@@TheNovelLush Yep, Cindy always keeps it real on her channel, too, and she's done so from the very beginning. That's why I was pushing for you two to do a collab back when she only had ~100 subs (now she's pushing 200K). I *still* think you two would make a good team up, not just for the heavy stuff, tho, but for fun. Please give it some thought, y'all.
SO done with the white tears and excuses. Also done with all these creators who are only posting on Twitter and Instagram (barely) but have not posted ANYTHING on TH-cam?!? their largest platforms!...smh. Don’t even get me started with the tags- blocking every person that tags me with “hey look I’m reading The Hate You Give now!” like they want a pat on the back..I can’t...thank you for speaking the truth. ❤️
Yes! Yes to all of that! The number of people who want credit for the smallest of effort makes my head hurt. It's super frustrating. At least some of us are trying, but still. Ugh. It's not doing me any good to yell at them either, because they aren't listening... just waiting for the fervor to die down
@@TheNovelLush Forgive me for butting in but I want to say thank you. I cleaned Twitter, Instagram, and YT I don't need to be subscribed to or follow anyone who is using this as an opportunity for engagement just typing the words makes my heart hurt. My doctor called me to check on me and to tell me to stop watching the news. How do you stop watching the news?
I don't spend a whole lot of time on insta and am not on twitter so I didn't even know any of this was happening. But I sure as heck know who has spoken on their youtube channels. As you said, it's their biggest platform and personally I think the fact they have put themselves in a position to have influence means they have a responsibility to use that platform. A black man in my church community was talking about performative action recently and he said for him he is "making a mental note of who is staying silent during this...if you choosing the side to not say anything, that speaks volumes to me...I'm making a mental note of who is my ally, who is my safe space." Using you voice and your platform matters. I just does.
I recently found BookTube and I just watched your 2018 video (Entitlement vs. Elitism). It was so thought provoking and I literally wrote down multiple things that you said to share with friends and family! So good! As I was watching the video, however, I couldn't stop thinking how incredibly angry you must be knowing that less than two years later, you would be back on TH-cam telling people the same thing. People cannot claim ignorance! I could not watch this video without commenting! Your strength and refusal to stay quiet have touched me.
You mentioned disability and ableism. THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. No one ever mentions us. I'm blind. I'm the one who's always reminding everybody that disability rights are a thing I fight for. Thank you. I wholeheartedly empathise with you.
"we deserve to live" is something that no person should ever have to say once much less repeat over and over again. lots of love and support to you and BLM. 💜💜💜
I am so angry at YT, for the last couple years I have been asking for black author book recommendations and only two people would show up…Now that YT wants to show that they are inclusive all these recommended videos are uploading on my sidebar…hmmm, no surprise, black booktubers have been here all along. I am shocked and upset that I was missing all this awesome material, now I need to catch up. Thank you for sharing.
Honestly, I appreciate the one good thing coming from this year- 2020 vision. Because everyone is revealing themselves. 30 minutes of truth that we already knew, but some other people reallllly need to listen to. Thank you Lauren. 🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️
I would rather them not speak up then pretend like they care. Then I can sort out who to unfollow, who to support and who not to. I’ve already clocked the ones who preach diversity but are absent during times like these.
TRUE THAT! I think they think they if they start speaking up once we start calling people out we'll be like "oh okay, they said something." Nah fam. We noted that it took the thought of people unfollowing you before you spoke up. Ugh
I am feeling everything you are saying! Lawd, speak this truth! I'm afro-latina and have been on youtube since 2009, an author since 2011, and I have NEVER had their support. I am loving you, Queen, keep saying this shite, from the rooftops! We need you out here, and I am so happy I found you!
Y'ALL ARE READERS! I find it so fundamentally weird that people can't take the time to do the research themselves. Both in terms of the whole history of racism and oppression on black people throughout history. Like they spend hours on end searching for extra info about their favorite book series, but can't take half and hour (or however much time you have to spend) to look for books from black authors, and find out what books you can read from your favorite genre, and then go from there. It makes no sense to me. Same goes with booktubers (though admittedly youtube algorithm sucks and it does take more effort to find booktubers of colour). I am a little ashamed of saying I just found your channel with this video, however this video was so incredible and a video any booktuber, or booktube viewer should watch. Thank you for this! 🙏🏻
My heart is with you. You shouldn't HAVE to be this tired, this frustrated, this ignored. No simple words I can say and show this. I don't have much of a voice, but I will stand against anyone dismissing someone else for being human. And I will be better about actively speaking out. But for what it's worth, you are heard. It shouldn't take this for people to listen. And not to make light of it, but I can't help but being touched at how your lovely pup is clearly wishing they could help your pain and frustration.
I still don't know how people can see others calling for help and just ignore it. You spoke a lot of truth in this video. Looking forward to joining the readathon on Juneteenth. Stay strong ❤️❤️
I have just found you & I am very glad I have! I love your truth, your experience, & how fiercely you hold the community accountable for showing up! And your puppy reminds me of mine. Whenever I would get upset, she would try to change my state by playing with me. You are loved! You are amazing! I'm excited to explore books with you!💜🙌🏾💜
"yall are readers" period. if they havent educated themselves by now its because they dont want to or cant be bothered. this video was so powerful. sending you love.
