The peaceful rallies following the police-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 have become a major civil uprising. A number of stars want to make sure their children are there to absorb history in the making during the protests, which have gone on in every state in the union (and beyond, in the case of Madonna.) Celebs have participated in a number of rallies along with their kids and they’ve shared the experiences on social media. Stars including Jamie Foxx, Rebecca Romijn, January Jones, Bachelor alum Amanda Stanton and more who have made sure their children are aware of the social change that is going on.
The rallies grew to a fever pitch following the police-custody death of 46-year-old George Floyd. A Minneapolis Police officer was filmed kneeling on the man’s neck for nearly nine minutes while he was handcuffed and on his stomach. Floyd pleaded with Officer Derek Chauvin, 44, numerous times that he couldn’t breathe, before losing consciousness and dying. Chauvin was immediately fired, but it took four days until he was arrested and charged with third-degree murder. After public outcry, on June 3 the charge was upped to second-degree murder by MN Attorney General Keith Ellison. Here are the stars that are making sure their children are aware of the protests about racial injustice and what they mean.
Jamie Foxx
“Passing it along,” Academy Award-winning actor Jamie Foxx captioned a June 8 Instagram gallery. Jamie, 52, shared pictures of him and his 11-year-old daughter, Analise Bishop, attending a protest in Hollywood. The Ray star wore a shirt bearing the image of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in 2012. “Having my kids with me at the protest was bittersweet. Having them watch the world come together was beautiful… But having to explain to them why we were all there was heartbreaking… let’s change the world so they don’t have to live in it the way we have been…”
Madonna
“Peaceful Protest with the Fam in The U.K.,” Madonna captioned a June 7 Instagram post. Though the 61-year-old music icon had to use crutches to march (she was seen leaving King Edward VII’s Hospital in London days before the protest), Madonna and her family marched in support of global equality for Black people. The “Vogue” singer is the adoptive mother to four children from Malawi — David Banda, 14, Mercy James, 14, Estere, 7, and Stella, 7 – and she tagged them in the IG post’s caption. “We marched from Parliament to 10 Downing street. It was an honor for all of us to be there!! Important for my kids to know that they are here to witness this great historical moment. not just in America but all around the world.” #davidbanda #mercyjames #estere #stella #london #blacklivesmatter.
Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O’Connell
Actress Rebecca Romijn, 47, and husband Jerry O’Connell, 46, brought their 11-year-old twin daughters Dolly and Charlie to a George Floyd rally in Southern California. One girl posed with a “Black Lives Matter” sign while the other held one reading “BLM.” They were accompanied by a black friend who carried a sign reading “My life matters.” Jerry even wore a “Justice for George” t-shirt. In a swipe right pic, Rebecca proudly stood with her daughters and their pal at the protest.
January Jones
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Former Mad Men actress January Jones, 42, showed that her eight-year-old son Xander was part of the racial justice movement by sharing a June 2 photo of him holding a sign saying “I can’t breathe.” Those are the words George Floyd repeatedly told Officer Chauvin as he kneeled on his neck. Xander also wore a white face mask with the words “Black Lives Matter” written on it. January explained, “For a child who didn’t used to see color amongst his friends it’s hard for him to understand, to understand why the past he learns about in school is still very present in our world today. I wanted to give him an opportunity today to do a small neighborhood protest to support his friends and feel like he’s part of the progress that will hopefully happen.”
Cynthia Bailey
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey, 53, and her fiance Mike Hill, 49, brought their daughters from previous relationships — including Cynthia’s 20-year-old daughter Noelle Robinson — to a rally in downtown Los Angeles on June 3. She wrote that, “It was a beautiful, peaceful protest, and I was absolutely blown away by all the love & unity that surrounded me. I was so proud to be with my fiancé @itsmikehill & our girls to stand with everyone that came out in the name of righteousness.”
Amanda Stanton
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Bachelor alum Amanda Stanton, 30, brought six-year-old daughter Charlie to a protest in Orange County on June 3. She told fans that “I’m teaching my kids to exercise their right to protest and use their voice,” and added, “It was peaceful and powerful.” Charlie was seen in an Instagram photo holding up a sign in the air above her head that read “Black Lives Matter,” with a heart drawn next to it.
Nicole Ari Parker
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Actress Nicole Ari Parker, 49, brought her 15-year-old daughter Sophie with husband Boris Kodjoe to a rally. She kissed the teen on the cheek in a June 2 Instagram photo and noted that, “As a mom we want to anchor their happiness and confidence and self-esteem but can’t always keep up with the insane amount of news/hatred/violence/evil explanations…and still protect them. It hurts to take their innocence away in order to survive.” Kudos to all of these stars who are giving their children an in-person lesson in the pursuit of racial justice that they will likely never forget.