MTV aired a somber 15 second video tonight during the commercials of the Video Music Awards to recognize the events in Ferguson, Missouri this month. The PSA features a quote from James Baldwin that reads "Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced." The quote runs on top of "Hands Up" chanting, and a sign welcoming you to Ferguson, a city since 1894.
The video is a part of a larger MTV campaign called Look Different that MTV President Stephen Friedman told The Washington Post was created to create discussions about race among MTV viewers. The PSA is a great reminder that though the VMAs is one of the most fun nights of television, there have been more important things happening in the world this week.
