Steven Universe’s Self-Esteem Music Video is so Uplifting

Continuing its collaborative campaign with Dove, Cartoon Network recently released a Steven Universe music video all about self-confidence and building self-esteem. It features almost all of the Crystal Gems and many of their iconic fusions, and its just down-right charming and inspirational.

Uploaded to Cartoon Network’s official Youtube channel, the music video for the original song We Deserve to Shine begins with the queer couple Ruby and Sapphire whom recently got married and became the first official openly gay relationship on Cartoon Network. Sapphire begins by describing the concept of the video shoot to Ruby. The video is “about how everyone deserves to be seen” no matter their shape, skin color or any other physical or mental characteristics.

As the title may suggest, the song contains lyrics meant to represent people (and gems) of many varying identities. No matter how small, gritty or refined you may be, no one is left out of this song. Each line is aptly punctuated with the phrase, “We deserve to shine,” hammering in the overall goal on this massive campaign that Dove is so bravely undertaking.

Dove provides a quote from their website stating the goal and purpose of this collaboration with Cartoon Network:

Dove is partnering with Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe to tackle low body confidence and self-esteem issues in young people for the first time through mainstream entertainment such as cartoons. This revolutionary partnership will come to life in a series of six cartoon short films over the next two years, directed by Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar.

Cartoon Network could not have chosen a better property to collaborate with Dove considering the massive reach its had since its game-changing premier in 20013. Steven Universe has always been a show determined to highlight and boost the identity of youths, especially young girls. Naturally, this incredibly popular show would be the perfect fit for an ambitious project such as this, and considering Dove’s many different successful campaigns to raise self-confidence in young girls, the Dove Self-Esteem Project seems to be well on its way to reaching “40 million young people by 2020.”