Jamaican dancehall artist Spice has shown her support for Olympic athlete Junelle Broomfield, who recently opened up about facing colorism and cyberbullying.
Broomfield, a well-known track and field athlete, has represented Jamaica globally, but despite her athletic accomplishments, she has received constant criticism for her appearance.
The 26-year-old world and Olympic medallist shared that she has been harassed on social media by Jamaicans who have insulted her skin color and called her a “sell-out” for dating the American sprinter, with some even making death threats.
“I honestly thought we were past colorism in Jamaica, especially as a nation that is filled with Black people. I have been getting cyberbullied for weeks, and when it gets talked about, I’m a liar,” she added in the post that included several screenshots of the abusive comments.
“I could go off ranting, but I’m just here to tell all the girls/women on my profile that you’re beautiful no matter your shade, shape, or size, and for the little Black girls, don’t wait on anybody to tell you that you’re beautiful to believe it,” Bromfield said in a lengthy Instagram post on Friday.
After sharing her story, Junelle Broomfield found an unexpected but powerful ally in Jamaican dancehall superstar Spice, who publicly voiced her support and sent a wave of encouragement to the athlete.
In response to Broomfield’s experiences, Spice has expressed her solidarity. She recently went live on social media and dedicated a song to Broomfield, encouraging her to embrace her beauty and ignore the haters.
Spice captioned the video: “@junellebromfield I love you my Queen. I’m so proud of you. You are a Super Hero. Black sensation, Admiration, Black Perfection………… I want to dedicate my song called “Mirror” from my Album #Mirror25 to you.”
Spice’s gesture deeply touched Broomfield, and she later expressed her gratitude on social media. “I am so thankful for being the voice for not only me but for so many black women that do not have the courage or the platform to speak up for themselves,” Broomfield wrote. “You’re inspirational to many @spiceofficial. Definition of a strong black woman.”
Spice’s support is a significant boost for Broomfield, who has been going through a difficult time.
