Plus-size model Iskra Lawrence writes moving note to her baby about Black Lives Matter

Plus-size model Iskra Lawrence—who models for brands like Aerie and has a large following on Instagram for her uplifting, body-positive content—recently gave birth to her first baby with her partner Philip Payne in April. With the ongoing civil unrest in the United States after the death of George Floyd and the resulting Black Lives Matter protests the injustice has sparked across the country and in Canada, Iskra took a moment of reflection to write a love letter to her newborn, who is bi-racial. In the note, posted on IG, she reminds her beloved baby that the road ahead will be tough for both of them.“This is my beautiful innocent black baby,” she captioned the post. “As your mother I will protect you in any way I can. But I know that will never be enough. Your skin colour will impact your life in a way I will never be able to understand. Your father Philip Payne will have to teach you things as a privileged white child I never had to learn. Your friends will need to be allies and speak up for you at times when simply being you could get you hurt or killed.”

 

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This is my beautiful innocent black baby. As your mother I will protect you in anyway I can. But I know that will never be enough. Your skin colour will impact your life in a way I will never be able to understand. Your father @philipapayne will have to teach you things as a privileged white child I never had to learn. Your friends will need to be allies and speak up for you at times when simply being you could get you hurt or killed. Now it’s on all of us to educate ourselves. Ive asked far too many questions to my black loved ones when they are already exhausted and grieving for their community. It’s not on them to educate us privileged folk. We need to do our own research into the deep rooted history of racism. Ask ourselves questions like why we are shown the graphic videos of black people being murdered on the news yet you’ll never see a video of a white person being murdered? There are many ways in which systematic oppression is used everyday, especially to continue to spread fear and separation between races. Who is going to read up with me? I will find my own materials from black journalists and thought leaders but please text me any recommendations if you feel up to it +1(310-340-1989) If you’re not outraged and trying to figure out how you can do your bit ask yourself if your daughter or son, sister or brother was at risk everyday of being murdered for the colour of their skin would you not be doing everything you could. Every opportunity, every micro aggression, constant racial profiling all feeding into oppression. Signing petitions, donating and calling to support is the least we can do. Let’s have the discussions with our families, campaign to get police reform and continue to learn more so we can combat systemic racism everyday. We must use our white privilege to do better in memory of all those who’ve had their lives ended, futures taken and have to fight discrimination every single day... #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justiceforahmaudarbery #justiceforbreonnataylor #blacklivesMatter Any stories you’d like me to share on my platform text me +1(310-340-1989) as I often miss DMs❤️ Graphics by @courtneyahndesign

A post shared by Iskra ✨ (@iskra) on May 31, 2020 at 9:38am PDT

She continues the letter by calling upon all privileged white folk to take the time to do their own research and educate themselves, rather than expecting black loved ones to extol the emotional labour of explaining their pain and trauma in the midst of their grief. “It’s not on them to educate us privileged folk,” she says. “We need to do our own research into the deep rooted history of racism. Ask ourselves questions like why we are shown the graphic videos of black people being murdered on the news yet you’ll never see a video of a white person being murdered? There are many ways in which systematic oppression is used everyday, especially to continue to spread fear and separation between races."Adding that signing petitions and making donations is the least white people can do, the Aerie model includes her personal phone number in the post, inviting text messages with suggestions of resources and literature to share with her followers.