It’s hard to believe that this is CLF’s 10-year anniversary!  If you’ve been with us since the beginning, thank you for riding the wave of progress with us for so many years. If you’re new to us, welcome and let’s get you all caught up with who we are and what we do.

The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) was founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. CLF invests in climate resilience  and climate justice initiatives in the Caribbean & United States and helps communities prepare for and withstand natural disasters. 

From our inaugural project at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados to today, it’s been a wild ride. Here are just a few of our more memorable milestones:  

• Taking creative fundraising to another level by partnering with PUMA to create the  award-winning PUMA Creeper shoe line.
• Coming together annually for five years to ‘party with a purpose’ via The Diamond Ball which included unforgettable hosts such as Issa Rae, Seth Meyers, and Kevin Hart, and celebrity guests like Beyoncé, JAY-Z, Salma Hayek, and Kendrick Lamar.
• Honoring our incredible partners in Senegal and Malawi where our Founder championed the importance of financing global education.  
• Pledging $15 million for climate justice organizations by teaming up with Start Small.
• Keeping it cool with Madison Brown by launching our very own 100% charitable ice cream. 
• Celebrating our Founder being lauded as a National Hero of Barbados.

We spent some time reflecting on this milestone by creating a 10-Year Recap of the journey we’ve been on.   

As we reflect on the past decade, one thing is certain — this is just the beginning. In the U.S. and around the world, climate policies are being challenged, democracies are being threatened, and natural disasters are increasingly becoming more powerful.

With the help of our local partners, we are confident we can continue to address and withstand the challenges ahead. Our work won’t stop until the Caribbean becomes the world’s first climate-resilient zone. Our work won’t stop until Black and Brown communities have the resources they need to tackle the climate crisis. Our work won’t stop until we shift how the world responds to inequity and injustice.

Let’s withstand the challenges we face together and continue shaping this important work in the decade to come.