In local news, Rihanna has been named the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year. Located in Cambridge, Mass., the school chooses an individual yearly whose work improves the quality of others’ lives and inspires them. The ceremony, to be hosted on February 28 on the Harvard Campus, will honor Rihanna with this award.
Recently, Rihanna has built a center in Barbados, her homeland, for oncology and nuclear medicine to be used to diagnose and treat breast cancer. Not only that, but she has also created a scholarship program for students attending college in the U.S. from Caribbean countries. Named after her grandparents, The Clara and Lionel Foundation provides that scholarship and helps to fight against injustice, inequality, and poverty. Their main goal is access to education and health for all across borders.
Rihanna’s acts that put her at worth for this award does not stop there. She also sides with the Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen Project to support children by providing them with access to education in more than 60 developing countries.
Pop culture icons aren’t shy with receiving this award, with Rihanna following actor James Earl Jones and tennis player Arthur Ashe. Others who received the award include Malala Yousafzai, Kailash Satyarthi, and Martin Luther King Sr.
At only 29 years old, Rihanna has reached ultimate girl boss status by being a successful singer AND humanitarian. With all the work she’s done thus far, it’s safe to say that more exciting things will come from her.