Rihanna

Rihanna. Credit: Taylor Hill/WireImage

Rihanna‘s Clara Lionel Foundation will donate $15million to a diverse range of organisations working on climate justice.

As the Associated Press report, the foundation has pledged the money to 18 different groups working in the United States and throughout the Caribbean in partnership with #StartSmall, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative.

In a press statement, Rihanna – who was born and raised in the Caribbean island nation of Barbados – noted: “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.”

As such, she explained, the grants are specifically focused on supporting organisations which are led by women, young people, Black, Indigenous, people of colour and LGBTIQ+ communities.

Some of the organisations who will receive funding from the initiative include the Climate Justice Alliance, the Black Feminist Fund, the Movement for Black Lives, the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Caribbean Climate Justice Project, the Caribbean Youth Environment Network and more. You can see a full list of organisations here.

Rihanna set up her Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012 in honour of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. In March of 2020, the singer pledged $5million towards COVID-19 response efforts, including $700,000 worth of ventilators for Barbados.

In November of last, the singer was honoured as a National Hero of Barbados during a ceremony to mark the nation becoming a republic after abolishing its ties to the monarchy.

“May you continue to shine like a diamond and bring honour to your nation by your words, by your actions, and to give credit wherever you shall do it,” said Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley to Rihanna while conferring the honour.