Voices are making themselves heard all over the country by taking to the streets representing the 99%. Some voices can be heard louder than others but the collective voice remains the loudest. One voice heard this weekend over a small, strained amplifier at Occupy SD, was that of local musician, Kevin Martin.

“I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe this is all we’re meant to be,” Kevin’s scratchy sounding voice sang out the purpose of the gathering through his newest solo song, “TV News.” Millions of Americans sit at home mesmerized by the illuminated screen every day, soaking the content presented to them, accepting it all as “the truth.” Kevin broke out of the screen’s grip and wrote with his heart.

After talking to Kevin, of local pop band Get Back Loretta, his ignited passion and involvement with the Occupy Wall Street movement may light a fire in you.

“Music has a great capacity to inspire people,” Kevin explains. “I really want to empower people to stand up for what they believe in and be fearless while doing so.” He shared one of his favorite quotes, by Albert Einstein, that prompted him to take action, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”

He continued by saying, “Protesting is great, but at the end of the day we need to get involved with our local government and vote. Our real power is going to come from exercising our democratic right to vote.”

Kevin sings about hope in “TV News,” but what sorts of hopes does he have for the current Occupy Wall Street movement and how does he think that will be manifested?

“I feel there is a great awakening happening right now. My hope is that in 2012 there will be a paradigm shift, meaning our old mold will be broken and we will embark in a new direction of consciousness, more unified and less driven by greed. This movement is a good example that we are headed in that direction.”

The Occupy Wall Street movement was the first cause Kevin has felt compelled to write about. The media disconnect from reality hit him hard, but the effects on his friends’ lives hit him harder.

“I never thought I’d write music for a cause or get involved in politics. I’m not sure if this is my purpose, but I do know that it feels really good to follow your instincts and intuition, and that’s what I’m doing right now. I want to keep a positive message out there, but also inspire people to get involved and make change in their communities.”

Kevin has hope, not only hope for a new direction in our country, but a positive outlook for the way he writes music. “Hopefully one day I won’t have to write songs like this, and I will be writing songs about how far the world has come and how much love and respect is in the world.”