Keke Palmer is not done using her voice for change.
On Tuesday morning, the actress penned a personal column to Variety where she voiced her support for the Black Lives Moment and continued her fight for justice.
"I chose to join the protests in Los Angeles to bring as much awareness as we can to the injustices in America and fight against white supremacy and what it does to our nation. At one point, I spoke with National Guardsmen who were preventing us from marching past a certain point and challenged them to march with us," Keke wrote in her essay. "In my wildest dreams, they would all march with us without risk of punishment, in the same way that if the whole class walks out of school, no one gets detention for it. If enough of them felt moved to do this, it would offer so much inspiration and impact the movement in such a meaningful way."
The actress continued, "They didn't march with us, and while one offered to for a short stretch, he also said he had to ‘protect the businesses' and buildings in the area."
While the moment quickly went viral after NBC News reporter Gadi Schwartz captured the interactions, Keke wishes there would have been a different outcome.
"In that moment, I wasn't thinking about who may or may not touch a building; I was thinking about how we're out here, fighting for a call to protect human lives. And the government is telling you to protect a building? That doesn't add up to me, and I wanted to challenge them with the question, ‘How does that add up to you?'" she asked. "While a few guardsmen knelt, for me that isn't enough."
With George Floyd expected to be laid to rest today in Houston and protests continuing around the country, Keke is hopeful that a "revolution" is near. And as it turns out, she says everyone can be part of the change.
"I have waited for a revolution, I believe, my entire life. I feel it's like this for many millennials; messages about following rules and staying in line have since evolved into calls to stand up and get others to stand with you, to challenge authority and recognize different life experiences while gathering with others who are like-minded," Keke explained. "I truly believe that everything that has led us to this moment has prepared us for a revolution and a revelation: the dismantling and rebuilding of a system that is better, more equitable and representative of the people it claims to represent."
She continued, "So while it may be scary, we were born for this: We were born to be leaders and grow out of just ‘following rules' because following rules isn't enough. We are now being called to challenge the rules and to challenge the character of those making them."
Read Keke's full guest column online now. And to learn how to take action and get involved with the Black Lives Matter movement, please click here.