Lizzo Announces Marsha P. Johnson Institute As First Recipient of Juneteenth Giveback

Philanthropy Singer

2023-06-26
16:56

Pop superstar Lizzo has announced on her Instagram the Marsha P. Johnson Institute is the first recipient of the Fourth Annual Juneteenth Giveback Campaign.

On June 21, the songstress announced to her 13.5 million Instagram followers that the first recipient of her annual campaign will be the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a US nonprofit organization that aims to protect and defend the rights of Black transgender people.

In her post, Lizzo highlighted the organization as the recipient of $50,000 for her Juneteenth Giveback, a campaign that recognizes grassroots, Black-led businesses, and supports nonprofit organizations to inspire and encourage her fans, nicknamed by Lizzo herself as Lizzbians, to make their own financial donations.

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“That’s right, we know who Marsha P. Johnson is, and we know what Marsha P. Johnson has done for the LGBTQ – emphasis on that T,Q – community,” she said in a video post.

Lizzo then expounded on what the trans-led organization does and how it protects Black trans people.

“They do this by organizing community, advocating for the people and creating a healing community, developing transformative leadership and promoting collective power,” Lizzo said.

“The Marsha P. Johnson Institute was founded under the vastly underreported epidemic of the murders of Black transwomen. The violent and preventable nature of these deaths directly connects to the exclusion of Black trans people from social justice issues namely racial, gender, and reproductive justice, as well as gun violence reform,” Lizzo continued.

Finally, the rapstress thanked the organization for helping Black trans people.

“You deserve this and I hope this helps you so much as you help protect our Black trans family,” she said.

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrated on June 19 to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black people in the US. It was first celebrated in Texas, where on June 19, 1865, following the Civil War, enslaved people were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.

You can go to lizzolovesyou.com to find out how you can donate to this organization and win a grand prize trip to Japan to see Lizzo.

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