Shakira, Shakira

Apparently, Shakira is a huge advocate for bringing education to all children, especially those in her native country, Colombia. According to Wikipedia she has been doing philanthropy and humanitarian work since 1995 (roughly since she was 18).

Photo from: http://www.fundacionpiesdescalzos.com/index_en.php

I really didn't know much about Shakira until today when I read a BBC article about her work in Colombia. I unfairly categorized Shakira into pop-princess-diva, likening her to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, which I realize is devastatingly unfair. Shakira grew up in a developing country and, after watching the video embedded in the BBC article, I realized that she has a global perspective on this world that many pop stars simply do not. She briefly talks about the dramatic economic stratification in Colombia and how many people lack necessities, like shoes and clothes.

This girl has her head firmly attached to her shoulders. All in all, this was a refreshing bit of news for me.

And, according to the Wikipedia site, Shakira is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and knows some Arabic. Hello, world, she is not simply a belly-dancing-Latin-pop-star. Not even close.