Legendary artist Stevie Wonder, 70, called on the Black Lives Matter movement to take action towards change, as he reflected on the current racial issues plaguing the world.
Just days after celebrating Juneteenth, Wonder asked when will people let go of hate.
“When will the day come that we let hate go or do I have to concede that for human beings,” he said. “It’s just impossible, but if life can have an ending all things can have an ending.”
He continued, “Systemic racism can have an ending. Police brutality can have an ending. Economic repression of black and brown people can have an ending,”
“A movement without action is a movement standing still.”
Wonder’s message comes nearly a month after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, who was killed while in police custody. His death re-ignited the Black Lives Matter movement to protest against systematic racism, social justice, and justice for the likes of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more. The movement has gone global and has led to some of the top companies in the world being held accountable for their previous actions involving racism.
The 70-year-old musician informed “BLM” protestors that action requires not just words, but actual movement as well.
“To those that say they care, move more than your mouth,” he said. “Move your feet to the polls and use your hands to vote. The future is in your hands. We have the power to vote and we can make a change.”
Wonder then stated that when Black lives matter, then all lives will matter, too.
“Black lives do matter and this is not another digital viral trend moment or hashtag,” he continued. “It is our lives, literally. Yes, all lives do matter. But they only matter when black lives matter, too.”
“You know, it’s a sad day when I can see better than your 2020 vision,” he added. “The universe is watching us. Let’s do something. Let’s make a difference.”
