Rihanna is known worldwide for her chart-topping music and Fenty business empire, valued at an estimated $1.4 billion. However, the world may soon be buzzing about her philanthropic efforts. Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) is set to raise its profile.
The organization, named after the star’s grandparents, plans to allocate additional funds for climate solutions and women’s entrepreneurship in East Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S. South.
With a newly revamped team of Black and Brown women, the organization has expanded its reach to support a broader range of causes. Dr. Rosanna Saladin-Subero leads the Women’s Entrepreneurship team, while Amina Doherty heads Programs and Impact. The other components of its five new pillars include Climate Solutions, Arts and Culture, Health Access and Equity, and Future Generations.
The Clara Lionel Foundation’s Executive Director, Jessie Schutt-Aine, discussed the foundation’s future, which she describes as an extension of Rihanna’s personality.
“Our founder is a woman from a small island nation who’s got global reach. She’s an entrepreneur. She’s a mom. She’s a creative,” Schutt-Aine told the Associated Press. “So, we want an organization that reflects that spirit and that energy.”
Rihanna established the organization in 2012 following her grandmother’s passing due to cancer. The singer donated modern radiotherapy equipment to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados, the facility that cared for her grandmother.
The CLF recently partnered with The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, announcing they will fund “artist-led initiatives.” One of the grantees is Operation Triple Threat, a developmental performance arts program providing free social services to students. The funding allowed Operation Triple Threat to acquire a warehouse outfitted with sound equipment and a dance floor.
Rihanna told the Associated Press that she hopes CLF will continue to be a worldwide leader in philanthropy.
“Today, we have global reach, but that notion of love for community and for our roots runs deep in the DNA of the foundation,” the mogul said.
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