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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Protests have erupted across the country and right here in central North Carolina.
Thousands have come together in Durham, Fayetteville, and Raleigh in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died on May 25 when a Minneapolis police officer pinned his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, according to video from the scene and a criminal complaint against the officer involved.
Special coverage: George Floyd protests
Protesters have since been calling for an end to police brutality and systemic racism. People are making their voices heard in the streets as well as other spaces, such as the internet.
“I can’t sit back and say nothing,” said Tiffany Turner Moon, a Raleigh mom, wife, and black social media influencer.
She is demanding major brands do their part to amplify black voices and promote diversity.
“My thing is, we are to hold a president accountable, right? Everybody wants to hold an entire race accountable. Everybody wants to hold cops accountable, but why not brands? They consume a majority of most Americans’ paychecks. Why are we not holding them accountable?” she asked.
Moon runs the site “Northern Belle of the South.” She often speaks out on injustices online, but Floyd’s death was different.
“The tipping point in Floyd’s death was having to talk to my daughter, who is half white and beloved by her family. So, for her to hear that a black man was filmed dying and crying for his mom…I could cry. It was the hardest conversation I think I’ve ever had in my life,” Moon recalled.
“She then said the people who need to be speaking up aren’t speaking,” continued Moon.
It was at that point Moon felt convicted.
“I said, ‘Oh my God, I’m that person. Why am I not influencing change?’” she asked.
So, the online influencer picked up her phone and with a stroke of few keys, she set social media ablaze demanding brands magnify the message of black people.
She focused on brands across all platforms, including beauty, hair, and fashion.
“Give us really a six-year plan. I wanna know what they’re going to do and what things are going to look like in six weeks, six months, and six years. I think it’s fair because I don’t think this is the last time, unfortunately, this is going to happen,” said Moon.
She also collaborated and inspired a template to send to brands for people who didn’t know what to say or how to approach brands. Inside, it asks where big brands stand on matters of racial injustices.
Moon said she’s seen people even apply the templates to their jobs and with their employers.
“If you don’t have diversity amongst your leadership staff, I don’t understand how you can have different conversations and see all the different perspectives of life. You can’t. It’s impossible,” she said.
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