VMAs 2018: Logic Was Joined by Migrant Families for a Performance Protest
Logic's performance at the 2018 VMAs took on a special meaning, thanks to an appearance from children and adults who wanted to speak out against President Donald Trump's stance on immigration.
The performer, who previously staged a moving performance at the Grammys, was joined by hundreds of migrant children and their parents in an effort to pledge their political opposition of President Trump's zero-tolerance border policy, which resulted in the separation of thousands of families. Immigrant leaders from the National Domestic Workers Alliance, United We Dream, and Make the Road New York and their children were among those who participated in the on-stage performance.
Logic, who was also joined by Ryan Tedder, started the performance of his track "One Day" without the families. As time went on, the rapper and producer began to lead participating children from outside the Radio City Music Hall seating area. The line of children then made their way to the stage.
The live performance was meant to pay homage to the single's video, which depicts a young teenager being forcibly taken from his family at the border. For this live version of "One Day," the children wore shirts that read "We Are All Human Beings."
After joining Logic on the stage, the children stood in front of a wall that gradually lifted to reveal the children's waiting parents and family members. The families then lifted candles, joining the singer in a moment of singing. A graphic mirroring the "We Are All Human Beings" message depicted on the children's shirts flashed on a screen.
In a press release, Jefferson Arpi, a 15 year-old youth leader with United We Dream, shared his thoughts on performing. “I’m so excited to have performed with Logic tonight. It meant a lot to me to be able to represent my family because my dad, Manuel Arpi, is in a detention camp," Jefferson explained. "Logic’s music video showed that even though our families face a lot of pain, we are strong, we are fighters, and we are human.”
Lizbeth Huitzil, a DACA recipient and member of Make the Road NY, also shared in the excitement, saying, “It is inspiring and powerful to see Logic share the stage with immigrants like me to show the real-life struggles we face. Our brothers and sisters are being detained, put in cages, and separated from their families. With tonight’s performance, we are sending a strong message: families belong together and not in cages.”
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