MadameNoire
Source: Bravo / Getty
Yesterday (June 1), The Real Housewives of New York’s Eboni K. Williams shared that she would be taking a break from social media for the next two weeks as “really intense and important” conversations about race between her — the franchise’s first Black castmate — and her costars on the hit Bravo TV show air for viewers.
“I’m on Live and I’m just coming to you all from a really vulnerable place — so just bear with me,” Williams said amidst the beginning of her stream. “I want to let you know that after tonight’s episode I’m not going to be saying goodbye but I’m going to be saying see you later by way of social media for about two weeks.”
Explaining her reasoning behind the self-imposed hiatus, she said yesterday night’s episode (which aired after her Live) and next week’s airing “are really intense and really important.”
“I really want to stress that they’re really important episodes y’all,” she emphasized. “And I want you to lean into them, and I want you to watch them, and I want some of y’all to watch them multiple times.”
“This season is different — yeah — for those of you saying it, it’s different this season, you’re right,” Williams said candidly. Speaking on the societal moment in which the season filmed, she continued, “We’re in a pandemic, we’re in the middle of the most dynamic call to action around racial reconciliation certainly among our generation, and we’re in the heartbeat of it all in New York City.”
“I will say — spoiler alert — what happens tonight and what happens on next week’s episode is the foundational bedrock to an ability for me in this group of women to develop a true sisterhood,” she noted later within the stream after noting her decision had also been inspired by Naomi Osaka’s choice to step back from playing tennis in order to prioritize her mental health. “And if you believe in the authenticity of relationship, and shared humanity, and sisterhood, this is what the f–k we’re talking about.”
According to PEOPLE, in last night’s episode of RHONY — one of the ones Williams referenced in her Instagram Live session — costar Luann de Lesseps asked Williams “to leave her house after the two found themselves in a heated — and racially sensitive — exchange with one another.”
Watch Williams’ full Instagram Live down below.
