The Weeknd (Instagram)
Singer-songwriter The Weeknd revealed a huge contribution to Black Lives Matter Wednesday. He gifted $250,000 to the group, which has a chapter in the star’s hometown of Toronto.
According to Vlad TV, the quarter-million-dollar donation is one of the largest gifts given to the organization by any artist.
The Weekend – who was born in Canada as Abel Tesfaye – has been outspoken about police violence against Black individuals. After the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in July, the singer tweeted he has had enough of the injustice.
“Enough is enough. It’s time to stand up for this,” he wrote. “We can either sit and watch or do something about it. The time is now.”
enough is enough. it's time to stand up for this. we can either sit and watch, or do something about it. the time is now. #blacklivesmatter
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) July 7, 2016
Atlanta Black Star reported Sterling was shot dead by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana July 5 when he was selling CDs outside a convenience store. The father of five had permission to make sales from the store’s owner. Within the next 24 hours, Castile was shot and killed by an officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. He had been reaching to hand the cop his driver’s license and gun permit. Both events were caught on video.
The brutal killings led The Weeknd to follow up with a tweet reading #BLUELIVESMURDER.
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) July 7, 2016
On top of The Weeknd’s newest contribution to BLM, he has also given to other Black causes. The singer recently donated $50,000 to the University of Toronto.
According to the Toronto Star, the gift was made to support the creation of an Ethiopic Studies program at the college. Program creators reached out to The Weekend – whose parents are Ethiopian – and he “immediately” answered the call for funds.
On Twitter, the singer said he was “proud to support the studies” of Ethiopian history.
1 – sharing our brilliant and ancient history of Ethiopia. proud to support the studies in our homie town through @UofT and @bikilaaward
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) August 6, 2016
He also tweeted fans the link to make their own contributions.
2 Link to more info: https://t.co/dOzbJ3LVZp
Link to donate:https://t.co/QcK4zR5e2b
— Abel Tesfaye (@theweeknd) August 6, 2016
The Weeknd’s donation will go toward a course on an ancient Ethiopian script and language called the Ge’ez, which is also known as Ethiopic. Along with the singer’s hefty gift, $170,000 has been raised for the program.
