One unfortunate commenter made an important discovery on Instagram recently: do NOT come for Malika Haqq. Malika, 37, posted a cute photo on Instagram that showed her rocking new sweats and a sweatshirt from Pretty Little Thing. She used a quote often attributed to civil rights leader Malcom X as the caption: “If you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything.” One commenter had a huge problem with that, claiming that Malika was taking advantage of the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Ew. Privileged black woman disguises an AD post to make money as support for BLM,” the white woman wrote. “Is there anything you do altruistically or is capitalizing on the support for a justice movement really something you’re about?” Malika immediately shot back with, “LOOK HERE KAREN, you will never check me on what I do or don’t do. There is no such thing as privileged black woman. WTF, Check yourself! I am black. You don’t know my struggle. You know absolutely nothing. If you were in front of me I’d smack TF outta you!”
Malika’s Instagram post — and the hater’s comment — come as protesters march in all 50 states for the second week in a row, in the name of Black Lives Matter. They’re fighting for justice for George Floyd, the man killed at the hands of the Minneapolis police, and for an end to police brutality. The protesters are being met with more brutality from cops who have used tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash bombs against them,
Malika has posted several times in support of Black Lives Matter on her Instagram account. Three days after George Floyd’s death, she posted a video of a black boy beautifully singing, captioned, “We just want to live. Damn!” She participated in Blackout Tuesday, along with other celebrities on June 2. The new mother also explained that she and her twin sister, Khadijah Haqq McCray, wouldn’t be posting a new episode of their Facebook Live show, Side by Side. They would be praying, instead.
“Out of respect for George Floyd’s loss of life and so many other lives, we have decided to focus on prayer, and stand in support. We believe this time is for reflection, unity, and change. The injustice that continues to happen in our country is WRONG. Stay encouraged by love. Before, now and always, we stand Side by Side with our black community,” she wrote on Instagram.