I’m worried you’ll grow up in a world that is still racist, Meghan tells pupils
THE Duchess of Sussex spoke out yesterday in support of the Black Lives Matter movement after a week of protests over the death of George Floyd.
She urged girls graduating at her former high school in Los Angeles to use their vote to help build a better society in the US.
Meghan, 38, said she had thought carefully about speaking out and how it might be interpreted but had decided it would be wrong to say nothing.
In a video message for those graduating from Immaculate Heart High School, she spoke out about racial divisions and said: “I’m so sorry you have to grow up in a world where this is still present.”
She named Mr Floyd, who died after a white police officer held him down by pressing his knee into his neck in Minneapolis on May 25, and a number of other black people killed in controversial circumstances in the US.
She told the Catholic girls’ school: “What is happening in our country and in our state and in our home town of LA has been absolutely devastating.
Armed
“I wasn’t sure what I could say to you. I wanted to say the right thing and I was really nervous that I wouldn’t or it would get picked apart and I realised the only wrong thing to say is to say nothing.
“Because George Floyd’s life mattered and Breonna Taylor’s life mattered and Philando Castile’s life mattered and Tamir Rice’s life mattered and so did so many other people whose names we know and whose names we do not know.
“Stephon Clark, his life mattered.”
The former actress recalled the 1992 Los Angeles riots in which 63 people died in violence that followed the acquittal of four police officers accused of using excessive force in the arrest and beating of Rodney King,
She recalled seeing armed men on the street and burnt-out buildings.
Meghan added: “I was 11 or 12 years old when I was just about to start Immaculate Heart Middle School in the fall, and it was the LA riots, which was also triggered by a senseless act of racism. And I remember the curfew, and I remember rushing back home, and on that drive home seeing ash fall from the sky, and smelling the smoke and seeing the smoke billow out of buildings, and seeing people run out of buildings carrying bags and looting. And I remember seeing men in the back of a van holding guns and rifles.
“And I remember pulling up to the house and seeing the tree that had always been there, completely charred.And those memories don’t go away.”
She insisted that it was not something that they as 17 or 18 year olds should be seeing again and should only be learning about as history but urged them to help rebuild America.
She said: “We are seeing people stand in solidarity. We are seeing communities come together and to uplift.And you are going to be part of this movement,.
“Well you know, we’re going to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild until it is rebuilt. Because when the foundation is broken, so are we.
“You are going to lead with love, you are going to lead with compassion, you are going to use your voice.
“You are going to use your voice in a stronger way than you’ve ever been able to do, because most of you are 18, or you’re going to turn 18, so you’re going to vote.
“You are going to have empathy for those who don’t see the world through the same lens that you do, because with as diverse and vibrant and open minded as I know the teachings at Immaculate Heart are, I know you know that black lives matter.”
Charities linked to senior members of the Royal Family have spoken out in support of Black Lives Matter, including the Heads Together campaign set up by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, the Prince’s Trust, and The Diana Award, which is supported by both William and Harry.