Jordin Sparks is ready to speak her mind without worrying about offending people.
Jordin Sparks
The 30-year-old singer admitted she has been "nervous" to speak out publicly in the past but, amid the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the death of George Floyd, she's reached a point now where she "cannot not say anything".
She told SiriusXM DJ Joe Madison: "I've always been one of those people that fears being misunderstood. I would never intentionally try and hurt somebody's feelings or try and offend anyone.
"I have been nervous to speak on things, a lot of times throughout my career. [But I] just can't be afraid to offend people anymore, or to be misunderstood.
"This moment in time for me, especially being mixed, and especially having a Black husband, and a son that the world is going to view as Black as well -- even though he's got lighter skin and blue eyes, he's still going to be a Black kid, you know what I'm saying? And for me, it was just like, you know what? Basically, expletive this. F this. I can't, I cannot, I just can't, I cannot not say anything. I have to say something."
The 'Battlefield' singer -who has two-year-old son Dana Jr. with husband Dana Isaiah - is letting go of her fear of being misinterpreted because "people are going to misunderstand you if they really want to misunderstand you."
She added: "And I just can't. I have to say something."
Jordin recently attended a protest and got "choked up" when she saw a white woman carrying a bag, which featured a sign that read, "If the police get violent, stand behind me. I have first aid in my backpack."
She said: "I got choked up walking 'cause I was like, that's how you use your voice.
"That's how you use your white privilege. You come in and you help, and you stand for your brothers and sisters in this world, you know? And it was just so amazing. And so for me, there was a lot of hope that I took from that.
"There's still a lot of frustration and anger obviously, because it's not going to be changed in a day, but this is a movement. This is not stopping.
"We gotta keep our foot on the gas. We can't just let up."
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