The Barbadian singer delivers a funny yet inspiring speech when she's honored with the 2017 Humanitarian of the Year Award by the famous university.
- Mar 1, 2017
AceShowbiz - Rihanna was honored with the 2017 Humanitarian of the Year Award by Harvard on Tuesday, February 28. The "Umbrella" hitmaker received the accolade for her charitable work through her Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) that helped people with cancer and gave scholarships to students from Caribbean countries. During the ceremony, the "Work" singer delivered a funny yet inspiring speech about what humanitarian was to her.
"So I made it to Harvard!" Rihanna began her speech by flipping her ponytail. "I'm incredibly humbled to be acknowledged at this magnitude for something, in truth, I never wanted credit for." The 29-year-old singer continued her speech by sharing about what inspired her to start her charity work.
"I remember watching TV [as a child] and I would see commercials with children suffering in other parts of the world, the ones where you could give 25 cents and save a child's life. I said, 'When I grow up and get rich I'm gonna help kids all over the world.' I just didn't know I would be in the position to do that by the time I was a teenager," Rihanna shared the story behind her charitable work.
She later challenged all the people in the room to help only one person without expecting anything in return. "A chance at life, a chance at an education, a chance at a future, really. And at CLF [the Clara Lionel Foundation], our mission is to impact as many lives as possible, but it starts with just one. Just one," she said. "As I stare out into his beautiful room, I see optimism, I see hope, I see the future. I know that each and every one of you has the opportunity to help someone else. All you need to do is help one person and expect nothing in return. To me, that is a humanitarian."
Rihanna ended her speech by expressing her desire to come back to school. "The truth the little girl watching those commercials didn't know, was that you don't have to be rich to be a humanitarian. You don't have to be famous, or college-educated," said Rihanna with a laugh. "I wish I was, especially today. I might come back!"
Rihanna started her CLF foundation back in 2012 in honor to her grandparents Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. The "Diamonds" singer was inspired to do various efforts in helping people with cancer after her grandmother, Clara, died from the illness.
