When real world problems occur, it affects everyone. Though celebrities frequently create or post something in response, they aren’t the only ones who are impacted. Everyday people like you and me also respond to world events and occurrences. Different people see things in different ways and respond accordingly. When real world problems occur, the response may be peaceful or violent protests, songs or poems expressing feelings, or just simple acts of reflection, all mirroring the unique response each of us has to offer. 

The famous songwriter and singer Sia, wrote the song, “Courage to Change” to show that she relates to others’ pain. One lyric asks, “have I the courage to change?” questioning whether or not she has the guts to respond to something that she believes is wrong. Sia validates others in affirming that they’re not unaccompanied in their thoughts, repeatedly stating, “You’re not alone.” Her choice of words affirm those who are coping with their problems, giving comfort to her listeners that she’s with them. 

Another musical group, the Black Eyed Peas sang “Where is The Love?” in response to 9/11. Their lyrics reflect the idea that our world won’t get better if we don’t love others or treat one another fairly. The song concludes with the idea that love is the solution to our problems: “You gotta have love; this’ll set us straight.” They stress the importance of stopping terrorism asking repeatedly, “Where is the love?” As the phrase is repeated, it sinks in. And like a bat, it repeatedly hits the listener – working to express how cold the world is, and how desperately we need to love each other despite our differences to repair a broken world. 

The television show “America’s Got Talent” Season 15 winner Brandon Leake won by presenting open, heartfelt poems to the audience. His poem during the quarter finals performance reflected the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake. He began by talking about his mother and the nickname she’d given to him. He moved on to a more sensitive topic, Black Lives Matter. Leake painfully expressed in one of his poems, “My mama warned me, ‘son don’t you dare get caught at the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong colored skin.’” Those words hit hard and show how wrong our world can be, as the “wrong colored skin,” could end in death. Brandon Leake gained votes and won the hearts of many in his rendition of a such a raw, jarring poem. 

Real world events don’t only impact celebrities. All of us are affected. 9/11 changed each September 11th. The story of George Floyd and many others has had a similar, more recent effect. Not for some, but for all. The stories and resulting art lives on. These real world events continue to affect all of us.