The brands rushing to defend black lives used to silence us. Does it get more shameless?

When I first noticed that there were non-black faces in the myriad protests demanding justice for the police murder of George Floyd across the world over the last few days, I thought: it’s nice to see that oppressed black people aren’t the only ones speaking out about the oppression of black people. Because generally that’s been the case. But that feeling of relief dissolved after big organizations such as the NFL and The CW, as well as stars like Lea Michele, jumped on that bandwagon to align themselves with the fight for black humanity. Because these are some of the same platforms that have silenced us.

I get it; a major impetus for the protests is the lack of accountability – for the careless condemnation of black life, the quelling of black voices, and the utter disregard for our image. Of course, you want to look like the white organization or public figure that is on the right side of history, appealing to the oppressed who are in part frustrated that a country they helped build has once again abandoned them. And truthfully, black people need the support of non-black people to clench justice in a broken nation still run and dictated by white oppressors.

Related: As responses to George Floyd's death go, #BlackOutTuesday was embarrassing | Fatima Bhutto

For one split moment in time, it seemed like some of these influential white entities had finally gotten the point after years of directing their attention toward the absence of accountability, which extends far beyond the court system to the big and small screens as well as our football stadiums. But because we are living in a time when black people are so fed up that they are risking their lives marching in crowds during a pandemic to demand responsibility for white supremacy, pithy statements are no longer adequate declarations of alliance.

Not when those very institutions like the NFL discarded Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem to contest police brutality and racial inequality. Not when The CW, despite its black-led series like Black Lightning and All American, can’t be bothered to portray black characters on its other show, Riverdale, as multidimensional humans and not just barely visible sidekicks to white characters. Not when Michele reportedly made a black former cast mate’s first television gig “a living hell”. (Michele has since apologized.)

Black lives didn’t matter to them then, so their shallow presentations of coalition don’t matter to protesters now. Black people are long past the point of niceties and respectable dialogue that dances around the issues without solving anything at all. There needs to be indisputable action. Hence the question of accountability, or rather the lack thereof, which brought us to this current juncture. In order to gain alliance and make real change, you have to first acknowledge your own actions as wrongdoings.

You have to understand the fight you’re allegedly signing up for – the fight for criminal justice, the fight for black characters to receive the same level of amplification as their white counterparts, the fight to protest rampant inequality without fear of repercussions or loss of life. You also have to understand your complicity, which includes remaining silent in the face of injustice. Because that only underscores how you willfully and remorselessly benefit from your own privilege.

It’s going to take more than just a handsome donation to the NAACP or an empty vow to hire more black storytellers behind the scenes without actually doing so or an equally hollow apology castigating your own actions without a full understanding of why. It needs to be a complete overhaul of your way of thinking and doing today and every other day that follows. One of the most urgent things that these daily protests have made crystal clear is that what was once passable can no longer be tolerated. Accountability is not merely a suggestion but a mandate that has similarly merciless impact if not adhered.

That means you will continue to be publicly called out about any false commitments to do better. Apathy toward any lingering black supporters, one of the largest consumer groups on the planet, may result in depleted ratings or ticket sales. Voting in favor of white supremacy and the lives of black people you swiftly hailed during this one moment in time will surely be met with more sleepless nights of protest in the street.

Black people simply have no time to hold your hand or explain how you have wronged us and should no longer be expected to do so. Racism is something we live with every single day of our lives. You’re either in this fight with us every day, or you’re not. If it is the latter, consider these protests your official notice.

There is no going back to the way things were handled. This has to be our new normal.