Digital commentator and Instagram creator Ms Curly Girl has posted an emotional video blaming the current Trump administration for changing how she experiences race and belonging in America.
In the video, captioned “Grateful for my lifelong allies! 🫶🏼,” Ms Curly Girl recounted a drive through Watkinsville, Georgia, on her way to Augusta, explaining how the predominantly white town triggered feelings of discomfort and alienation she said she never previously experienced.
“What this administration took from me is the ability to feel like I could live in the middle,” she said.
The influencer explained that she had often driven through the small Georgia town and admired its “cute little antique shops” and old-fashioned atmosphere, but this trip felt different. As she paid closer attention to the people around her, she said she realized she “didn’t see one person that did not look white American.”
“I also realized I would not feel comfortable visiting any of those stores,” she said. “I probably would have never thought of that before.”
Ms Curly Girl, whose mother immigrated from East Africa and whose father was a white man from East Tennessee, said she once viewed her biracial identity as a unique advantage that allowed her to understand different perspectives and move comfortably between communities.
“I felt I had the advantage of understanding both sides and I love that,” she said. “I love being able to live in the middle.”
But throughout the video, she repeatedly connected her growing sense of unease to the current political climate under President Donald Trump, arguing that his administration has intensified social division and racial distrust.
“My feelings are right now, I critique everything,” she said. “I’m looking at everyone like, ‘Where do you stand? How do you feel? Am I safe?’ And I never felt that way.”
She added that she now finds herself evaluating strangers and public spaces through the lens of politics and race before deciding whether she feels comfortable or secure.
“I really hate that,” she said. “Because I know there are so many white people who are not that way and now I have to think about things first.”
Toward the end of the video, Ms Curly Girl argued that the Trump administration did not necessarily create racial division. Instead, she exposed prejudices and tensions she believes were already embedded within American society.
“The administration just exposed, I guess, what was already there,” she said. “And I was just gullible.”
Her remarks sparked extensive debate online, with supporters praising her honesty about the emotional impact of political polarization, while critics challenged her characterization of conservative America and small-town communities.
The video feeds into a broader social media conversation surrounding race relations, mixed-race identity, political distrust and how Americans today perceive safety and belonging in an increasingly polarized national climate.
