Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James has always used his elevated platform to help fight racism. He is back at it again after taking notice of a controversial ad by clothing company H&M.
Just before the Cavaliers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night, LeBron James published a statement via his Instagram account that disparages H&M while also offering uplifting words for the black community.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BdtS-hsBUNk/
The ad in question was that of a black child wearing a shirt with a “coolest monkey in the jungle” print on it. It did not take long before people took notice of the ad, paving the way for a barrage of enraged citizens expressing their distaste for it on social media. People from all walks of life seem to have an opinion about the ad, but they are in unison in saying that there was no way H&M should have allowed it to appear on any of their channels. Apart from LeBron James, other celebrities who have voiced out their displeasure for H&M’s blunder include The Weeknd and Diddy.
The image ran on the company’s online store, but it has already been taken down by the company to prevent further damage to their brand. H&M has also released a statement to address the issue, via The Washington Post.
“We understand that many people are upset about the image. We, who work at H&M, can only agree,” H&M said Monday in a statement to The Washington Post. “We are deeply sorry that the picture was taken, and we also regret the actual print. Therefore, we have not only removed the image from our channels, but also the garment from our product offering globally.”
LeBron James’ impact goes beyond the realm of athletics. He always has the initiative to speak about important social issues, particularly when it comes to injustices suffered by African-Americans.
Don’t expect any H&M products tucked inside the James household’s cabinets.