"This is a community of readers. Ya'll are not stupid people. Which means ya'll are being willfully ignorant, which is worse than being stupid." THIS. This isn't a new issue, and educating yourself when you're already a reader is not. that. hard. If someone says there aren't resources on the internet they're an idiot. So much of what you said reminded me of some of the statements in Eloquent Rage by Dr. Brittney Cooper. I read it back in April, and it's resonating so much right now. I appreciate your voice Lauryn.
so much realness in this video. the thing you said about not sleeping... same tho. "willfully ignorant" is literally something I said to a racist recently, so I kind of got chills at that. the fact that we're readers in this community is a great point... people will empathize with fictional characters before they empathize with us, which confuses me. "reader" should be synonymous with compassion. there are plenty of resources out there, but they just can't be bothered to do the work and instead make excuses bc it doesn't directly affect them - as you said, privilege.
You are incredible. Thank you for your voice and your thoughts and your emotions. I’m so sorry you’re not sleeping. I’ll be praying for your health, both mental and physical. ❤️Nicole
it's such a shame that people think that speaking up about what's going on would ruin their aesthetic / it could be used to further their own aesthetic to appear a certain way. thank you so so much for making this video
Thank you for this video. There is nothing I can say to you for those who have hurt you. They don’t deserve your sympathy or forgiveness. All I can say is I stand with you and you have my support.
This is so powerful! You are so right; there are hundreds of books and other resources available online to educate ourselves on being anti-racist and being available. I am grateful to have black people in my life I can discuss these things with, to make sure I understand what's going on. I need that discourse to really grasp things when I come across things I don't quite understand. thanks for sharing your insights and your thoughts.
My heart fucking hurts for you. I’m so so sorry that you have to be this tired and afraid and angry. I hear you. I’m sending you all the comfort and love that I have. 💛
The thing is that those people self proclaimed as "readers". When I first started viewing booktubers, like the most popular that popped out, I never even knew about Octavia Butler or Toni Morrison or Angela Davis or Bell Hooks. People do NOT mentioned a diversified list of books. A reader reads widely even outside of comfort zones. And what they show it matters because they influence viewers in a way. So I stopped following them. And NO Black people shouldn't do the labor. We are privileged thanks to Black community for so many reasons, for their lives, their oppression, and black people have paved the way so other groups have rights. So no, you already have done more than give your lives. This Booktubers are not sellouts, they're plain racist and do not deserve the accumulation of wealth. My views will be geared towards people like you, realness, hands down. Keep speaking the truth. 🔥💯
Thank you so much for this, i’ve been trying my best to educate myself on racism currently and in the past and this video really opened my eyes to what’s been happening.
I will never understand how someone could just scroll past and not see what's going in and boosting black voices... my heart goes to you and just know I'm here and I support you 🥰
Subscribed. I’ll be honest and say that confronting the truth is uncomfortable, but me feeling a little uncomfortable is better than the genuine fear and anguish being felt right now. Thank you.
Not even 30 seconds in and I'm genuinely ready to subscribe.... ^u^, to be more serious though I wanna give this girl a hug and then go out and protest, this shit is ridiculous. She's so right we need to do better.
I love your honesty. There's a lot of hypocrisy going around with this situation. Lots of opportunists. Thank you for saying this. I'm not black, I'm biracial, so I know it's not the same. I'm very aware of that. Also, hi, I don't live in the States. I feel ridiculous if I start making a fuzz on my platforms. What I feel I can do, is share YoUR video and other black creators videos. I'm here to share, not to speak over you. Thank you. Very relatable stuff here. Thank you.
I wish everybody really appreciated that. The crappy YT algorithm convinces people that they won't be seen and their voice doesn't matter, and it sucks
If someone continues to do racist shit it's because they're racist, how can people defend that? Especially if they've been told that what they're doing is wrong? More than once even?! It boggles the mind. And you're absolutely right that no matter what kind of platform a person has or how big or small, we still have voices and a responsibility to use our voices.
Amazing video. It's created something huge here in Australia too - where racism is alive and well. We had big protests over the weekend. I pledge to speak up and do my own research. Bookish (white American fella - is posting some great videos - saying white men need to do better) and there the is The Amplify Voices Tag: Black Lives Matter challenging white Booktubers to lift up black writers and voices and also as a way to educate ourselves (as white people) about the reality of racism. I will be focusing on Aboriginal writers.I'm sorry that BookTube has been such a toxic place and one that makes you feel alone. Take care of you. #BlackLivesMatter
It could've been me; I've been stopped and frisked, followed, wrongfully accused by police. My brother, who was punched in the face by a cop when he refused to produce ID. And so many of our relative who had encounters with police who know that our lives are discounted by society and government.
What really makes me mad is the people who dehumanize and criminalize us by saying we're exaggerating or it must have somehow been our fault for resisting, or looking threatening. Until they live it, they won't fucking get it
@@TheNovelLush Yep. And that's been happening with the protests; white folks have been experiencing police brutality, themselves. Now they're getting outraged. We're like: _"See?! That's what the fuck we've been talking about all along!"_ >:^( The really messed up part, tho, is that it's not just the physical violence, but the psychological. And it doesn't even matter how much of an "upstanding citizen" you are. I mean, I've never broken the law in my entire life. I've broken bread, hearts, and wind, I've never the law. Yet, while I'm reporting a car stolen, the fucking cop asked me if *I* stole it, and out in front of my neighbors! Would he've done some shit like that if I was white?!
Everything here is true. You deserve better. I remember you being so excited about Blackathon and moving to Germany. I hope things change and you get the same platform big white booktubers get. I want that for you. You deserve everything.
