Lady Gaga: 'Unlearn' white supremacy
BANG SHOWBIZ
Lady Gaga urged fans to "unlearn" white supremacy beliefs as she accepted the Yolanda Denise King Higher Ground award last weekend.
The Poker Face hitmaker was honoured at The King Centre's Beloved Community awards in recognition of her work as an artist, as the co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation - which supports the mental health of young people and works with them to create a kinder world – and her campaigning in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Gaga - who was introduced at the event by Jennifer Hudson - dedicated the honour to black, brown and indigenous people for their resilience.
“Black, brown and indigenous people continue to thrive in the midst of systemic oppression, thrive with radical joy, unapologetically creating full and beautiful lives despite the systems of white supremacy that are intended to keep them from doing so."
The 34-year-old star then explained she feels “as white people, we have a responsibility to unlearn” behaviours and attitudes derived from white supremacist beliefs ingrained within society.
For justice
The singer – real name Stefani Germanotta - added: “White people, I believe we must right our wrongs without shame. We must change our actions and we must do this for ourselves.
“Unlearning allows me to walk through the world differently. Unlearning means I look for racialised social constructs in every part of my life — every day, all day.”
"Justice can finally begin to be realised, at least in part, when and if folks who look like me commit to a lifetime of unlearning."
Lady Gaga urged fans to "unlearn" white supremacy beliefs as she accepted the Yolanda Denise King Higher Ground award last weekend.
The Poker Face hitmaker was honoured at The King Centre's Beloved Community awards in recognition of her work as an artist, as the co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation - which supports the mental health of young people and works with them to create a kinder world – and her campaigning in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Gaga - who was introduced at the event by Jennifer Hudson - dedicated the honour to black, brown and indigenous people for their resilience.
“Black, brown and indigenous people continue to thrive in the midst of systemic oppression, thrive with radical joy, unapologetically creating full and beautiful lives despite the systems of white supremacy that are intended to keep them from doing so."
The 34-year-old star then explained she feels “as white people, we have a responsibility to unlearn” behaviours and attitudes derived from white supremacist beliefs ingrained within society.
For justice
The singer – real name Stefani Germanotta - added: “White people, I believe we must right our wrongs without shame. We must change our actions and we must do this for ourselves.
“Unlearning allows me to walk through the world differently. Unlearning means I look for racialised social constructs in every part of my life — every day, all day.”
"Justice can finally begin to be realised, at least in part, when and if folks who look like me commit to a lifetime of unlearning."
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