Ever since he temporarily lost sight in one eye as a teenager, Common has been crystal clear about never taking the ability to see for granted.
"Blindness was always something that was kind of scary to me," the Oscar and Grammy-winning artist tells E! News, explaining what motivated him to get involved with See America, a new initiative from Allergan that aims to put an end to preventable blindness through education, outreach and awareness in addition to product development.
"This is something I can speak to and it really does mean something—it's one of those issues that America doesn't always pay attention to," Common says. "But when you're dealing with it, or someone you know is dealing with it... sight is the biggest gift we have."
And that's exactly what he communicates in a brand-new PSA, "Stand in the Way of Darkness"—which you can watch right here in an exclusive preview.
"Stop—now look around. You might not realize, but there's something amazing happening," Common says in the video, referring to the simple ability to be able to see what's in front of you—an ability that could be compromised for the 61 million Americans (more than the populations of California and Florida combined) who are at risk of severe vision loss.
Because, frankly, who takes time to stop and think about the act of seeing all that much?
"It's your eyes' power to process light—it's sight," he lyrically explains as the words also take shape in various colors onscreen. "The experiences that shape you, the stories that you share, as life unfolds in living color, capturing every moment, every connection."
"It's time to make the time to protect your vision," Common reminds us. "So, what are you waiting for? It's time to see, America."
According to research, only half of those at risk of sight loss visited an eye doctor in the last year. Moreover, it's projected that every four minutes, one American will experience partial or complete sight loss.
And Common agrees, this isn't a much talked about issue and it's an easy one to take for granted.
"Even in talks with my mother, she'll say those things that make me feel grateful for everything, and sight is one," Common also told E! News. "It seems like the simplest thing, but it's also the most precious thing, to be able to see."
The artist-actor-author-activist, who released his 11th studio album, Black America Again, last year and is currently on the big screen in John Wick 2 (he jokes that the key to fitting it all in is spending less time on Instagram) launched the Common Ground Foundation to empower underprivileged youth and has also been involved with animal rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and a multitude of political causes.
Obviously Common feels that it's important to use his voice to give back—and he says that he's heartened by the state of activism today. Asked if he ever gets frustrated with the amount of work that needs to be done, he said he's actually more motivated than ever now.
"My character is...when times are getting rough, I'm going to have to rise above, be stronger and be smarter," he says. "I look at these times and I'm motivated and inspired to do more."
He admits that it's possible to lose focus when life is giving you more lemonade than lemons. "You forget that people are experiencing things that are tough," he says, "so for me, I'm motivated in these times more than anything."
Common cited the Women's March as a recent source of inspiration, as well as "conversations I've had with people from different walks of life. People are talking about things that are more socially conscious and being aware, and spreading love to each other more than I've ever experienced in my life."
Going by what he's seen lately, "I just know that we as people in America have the fight in us, we have the love and the strength to rise and progress, and to move forward."