Everyone is stepping up to create philanthropic ventures in support of the recent protests and uprisings across the country.
Steven Victor, senior vice-president of A&R at Universal Music, is launching a new philanthropic foundation under his Victor Victor Worldwide company in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, Variety reports.
Victor — who has previously worked with G.O.O.D. Music and represented artists such Pusha T, The-Dream, and the late Pop Smoke — announced the Victor Victor Foundation as his new venture to combat the injustices affecting the Black community.
He told Variety, “I’m committing $1,000,000 to the foundation — it’s a starting point and I know it’s going to take much more than that to affect real change.”
Victor outlined the foundation’s purpose in an official statement which reads:
“The injustices against the black community that persists in our country, fueled by systemic racism and prejudice that lies within the criminal justice system and other institutions, must stop. No one should be conditioned to cope with the worst of humanity on a daily basis. That’s not what I want for my children or yours. I remain hopeful for the next generation and I am committed to doing my part … to continue the fight to affect systematic change, to support economic empowerment for our next generation and to aid in the needs of our community.”
“One of the goals of the foundation is to offer both emotional and financial support,” Victor said according to Complex. “For me, mentorship from leaders in this industry has had an immeasurable impact on my career, but access has been hard won. I want to empower the next generation of children of color and give them access to opportunities in business. And more importantly, the know how to exploit and grow those opportunities.”
He concluded his statement saying:
“Last but not least, we know that our communities are struggling right now and know that there are immediate needs. Our long-time friend and client, Pusha-T, challenged us to feed our cities and we accept that challenge. We’ll be in Brooklyn, NY and Flint, MI — my and my wife’s hometowns, cities that have given us so much- supporting families with grocery giveaways. We will announce details shortly. Additionally, the VVF will make a $25,000 donation to the Fund for Public Schools to provide aid to students in Brooklyn to support their education and growth. This initial donation will go to aid students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic to help provide critical resources including basic needs, housing and educational tools and programs.”
Victor’s foundation takes a passionate stance on the country’s current social climate and wants to make an impact that will make America a better place for Black youth in the future.
“I am proud to work with a team of people who are as thoughtful about these issues as they are committed to doing something about it. This is just the beginning,” he said.