Usher on facing inequality through art

The award-winning musician Usher says that art can help us acknowledge and talk about complicated issues—a critical step in addressing problems like racial profiling and police brutality.

Transcript

USHER: Art is an indispensable ingredient in the recipe for progress and change.

[Inequality is logo. A graphic black equal sign with an orange slash through it. #InequalityIs. Usher, musician. A Black man with short curly black hair, wearing a green suede coat over a dark blue shirt.]

Inequality is an unjust system. A system that divides to conquer. Inequality is racial profile. Inequality is young, Black, African American men and women being murdered in America. We got to change it. How do you change it? Let’s first address it. Let’s first see it. Let’s first face it. Let’s talk about it.

[The song “Chains” by Usher featuring Nas and Bibi Bourelly.]

Now you’re looking in the eyes of the men and women whose lives were taken as a result of police brutality and racial profile.

[Trayvon Martin. Rekia Boyd.]

The moment that you elect to look away, the music stops. Oh, man what happened? You got to look at the issue. We have to face the issue in order to address the issue.

[Facing the facts is the first step towards change. Make sure others #DontLookAway”.]

Use art to bring the conversation to the forefront. I believe we can end inequality.

[Black and white faces of victims appear together over a black background.]

As long as you have an opportunity to speak about it, have an opportunity to be active about it, then not only is it being addressed, but it’s being chipped away one bit at a time.

[Inequality Is Logo. Join the conversation. #InequalityIs.]

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