I’m commenting as I watch by the way. 15 mins in and man does this hit. I’ve basically been unsubscribed to most of booktube just because of this bs. I’m not surprised at all smh
Everything your saying!!!! The frustration is real. This literally speaks to every community I am apart of and why I just started falling back. This ignorance is awful. I’ve spent so much time worried about my little cousin and my family and your right it’s everywhere and on top of that being light skin and ppl having the nerve to say even more racist bs like I’m invisible! It’s all tiring. Man this is everything verbalized.
I'm fairly new to watching book tube but I'm not new to hearing the pain and seeing the suffering and oppression black people go through. I have always in my small way and will ALWAYS speak up against racism. I've spoken up to racist comments from family members, from others, so you can best believe I will keep speaking up, keep educating myself, signing petitions, whatever it takes for black people to stop being targeted and murdered for simply being a different colour. When I've heard other black you tubers recently talk about white you tubers saying their anxious as an excuse for not speaking up for other human beings I feel sick to my core and fucking angry! Yes I'm white, no I don't know what it's like to be black in America but I know what's right and what's wrong and if I had a you tube channel, no matter how big or small I would make sure I would be standing with the black community and using my voice for change! There is no excuse for people not to be able to educate themselves like you say that's what google is good for. I'm so angry and ashamed of other white people who can't lend their voice, there is NO excuse. You have made me cry buckets just so you know. Hearing Martin Luther King's voice at the end gave me goosebumps, for many, many years he has always been one of my heroes, his speeches for as long as I can remember have always inspired me. Sending love and solidarity from the UK.
True words, and I heard and felt every one of them. For anyone who feels betrayed by members of this community or any other community to which they belong, hopefully this has been an eye-opening experience.
Thank you for this video. As someone who is Black and grew up in the book community (Canada), it means a lot hearing a booktuber speak out about the issues that many don’t mention.
"Quit asking white people what it's okay for them to do when it concerns race." I've felt this for a long time, but I wasn't able to put it into words. You see the same thing in Leftube. Thank you for this.
"I have anxiety" is such a bad defense. I have it too and have had to use up many therapy appointments to learn to deal with actual PTSD from racist bullshit. I understand being tired. I understand empathy fatigue. I want to feel outraged and sad but I can barely feel anything anymore. And yet I still do my best to speak up where I can, because any rights I have now are the result of people fighting and advocating for themselves and others. Now I have to do my part with whatever skills and resources I have. I get that not everyone knows where to start with topics like this so I always have a few books that I recommend people read (for the people reading, they're German books, sorry). Or videos of white dudes talking about racism, because that seems to be more palatable to *certain* people. But beyond that, it's just exhausting to argue for my own right to exist without being othered. At this point I've even developed my own formula for dodging the reflexive defences you usually have to work through in those conversations. So I'm in awe of activists that belong to a minority that put themselves out there to educate people on a regular basis. This is why allies that *actually do shit* are so important. Use your platform and/or privilege to amplify the voices of marginalized people and help others understand, because doing this shit is really fucking tiring when it's about your own life. Sorry for rambling.
First of all. Wakanda forever. Second of all your skin is glowing. Lastly thank you for bringing so much to light to how people use us and dump us and also don't believe us when we say something is problematic.
Thank you for calling it what it is. Willful ignorance and it enrages me to the point where I can't think because my brain locks up. I have missed you so much.
I feel you 100%. Thank you for sharing. I'm brand New to this community. I have no idea who SHE is your talking about, but its good to know whats going on. I came here for the books and to share my good reads. And youtube does NOT push Black Booktubers through and I've been searching. I need US represented more.... lets create our own gathering.
True the algorithm is NOT on our side, and that's a damn shame because we are some of the most creative people to walk the Earth! It's time for a change.
I wish I could write a comment this video deserves. "wilfully ignorant which is worse than being stupid" I couldn't agree more. I've been that person before and I'm doing everything I can to never be them again. I'm sorry this video even has to be made so thank you for doing it because you shouldn't have to. You shouldn't have to explain this to us. We should just know.
This is really good. I’ve missed seeing you. Absolutely, anxiety isn’t an excuse. I have it too. I was crying in front of my kids which I don’t do. Still spending hours and hours on this. And honestly I wish I had known there was this history with RM. Until recently I hadn’t been on Twitter all that much and I feel like there was so much I never saw. And it sucks because then we had her moderate a panel for this book fest. I know this is a really rough time but let me know if I you need anything. ❤️
i don't even know what to say. but i support you. i have empathy for you. please let no one tell you to "not pull the race card" fuck them. this has been going on for far too long.
