Jennifer Lopez just quoted Toni Morrison at the Grammys

The Grammys have barely just begun and the politics are already coming out to play. After James Corden kicked off the Grammys with a nod to Donald Trump, Jennifer Lopez took to the stage to present the award for Best New Artist. Before introducing the nominees, Lopez told the audience, “At this point in history, our voices are needed now more than ever,” before going on to quote Toni Morrison:

This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.

It’s no Meryl Streep Golden Globes speech, but Chance the Rapper did win the Best New Artist awards, so overall, a pretty strong start for the Grammys.