Influencer Acacia Kersey is signing off.
After more than two months off of her platforms, the 23-year-old mother of three, who has amassed more than 23 million views as a YouTube star, resurfaced online with an announcement: "I am leaving my role as an 'influencer' indefinitely."
In an Instagram post shared on Wednesday, Sept. 29, Acacia explained the many reasons behind her decision. "This role has done an immense amount of damage to me, my relationships, my financial stability and my view of the world," she wrote. "Fear has been keeping me here for longer than I can even admit. Fear of what would happen if I stopped bringing in money, fear of what I could even offer the world, fear of who I am without this beacause [sic] it's all I've ever known."
The social media star wrote that she was "exhausted on all fronts, living in auto pilot online." She candidly shared, "I was living with an empty cup while still doing my best to fill the cups of those around me and I could not operate like that for long. I lived a majority of my life in a place I didn't want to be in and made a lot of decisions that I probably wouldn't make again."
Acacia also shed light on what she's been up to since her last Instagram post in July, noting that she and husband Jairus Kersey moved to Oregon and are looking for their "forever" home while she is currently a stay-at-home mom. "Our lifestyle, relationships, spending habits, goals, practically everything we once knew," she summarized, "has changed."
Calling it one of the hardest decisions she's ever made, Acacia also said her choice to leave her role was simultaneously "the easiest & most freeing things I've ever done since it meant a better life of for myself & my family."
However, she wouldn't entirely rule out a return. "Who knows, maybe one day I'll make my way back here," she noted, "but I will not rely on social media for my family's survival. It just created too much of unhealthy pressure & privilege. It's time to move on."
Acacia's time online was not without scandal. In July, she faced accusations of stealing another creator's photo filters. In a statement shared to her Instagram Story, Acacia told fans, "I had purchased @cherryphotoclub ‘s summer pack and fell in love, I was immediately obsessed with them and they had the exact tones I was missing but failed to make on my own. I wanted to recreate similar vibes with some of my presets. But by doing so, I took away business from my friend, @ashlevi and for that I'm so apologetic."
In April 2020, she issued an apology for using a racial slur when she was a teenager.
While some commenters were critical of her, other followers, including some of her years-long fans, complimented the star for making the choice to step away and voiced their support. "I'm so sad to see you go, but so happy for your next adventure in life even if it means not being able to watch from afar," one fan wrote. "You've grown a lot and I hope this next chapter is filled with lots of love & light."