When the world is in chaos, normally we turn to celebrities and fiction to escape the harsh realm of reality. We hope that they have a word of hope or charity to cater to our fearful state of mind. When we see a celebrity do charity work or organize a concert to unite the masses, we tend to hold onto the hope that maybe there is a chance for humanity. That maybe we are not alone in this world full of trauma and evil. Whether it be Ariana Grande’s “One Love Manchester” performance or Kristen Bell, the star of “Frozen,” attending to hurricane victims this past summer, we see how Hollywood can, in fact, unite the world.
It seems that every time you turn on the TV, there is another tragedy, another act of evil. Seeing it is hard, but we can’t let the evil our world faces destroy who were are as a community. We must unite to bring peace and love to the world. We can’t walk on eggshells each time we go out, afraid that something terrible will happen. As a nation, as a planet, we need to come together to find that center of love and peace. We can’t let the evil of the world win, and the celebrities of Hollywood are using their platforms to urge unity of the masses.
The day was May 22 and Manchester had just been rocked by an act of terrorism at Ariana Grande’s concert, a suicide bomber killing 22 innocents. The world was in a state of shock. A lot of people were afraid to venture to a concert or a convention because of this horrible and heart-breaking act. However, in the beginning of June, Grande decided to stare fear right in the eyes and throw a benefit concert for the victims of terrorism. The concert was called “One Love Manchester” and featured artists such as Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber and Coldplay. The concert would benefit the victims of the suicide bombing and their families. Proceeds that came from the show went to the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, according to ABC News.
A concert goer, Lily Garner, stated in the New York Times that “it puts you on edge a bit, but you can’t let those things affect you. You can’t stop it from living your life, doing what you want to do.” It was an act of unity that brought people together. This concert showed that we must not be afraid; that we must keep living and doing what we love without fear. It wasn’t about being put in the spotlight, it was about bringing people together to spread love and music. Even if you’re not Grande’s biggest fan, there was a sense of respect you felt toward her for bringing people together after such a tragedy. It was a somber and heartfelt concert that allowed you, even through the TV, to come together as one and not let evil win.
A couple days after the tragedy, Grande responded in a report by ABC News: “I extend my hand and heart and everything I possibly can give to you and yours, should you want or need my help in any way. Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before.”
Following the terrorist attack, a more local scare shook the United States. In the beginning of August, Charlottesville, Virginia was overtaken by a white nationalist rally. As reported by the New York Times, a car plowed through a group of counter-protesters, killing one woman. There was fear evident that day, fear that something like this was still happening in the United States. In response to this act of evil, Dave Matthews planned a free benefit concert on Sept. 24. Along with Dave Matthews Band, Ariana Grande and Justin Timberlake were also present at the concert to perform for those in Charlottesville who were rocked by such an act of violence.
The concert was free to attend, however, donations were encouraged to benefit “Concert for Charlottesville Fund” at the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation. The donations from the concert went to “victims of the events in Charlottesville on August 11 and 12, and their families, first responders, and organizations devoted to the promotion of healing, unity and justice locally and nationwide,” according to Variety.
The defiance to form unity doesn’t stop there for celebrities. At the end of summer, Texas and Florida were struck by violent hurricanes. There were many people without their homes. Kristen Bell was in Florida while the destruction of Hurricane Irma was paving its way through Orlando. As reported by ABC News, Bell was not able to leave Orlando, so she decided to spread some joy to those who have lost their homes. She visited a middle school turned shelter to put on a concert for the victims of Irma. There was also an Instagram post showing Bell with a cart of food and water for the victims. A small act of kindness managed to bring some hope and entertainment for those who lost their homes.
Unity and the ability to come together is a powerful thing in the aftermath of such tragedy and evil in this world. With events such as the Las Vegas shooting, we start to wonder if things will start to get better. There will be doubt, but the ability for celebrities to bind people together in a time of need is something we may need. It may not seem like much, but, as evidenced by celebrities such as Ariana Grande, Dave Matthews Band and Kristen Bell, they just want to do what is best for those who are hurting. They may not be able to stop racism or terrorism, but they can unite us to bring more love and defiance to the world. We need it now more than ever.
