When stepping into another culture, I always challenge myself to contextualize the sociopolitical issues facing the people in that place. Stopping short of inserting my own views on the issues, I strive to listen louder than I speak. Some of the most important growth in my thirty years of life have come from experiences outside the United States. For me, it’s always about context, context, context. I will never fully grasp the issues facing other cultures I am not a part of, but I can certainly try to weave together an appreciation and an empathetic perception. If you really pay attention, listen closely, and dig deeper to place yourself in the context of what is going on, you can expand your capacity to empathize and build an authentic global understanding. This is especially true when viewing local issues through art.