Artists... We Need You

I am an artist, and I study the human heart, so I always had hope.

My questions while I study the heart is what makes a heart beat with joy? What makes a heart break with sadness? Since the election I've been asking myself the question, what is the heart of this nation?

I did the only thing I could do—I got to work.

What was the role of art under the Donald Trump administration? Did art even matter?

I realized that the artistic community, we, as artists, were more valuable, were more important than ever.

Art is not simply to be used for entertainment when society is at its most convenient and happy moments. Art is light that illuminates society when we are at our darkest. Art is the light and our beacon of hope.

As artists, we create culture. We have the ability to give this country hope.

If we are to revitalize the heart of this country, then artists must lead the way.

My contribution was to be in the service of the Women's March.

When the movement is strong, the music is strong.

We had tens of thousands of—hundreds of thousands—artists creating everyday: memes, graphics, posters, videos about equal pay for equal work, immigration reform, black lives matter, you name it, it was being created. Pink pussy hats came from artists.

With tens of thousands of artists creating, the Women's March culture—our vision, our desires—came into the mainstream American heart. We became the culture of the United States and, ultimately, the world. Artists did that! That is the power that we have.

We, artists, have the ability to tap into the human heart and reflect, honestly, the people of this nation.

We, artists, serve as the creative, compassionate contrast to what is currently playing out everyday in this country.

We, artists, we create worlds out of our imaginations and present them to people when they think it is impossible.

We, artists, inspire people to love when the easy thing to do is to hate.

Make no mistake—this moment in history will dictate the future of this country for decades to come.

The resistance is made up of radicals and moderates; of Hilary supporters and Bernie bros; it is made up of first-time marchers and lifetime protestors.

Artists... we need you. Because with you our world is possible.

Artists... in these dark times we can be the light, seek truth, imagine, and go make art that will open the heart of this country, and you will be saving us from ourselves.