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PEOPLE & ARTSFriday 22 January 2016
John Legend, Colombian star Juanes perform outside jail
ASTRID GALVAN tion Song” — as dozens of
Associated Press people sang along in Eloy,
ELOY, Ariz. (AP) — Colom- about 60 miles southeast of
bian musician Juanes and Phoenix.
singer John Legend met im- “The reason why we’re
migrants at a jail in Arizona here, one, is because we
on Wednesday before per- want to bear witness to
forming for a small crowd what’s happening so we
outside the facility to draw could tell the world about
attention to immigration it,” Legend said to the
and mass incarceration. cheering crowd.
The Grammy winners each Juanes played the gui-
played two songs sepa- tar and Legend the pia-
rately and one together no atop a flatbed truck
— Bob Marley’s “Redemp- parked across the street
John Legend, left, and Colombian rock star Juanes arrive to perform in front of a detention center
in Eloy, Arizona, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016. Legend and Juanes played two songs each sepa-
rately and one together at the facility, to draw attention to immigration.
(AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo)
from the federal detention The concert was also tion center and spoke to
center. filmed by a camera crew detainees inside.
An empty desert field for a documentary and a Juanes said in Spanish that
served as the backdrop broadcast of the perfor- he was “heartbroken” by
while people in the crowd mance on “Good Morning what he saw.
held large signs and chant- America.” “It’s very hard to under-
ed “Not one more depor- The performers’ original in- stand that someone is de-
tation” and “Si se puede,” tention was for the detain- prived of their freedom un-
meaning “Yes we can.” ees to hear the music. justly, and that’s why we’re
The concert was staged for But organizers were told here with our music, with
an audience made up pri- the inmates were not let our culture,
marily of activists brought out of their cells to hear the which is the strongest tool
there by an advocacy concert. to bring attention and give
group, along with some Earlier, Juanes and Legend a voice to those who don’t
relatives of detainees. took a tour of the deten- have one,” he said.q
Will Smith joins Oscars boycott; won’t attend
JAKE COYLE are going to sit down and good journalism” — the
AP Film Writer they’re going to watch the subjects of “Spotlight.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Will Smith show and they’re not go- “I do support the Oscar Ban
says he will not attend the ing to see themselves rep- movement’s position that
Academy Awards next resented,” said Smith. the nominations do not
month, joining his wife, Smith, who would likely reflect the diversity of our
Jada Pinkett Smith, and have been a sought-af- community,” said Ruffalo.
others in protest against ter presenter at the Feb. Following the announce-
two straight years of all- 28 ceremony, becomes ments by Lee and Pinkett
white acting nominees. the biggest name to join Smith, academy Presi-
“My wife’s not going. It a boycott of the Acad- dent Cheryl Boone Isaacs
would be awkward for emy Awards following an- has pledged “dramatic
me to show up with Charl- nouncements by Spike Lee changes” to diversity in the
ize (Theron),” said Smith (an honorary Oscar recipi- academy’s membership.
on ABC’s “Good Morn- ent this year) and Pinkett Smith, who has been nomi-
ing America” on Thursday. Smith. nated twice before, for
“We’ve discussed it, but at Mark Ruffalo, nominated 2001’s “Ali” and 2006’s “The
this current time, we’re un- for his performance in the Pursuit of Happyness,” said
comfortable to stand there newspaper drama “Spot- he believes the industry
and say this is OK.” light,” told BBC News on can do better.
Smith, who some thought Thursday that he was “Diversity is the American
might be nominated for his “weighing” whether to skip superpower. That’s why
performance in the football the ceremony. But later in we’re great,” said Smith.
drama “Concussion,” said the day, he clarified that “When I look at the series of
his decision was “deeply he will attend the Oscars nominations of the acad-
not about me.” “in support of the victims emy, it’s not reflecting that
“This is about children that of clergy sexual abuse and beauty.”q
