Photo Credit: Justin Higuchi / CC by 2.0
Lady Gaga has pledged to help fund 162 classrooms in American cities affected by recent mass shootings.
The singer announced her donation in an emotional Facebook post.
Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation is partnering with DonorsChoose.org for the initiative. The singer will help fund 125 classrooms in El Paso, 23 classrooms in Gilroy, and 14 classrooms in Dayton. The singer started her post with an emotional statement.
“My heart goes out to those who were taken from us too soon and to their families, loved ones, and communities who are left to grieve. Everyone has the right to laws that make them feel safe in their communities. In this moment, I want to channel my confusion, frustration, and fury into hope. Hope that we are there for each other and for ourselves.”
The singer is encouraging more people to join her foundation in supporting classrooms. So far she has raised $3,727 in grassroots funding for the effort.
Shootings in El Paso and Dayton left at least 31 people dead, with dozens of injuries. The Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting left four people dead and 13 injured.
Lady Gaga has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. She highlights the importance of dealing with tragedy in a healthy way and checking in on those who are impacted.
“Surviving and recovering from these tragedies also means prioritizing your mental health and checking in on your loved ones. If you’re struggling, please be brave and tell a trusted someone. Don’t be scared to ask for help, I beg you. If you see a loved one struggling, please be brave and reach out, remind them it’s ok to not be ok, and listen to them. We cannot turn away from ourselves.”
Many artists have reacted on social media to the recent tragedies. Lana Del Rey recently shared a preview of herself performing “Looking For America” in response to the shootings.
Here’s Gaga’s full post.
A note to Dayton, El Paso, and Gilroy:
My heart goes out to those who were taken from us too soon and to their families, loved ones, and communities who are left to grieve. Everyone has the right to laws that make them feel safe in their communities. In this moment, I want to channel my confusion, frustration, and fury into hope. Hope that we are there for each other and for ourselves.
Today, I find hope in the work of DonorsChoose.org and I’m proud to partner with them and with Born This Way Foundation to fully fund the classroom project needs in Dayton, OH, El Paso, TX, and Gilroy, CA. 14 classrooms in Dayton, 125 classrooms in El Paso, and 23 classrooms in Gilroy will now have access to the support they need to inspire their students to work together and bring their dreams to life. https://www.donorschoose.org/bekind21
Surviving and recovering from these tragedies also means prioritizing your mental health and checking in on your loved ones. If you’re struggling, please be brave and tell a trusted someone. Don’t be scared to ask for help, I beg you. If you see a loved one struggling, please be brave and reach out, remind them it’s ok to not be ok, and listen to them. We cannot turn away from ourselves. We cannot turn away from our loved ones. We need each other. Don’t turn away.
In loving memory of the victims of the tragic shootings in Dayton, OH, El Paso, TX, and Gilroy, CA.