The queen of music, beauty and the MetGala AKA Rihanna has added another title to her resume: climate justice supporter.
On Tuesday Pope Riri donated USD$15m to a number of organisations that help marginalised victims of climate change in Caribbean nations and the United States. You know, as if we didn’t love her enough.
The funds went towards improving the lives of women, LGBTQIA+ people, Black and Indigenous peoples because their communities are disproportionately impacted by the “brunt of climate change”.
The 18 organisations included the Climate Justice Alliance, the Indigenous Environmental Network and the Movement for Black Lives. The donations were made in partnership with a “philanthropic initiative” by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey but this is 100% Riri’s moment if you ask me.
Rihanna made the donation via her Clara Lionel Foundation. It’s a not-for-profit named after her grandmother and funds go towards facilitating education and climate change programs around the world.
She explained in a statement via the Associated Press that climate disasters “are growing in frequency and intensity” but “do not impact all communities equally”. Communities of colour and island nations cop the most of it and are often not supported by the world’s governments.
“Founders must build partnerships with grassroots organisations, acknowledging their deep understanding of what is necessary to achieve climate justice in their own communities,” Clara Lionel Foundation executive director Justine Lucas added.
Using her platform and billionaire status for activism isn’t new to Riri. The “Take A Bow” singer donated USD$5 million via her foundation in March 2020 to the COVID-19 frontline response team.
The Barbados native was recognised as a national hero when the country became a republic in December.
She is currently dating A$AP Rocky who called her “the love of my life” in an interview in May 2021. You and me both, bestie.
Now if only she gave us a new album. Or showed up to last year’s Met Gala. Bitches were starving.
