LIFE TOPICS

Jesse Williams, Thank You For Your Unforgettable BET Awards Speech On The Deep Issue Of Racism

June 27, 2016 | Posted at 9:27 pm | by Simone (Follow User)

Photo Credit: Jesse Williams delivering his speech at the BET Awards (Image courtesy of BET)

The world is applauding the unforgettable speech delivered by 34-year-old Grey’s Anatomy actor, Jesse Williams. He made the speech as he accepted the BET Award for humanitarian of the year this past weekend.
 

Everyone is talking about how powerful his speech was. Even BET Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Samuel L. Jackson said, “[It was] the closest thing I’ve heard to a 1960s activist. That brother is right. And he is true.”
 

I even keep talking about it. Pinpointing so many deep-rooted issues in such an eloquent way, the prominent Black Lives Matter activist captured me and rest of those watching right from the very beginning. As a Black woman, the speech especially moved my soul.
 

Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams was awarded BET’s Humanitarian Award. (Image courtesy of BET)

Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams was awarded BET’s Humanitarian Award. (Image courtesy of BET)

After thanking his family, he started with: “Now, this award, this is not for me. This is for the real organizers all over the country. The activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do. All right? It’s kind of basic mathematics. The more we learn about who we are and how we got here, the more we will mobilize.”
 

WATCH: Full Speech of Jesse Williams


He was not shy in getting real on addressing many racial and political issues that have been happening within our communities for decades, like police brutality, the impact of black women, and race inequality. So many issues that need to be brought to light more.
 

He continued his speech with, “Now, this is also in particular for the black women in particular who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves. We can and will do better for you. Now, what we’ve been doing is looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm, and not kill white people every day. So what’s gonna happen is we’re going to have equal rights and justice in our own country, or we will restructure their function in ours.”
 

I want to thank Williams for having the audacity and the courage to say the words that he did. And for ending his politically charged speech with such powerful words: “The thing is, though, the thing is, that just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real.” He received a standing-ovation.
 

6ca3cc11-f17d-42a9-96e0-bc6f64fbd682
 

I hope we can take the speech that Williams gave to another level. I hope every individual will be able to see how racism and brutality have continued to affect Blacks every single day in our country.
 

We need to keep seeking justice. We need to keep this dialogue on this issue continuous. Not just in one speech, one news story, or one article, but always. It is then that we will see more change happen.
 

You can read the full transcript of his speech by clicking here.
 

Also, take a look at the impact of his speech in these Tweets below:


 
 

Images courtesy of Giphy and BET