The 'Democrats Wearing Kente Cloth' meme originated on June 8, 2020, when top Democratic leaders, including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, knelt in the U.S. Capitol’s Emancipation Hall while wearing traditional African Kente cloth stoles. Intended as a tribute to George Floyd, the visual imagery was almost immediately met with widespread mockery across social media. Critics viewed the gesture as the pinnacle of performative activism and 'cringe' political theater. Since then, the template has been used to satirize insincere corporate diversity efforts, awkward attempts at cultural relatability, and any situation where a gesture feels significantly more theatrical than substantive.