Kendrick Sampson on Protesting During a Pandemic: ‘We Just Can’t Afford to Die in Private and in Public’ | Podcast

For some, deciding to take part in (much less lead) a protest during the coronavirus pandemic might be a difficult decision. But for “Insecure” star Kendrick Sampson, there really was nothing to think about.

On this week’s episode of “TheWrap-Up,” Sampson — who founded the organization BLD PWR — talked about his decision to take to the streets after the death of George Floyd, even with the public health concerns.

“After George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, I called Melina (Abdullah, a co-founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Los Angeles) and I said we have to get out in the streets,” Sampson said. “And she was thinking the same thing. It was like, we’re afraid of our people being disproportionately affected by COVID and getting sick, but at the same time, we just can’t afford to die in private and in public.”

Also Read: 'Insecure' Star Kendrick Sampson Pens Open Letter Signed by 300 Black Artists Calling on Hollywood to Cut Ties With Police

Sampson continued, “But we just wanted to make sure that we made a public statement that this is not okay and that we’re going to end it … That everything’s being exposed and one of those things is that police are acting this way because the seed of policing, the genesis of policing, the foundation of policing, is slave catching. And it will always continue that way, in the same way that capitalism works, in the same way that our healthcare prioritizes profit over people. All of these things are being exposed right now. And we can’t go back to the world that we knew before COVID-19. And so we are working to ensure that change.”

You can watch the full video with Kendrick Sampson above and listen to the entire episode of “TheWrap-Up” below.

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“TheWrap-Up” is hosted each week by founder and editor in chief Sharon Waxman and assistant managing editor Daniel Goldblatt. The pair dive into the biggest headlines of the week in the world of movies, television, streaming and tech. Each episode features two deeper dive segments featuring our knowledgable and talented team of Wrap Pro reporters, offering up their in-depth, expert analysis you won’t hear anywhere else.