Watch Alicia Keys Proclaim ‘The Best Art’ Will Come From Civil Rights Activism
Alicia Keys received Amnesty International‘s Ambassador of Conscience Award alongside the movement of Indigenous Peoples fighting for their rights in Canada. The award will be officially presented on May 27th during a ceremony in Montreal.
“It’s a huge honor, especially as an activist [and] as a woman here in the world who’s driven to recognize the injustice in the world,” Keys offered in a video statement, via Associated Press. She also predicts that today’s volatile political environment will create “the best art,” motivated by all the movements to protect human rights.
“Everybody feels like ‘I don’t care what it takes or how many times I have to do it. I’m gonna say it, I’m gonna speak it, I’m gonna yell it, I’m gonna march it, I’m gonna scream it until finally there’s no more doubt.'”
In a statement, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Salil Shetty noted that the Conscience Award is the organization’s highest honor. “Both Alicia Keys and the Indigenous rights movement of Canada have in their own ways made inspirational and meaningful contributions to advancing human rights and towards ensuring brighter possibilities for future generations,” Shetty offered. “Crucially, they remind us never to underestimate how far passion and creativity can take us in fighting injustice.”