Let me say this upfront, so there’s no debate. Yes, Black folks are absolutely capable of caring about multiple things at once.
We can discuss Project 2025 and still watch “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” We can celebrate wins, laugh at memes, debate celebrity drama, and still stay informed about what’s happening in our communities. That’s not the issue.
The question is: Are we giving the same energy to the things that actually impact our lives? Because lately, it doesn’t feel like it.
Scroll your timeline for five minutes, and you’ll see it. Thousands of comments dissecting a breakup. Endless think pieces about who did what, who said what, who posted what. I’m not above it. I love a little juicy gossip just like the next person. Life is heavy, and sometimes we need a break.
But here’s what I can’t ignore. We’ll spend hours debating celebrities who don’t know us…
…but go quiet when our rights are being chipped away in real time.
Case in point – the recent dismantling of the Voting Rights Act. This is HUGE. But why isn’t this trending like Megan and Klay’s breakup? Where are the threads? Where are the reposts? Where is the outrage?
Because while we’re arguing about relationships, there are decisions being made that will shape our future, our voting power, our representation, our voice.
And if we’re being honest, some of us don’t realize just how serious it is.
We’re watching the slow dismantling of protections that generations before us fought—bled—for. We’re watching policies shift, maps redrawn, rules rewritten. And it’s not theoretical. It’s already happening.
Just look at what happened with Al Green’s district. That didn’t happen overnight. That was strategy. That was planning. That was power being moved around while too many of us were distracted.
This is what disenfranchisement looks like in real time. Not always loud. Not always obvious. But effective.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth: The people making these decisions are counting on our silence. They’re counting on our distraction. They’re counting on us not paying attention. Because attention, conversation, and engagement are powerful.
So when we choose not to engage with what’s happening politically—when we scroll past it, don’t share it, don’t talk about it—we’re giving that power away.
Again, let me be clear—I’m not saying stop enjoying life. I’m not saying don’t comment on celebrity news or laugh at what’s trending. I’m saying keep that same energy.
If you can write a paragraph breaking down a breakup, you can post about voter suppression.
If you can argue in the comments about a relationship, you can speak up about policies that affect your family.
If you can share, repost, and debate—do it for the things that actually touch your life.
Because at the end of the day, celebrity drama is optional.
Your rights are not.
And the danger isn’t just what’s being taken.
It’s what we’re too distracted to notice.
We’ve always been a people who could hold joy and struggle at the same time. That’s part of our brilliance. That’s part of our survival.
But survival also requires awareness.
So by all means—talk about the breakups. Laugh, debate, engage.
Just don’t let that be louder than the conversations that determine your future.
Because the algorithm shouldn’t care more about our rights than we do.
