Today has been flooded with updates, condolences and think pieces following the shooting death of Philando Castile at the hands of a Minnesota police officer. Beyoncé used her platform to speak on the matter this afternoon, posting a motivational statement to her website that urges viewers to contact local politicians and legislators.
Beyonce.com currently shows a statement in capital white letters on top of a black background. “We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities,” the statement begins. “It is up to us to take a stand and demand that they ’stop killing us.'” These last three words allude to Bey’s “Formation” video. In it, a child dances powerfully in front of a row of police officers, as a wall with the words “stop shooting us” written on it flashes across the screen.
“We don’t need sympathy. We need everyone to respect our lives,” the statement continues. We took a screenshot of the full thing for your viewing.
The final sentence encourages readers to reach out to their local politicians and legislators. On the side of the website’s page is a link to help you contact your local Congressman or woman. There are also options to voice protest for both Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.
Beyoncé has been more vocal than ever this year about social justice. Her latest statement not only offers words of enlightenment, it calls for action—action you can take right now.
Head on over to beyonce.com for more information.