@@ONYXPages Thanks Njeri. I'm exhausted, but unfortunately we don't really get to let others speak up while we rest or deal with our trauma so I'm doing what I can to join my voice with all of ours
I'm so sorry you even have to make this video. I cried when you broke down. My heart fucking hurts so much for you and black americans everywhere bc its so fucking wrong. Im in MN and am doing g what I can to help donate and participating in protests when I dont have my young daughter with me. For what it is worth, I hear you and everyone who lives this every single day and I'm making sure I do better snd that I raise my kids to be better. Thank you for speaking truth and being so raw even though I'm so sorry tou even have to. But I will do my part every single day for the rest of my life and I will call shit out when I see it. I will not let anyone get away with any of it. Im not confrontational st all but I've already let some friends go who are oieces of shit. I wont associate with people who dont get this. Take care, remember to take care of your mental health too! All lives dont matter until black lives matter. ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
Sorry it's taken this fuckery to bring you back after hiatus. I don't have a channel and don't really have an SM presence apart from commenting here on YT and in various groups on Goodreads, but boy what experiences I've had online over the last few weeks. And the couple of people here that I've questioned their lack of support on their HUGE platforms haven't even bothered responding, but I've had their fucking idiot followers arguing with me in the comments...SMH. The privilege, manipulation, gaslighting, willful ignorance (and downright lies) are real from what I've seen and it makes me sick. TFS and take care :)
Every 9 or 10 months we see these conversations and people ignore them. There is no excuse. "Oh why didn't anyone say anything?" when people have been putting out videos about this time and time again. This is a cycle that keeps repeating itself, because people don't have the self respect and decency to look in the mirror and examine the ways they are complicit in holding up systems built on racial inequality and prejudice. It is uncomfortable! Seeing others hurting should never feel not uncomfortable!
Mascots is right. I 'eff'n hear you. Booktube has a way of chasing away anyone with the guts to say it like it is. Almost like this echos actual society. With the exception that booktube has the luxury of image editing. -.- It's more exaggerated on booktube because videos and backdrop can be polished right up to perfection. -.- When someone's being group-thought out, well let's just gather up snippets and ignore the context. Hands over ears, shouting lalalala can't hear you! It's simple, truth scares people. No one's interested in it. The only truth folks want is when it's comfortable. I think it's time to accept being uncomfortable. White folks reading this, discomfort isn't something to be afraid of. If you feel discomfort ask yourself why. Then be honest. If in doubt, listen to yourself... another skill that's sorely lacking in society. Actually listen to yourself, not try to recall what the 'right thing to do is.' Imitating what the rehearsed right thing to do is, is to maintain the status quo. Look around, clearly that hasn't been working. Moral compasses, man. Seriously not sure where they all went. And finally, commit to this for the next 10 years because it'll take at least that long to cultivate an understanding of what all this means. Cultivating an understanding is not something you can study from a damn textbook. Ask any insightful, wise criminal that one. And yes, there is valuable wisdom amongst the criminal class. Truth isn't some neatly packaged collectable you order from a catalog. -.- If you're reading this, I believe in you that you have the ability to listen to yourself and develop a richer understanding of what life entails. Listen to others as well of course. Peace.
I am not an influencer, but I am holding everyone I follow accountable. Which I feel as a human I shouldn’t have to do. But I feel that if you are not a person of color and you have nothing to say about what’s going on. You do not deserve my following. As an highly melaninated African American of Latin culture I feel we are all in this together and if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. I feel that I have to identify the problems move them out of my way so that I can start to work on the solution. Thanks for helping me identify some problems.
Thank you for sharing. I'm ashamed to say I've been a mostly complacent white person, oblivious to things outside my privileged bubble, but you can be damn sure I'm changing that. I'm not a youtuber/influencer but will do all I can to fight against racism.
So grateful for your presence in this community. We really don't deserve you.
^^THIS^^ And her video should have millions of views.
Thank you Cindy
@@TheNovelLush Yep, Cindy always keeps it real on her channel, too, and she's done so from the very beginning. That's why I was pushing for you two to do a collab back when she only had ~100 subs (now she's pushing 200K). I *still* think you two would make a good team up, not just for the heavy stuff, tho, but for fun. Please give it some thought, y'all.
SO done with the white tears and excuses. Also done with all these creators who are only posting on Twitter and Instagram (barely) but have not posted ANYTHING on TH-cam?!? their largest platforms!...smh. Don’t even get me started with the tags- blocking every person that tags me with “hey look I’m reading The Hate You Give now!” like they want a pat on the back..I can’t...thank you for speaking the truth. ❤️
Yes! Yes to all of that! The number of people who want credit for the smallest of effort makes my head hurt. It's super frustrating. At least some of us are trying, but still. Ugh. It's not doing me any good to yell at them either, because they aren't listening... just waiting for the fervor to die down
@@TheNovelLush Forgive me for butting in but I want to say thank you. I cleaned Twitter, Instagram, and YT I don't need to be subscribed to or follow anyone who is using this as an opportunity for engagement just typing the words makes my heart hurt. My doctor called me to check on me and to tell me to stop watching the news. How do you stop watching the news?
I don't spend a whole lot of time on insta and am not on twitter so I didn't even know any of this was happening. But I sure as heck know who has spoken on their youtube channels. As you said, it's their biggest platform and personally I think the fact they have put themselves in a position to have influence means they have a responsibility to use that platform. A black man in my church community was talking about performative action recently and he said for him he is "making a mental note of who is staying silent during this...if you choosing the side to not say anything, that speaks volumes to me...I'm making a mental note of who is my ally, who is my safe space." Using you voice and your platform matters. I just does.
I recently found BookTube and I just watched your 2018 video (Entitlement vs. Elitism). It was so thought provoking and I literally wrote down multiple things that you said to share with friends and family! So good! As I was watching the video, however, I couldn't stop thinking how incredibly angry you must be knowing that less than two years later, you would be back on TH-cam telling people the same thing. People cannot claim ignorance! I could not watch this video without commenting! Your strength and refusal to stay quiet have touched me.
