The nation has been all too immersed in the news of brutal gun violence recently, to the point where tensions are at a constant high. Stories of shootings are on every news channel, at almost every hour of the day. But one place you would not expect to find a discussion on gun violence is the Teen Choice Awards. Yet that is exactly what happened.
Actress Jessica Alba took the stage to remind the audience that teens, too, are affected by the horrific shootings that have plagued the country. On stage at her side were teenagers, all of whom have had their lives torn apart by gun violence. They had been personally affected by shootings in Orlando, San Bernardino, Newtown, Aurora, Dallas, Baton Rouge, and Minneapolis. Among the group was the older brother of a victim of the Newtown shooting. Another was Cameron Sterling, a fifteen-year-old boy who lost his father, Alton Sterling, when he was shot and killed by police in Baton Rouge in July. Alba said,
“Tonight we stand together with these teens, united in our call for peace and to end this violence… Now, more than ever, we need to stop, feel, and ask: What is going on?”
This question was followed by Ne Yo’s powerful rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” an appropriate choice as Marvin Gaye himself was a victim of gun violence at the hand of his father. During the song, photographs of the victims from recent shootings were projected in the background.
After the song, Alba said, “These teens had the courage to come here and share their grief and tonight all of us here need to do the same.” Together, Alba and Ne-Yo told the audience that they were welcome to take photos of the stage, encouraging them to share on social media with the hashtag #StopTheViolence.
