Using My Platform To Take A Stand: I Publicly Choose and Believe Jackie A., A Black Woman's Voice Over a White Man's Racist, Vile Lies

I’ve followed the cyberstalking situation Substacker Jackie A. has been enduring at the hands of a racist, vile white man named Patrick S. Tomlinson, and it’s been maddening to witness as a bystander. I wanted to use my platform to speak up about her story and publicly share that I choose her, and—obviously—beyond a doubt believe her story over the lies coming out of this bigoted white man’s mouth.

First off, Jackie A is an incredible Substacker whose Substack is called Jackie’s Academy. She does not mince words when speaking truth regarding white supremacy, racism, and more. She also writes about Black excellence, which is amazing beyond words. I find her to be insightful and an absolute joy to follow and subscribe to, and I greatly admire her as a person as well.

So, when I learned about what was going on with this disgusting white man, I was enraged. Then she wrote a piece on April 23rd titled “I Named My Cyberstalker. The World Chose Him.”

I Named My Cyberstalker. The World Still Chose Him.

This piece angered me even more, as she has the receipts, and yet, as she states, she is the one being questioned. Like, WTF, people? However, as she writes in her piece, this type of pattern is nothing new for Black women. It goes far back, dating to plantations work camps. As Jackie A. aptly states:

Enslaved Black women were called liars when we reported violence. We were called ‘hysterical’ when we named the abuse. Our pain was dismissed as an exaggeration. Our fear was treated as manipulation. White men were positioned as rational, credible, and trustworthy. Even when the evidence was in our bodies, our testimonies, our scars.

And here it is, the year of our fucking Lord, 2026, and a Black woman is enduring cyberstalking, harassment, and lies being spewed about her by this white man trash can cosplaying as a human being, which, again, she has the proof, and yet (white) people are telling her, “Prove it.” So, please, go read her story, and see for yourself what she has been contending with. But be warned: It isn’t pleasant. That said, she needs our support, love, and care. Most importantly, she needs to be believed, which I can’t believe I have to say, as what she presents provides you with the evidence to make it so.

When I wrote to Jackie A. in response to her story about what’s happening to her in the comments section, I said:

Oh, Jackie, this story enrages me to no end. I’m so sorry it’s happening to you. Reading those texts made me sick to my stomach. I believe you. I will write about this story in my bi-weekly reads round-up when I write it up next to raise awareness for you.

As I wrote up my bi-weekly reads round-up this evening, however, I decided that Jackie A.’s story needed its own space. I needed to give it specific attention, so instead of cramming it in with my round-up reads, I am writing it out here and now. Jackie A. endures endless amounts of racism on social media—I’ve seen it myself on Substack, as well as when she’s screenshotted images from her Instagram. It’s relentless, daily, and despicable, and I’ve witnessed this treatment towards my other Black friends online. And now Jackie A. has to endure a cyberstalker on top of the everyday hatred she receives from white rando assholes who hate on her here and there and everywhere online.

In sum, believe Black women. Listen to their pain when they share it with you. They carry generations of trauma with them, and these things continue to happen to them today, which, as I’ve said endless times in this post, enrages me to no end. (And, yes, I know most of us, at least in this space, know the reasons why and the complex, bullshit history behind it, but there are times when we put all that aside, i.e., the analytical explanations to “help” describe the reasons for how it’s still happening, and simply listen to their stories and hold space for them to share. After all, they too know all the reasons why and the bullshit history behind it. So, do ’em a favor, especially if you’re white, and zip it and just be a quiet support to ’em.)

Finally, acknowledging it is only the beginning. I’m not sure where it goes from here, but I needed to write about her experience, and let her know that it has been on my mind, that I’m thinking about her, and just say, Jackie, I’ll always have your back. ♡