Bad Bunny and the Power of Joy, Belonging & Meaningful Inclusion

“The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”

Fresh off the heels of Bad Bunny, Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio’s, big win at the 2026 Grammys and his historic Super Bowl Halftime Show, we can’t help but reflect on the clarity that his words have brought us in a time shaped by a seemingly non-stop tirade of division, anxiety, and noise. With a global spotlight on him, he chose not to feed into fear but, rather, led with an inspiring spirit of deliberate, expansive joy.

Amidst tremendous, unwarranted backlash against his very existence, and some very loud voices (who we need not mention) advocating for the eradication of his identity, his language, and his message, he was the epitome of grace. Rather than sowing further seeds of division or playing into the present political playbook, he has stood unwavering, proudly advocating for unity.

In a particularly poignant moment of his Super Bowl performance, he stated “God bless America” before naming every country on the American continent one by one. A clear acknowledgement that everyone belongs in the story and a powerful reminder that “America” is not a monolith – it has always been shaped by diverse, interconnected peoples and cultures.

As the highest office in the United States promotes an increasingly narrow scope of who gets to be visible, his message was clear: All voices matter.

This message resonates deeply with how we think about data, evaluation, and research, especially in the current context. We grapple daily with similar questions. Who gets counted? Who is included? Who is left out? Whose experiences matter? And, perhaps most importantly, who decides? Too often, we treat numbers as neutral when the reality is that they hold the power to push entire communities to the margins of conversation and decision-making.

Good evaluation, like good art, is intentional. What we choose to measure, and who we invite to the table to shape that measurement, is the difference between visibility and erasure. In our work, we see time and time again the impact of evaluation when it’s informed by a full range of voices. When those most closely affected by the system help define what success looks like, the data tells a richer, more honest story.

In short, inclusivity isn’t an optional add-on or checkbox; it’s what gives evidence influence.

Bad Bunny using his moment to spotlight kindness, joy, and inclusivity, is just the reminder we need that you can celebrate and challenge in equal measure. In a news cycle polluted by vitriol and hate, his performance affirms that, regardless of our perceived differences, we are one – and all the stronger, together, for it. As a firm, we are committed to that same energy. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans, and we are Americans … The only thing that's more powerful than hate is love. So, please, we need to be different. If we fight, we have to do it with love. We don’t hate them. We love our people. We love our family, and there's a way to do it, with love, and don't forget that.” – Bad Bunny’s 2026 Grammys Acceptance Speech