Jordin Sparks wears a pair of colorful kicks as she arrives at Variety‘s 2012 Power of Youth held at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon (September 15).

“In 2009, I was waiting at baggage claim for my bags, and I saw the televised video of the brutal beating death of Derrion Albert, a 16-year-old caught in the middle of a neighborhood fight in Chicago,” the 22-year-old honoree shared.

Jordin continued, “I was so distraught and upset by it that it propelled me into action and the ‘I’m MAD Are You?‘ campaign was launched.”