TIME unveiled its TIME100 Philanthropy list on Thursday, May 14, naming Rihanna among the Pioneers for her work with the Clara Lionel Foundation. The list also recognized Elton John and David Furnish, Shakira, Willie Nelson and Chance The Rapper for philanthropy that ranges from public health to education and disaster relief.
Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012 after her grandmother died from complications related to cancer. Since then, the foundation has given more than 100 million dollars to causes including climate change, the arts, education and health care in the Caribbean, the United States and East Africa. Her place on the list puts the focus on a body of work that has grown far beyond celebrity charity and into large-scale giving with global reach.
The list came after TIME said it worked with editors and correspondents around the world to narrow an initial pool to 100 people. The magazine said the selection reflects the most fascinating stories in philanthropy in a field that moves more than one trillion dollars globally each year. Its choices also included Idris and Sabrina Elba, Susan and Michael Dell, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, and Lionel Messi.
TIME said the list honors philanthropic impact rather than musical achievement, which is why artists and entertainers appear beside business leaders and activists. Elton John and Furnish were recognized for decades of work through the Elton John AIDS Foundation in the search for a cure for HIV/AIDS. Shakira was cited for supporting education in Colombia by helping train hundreds of thousands of teachers and building numerous schools through her Fundación Pies Descalzos. Willie Nelson was included for cofounding Farm Aid and raising millions for disaster relief, veterans and people affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks, while Chance The Rapper was recognized for backing Chicago public schools through SocialWorks.
The list is less a celebrity roll call than a snapshot of where money, influence and intent are converging right now. By placing Rihanna alongside longtime campaigners and major donors, TIME made its point plainly: philanthropy is being measured not by fame, but by the scale and durability of the work.
