Rihanna’s foundation donates $15 million to climate justice

LOS ANGELES

Rihanna is backing her belief that climate change is a social-justice issue by pledging $15 million to the movement through her Clara Lionel Foundation.

The “We Found Love” singer on Jan. 25 announced the donation to 18 climate justice organizations doing work in seven Caribbean nations and the United States. They include the Climate Justice Alliance, the Indigenous Environmental Network, and the Movement for Black Lives.

“Climate disasters, which are growing in frequency and intensity, do not impact all communities equally, with communities of color and island nations facing the brunt of climate change,” Rihanna, who is from the eastern Caribbean island of Barbados, said in a statement. She noted that disparity is the reason her foundation, which is named after her grandparents, prioritizes both climate resilience and climate justice work.

The grants, made in partnership with Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s #StartSmall philanthropic initiative, are focused on groups with female, LGBT, and Black and Indigenous leaders because their communities are at the greatest risk.

“Funders must build partnerships with grassroots organizations, acknowledging their deep understanding of what is necessary to achieve climate justice in their own communities,” Justine Lucas, Clara Lionel Foundation’s executive director, said in a statement.