Amanda Seales Slams Racial Profiling In Anti-Tobacco Ad
The Truth Initiative is beyond the “just say no” approach to anti-smoking ads of years past.
In its latest campaign, which aired during the Grammys, the nonprofit organization recruited Insecure’s Amanda Seales to put the tobacco industry’s legacy of racial profiling on full blast. “Big Tobacco must love diversity,” the comedian quipped. “They love it so much that they advertise up to 10 times more in black neighborhoods than in other neighborhoods. Ten times. How is that okay?”
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The media correspondent later called the covert “market priority” label once attached to the black demographic by its name. “It’s not a coincidence,” she informed. “It’s profiling.” The same truth applies to low-income neighborhoods, which are more likely to have tobacco retailers near schools than anywhere else.
Big ups to @truthorange for bringing us some serious wokeness #stopprofiling
— Amanda Seales ?? (@amandaseales) February 14, 2017
In an interview with Essence, Seales explained that it was important for her to join the #StopProfiling movement to raise awareness on rarely-discussed statistics. “I honestly was just generally frustrated at the continued efforts I feel like are put in place to harm the Black community in a deleterious way,” she said. “It was just another element that I honestly didn’t know about. It was very surprising that I didn’t know about it. That was actually the most shocking part, like ‘How did I not know about this,’ Because the numbers are just staggering, which is of course what made me say ‘I need to be a part of this, if I can be.’”
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Check out the eye-opening ad above.
Imagine if quality education and after-school programs targeted black communities like Big Tobacco does. #StopProfiling #GRAMMYs
— David White (@dewjr87) February 13, 2017
Yoooo, this @amandaseales #stopprofiling campaign ????✊?.
— Lenora Houseworth (@LenoraSheWrote) February 13, 2017
I LOVE THE @truthorange @truthinitiative AD I JUST SAW ON THE GRAMMYS ✖️? #FinishIt #StopProfiling
— haley? (@kolhaley) February 13, 2017
