Idris and Sabrina Elba, Chance the Rapper, and Tony and Dr. Awele Elumelu were among the global change makers honored at TIME’s philanthropy celebration.
“It’s moments like this that helped me feel like the impact of the work that we do is being felt,” she said.
The Somali-Canadian model also talked about their goal to shift the world’s perception of Africa as a continent of strength and resilience.
“The way a people are seen determines where empathy is extended, and it determines where investment is directed, where opportunity is offered, and most importantly, whose full humanity is permitted to be recognized,” Sabrina said. “Africa has been rendered through such a narrow lens of deficit and defined by need rather than contribution and struggle rather than strength. And we are really here to champion the changing of that narrative,” she added, “talent, obviously, is universal, but opportunity isn’t.”
Among the honorees was Grammy Award-winning artist and activist Chance the Rapper, who created Social Works Chicago to support public education, youth development, and community investment in his hometown.
“The world is in need more than ever before,” he said, urging leaders to invest in opportunities that create lasting change.
The leaders gathered at the event discussed a broader vision for modern philanthropy—one rooted not only in charitable giving but also in creating systems that expand opportunity and empower communities. For them, philanthropy is a tool to drive economic mobility, strengthen communities, and build a more equitable future for future generations.
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Source: Black Enterprise
