John Boyega thanked his fans for their support after he participated in a Black Lives Matter protest but emphasized that there is still more work to be done to end racial injustice.
"I want to thank you all for the love and support you have shared over the last few days, although nothing I have done is for praise, or is truly even enough, in the grand scheme of things," the Star Wars star wrote on Instagram. "This is an intense time for our community, and the most important thing is for us to maintain momentum and not lose sight of how critical it is to pursue long term solutions and commitments, for the sake of our generation, and the next. Our individual pursuits of success and belonging remain, but now more than ever, it’s important to use this movement as fuel to inspire new ways of thinking, building, and growing, together. I believe any great movement starts with a renewal of the mind."
Boyega has a history of activism and is not afraid to use his name and platforms to fight against racial injustice and police brutality. He attended a rally at Hyde Park in London, where he gave a passionate speech about the struggles African Americans face every day.
During his speech, Boyega noted that he could be risking his career as an actor by speaking out like he did. However, a host of filmmakers, including Matthew Cherry, Cathy Yan, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Christopher Miller, voiced their support to Boyega and said they would be willing to work with him on future projects. This was followed by a statement by Disney-owned Star Wars, which called Boyega a hero for his actions.
The protest were in response to the death of George Floyd, who was killed by Officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis. It is the latest killing of an African American man by a white police officer. The officer has since been fired, arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
Protests have erupted across the country, including Minnesota, New York, California, New Jersey, Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Washington and Michigan. They have even spread across the globe, with demonstrations being held in London, Berlin and Toronto.
Many state governments have dispatched the national guard to try and keep the protests under control. While many of the protests have remained peaceful, some have fractured into violence and looting.
Boyega's full statement can be found below:
I want to thank you all for the love and support you have shared over the last few days, although nothing I have done is for praise, or is truly even enough, in the grand scheme of things. This is an intense time for our community, and the most important thing is for us to maintain momentum and not lose sight of how critical it is to pursue long term solutions and commitments, for the sake of our generation, and the next. Our individual pursuits of success and belonging remain, but now more than ever, it’s important to use this movement as fuel to inspire new ways of thinking, building, and growing, together. I believe any great movement starts with a renewal of the mind. I know you’re all thinking, what’s next? Where do we go from here? Because I’m thinking the same shit! Conversations about black businesses, ownership and support are happening, and I will continue to have these conversations with the full intention of birthing ideas that are sustainable and tangible. Let’s increase our knowledge! I’m excited to see an awakening happening in all of us! I’ll continue to use my platform to fight against the injustices and inequalities in our community, no matter what. Nonetheless, one man can’t do it alone - I need you, and we need each other! We need everyone, across industry’s, soci-economic backgrounds, countries, to unite with a shared goal of REAL change. Before the pandemic hit, I visited a few schools in Southwark, to share my journey and to truly understand the minds and needs of our next generation. It was eye opening and inspiring to say the least, and I look forward to continuing this work, and contributing more, once it is safe to do so. I urge the black men of our community, my peers, to do the same. Connecting with our kids and motivating them towards a future that is stronger and brighter, is urgent, and necessary. In the meantime, let’s work on clearing the runway for them, so they can take off, and fly. Love everyone, and stay safe x