When Martina McBride Showed Me How to Put My Voice into What I Do

Looking back, I probably couldn't have chosen a better person to teach me how to use my voice than Martina McBride.

In July 1994, I first watched McBride's music video for "Independence Day," a song that called attention to the issue of domestic violence. The powerful message of the song and the intensity of the video's images instantly grabbed ahold of me. Even as a kid, I recognized that the singer had done something special: She wasn't just entertaining people for a living; she was trying to make a difference by putting her voice into her work.

From that time on, I was a fan of McBride. She had an exceptional voice and a social conscience, and she continued making music to make a difference.

When it came time for me to find jobs, I made sure to look for ones that mattered. I couldn't sing like McBride, but I could make a difference with what I chose to do. Jobs that communicated about environmental issues were of particular interest because I had always loved animals and the environment.

I have been fortunate enough to find jobs that I think made a difference in society, and many of them have involved some form of environmental communication. Even this blog is a testament to my desire to use my voice for the environment.

McBride's "Independence Day" is an iconic song that has made a major impact on the world, but its less heralded legacy can be found in the way it taught me how to use my voice 30 years ago.

Thanks, Martina! And happy birthday!