Rihanna named Harvard University's Humanitarian of the Year

Summary

In this heartfelt acceptance speech, the speaker expresses deep gratitude for being honored by Harvard University. Reflecting on their childhood desire to help others, they share how personal experiences, such as the loss of a young girl to leukemia and their grandmother to cancer, fueled their passion for humanitarian work. The speaker emphasizes that anyone, regardless of wealth or fame, can make a meaningful difference by helping just one person or cause. The message is clear: compassion and generosity are within everyone's reach, and even small acts of kindness can create lasting impact.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker expresses gratitude for the honor of being recognized by Harvard University and reflects on the journey to this point.
• 😀 Childhood memories of watching commercials about children suffering worldwide sparked the speaker's desire to help others from a young age.
• 😀 The speaker dreamed of growing up to help children in Africa by saving money to fund life-saving initiatives.
• 😀 At 17, the speaker started their career in the U.S. and began their first charity organization by 18, marking the beginning of their philanthropic journey.
• 😀 The speaker highlights the story of Yasmina Amina, a 6-year-old who passed away from leukemia, whose story inspired thousands to become donors.
• 😀 The loss of the speaker's grandmother, Clar Brath, to cancer was a significant turning point, motivating the creation of the Clar Lell Foundation.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes that humanitarian work begins with one person and that every small act of kindness can lead to broader impact.
• 😀 Helping others doesn’t require wealth, fame, or formal education—compassion and willingness to act are what matter most.
• 😀 The speaker challenges the audience to commit to helping one person, one organization, or one cause that touches their heart.
• 😀 The message of the speech encourages the idea that even a small contribution, such as sharing a dollar, can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
• 😀 The speaker concludes by reminding the audience of the importance of collective optimism, hope, and the potential to make a positive impact through community efforts.

Q & A

What inspired the speaker's humanitarian efforts at a young age?

The speaker was inspired by TV commercials showing children suffering in other parts of the world. As a child, they wondered how much money they could save up to help and dreamed of using their future wealth to save lives.

What did the speaker do at the age of 17 to start their humanitarian career?

At 17, the speaker began their career in America and at 18, they started their first charity organization.

How did the speaker's work impact others, especially through DKMS?

The speaker teamed up with organizations like DKMS, where they helped to inspire thousands of people to volunteer as donors. A key story was the passing of a six-year-old girl, Yasmina Amina, in 2010 from leukemia, which led to a surge in volunteers.

What personal tragedy motivated the speaker to create the Clar Lell Foundation?

The loss of the speaker's grandmother, Clar Brath, to cancer in 2012 was the driving force behind the creation of the Clar Lell Foundation, which focuses on making a difference in people's lives.

What does the speaker believe is the most important factor in humanitarian work?

The speaker believes that humanitarian work starts with helping just one person, one organization, or one situation that touches your heart.

What does the speaker say about the accessibility of humanitarian work?

The speaker emphasizes that you don't need to be rich, famous, or highly educated to be a humanitarian. It can start with helping someone in your immediate community, like a neighbor or someone in need.

What challenge does the speaker give to the audience?

The speaker challenges the audience to commit to helping at least one person, organization, or cause that resonates with them, in a meaningful way.

What advice did the speaker's grandmother give about sharing?

The speaker's grandmother often said, 'If you got a dollar, there's plenty to share,' encouraging the idea that no matter how little you have, you can always share with others.

What is the speaker's view on the concept of humanitarianism?

To the speaker, humanitarianism is about selflessly helping others without expecting anything in return, and it can start with small actions, like helping a person right next to you.

How does the speaker describe the people in the room during the speech?

The speaker describes the people in the room as filled with optimism, hope, and potential. They see each individual as having the ability to make a difference by helping others.