Napier, who hosts Home Town alongside her husband, Ben Napier, explained her take on making a difference in a screenshot of direct messages. a woman named Danielle Smalley reached out to Napier to ask why she hadn’t spoken about the movement, which gained speed after the death of George Floyd. In particular, Smalley pointed to a photo of Mr. Rogers that Napier posted in the heat of American unrest.
“I follow lots of HGTV host [sic] and they have all made a stand for what’s right,” Smalley shared. “I’m not in your shoes or know what it’s like to be looked at without the color of my skin being a factor. I do know that we all have a chance to stand together and help to change things.”
A post shared by Erin Napier (@erinapier) on Jun 3, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT
Napier’s response included a few key points that focused on religion, and the presumption that social media can be superficial. “I want you to know that my social media quiet is not a difference of opinion, it’s just a difference of expression. I think taking a ‘bigger’ stand lies in the small opportunities we meet every day.”
She continued to express the importance of advocating for the longevity of the movement, rather than a burst of anger. “A week from now, most of these same people will go back to posting about the best summer sangria recipes and photos of their dogs because they feel they did their part with their post on Monday, and it’s sickening to me.”
Napier later addressed the “black box” photos that surfaced around the internet on Blackout Tuesday. The day originally started as a music industry shutdown to support the Black Lives Matter movement. It later evolved into the controversial display on social media, which, which good intentioned, led some to feel as if Black voices were being shut out by a flood of blank photos.
“I don’t have to post a black square for that to be true, and virtue doesn’t have to happen by demand of a mob. I’m so sorry if you’ve been a victim in your life because of the color of your skin. I don’t know your situation, but I will say a prayer for you today and continue my mission of making the next right step, doing the next right thing.
Throughout the messages that continued, the women bonded over religion. Napier later revealed many have reached out to her with “outright fury” at her decision not to post publicly about the #BlackLivesMatter movement or death of Floyd.
In the comments, others claimed to have similar positions, leading with prayer and tangible action rather than social media posts.
Napier did not immediately respond to our request for comment about what she’s doing in her local community to support the movement.
