Rihanna Gives Powerful Speech At The 2020 NAACP Image Awards—”Tonight Is Not Really About Me Because The Purpose Is Bigger Than Me”

#Roommates, the 2020 NAACP Image Awards were filled with winners exhibiting #BlackExcellence in its many forms—and one of those winners was superstar Rihanna. She was awarded with one of the night’s highest honors, the President’s Award, and her speech didn’t disappoint.

Aside from running her incredibly successful beauty brand and working on her upcoming album, Rihanna also commits herself to many philanthropic causes. The NAACP Image Awards recognized her efforts and gave her the highly coveted President’s Award. However, it was her speech that had everyone in the audience standing at attention.

Upon accepting her award, Rihanna shed these inspiring words:

“Tonight is not really about me, because the purpose is bigger than me, right? It’s not bigger than us together, but it’s bigger than me, because 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. I’m lucky I was able to start the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that we can fix this world together. We can’t do it divided. I can’t emphasize that enough. We can’t let the desensitivity seep in — the ‘If it’s your problem, it’s not mine.’ ‘It’s a woman’s problem.’ ‘It’s a black people problem.’ ‘It’s a poor people problem.’”

She continued, adding:

“How many of us in this room have colleagues and partners and friends from other races, sexes, religions? Show of hands? Well then, 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. Imagine what we could do together. Thank you for this honor.”

Congrats Rihanna!

Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?