In mid-May Hannah Brown found herself in the middle of a controversy after uttering the N-word in a social media video for Tik Tok. After initially denying she used the word, she apologized, but the apology largely fell on deaf ears.
After two weeks of social media silence — and in the midst of coast-to-coast protests following George Floyd's death — the former "Bachelorette" star is again speaking up.
"I've been so concerned with not wanting to be disrespectful in taking up space when the events that are going on and the death of George Floyd is happening and there is so much suffering and anger. I didn't want to offend anybody," she said, noting that she was nervous to record the 18-minute Instagram video. "And I may be offending people right now, but I realize that it's not about the right time. It's about the right thing. I'm so lucky to have the platform that I have, and I know a lot of people are asking for white people to use their platform and to take accountability."
"I just can't stay silent anymore," she continued. "I'm not trying to drudge up old things about what I did when there is so much going on in the world, but I do know that I have to take accountability, so this is coming from the bottom of my heart, I sincerely don't want to hurt anybody else. I want to be part of the solution."
Hannah's comments come after she was slammed by many fellow "Bachelor Nation" stars for her May 17 apology. She said she's spent the last few weeks educating herself on race and why it was so hurtful for her to use the N-word, even though she was singing along to a song by a black artist.
"I don't want to be an ignorant white girl who uses the n-word," she said. "I don't need anybody to defend me for what I did because what I said… What I did was wrong."
"If you want to support me, do not defend me," she continued. "Do not send hateful messages to people who are holding me accountable. If you want to support me, just continue to encourage me to do better."
The former "Dancing With The Stars" winner said she's been "very disappointed" in herself and understands that some people will never forgive her. Still, she promised, "I will be part of the solution."