Source: grammy.com
The singer was in attendance at the BET Awards, and when he took the stage, he made sure to pay tribute to some of the people who have been making a real and positive change in the world. Not only was his speech very inspiring, but he made sure to also bring some of those heroes alongside him in front of the crowd.
‘This has already proven to be quite a year for our country. School shootings, police brutality, and now the evil act of intentionally separating parents from their children at the border,’ John Legend started.
As you may be aware, he was there in order to present the BET Humanitarian Award, and Legend explained that this year, he thought he should do things a bit differently.
‘Typically, the BET Awards honors a celebrity humanitarian who’s done something extraordinary for the world. But tonight, we want to honor a few of the people who had the opportunity in their everyday lives to do something impactful and unexpected for our community,’ he went on.
That being said, the first one he honored was a Stoneman Douglas High School student who got shot five times while selflessly attempting to help and protect fellow students during the Parkland mass shooting.
Another one that joined him on stage was James Shaw Jr., a man who wrestled an assault rifle out of a shooter’s hands during yet another mass shooting this time at a Waffle House in Nashville, Tennessee back in May.
Justin Blackman, a high school student, was honored as well for the fact that he walked out of class on National Walkout Day by himself, to protest gun violence.
Mamoudou Gassama was introduced as a ‘real-life superhero.’
You may know who he is from a viral video that showed the man climbing a few stories outside of a French apartment complex to save a baby dangling from a balcony.
Naomi Wilder, who is only 11 years old was also recognized for her progressive mind and inspiring passionate words at the March For Our Lives event in Washington, D.C.
And last but not least, Legend named journalist Sean King, recognizing his work in uncovering and reporting ‘stories that make us aware of atrocities in our community’ and who ‘speaks truth to power’ every single day.
‘Tonight, we honor these heroes and thank them all for giving us hope and reminding us everyone has an opportunity to do something extraordinary. Don’t be afraid to be a hero,’ Legend concluded.
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