After the injustices of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many more, Jordin Sparks gives her honest thoughts about raising a Black son in America.
Sparks, 30, reveals to people how both she and husband, model Dana Isaiah, 28, have daily conversations about how they will teach their 2-year-old DJ about racism.
“How do we tell him that he may be treated differently because his parents have melanin in their skin? It’s devastating,” says Sparks.
“It’s so hard that we have to have that conversation; he’s so young, and it’s hard to chip away at his innocence in that way. We’re going to have to have a conversation that’s going to shatter some things for our son.”
And while the country’s conversations around race have been heartbreaking at time, Sparks has found hope in the recent Black Lives Matter protests.
RELATED: 6-Year-Old Girl Called Racist For Wearing ‘Black Lives Matter’ T-Shirt At Christian Daycare
“I want his future to be better than this; it’s got to be better than this,” she says.
Amidst isolating during the coronavirus pandemic, the singer has enjoyed the extra family time as well as watching her little one reach new milestones.
“DJ has just blossomed so much during this time. Being able to see him grow every single day is so much fun. This morning DJ walked up to Dana, shook his hand and said, ‘Nice to meet you, Dad.’ It was the cutest thing — we never taught him how to shake hands!” Sparks says.
RELATED: Angry Bride Fires Wedding Photographer Over Black Lives Matter Post
“He’s like a little Energizer bunny — he just keeps going and going.”
Sparks has also been preparing for the release of her new EP, Sounds Like Me, in quarantine.
“I just turned 30, and I feel so far removed from that 17-year-old girl on Idol … but am still the same at my core,” says Sparks. “I’ve done a little bit of everything — pop, power ballads, R&B, I toured with Britney Spears — but this is the first time I’ve felt like a project sounds like me, so that’s what I’m calling the EP.”