Performers like Olivia Dean, SZA, Lady Gaga took their messages to the Grammy stage.

No matter how glamorous a scene they set, awards shows don’t exist in a political vacuum. That was clear enough at the 2026 Grammy Awards on Sunday night, where the violence of recent raids and assaults by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers loomed darkly over the evening—including on the red carpet.

Subscribe to The St. Louis American‘s free weekly newsletter for critical stories, community voices, and insights that matter. Sign up Charlie Kirk was shot dead Sept. 10 while speaking at a political event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

As the political climate becomes increasingly volatile, employers may expect their employees to engage in political discourse both within and outside the workplace. Even if it occurs off-duty or online, such discourse could result in contentious exchanges ...