Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty announced that the fifth annual Diamond Ball benefitting the Clara Lionel Foundation will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Hosted by comedian and late-night host, Seth Meyers, the black-tie benefit will feature performances by Pharrell Williams and DJ Khaled. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley along with writer and civil rights activist Shaun King are each set to receive the 2019 Diamond Ball Award in recognition of their humanitarian and social justice work.
“I can’t imagine a better night than this year’s Clara Lionel Foundation event with Seth Meyers, Pharrell and DJ Khaled. I am particularly honored to present Prime Minister Mottley and Shaun King with this year’s Diamond Ball Awards for their groundbreaking work. We are so thankful to them for joining us and making the night better than ever,” said Rihanna.
Over the course of her more than 25-year career in politics, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has been a fierce champion for women, young people and empowerment through education, pioneering revolutionary programs such as the Education Sector Enhancement Program, which aims to increase the number of young people contributing to the Barbados’ sustainable social and economic development. She has spent a career breaking barriers and shattering glass ceilings, becoming the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, the first woman to have served as Attorney General and Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados, as well as the first woman elected to lead the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the country’s first female Opposition Leader.
Largely known for his use of social media to promote social justice causes, Shaun King uses his voice to highlight important conversations pertaining to race and historically-disadvantaged communities. Through his fearless activism, King works to unite people of all backgrounds, advocating for justice and creating visible platforms to fundraise for victims of brutality and discrimination. In 2018, King co-founded Real Justice PAC, an organization that seeks to elect prosecutors at the county and city levels, who support criminal justice reform. He is also responsible for relaunching "The North Star," a publication previously founded by Fredrick Douglas and is historically one of the most influential anti-slavery publications.
Last year’s benefit, which was hosted by creator and star of HBO's Insecure Issa Rae with performances by Childish Gambino and special appearances by Seth Meyers and a set by DJ Mustard, raised nearly $6 million to support CLF’s global education and emergency response programs around the world.
The all-star guest list included: Tiffany Haddish, Trevor Noah, Jack Dorsey, Gayle King, A$AP Rocky, Fabolous, Meek Mill, and the late Nipsey Hussle among many others. Past CLF Diamond Ball benefits have featured live performances by Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Kendrick Lamar and Calvin Harris as well as speakers including Kevin Hart and Brad Pitt.
Every year, proceeds from the fundraiser enable the Clara Lionel Foundation to fund innovative education projects and scholarships, emergency response programs and local micro-grants. Since its founding, CLF has funded more than 59 global projects and committed over $13 million in grants across the education and emergency response sectors.
As part of its emergency response work, the organization recently announced a new partnership with International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPF/WHR) and Engineers Without Borders USA to build resilient reproductive health facilities in the Caribbean. The joint efforts will focus on hardening existing clinic infrastructure and expanding capacity to better provide critical sexual and reproductive healthcare for women and girls in the wake of extreme weather events
Items currently up for bid during this year’s Diamond Ball Auction include a workout with Rihanna’s trainer, Jonas Brothers VIP experience, Savage X Fenty 2020 Fashion Show Experience, CC Sabathia signed Jersey, Fenty Beauty Package, Paper Planes Outfits for a Year, a Signed Danny Green NBA Finals Jersey, Fishing with Peter Miller and Event Coordination Services with SO Events. Additional auction items will be added in the coming weeks.