I missed your realness on here so much. We’re so tired. And I so appreciate your rawness, as always. 💙🙅🏾♀️
🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️
You mentioned disability and ableism. THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. No one ever mentions us. I'm blind. I'm the one who's always reminding everybody that disability rights are a thing I fight for. Thank you.
I wholeheartedly empathise with you.
In case you didn't hear her... Y'ALL ARE READERS.
"we deserve to live" is something that no person should ever have to say once much less repeat over and over again. lots of love and support to you and BLM. 💜💜💜
Thanks Ashley
I feel you.
I am so angry at YT, for the last couple years I have been asking for black author book recommendations and only two people would show up…Now that YT wants to show that they are inclusive all these recommended videos are uploading on my sidebar…hmmm, no surprise, black booktubers have been here all along. I am shocked and upset that I was missing all this awesome material, now I need to catch up. Thank you for sharing.
Exactly!
Honestly, I appreciate the one good thing coming from this year- 2020 vision. Because everyone is revealing themselves.
30 minutes of truth that we already knew, but some other people reallllly need to listen to. Thank you Lauren.
🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️
🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️ Yes! If nothing else this year has showed me who really has our backs and who is just faking the funk.
I would rather them not speak up then pretend like they care. Then I can sort out who to unfollow, who to support and who not to.
I’ve already clocked the ones who preach diversity but are absent during times like these.
TRUE THAT! I think they think they if they start speaking up once we start calling people out we'll be like "oh okay, they said something." Nah fam. We noted that it took the thought of people unfollowing you before you spoke up. Ugh
I am feeling everything you are saying! Lawd, speak this truth! I'm afro-latina and have been on youtube since 2009, an author since 2011, and I have NEVER had their support. I am loving you, Queen, keep saying this shite, from the rooftops! We need you out here, and I am so happy I found you!
“1 time is a mistake, twice is you’re hard headed, 3 is a fucking pattern” yep.
Thank you for sharing 🙏
Y'ALL ARE READERS!
I find it so fundamentally weird that people can't take the time to do the research themselves. Both in terms of the whole history of racism and oppression on black people throughout history. Like they spend hours on end searching for extra info about their favorite book series, but can't take half and hour (or however much time you have to spend) to look for books from black authors, and find out what books you can read from your favorite genre, and then go from there. It makes no sense to me. Same goes with booktubers (though admittedly youtube algorithm sucks and it does take more effort to find booktubers of colour). I am a little ashamed of saying I just found your channel with this video, however this video was so incredible and a video any booktuber, or booktube viewer should watch. Thank you for this! 🙏🏻
I'm a week late to this, but wow this was powerful, and you summed up a lot of what I've been thinking. Thank you.
My heart is with you. You shouldn't HAVE to be this tired, this frustrated, this ignored. No simple words I can say and show this. I don't have much of a voice, but I will stand against anyone dismissing someone else for being human. And I will be better about actively speaking out. But for what it's worth, you are heard. It shouldn't take this for people to listen.
And not to make light of it, but I can't help but being touched at how your lovely pup is clearly wishing they could help your pain and frustration.
I still don't know how people can see others calling for help and just ignore it. You spoke a lot of truth in this video. Looking forward to joining the readathon on Juneteenth. Stay strong ❤️❤️
I have just found you & I am very glad I have! I love your truth, your experience, & how fiercely you hold the community accountable for showing up!
And your puppy reminds me of mine. Whenever I would get upset, she would try to change my state by playing with me.
You are loved! You are amazing! I'm excited to explore books with you!💜🙌🏾💜
Thank you for this video hunny. You always seem to get to the heart of the matter so precisely. ::HUGE HUGS::
"yall are readers" period. if they havent educated themselves by now its because they dont want to or cant be bothered. this video was so powerful. sending you love.
"This is a community of readers. Ya'll are not stupid people. Which means ya'll are being willfully ignorant, which is worse than being stupid." THIS. This isn't a new issue, and educating yourself when you're already a reader is not. that. hard. If someone says there aren't resources on the internet they're an idiot. So much of what you said reminded me of some of the statements in Eloquent Rage by Dr. Brittney Cooper. I read it back in April, and it's resonating so much right now. I appreciate your voice Lauryn.
Thank you for doing this emotional labour for the community ❤️
so much realness in this video. the thing you said about not sleeping... same tho.
"willfully ignorant" is literally something I said to a racist recently, so I kind of got chills at that. the fact that we're readers in this community is a great point... people will empathize with fictional characters before they empathize with us, which confuses me. "reader" should be synonymous with compassion. there are plenty of resources out there, but they just can't be bothered to do the work and instead make excuses bc it doesn't directly affect them - as you said, privilege.
You are incredible. Thank you for your voice and your thoughts and your emotions. I’m so sorry you’re not sleeping. I’ll be praying for your health, both mental and physical.
❤️Nicole
Thanks Nicole
I'm crying I heard the music in the beginning and I was like is this real
Thank you for being so raw and real about all of this.
it's such a shame that people think that speaking up about what's going on would ruin their aesthetic / it could be used to further their own aesthetic to appear a certain way. thank you so so much for making this video
Thank you Zach. It is a shame, but I don't expect it to get any better, honestly.
Thank you for this video. There is nothing I can say to you for those who have hurt you. They don’t deserve your sympathy or forgiveness. All I can say is I stand with you and you have my support.
