This yr’s Super Bowl halftime present star, Rihanna, hasn’t launched a brand new album since 2016, however she’s been a lot busy placing a few of her estimated $1.4 billion fortune to good use.
While followers have been ready for brand new music, Rihanna has been constructing a popularity as a groundbreaking philanthropist together with her Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF). Named for her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite, Rihanna launched the muse in 2012.
Its early work centered on initiatives in Barbados, with its first grant ($452,000) going to assist a hospital there advance scientific take care of most cancers sufferers. Rihanna, whose full identify is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, misplaced her grandmother to most cancers in 2012.
Since then CLF’s scope has broadened from private to world, funding work in all 50 U.S. states and 7 Caribbean nations. CLF has now “leveraged” $100 million in grants (that means that a number of the cash has come from outdoors donors and was distributed by CLF, a spokeswoman mentioned).
In the method, Rihanna’s basis has distinguished itself with “trailblazing” work looking for social change by a multi-racial, community-led lens, mentioned Tyeshia Wilson, an knowledgeable on Black philanthropy with the nonprofit Philanthropy Together.
“Her philanthropic efforts need to be celebrated and honored on the main stage just as much as her music,” Wilson mentioned. “She is making a significant impact in that she is changing the face and the narrative of philanthropy, especially as it relates to Black women’s philanthropy, or just Black philanthropy in general.”
The Clara Lionel Foundation now focuses on three priorities: local weather resilience (serving to communities put together for and face up to pure disasters); local weather justice (mitigating local weather impacts in communities of coloration and island nations); and “legacy projects” supporting causes in Rihanna’s native Barbados. Rihanna herself is “deeply passionate about the work we do and is very involved,” CLF government director Justine Lucas mentioned. “She approves all grants and donations that go out the door.”
CLF is on the forefront of philanthropy due to its “trust-based” strategy to giving, Wilson mentioned. That’s a giving fashion that challenges conventional energy constructions in philanthropy. Instead of rich donors calling the pictures about how their cash must be used, trust-based philanthropy makes an attempt to provide energy again to the people who find themselves nearer to the issue that the donor is attempting to unravel.
CLF additionally takes an intersectional strategy in its work, recognizing that many overlapping elements create inequities, Wilson mentioned. “Often, who we support is just as important to us as how we provide support,” Lucas mentioned. CLF is “proud that 95% of our partners are entities focused on and led by women, youth, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and LGBTQIA+ communities,” she added.
One instance of CLF’s intersectional strategy: it’s investing in efforts to make reproductive and sexual well being clinics within the Caribbean local weather resilient, so their providers aren’t interrupted by pure disasters.
Wilson additionally lauded the muse’s collaboration with different funders. CLF combines sources with different funders, then palms the decision-making about how the cash will probably be spent to grassroots teams, Wilson mentioned. CLF’s funding companions have included Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, whose philanthropic entity, Start Small LLC, donated $18 million on to CLF in 2022.
CLF has additionally partnered with billionaire George Soros’ Open Societies Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation on local weather resilience funding. Last month, CLF joined distinguished philanthropists together with the Ford Foundation and Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures to signal an open letter calling for extra funding of Black feminist organizations.
Rihanna’s followers can take part in her charitable work, too, by donating their very own cash to the Clara Lionel Foundation on its web site and when purchasing on Fenty Beauty. “We know we can’t do this work alone so we are grateful for every dollar contributed to our work,” Lucas informed MarketWatch. “Rihanna’s fans, the ‘Navy,’ are wonderful, passionate and loyal, and we are very appreciative of their support.”
Rihanna made historical past when she grew to become the primary Black lady to create a vogue line with the worldwide luxurious model LVMH
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and her philanthropic work has damaged obstacles too, Wilson mentioned. Though the style model with LVMH led to 2020, Rihanna’s 50% stake within the profitable make-up line Fenty Beauty (LVMH owns the opposite 50%) made her a billionaire in 2021, Forbes reported.
Few individuals, after all, have that form of wealth, however Wilson sees Rihanna’s philanthropy as a mannequin that may encourage anybody due to its emphasis on collaboration. Philanthropy Together, the place Wilson is director of engagement, teaches individuals the right way to begin giving circles, a way of charitable giving the place a bunch of individuals pool their cash to maximise their affect. It’s a technique rooted within the West African and Caribbean idea of “ubuntu,” or collective giving, Wilson famous.
“At Philanthropy Together we really seek to change the narrative of who is considered to be a philanthropist; Rihanna is doing just that,” Wilson mentioned. “She is breaking barriers and opening doors. There’s this saying that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ For a lot of communities of color, we’re looking at her as a model of what we can be.”
See additionally: Is Rihanna the primary billionaire to carry out at a Super Bowl halftime present?
Source web site: www.marketwatch.com
