White celebrities join #SharethemicNow campaign to amplify the voices of black women

#SharethemicNow involves almost 50 high profile white celebrities, including Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brené Brown and Busy Phillips, handing over their Instagram accounts - and audiences - to black women.

"Today, more than ever, it is NECESSARY that we create a unifying action to center Black women's lives, stories, and calls to action. We need to listen to Blac Source: #ShareTheMicNow

Social media 'takeovers' have long been used by brands and organisations as an audience expansion tool, but they've never been harnessed for good quite like the #SharethemicNow campaign.

#SharethemicNow involves almost 50 high-profile white celebrities, including Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Brené Brown and Busy Phillips, handing over their Instagram accounts - and audiences - to black women, in the hope of helping to amplify the international Black Lives Matter movement.

“When the world listens to women, it listens to white women,” reads an official campaign statement, according to Variety.

“For far too long, Black women’s voices have gone unheard, even though they’ve been using their voices loudly for centuries to enact change.”

The statement continues: "Today, more than ever, it is NECESSARY that we create a unifying action to center Black women's lives, stories, and calls to action. We need to listen to Black women."

Organisers, including Bozoma Saint John, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Glennon Doyle and Stacey Bendet Eisner, have four key objectives for the campaign:

1. To form a social media campaign that magnifies black women’s lives and stories.
2. To form relationships among black women and white women - so that future activism is born from relationships.
3. To create a network of disruptors who know and trust each other.
4. To create action that could make change.

So, who's taking part?

According to the campaign's press release, the 46 white women taking part are:

Abby Wambach, Ali Krieger, Arianna Huffington, Ashley Graham, Ashley Judd, Ashlyn Harris, Barb Schmidt, Brandi Carlile, Brené Brown, Busy Philipps, Cameron Esposito, Chelsea Handler, Cheryl Strayed, Chrissy Metz, Debra Messing, Diane von Furstenberg, Elizabeth Gilbert, Esther Perel, Glennon Doyle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank, Jen Hatmaker, Jenny Mollen, Jessica Seinfeld, Julia Roberts, Julianne Hough, Kathryn Budig, Katie Couric, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kourtney Kardashian, Liz Plank, Mandy Moore, Megan Rapinoe, Melissa Urban, Michelle Monaghan, Nina Tame, Sara Bareilles, Sarah McBride, Sarah Paulson, Sarah Sophie Flicker, Seane Corn, Selma Blair, Sophia Bush, Stacey Bendet, Sue Birda.

And they'll be handing their accounts and audiences over to:

Alencia Johnson, Alexa Idama, Angelica Ross, Austin Channing Brown, Bozoma Saint John, Brittney Cooper, Candace Marie, Cari Champion, Christina Rice, Deesha Dyer, Devi Brown, Elaine Welteroth, Elle Hearns, Eunique Jones Gibson, Fresco Steez, Gia Peppers, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Jessica O. Matthews, Jovian Zayne, Julee Wilson, Justina Omokhua, Kahlana Barfield Brown, Keah Brown, Kimberly Blackwell, Latham Thomas, Lauren Wesley Wilson, Lindsay Peoples Wagner, Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Melina Abdullah, Miatta Johnson, Monique Melton, Myleik Teele, Naima Cochrane, Nikki Ogunnaike, Nimotalai Ganiyu, Opal Tometi, Rachel Cargle, Activist, Seun Adigun, Stephanie Thomas, Stephanie Young, Tai Beauchamp, Tarana Burke, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Tiffany Aliche, Yaba Blay, Yvette Noel Schure.

To follow the campaign, check out the #SharethemicNow hashtag on Instagram.