I love you and I'm sending good vibes of peace of mind and stressless-ness. You deserve.❤
This is so powerful! You are so right; there are hundreds of books and other resources available online to educate ourselves on being anti-racist and being available. I am grateful to have black people in my life I can discuss these things with, to make sure I understand what's going on. I need that discourse to really grasp things when I come across things I don't quite understand. thanks for sharing your insights and your thoughts.
My heart fucking hurts for you. I’m so so sorry that you have to be this tired and afraid and angry. I hear you. I’m sending you all the comfort and love that I have. 💛
YES! YES! and YES! I second everything you said.
The thing is that those people self proclaimed as "readers". When I first started viewing booktubers, like the most popular that popped out, I never even knew about Octavia Butler or Toni Morrison or Angela Davis or Bell Hooks. People do NOT mentioned a diversified list of books. A reader reads widely even outside of comfort zones. And what they show it matters because they influence viewers in a way. So I stopped following them. And NO Black people shouldn't do the labor. We are privileged thanks to Black community for so many reasons, for their lives, their oppression, and black people have paved the way so other groups have rights. So no, you already have done more than give your lives. This Booktubers are not sellouts, they're plain racist and do not deserve the accumulation of wealth. My views will be geared towards people like you, realness, hands down. Keep speaking the truth. 🔥💯
Thank you so much for this, i’ve been trying my best to educate myself on racism currently and in the past and this video really opened my eyes to what’s been happening.
I will never understand how someone could just scroll past and not see what's going in and boosting black voices... my heart goes to you and just know I'm here and I support you 🥰
Thank you for making this. 🙏🏼
Amazing and powerful video, thank you for being so honest and speaking the truth 💖
Subscribed. I’ll be honest and say that confronting the truth is uncomfortable, but me feeling a little uncomfortable is better than the genuine fear and anguish being felt right now. Thank you.
I miss you. But I understand why you left. Thank you for this message of solidarity.🖤❤️💚💜
I have no words. All I can say is thank you for taking time to share. I appreciate you.
Not even 30 seconds in and I'm genuinely ready to subscribe.... ^u^, to be more serious though I wanna give this girl a hug and then go out and protest, this shit is ridiculous. She's so right we need to do better.
"A simple traffic stop could be that person not coming home today" took my breath away as a statement. Couldn't be better put
I love your honesty. There's a lot of hypocrisy going around with this situation. Lots of opportunists. Thank you for saying this.
I'm not black, I'm biracial, so I know it's not the same. I'm very aware of that. Also, hi, I don't live in the States. I feel ridiculous if I start making a fuzz on my platforms. What I feel I can do, is share YoUR video and other black creators videos. I'm here to share, not to speak over you. Thank you. Very relatable stuff here. Thank you.
This video was so well done. And your point about no matter how small a influencer we are, we still have a voice is so true.
I wish everybody really appreciated that. The crappy YT algorithm convinces people that they won't be seen and their voice doesn't matter, and it sucks
If someone continues to do racist shit it's because they're racist, how can people defend that? Especially if they've been told that what they're doing is wrong? More than once even?! It boggles the mind. And you're absolutely right that no matter what kind of platform a person has or how big or small, we still have voices and a responsibility to use our voices.
I wish there was more I can say than THANK YOU LAUREN but Thank You.
Amazing video. It's created something huge here in Australia too - where racism is alive and well. We had big protests over the weekend. I pledge to speak up and do my own research. Bookish (white American fella - is posting some great videos - saying white men need to do better) and there the is The Amplify Voices Tag: Black Lives Matter challenging white Booktubers to lift up black writers and voices and also as a way to educate ourselves (as white people) about the reality of racism. I will be focusing on Aboriginal writers.I'm sorry that BookTube has been such a toxic place and one that makes you feel alone. Take care of you. #BlackLivesMatter
I'm glad those challenges exist, and that you and other members of the community are challenging yourselves and educating yourselves. Thanks
It could've been me; I've been stopped and frisked, followed, wrongfully accused by police. My brother, who was punched in the face by a cop when he refused to produce ID. And so many of our relative who had encounters with police who know that our lives are discounted by society and government.
What really makes me mad is the people who dehumanize and criminalize us by saying we're exaggerating or it must have somehow been our fault for resisting, or looking threatening. Until they live it, they won't fucking get it
@@TheNovelLush Yep. And that's been happening with the protests; white folks have been experiencing police brutality, themselves. Now they're getting outraged. We're like: _"See?! That's what the fuck we've been talking about all along!"_ >:^(
The really messed up part, tho, is that it's not just the physical violence, but the psychological. And it doesn't even matter how much of an "upstanding citizen" you are. I mean, I've never broken the law in my entire life. I've broken bread, hearts, and wind, I've never the law. Yet, while I'm reporting a car stolen, the fucking cop asked me if *I* stole it, and out in front of my neighbors! Would he've done some shit like that if I was white?!
The silence from white booktubers (and TH-cam in general) is deafening. You're presence on TH-cam is a blessing, Lauren 💖
Thank you
Everything here is true. You deserve better. I remember you being so excited about Blackathon and moving to Germany. I hope things change and you get the same platform big white booktubers get. I want that for you. You deserve everything.
Thanks Brigid
Thank you for putting your heart and soul into this. I will be participating in the readathon.
Crying angry tears with you. It wont stop until they stop. Until they want to genuinely learn.
And what is it going to take for them to get to that point collectively, because sis I am TIRED
@@TheNovelLush Sighhhh I hear you girl, I BEEN TIRED. *sending all the hugs*
This intro is everything!!! I’ve literally have been sitting back all month like wtf r you crying about!!! Pissing me off.
