Lizzo has always championed the underdog; so it makes sense that she’s decided to give other Black musicians like herself a leg up.
In an Instagram reel posted to her account on Friday (June 23), the “Good As Hell” singer continues her “Juneteenth Give Back” series, where she donates money to various Black and LGBTQ+ organizations.
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With her latest post, Lizzo revealed her next round of funds would go to her alma mater, the University of Houston. Along with donating $50,000, Lizzo and the institution have partnered to create the Sasha Be Flooting scholarship.
“Today is very close to my heart, near and dear to home, and a milestone for me,” Lizzo said in the video. “It is for any young Black student from Houston, Texas, who has applied to go to [the] University of Houston to study at the Moores School of Music. That was me just a couple [of] years ago, a young Black flute player who just needed a scholarship and someone to believe in them. Now I get to pay it forward.”
“We’ll be announcing who is the winner of that prize very, very soon,” she added.
Lizzo teased her scholarship announcement with a throwback Instagram post of herself playing the flute during her college days in Houston.
Apart from donating to the school, Lizzo has also donated to several other “Black-led grassroots businesses and organizations,” including the Sphinx Organization, Black Girls Smile, and the Marsha P. Johnson Institute so far in the series.
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On a more sour note, Lizzo last month deliberated over whether it was time to step away from music for good after facing an onslaught of negative comments.
After Candace Owens — a right-wing commentator who’s critiqued the singer’s weight in the past — blasted Lizzo for blocking her on Twitter, the “Special” singer caught wind of her comments and decided to address them head-on.
In a series of tweets, Lizzo spoke out against some of the harsh critiques she’s received regarding her weight. Notably, she admitted that negative comments online were starting to get to her and were causing her to “hate the world.”
While many folks have accused her of being “unhealthy,” the singer said she is pretty health-conscious and is focused on simply trying to live her best life, no matter her size.
The increased slander has caused one of Lizzo’s biggest supporters and industry peers, like SZA, to speak up.
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The S.O.S. singer had clarified that she’d had enough of the slander her friend Lizzo gets daily on the internet, and she’s spoken out about the hate and how more people need to come to the “Juice” singer’s aid.
Earlier this month, in a series of tweets, the “Kill Bill” singer spoke out against social media trolls in defense of her friend – and even doubled down when a fan questioned her.
