John Legend Talks Activism and Reform at Georgetown University
By • October 28, 2024 0 420
By Lucy Cullen
The Georgetown University Institute of Politics and Public Service, GU Politics, hosted Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award-winning musician John Legend on October 24 as part of its speaker series “Know Your Power.” The series features “barrier breakers” across different industries who use their platforms to inspire for social change.
Leading the conversation with Legend was Mo Elleithee, Executive Director of GU Politics. He began by asking Legend about an essay he wrote at about 15 years old, titled “How I Plan to Make an Impact on Black History,” in which he outlined how he would like to become a successful musician and use his success to be a leader and advocate for Black Americans. At such a young age, Legend knew what he wanted to do and the kind of person he wanted to be.
Legend recounted the early stages of his career, which began during his time at the University of Pennsylvania. Through a mutual friend, he was introduced to singer Lauryn Hill and was invited to play piano on a song on her album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill,” his first major credit as a musician. Legend worked as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group upon graduating from college, but he kept making music on the side with the hope of eventually turning it into a full-time career.
He credited his aspirations as a musician to those he listened to growing up, notably Harry Belafonte, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin. The artists that served as role models for Legend inspired him to pursue activism, not just music.
“All of these artists that I looked up to believed that it was about more than just making music,” he said.
Legend then went on to discuss his initiatives: freeamerica, HUMANLEVEL, and Get Lifted Films. Freeamerica works to invest in communities disproportionately impacted by systemic racism, and HUMANLEVEL connects city leaders with local change makers to dismantle structural racism across the United States.
“All around the country we were finding ways to advocate for legislation that would help decarcerate and propose alternatives to prison that would be more edifying for people involved in the system, but also for the entire community,” Legend said.
Georgetown students then had the opportunity to ask Legend questions themselves. Many questions revolved around navigating the tense political climate leading up to the 2024 Presidential Election and how students can find ways to get involved in activism within their local communities. When asked about how to be an activist in an environment where you may be standing alone in your beliefs, Legend encouraged the audience to “find the tribe around you that’ll help support you and buttress as you go into that.”
Throughout the conversation, Legend made it clear that anyone can advocate for a cause—regardless of how large or small it may be—and stand up for what they believe in.
“Everybody has a voice; everybody can speak out,” he said.
