Keke Palmer Says Millennials Are Ready For 'Revolution And A Revelation' In Powerful Op-Ed: 'We Were Born For This'

If there’s a silver lining to the ongoing tragedy that has sparked so much civil unrest in the US, it’s that new leaders are stepping up and sharing their voices with us.

One such figure stepping up is Keke Palmer. The actress has been beloved since her child star days of Akeelah and the Bee, and more recently during her viral “Sorry to this man” moment on the Hustlers press tour. Just last week, the 26-year-old went viral again for her impassioned plea to some National Guardsmen at the protest over the death of George Floyd in Los Angeles.

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On Tuesday, Keke reflected on that moment and the revolutionary times in which we’re living in an op-ed for Variety. She said even as a young girl on movie sets, her mother always encouraged her to challenge authority figures if she didn’t understand their directions. She encouraged others to do the same, writing:

“Sometimes, going against authority is the only remedy for change, especially when we have seen, too often, those authority figures step over the line. So where do you draw the line? How do you know to draw the line? Is there a line?”

Palmer said she joined the protests in LA to “fight against white supremacy and what it does to our nation.” Regarding the viral video of her asking the National Guard to march with protesters, she explained:

“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.”

Although the Guardsmen didn’t end up joining in, her words had a much further reach online. And it should be noted this isn’t the first time the daytime talk show host has spoken up about injustice. She was vocal in denouncing former mentor R. Kelly’s actions after the premiere of the Surviving R. Kelly documentary. She also bravely revealed her own abortion story in 2019 in response to an Alabama law that essentially banned abortion.

Her history of speaking up when it matters makes it easy to believe when she says she’s “waited for a revolution … [her] entire life.” She shares those revolutionary aspirations with her fellow millennials:

“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. 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.”

Palmer concluded the essay with a call to action:

“I can’t ask anyone to do what they aren’t willing to do. However, I do ask everyone to ask themselves a question: ‘Where do I draw the line?’ Because if not now, then when?”

Bravo, Keke!

We’re so excited to see her grow as an activist and leader.

[Image via WENN/Avalon]