Little Fires Everywhere star Lexi Underwood delivered a powerful speech during a Black Lives Matter protest in LA on Wednesday. The 16-year-old actress, who shared a clip of her address on Twitter, revealed that she spoke to Los Angeles police chief Michel Moore and the commissioners about the behavior of law enforcement during peaceful protests. “Yesterday, I talked to Chief Moore and the rest of the LAPD commission,” she said. “I shared with them stories about how LAPD at all of these peaceful protests how they have been incredibly disrespectful to people who are simply just asking to be treated equally. All we are asking is to be treated with the same exact respect as our white counterparts. That’s it.”
“There is so much trauma behind being only a child and seeing us countlessly be beaten and murdered in these streets by people who are supposed to protect and serve us.”
Lexi went on to share how social injustices against Black people have contributed to the mental and emotional damage of the community. “There is so much trauma behind being only a child and seeing us countlessly be beaten and murdered in these streets by people who are supposed to protect and serve us,” she said. “Do you understand what that feels like? I don’t know if I am next. I don’t know if my mother is next. I don’t know if my friends are next. I don’t know if my cousins are next. I don’t know if my friends are next. Thank you all so much for coming out and showing support. I’m with you all. I stand with you all, and I’m sending my love and my prayers your way. Thank you.”
Lexi’s speech came amid global calls to action following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. The tragedies have prompted powerful demands for justice from celebrities, including Barack Obama, Beyoncé, Dwayne Johnson, and Star Wars actors John Boyega and Naomi Ackie. While the perpetrators in George and Ahmaud’s cases are facing charges, the officers involved in the killing of Breonna have yet to be arrested.
