Oprah Winfrey appeared via webcam on Friday evening to kick off Call To Unite, a 24-hour livestream benefitting COVID-19 relief.
During her over 20-minute stint, Winfrey, 66, reflected ‘on what this moment means to us as a family and a community,’ alongside the event’s organizer Timothy Shriver.
Julia Roberts lent her presence to the occasion, along with a plethora of other famous faces and medical heroes.
Call To Unite: Oprah Winfrey appeared via webcam on Friday evening to kick off Call To Unite, a 24-hour livestream benefitting COVID-19 relief
Oprah invited the likes of author T. D. Jakes and spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle for her segment of the stream to discuss the trials and tribulations people are set to endure in wake of the unprecedented pandemic.
‘In this moment we have an opportunity to take a step forward as a collective consciousness,’ said Winfrey.
Winfrey also urged viewers to refrain from consuming too much media relating to COVID-19 as it is easy ‘to be consumed by the agitation, by the hysteria, by the confusion, and the constant angst.’
She has, instead, opted to ‘focus on acts of courage’ that have come out of the pandemic.
‘No one will ever look at a grocery store worker the same way again. No one will ever look at a cashier the same way again. You will never look at a delivery man the same way again,’ expressed Oprah passionately.
Famous faces: Julia Roberts lent her presence to the occasion, along with a plethora of other famous faces and medical heroes
Special guests: Oprah invited the likes of author T. D. Jakes and spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle for her segment of the stream to discuss the trials and tribulations people are set to endure in wake of the unprecedented pandemic
‘I am hoping we all come out of this more united … seeing each other as a part of the whole.’
‘For all of us who have had this opportunity to reset, I would encourage us to in our own way look for how we can be used in service to provide justice and joy.’
She added: ‘And for everyone, that is different.’
Oprah brought her point home, with the help of Shriver, by encouraging viewers to find whatever inspires their inner ‘Call To Unite.’
Roberts hoped to contribute ‘the joy of story time for children around the world learning from home right now’ as she read aloud her copy of the children’s book Rescue The Princess.
Perspective shift: ‘No one will ever look at a grocery store worker the same way again. No one will ever look at a cashier the same way again. You will never look at a delivery man the same way again,’ expressed Oprah passionately
Story time: Roberts’ hoped to contribute ‘the joy of story time for children around the world learning from home right now’ as she read aloud her copy of the children’s book Rescue The Princess
Before jumping into her story time session, Roberts spoke about her recent trip to Vietnam and ‘the inspiring women she met there who had to overcome unimaginable obstacles to get their education.’
‘With the support of the non-profit Room To Read, they successfully charted their own paths.’
Julia noted that Rescue The Princess ‘is a reminder that with schools closed in country’s where gender inequality is prevalent, girls are at high risk of never returning to the classroom.’
The Academy Award winning actress suited up for her cameo in a classy white button down shirt and a pair of stylish black reading glasses.
Smart and stylish: The Academy Award winning actress suited up for her cameo in a classy white button down shirt and a pair of stylish black reading glasses
Rescue The Princess: Julia noted that Rescue The Princess ‘is a reminder that with schools closed in country’s where gender inequality is prevalent, girls are at high risk of never returning to the classroom’
Singer Josh Groban, 39, sat before a piano for his segment to perform a moving rendition of his song Granted, which is about ‘not taking anything for granted’ in times of struggle.
‘I am very honored to be part of this Call To Unite event and I am equally honored to be part of an artistic and musical community that hopefully provide some small amount of peace, of solace, of connectivity,’ said Groban before bursting into song.
Former President of the United States Bill Clinton provided some words of encouragement and remarked on the courage demonstrated by essential workers during the pandemic.
‘We have so much to do, but I know this, we know that with all the agony and all the loss the essential dignity of every person’s life has been affirmed by those who are risking their’s to help the rest of us,’ said Clinton.
Granted: Singer Josh Groban, 39, sat before a piano for his segment to perform a moving rendition of his song Granted, which is about ‘not taking anything for granted’ in times of struggle
Other former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush are a part of the expected 200 famous faces set to appear during the 24-hour long stream-a-thon.
Quincy Jones, Yo-Yo Ma, Jennifer Garner, Common, Maria Shriver, Questlove, Eva Longoria, Naomi Campbell and Alanis Morissette are also included on the star-studded list.
Call To Unite is currently streaming live at unite.us and on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Twitch, LinkedIn and SiriusXM Stars.
Of the event, coordinator and Special Olympics co-chairman Shriver wrote: ‘Something is happening in the world. We can all sense it, feel it, see it. It’s terrifying. It’s disrupting. It’s calling on us to change.’