Cynthia Bailey and her fiance Mike Hill explained why it was important for them to have their daughters protest alongside them.
The couple has been sharing moments with their children as the family has been protesting in Los Angeles. Bailey and Hill, who plan to tie the knot on October 10, 2020, have three daughters between them. Hill has two daughters from his previous marriages — Ashlee Hill, 20, and Kayla Hill, 18, while Bailey and her ex, Leon Robinson, share one daughter together — Noelle Robinson, 20.
During their interview with Hollywood Life , Bailey shared that it was imperative for her family to go out and speak up for those who have been wounded or killed due to racial injustice. The Real Housewives of Atlanta star said while she’s aware that the nation is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt the need to safely protest with her loved ones.
“It felt so good to go out in the name of justice,” Bailey said. “From that point, the focus turned from COVID-19 to Black Lives Matter.”
Both Bailey and Hill mentioned that the organizers of the protest were focused on keeping the participants safe. They also said their daughters showed them how some of the people had cases of water on them at all times to ensure that everyone was hydrated as they walked with the crowds. Hill noted his and Bailey’s daughters were with the couple throughout the duration of the protest even though they’re all young adults.
“One of the reasons why we actually wanted to take our daughters, not that they’re not at the age to go themselves, but we’re still in a pandemic, of course, but we felt like we just needed to get out and go and see what was happening for ourselves,” Bailey added. “Watching the news it just looked like the world was going crazy.”
Following the protest, Bailey said her and Hill’s children have a better understanding of what the couple had to experience when they were their ages. She said that while racial issues are still relevant today, their daughters have more privilege now and don’t have the same struggles. However, she admitted she’s afraid when they leave the house because of the recent events.
Like many others, Bailey and Hill decided to protest after Minneapolis native George Floyd was allegedly killed by former police officer Derek Chauvin . When Chauvin wasn’t immediately arrested and charged, protests erupted to seek justice for Floyd, as well as demonstrate for many other black victims of police brutality, such as Breonna Taylor, who was allegedly shot by police while she was sleeping in her home back in March.