While parents are definitely their children's best teachers, a lot of us often find that we learn just as much from our kids. Jennifer Lopez would probably agree. She recently shared the conversation that she and her son, Max, had about the death of George Floyd and race relations in the United States.
"Max told me a few days ago: 'you know mom, since you have a following like some of my YouTuber gamers and they ask us to support things and we do, you should do that for George Floyd. I said, 'funny you say that baby, I am planning a few things. Do you want to help by making a sign?' And they did!!"
Jennifer also shared that she's no stranger to having conversations about social justice with Max and his sister, Emme. Max and Emma are 12 years old, so it's pretty likely that Jennifer has been having conversations with them for at least a few years.
She said that the three of them talk about a lot. "We talked about how if one person doesn't have justice then no one does. That this country was built on the belief of freedom and justice for all."
She also included a message for her fans. "We must take a stand for what we believe in and fight against the injustices in this world. So we continue to peacefully protest until there is change."
Jennifer Lopez and her fiancé, former Yankees player Alex Rodriguez, also joined their local Black Lives Matter marches. J.Lo is seen in the footage she shared holding a sign that reads "BLM #EnoughIsEnough," and Alex carries a sign that says "Let's get loud for Black Lives Matter" as a reference to J.Lo's 1999 song, "Let's Get Loud."
Alex also wrote on his own account about the importance of standing up for what's right. "All across our nation, for nearly two weeks, the message has been sent loud and clear. Americans everywhere protesting for peace. For equality. For humanity. To show #BlackLivesMatter. To show we are sickened, both by the senseless way George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis and by the many brutal, unnecessary, ugly murders that came before him."
He added a nod to their fellow locals whom they marched alongside. "Los Angeles, we are proud to join you in peaceful protest tonight. We are proud to walk alongside you, and to share in spreading such an important message. Thank you for speaking up. Thank you for continuing to fight the good fight. Thank for you using your voices for good. America: It's time to listen."
This is hardly the first time J.Lo has spoken up about fighting for equality. She even credits becoming a mom with turning her into an activist. In 2013, she told Glamour, "I know! From the moment I became pregnant, everything was different. It was like, 'Watch out, world, I'm here now.' And everywhere I went I was just like, Hey, don't mess with me, people. I'm cooking a miracle here.'"
She is also a huge supporter of LGBT rights and has helped raise millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS research. In 2013, she was honored at amfAR's Inspiration Gala for her contributions. WWD reported that "Lopez was awarded with its humanitarian award for her philanthropy, with dual introductions by Ricky Martin via video from Australia and André Leon Talley in person."
Oprah's O Magazine has also credited J.Lo with paving the way for Latinos and Latinas in the entertainment industry.
The magazine noted, "Despite how slowly those numbers are rising, representation for Latinos in popular culture is indeed growing — and much of that is thanks to the influence of Jennifer Lopez over the past three decades."
While speaking about Jennifer in the piece, author Isabel González Whitaker said, "She's a change agent, having given visibility to our culture and our people through the massive media empire she's created that sees the spotlight shine on her cultural pride, her work, her talent, and her drive."
Monica M. Rivera, who founded You Wanna Do What?!, also praised the singer and actress. "Prior to her bursting on the scene, folks would cite the Yankees or the Bronx Zoo as the two things they knew of my borough. Jennifer Lopez forced people to know about the 6 train, what our streets looked like and sounded like, even the hallways to our apartment buildings. I felt seen. It no longer felt like the Bronx was an afterthought; it filled me with pride."
And documentary filmmaker Kristal Sotomayor, who also serves as the festival programming coordinator for Philadelphia's Latino Film Festival, added "For me, J.Lo was the only example of Latinidad in TV and film, so her existence alone was revolutionary. She changed my perception of Latinidad because she was able to be a triple threat, not just an actress portraying a stereotype."
