Shakira is doing something that I truly wish more popular musicians would do today: she’s using her fame and power to foster social and political change.

In lieu of Arizona’s republican Governor Jan Brewer signing an immigration law that allows law enforcement officials to stop someone simply because they look like an illegal (read: a pass for racial profiling), Shakira is headed to Phoenix to meet with the city’s mayor and local Latino families.

“Shakira is deeply concerned about the impact of this law on hardworking Latino families,” her political and philanthropic advisor Trevor Nielson said. “She is coming to Arizona to try to learn more about how law enforcement is reacting to this new law and how we can ensure that people in the state of Arizona are not being targeted because of the color of their skin.”

While her presence is not going to move mountains, it will certainly draw much needed attention to this issue. Say what you will about her bare midriff and sexed-up image, Shakira is doing much more for the world than many of our other favorite acts. What she’s doing takes courage and guts. Realistically speaking, there are people in Arizona and across the nation who support this idiotic law, and she runs the risk of alienating a portion of her fan base. Luckily, she understands there’s something much greater at stake for Latinos in Arizona: freedom.

Source: Associated Press