I’m commenting as I watch by the way. 15 mins in and man does this hit. I’ve basically been unsubscribed to most of booktube just because of this bs. I’m not surprised at all smh
Everything your saying!!!! The frustration is real. This literally speaks to every community I am apart of and why I just started falling back. This ignorance is awful. I’ve spent so much time worried about my little cousin and my family and your right it’s everywhere and on top of that being light skin and ppl having the nerve to say even more racist bs like I’m invisible! It’s all tiring. Man this is everything verbalized.
Thank you for speaking up. Take care. 💗💗💗
I'm fairly new to watching book tube but I'm not new to hearing the pain and seeing the suffering and oppression black people go through. I have always in my small way and will ALWAYS speak up against racism. I've spoken up to racist comments from family members, from others, so you can best believe I will keep speaking up, keep educating myself, signing petitions, whatever it takes for black people to stop being targeted and murdered for simply being a different colour. When I've heard other black you tubers recently talk about white you tubers saying their anxious as an excuse for not speaking up for other human beings I feel sick to my core and fucking angry! Yes I'm white, no I don't know what it's like to be black in America but I know what's right and what's wrong and if I had a you tube channel, no matter how big or small I would make sure I would be standing with the black community and using my voice for change! There is no excuse for people not to be able to educate themselves like you say that's what google is good for. I'm so angry and ashamed of other white people who can't lend their voice, there is NO excuse. You have made me cry buckets just so you know. Hearing Martin Luther King's voice at the end gave me goosebumps, for many, many years he has always been one of my heroes, his speeches for as long as I can remember have always inspired me. Sending love and solidarity from the UK.
Just... love you, friend.
Love you too Jashana
A Queen ✨🙌🏾✨ a whole ass Queen
True words, and I heard and felt every one of them. For anyone who feels betrayed by members of this community or any other community to which they belong, hopefully this has been an eye-opening experience.
These creators have chosen to put themselves in that position and they do owe it to their followers to put in the word. That's all I got.
Thank you for this video. It's so fucked up that this is the world we live in. I'm going to work on being an accomplice.
Nothing but truth!
I see you. You deserve to live. Only love, support, and solidarity
Thank you for this video. As someone who is Black and grew up in the book community (Canada), it means a lot hearing a booktuber speak out about the issues that many don’t mention.
I've missed your voice. Glad you're here spittin' *mad* Truth.
Thank you!!
"Quit asking white people what it's okay for them to do when it concerns race." I've felt this for a long time, but I wasn't able to put it into words. You see the same thing in Leftube. Thank you for this.
This video is incredible, the entire booktube community needs to watch and LISTEN
It's not a bad apple, its a rotten orchard. This shit is heartbreaking :(
I am so SICK of the white tears. Im done i don’t want to see them anymore.
a chapter of Dr. Brittney Cooper's Eloquent Rage covers White Tears
PREACH!
Jeremy Jones Boohoo, go cry me a river. You and your white tears are proving her point.
"I have anxiety" is such a bad defense. I have it too and have had to use up many therapy appointments to learn to deal with actual PTSD from racist bullshit. I understand being tired. I understand empathy fatigue. I want to feel outraged and sad but I can barely feel anything anymore. And yet I still do my best to speak up where I can, because any rights I have now are the result of people fighting and advocating for themselves and others. Now I have to do my part with whatever skills and resources I have.
I get that not everyone knows where to start with topics like this so I always have a few books that I recommend people read (for the people reading, they're German books, sorry). Or videos of white dudes talking about racism, because that seems to be more palatable to *certain* people. But beyond that, it's just exhausting to argue for my own right to exist without being othered. At this point I've even developed my own formula for dodging the reflexive defences you usually have to work through in those conversations. So I'm in awe of activists that belong to a minority that put themselves out there to educate people on a regular basis.
This is why allies that *actually do shit* are so important. Use your platform and/or privilege to amplify the voices of marginalized people and help others understand, because doing this shit is really fucking tiring when it's about your own life.
Sorry for rambling.
Everything you’re saying is so true!
😌😌😌 This is truth.
I've experienced this within the writing community on Twitter, as well.
Ugh. Disgusted, but not surprised
It’s been 10 minutes since your video ended. Your passion, energy, anger shook me. Thank you for this video.
First of all.
Wakanda forever.
Second of all your skin is glowing.
Lastly thank you for bringing so much to light to how people use us and dump us and also don't believe us when we say something is problematic.
But we don't got food at the house!!
@@LifeIsAPageTurner LOL. That last part sent me. Thanks India 🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️
Thank you for calling it what it is. Willful ignorance and it enrages me to the point where I can't think because my brain locks up. I have missed you so much.
Thank you Lisbeth!
I feel you 100%. Thank you for sharing. I'm brand New to this community. I have no idea who SHE is your talking about, but its good to know whats going on. I came here for the books and to share my good reads. And youtube does NOT push Black Booktubers through and I've been searching. I need US represented more.... lets create our own gathering.
True the algorithm is NOT on our side, and that's a damn shame because we are some of the most creative people to walk the Earth! It's time for a change.
Performative activism luv
I wish I could write a comment this video deserves.
"wilfully ignorant which is worse than being stupid" I couldn't agree more. I've been that person before and I'm doing everything I can to never be them again. I'm sorry this video even has to be made so thank you for doing it because you shouldn't have to. You shouldn't have to explain this to us. We should just know.
