Rihanna’s acceptance speech at the NAACP Image awards challenged everyone to come together for black issues. The music and beauty mogul spoke on the importance of world issues being everyone’s issues during her acceptance speech for the prestigious President’s Award during the 51st NAACP Image Awards on Saturday.
“Tonight is not really about me — because the purpose is bigger than me, right?” Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, said beginning her speech. “It’s not bigger than us together, but it’s bigger than me. ‘Cause my part is a very small part of the work that is being done in this world and the work that is yet to be done. If there’s anything that I’ve learned, it’s that we can only fix this world together. We can’t do it divided,” the star continued. “We can’t let the de-sensitivity seep in. The, ‘If it’s your problem, then it’s not mine. Its a woman’s problem, it’s a black people problem, it’s a poor people problem.’”
The Fenty CEO then posed a question — asking for a show of hands from the audience.
“How many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions?” she asked. “Well then, you know, they want to break bread with you, right? They like you? Well then, this is their problem too. So when we’re marching and protesting and posting about the Michael Brown Jr.s and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world, tell your friends to pull up.”
Powerful speech. We salute Queen Riri! Watch her speech below.
