On-air sports journalist and fashion influencer Kayla Nicole delivered a heartfelt open message in response to the online hate she received because of her past with Travis Kelce.
For context, itâs no secret her ex-boyfriend, Travis, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, recently moved on to a new rumored relationship with Taylor Swift.
Travis and Kayla dated on and off again from 2017 to 2022.
Unfortunately, Travis and Taylorâs highly publicized relationship brought Kayla, 31, unwanted attention from online trolls, with some purported âSwiftiesâ leaving hateful messages on her social media and some even negatively comparing her to Taylor.
@iamkaylanicole
Now, Kaylaâs responded to the âbacklashâ with a powerful message for Black girls on her Instagram, receiving praise from other celebrities and fans.
âItâs always been really important for me to use my platform, not to create division, but to elevate and unite women, Black women specifically,â Kayla began.
âDear Black girl, they may call you a traitor for falling in love. Youâll hope the ones closest will protect you, but you will quickly find out that people donât protect what they donât value. Theyâll say youâre too much, too provocative, too boisterous, too outspoken, and in the same breath, tell you that you arenât enough.â
@iamkaylanicole / Via instagram.com
Kayla continued, âTheyâll say you deserve the backlash and embarrassment. Because of your Blackness, you should have known better. Theyâll even try to tie your value to your net worth. But Black girl, please remember your value lies elsewhere. Your value is deep within your heart.â
After expressing value in âresilienceâ and âwillingness to forgive,â she added itâs important to protect and stand up for what means the most, even when it feels like others wonât do the same.
âBut Black girl, respectively, let me stop you there because you donât have to participate in this tumultuous, often one-sided journey. Preserve your heart, even when they try to quantify your character and test your boundaries, you do not have to engage. You do not have to respond because there is power in your silence.â
Kayla reminded Black girls this isnât just her singular experience; theyâre not alone in this journey. âMy truth, trauma, and vulnerability are a relatable part of the human experience. I know Iâm not alone, and I want to make sure you know that youâre not either. On days when I feel most inadequate, I have to remind myself that I am, have been, and will always be more than enough.â
In reflecting on the tribulations of relationships, Kayla added, âWe love, we hurt, we heal,â before including that âyour story is yours to tell.â