help illustrate her views.
With all 50 states, as well as 18 countries, partaking in Black Lives Matter protests, we’re currently witnessing the largest civil rights movement in world history. While not everyone lives in a large city where protests are taking place, folks all over the world are finding ways to speak up for what’s right—including Erin Napier.
The Home Town star took to Instagram on Wednesday, June 3, to share a chat she had with a follower and fan named Danielle, who expressed genuine concern over her not speaking up more with her platform. Erin shared a photo of their conversation, along with the caption, "Thank you, @dlsmalley36 ?? (ps - my heart is racing because it’s scary to share with the whole world about the big stuff that matters)."
"As a huge fan of you and your show, a follower of Christ and a black women, I was hoping you would take a bigger stand," Danielle said in her message to Erin.
Erin responded with a long paragraph that explained her thoughts and approach to posting on Instagram.
Here's Erin's full message:
Hi Danielle, I really appreciate you writing to me and following our story and our show. I feel like if Home Town resonates with you, maybe this will make sense, too. I want you to know that my social media quiet is not a difference of opinion, it’s just a difference of expression. I think taking a “bigger” stand lies in the small opportunities we meet every day as we go to the post office or order food in a restaurant. I live in a 60% African-American city. I go to church with people who are not my color. I’ve loved those people and worshipped with them and I’ll teach Helen the same. I believe Jesus teaches us mercy, love and empathy. And I believe social media posting under duress from the world is not the answer. It is artificial. It will not heal what’s wrong. Because a week from now, most of these same people will go back to posting the best summer sangria recipes and photos of their dogs because they feel they did their part with their post on Monday, and it’s sickening to me. So I just pull away from any mass movement that feels insincere. I guess it’s the rebellious streak that worried my parents in high school now makes me wary of anything that “everybody’s doing.” But know this: I think what Jesus teaches me is to show mercy and love and kindness and compassion to every person I interact with every day of my life. I don’t have to post a black square for that to be true, and virtue doesn’t happen by demand of a mob. I’m so sorry if you’ve been a victim in your life because of the color of your skin. I don’t know your situation, but I will say a prayer for you today and continue my mission of making the next right step, doing the next right thing.
After Danielle thanked her for her words, Erin continued, “I wish I could hug your neck. I think we all have so much more in common than the world wants us to believe.”
To see the full story, click over to Erin’s Instagram. There, you’ll notice that she followed Danielle in hopes of learning more about her.
“The truth is, change happens one to one, just like this,” Erin concluded. “That’s the only thing I really want the world to know.”
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