I'm so sorry, Lauren. I'm so sorry. This country has to fucking do better. I'm so, so sorry.
This is really good. I’ve missed seeing you. Absolutely, anxiety isn’t an excuse. I have it too. I was crying in front of my kids which I don’t do. Still spending hours and hours on this.
And honestly I wish I had known there was this history with RM. Until recently I hadn’t been on Twitter all that much and I feel like there was so much I never saw. And it sucks because then we had her moderate a panel for this book fest.
I know this is a really rough time but let me know if I you need anything. ❤️
Thank you Bethany
Yes. ❤
came back to rewatch bc I missed the first few mins lol
The beginning is my favorite part
Phew... I'm so grateful for all the black voices that are speaking up. Deadass! It's beautiful 💜
I love you sis!
i don't even know what to say. but i support you. i have empathy for you. please let no one tell you to "not pull the race card" fuck them. this has been going on for far too long.
Thank you for calling out all this bullshit, we all need to do better
Watching. 🙅🏽♀️
Thank you for this, Lauren.
@@ONYXPages Thanks Njeri. I'm exhausted, but unfortunately we don't really get to let others speak up while we rest or deal with our trauma so I'm doing what I can to join my voice with all of ours
It don't get no clearer than this.
"Y'all are READERS " PERIOD!! 🙅🏾
I'm so sorry you even have to make this video. I cried when you broke down. My heart fucking hurts so much for you and black americans everywhere bc its so fucking wrong. Im in MN and am doing g what I can to help donate and participating in protests when I dont have my young daughter with me. For what it is worth, I hear you and everyone who lives this every single day and I'm making sure I do better snd that I raise my kids to be better. Thank you for speaking truth and being so raw even though I'm so sorry tou even have to. But I will do my part every single day for the rest of my life and I will call shit out when I see it. I will not let anyone get away with any of it. Im not confrontational st all but I've already let some friends go who are oieces of shit. I wont associate with people who dont get this.
Take care, remember to take care of your mental health too!
All lives dont matter until black lives matter. ✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
And that's on that
Wakanda Forever 💛🖤💛
🙅🏾♀️🙅🏾♀️
Sorry it's taken this fuckery to bring you back after hiatus.
I don't have a channel and don't really have an SM presence apart from commenting here on YT and in various groups on Goodreads, but boy what experiences I've had online over the last few weeks. And the couple of people here that I've questioned their lack of support on their HUGE platforms haven't even bothered responding, but I've had their fucking idiot followers arguing with me in the comments...SMH. The privilege, manipulation, gaslighting, willful ignorance (and downright lies) are real from what I've seen and it makes me sick. TFS and take care :)
Well said ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽
🙅🏾♀️
Every 9 or 10 months we see these conversations and people ignore them. There is no excuse. "Oh why didn't anyone say anything?" when people have been putting out videos about this time and time again.
This is a cycle that keeps repeating itself, because people don't have the self respect and decency to look in the mirror and examine the ways they are complicit in holding up systems built on racial inequality and prejudice. It is uncomfortable! Seeing others hurting should never feel not uncomfortable!
Yes, yes and YES! I'm done with the cycle, people need to listen!
Mascots is right. I 'eff'n hear you. Booktube has a way of chasing away anyone with the guts to say it like it is. Almost like this echos actual society. With the exception that booktube has the luxury of image editing. -.- It's more exaggerated on booktube because videos and backdrop can be polished right up to perfection. -.- When someone's being group-thought out, well let's just gather up snippets and ignore the context. Hands over ears, shouting lalalala can't hear you!
It's simple, truth scares people. No one's interested in it. The only truth folks want is when it's comfortable. I think it's time to accept being uncomfortable. White folks reading this, discomfort isn't something to be afraid of. If you feel discomfort ask yourself why. Then be honest. If in doubt, listen to yourself... another skill that's sorely lacking in society. Actually listen to yourself, not try to recall what the 'right thing to do is.' Imitating what the rehearsed right thing to do is, is to maintain the status quo. Look around, clearly that hasn't been working. Moral compasses, man. Seriously not sure where they all went. And finally, commit to this for the next 10 years because it'll take at least that long to cultivate an understanding of what all this means. Cultivating an understanding is not something you can study from a damn textbook. Ask any insightful, wise criminal that one. And yes, there is valuable wisdom amongst the criminal class. Truth isn't some neatly packaged collectable you order from a catalog. -.-
If you're reading this, I believe in you that you have the ability to listen to yourself and develop a richer understanding of what life entails. Listen to others as well of course. Peace.
There wasn’t a single thing in this video that wasn’t true.... this is a video everyone needs to watch and realize how horrific people are being.
SAY DAT!!!!
nothing but the truth
I am not an influencer, but I am holding everyone I follow accountable. Which I feel as a human I shouldn’t have to do. But I feel that if you are not a person of color and you have nothing to say about what’s going on. You do not deserve my following. As an highly melaninated African American of Latin culture I feel we are all in this together and if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem. I feel that I have to identify the problems move them out of my way so that I can start to work on the solution. Thanks for helping me identify some problems.
Thank you for sharing. I'm ashamed to say I've been a mostly complacent white person, oblivious to things outside my privileged bubble, but you can be damn sure I'm changing that. I'm not a youtuber/influencer but will do all I can to fight against racism.