Alicia Keys, Beyonce and more on 23 everyday actions that got black people killed in America

As the shooting deaths of black and brown people have galvanized the country to candidly discuss race, policing and gun control, numerous celebrities have found themselves called to use their platforms to advocate for justice.

Singer Alicia Keys found herself among them as she gathered some high-profile names to make a statement about the normality of police brutality. In a video posted Wednesday, the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna and Taraji P. Henson detailed 23 actions for which black people can, and have, been killed in America. 

Like failing to signal a lane change, in the case of Sandra Bland. Or riding in one’s girlfriend’s car with her child in the back seat, like Philando Castille. Or missing a front license place, as did Samuel Dubose.

Keys also enlisted: Chris Rock, P!nk, Talib Kweli, Janelle Monae, Chance The Rapper, Pharrell, Common, Queen Latifah, Kevin Hart, Rosario Dawson, producer Swizz Beatz, Lenny Kravitz, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Hudson, CNN commentator Van Jones, Adam Levine, Tracee Ellis Ross and Maxwell. The group each recorded black-and-white selfie-style videos reading out some of the reasons a number of people have been killed as a result of police violence or lack of gun control. 

The move by these celebrities follows a recent increase in well-known people speaking out about what they see as injustice, such as Spike Lee and Pinkett Smith, who called out the film academy during the height of this year’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy and Jesse Williams’ recent speech at the BET Awards about black lives mattering. 

The video ends with Keys encouraging people to visit the website of the We Are Here Movement, her organization dedicated to raising awareness about worldwide issues including poverty, gender discrimination, LGBTQ youth suicide, gun violence and more, “to tell President Obama and Congress that the time for change is now.”

“We demand radical transformation to heal the long history of systemic racism so that all Americans have the equal right to live and to pursue happiness,” she said.

Check out the video, posted to Mic’s Facebook page, below:

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