Big news, all: I’m very proud to present the world debut of Oxfam America’s video for the song “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk” by iconic indie-rockers The New Pornographers.

And this isn’t your ordinary music video. Produced and directed by Oxfam’s Shannon Hart-Reed, it focuses on the aftermath of the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Coast oil spill is making headlines right now as one of the biggest stories of the year. But come January 2011, we don’t want the most vulnerable people in this area to be forgotten. Today, over six months after the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, coastal communities affected by one of the worst environmental disasters in US history are fighting to make their voices heard loud and clear. Oxfam is working with these communities to ensure that the recovery process doesn’t pass over those most affected by this disaster. (Learn more about Oxfam’s work in the US.)

When The New Pornographers and I first connected, they were concerned about the fact that media coverage of the oil spill appeared to be waning, and wanted to know if Oxfam America wanted to partner on creating a video that might remind music fans and others that the situation there was not going away any time soon. So naturally, we jumped at the chance to work with the band to create something that would be meaningful, emotional, and memorable.

“To see New Orleans and the outlying areas go through Katrina and then have the Gulf oil spill a couple of years later, it’s just such a devastating series of events,” says The New Pornographers member Neko Case in a special intro to the video. “And there’s a lot of culture, and a lot of people’s hearts in that place… we really need to support them and show them we haven’t forgotten.”

So, in that same spirit, we encourage you to share this video as widely as you can, especially on Facebook and Twitter. Help us use the power of music to spread the word that the problems in the Gulf still remain—and that solutions are possible.