One Artist Believes in Fighting for the Future By Giving Opportunities to Young People

Giving Compass' Take:

•  Phineas Rueckert, writing for Global Citizen, discusses the philanthropic pursuits of Pharell Williams, and his belief that young people have opportunities that will create a better future. 

• How has Williams incorporated sustainability into his work with kids? 

• Read about what Nikki Minaj is doing for college students and scholarship funding. 

“I’m staring at the future right now. Hello to the future.”

That’s how Pharrell Williams — musician, philanthropist, Global Citizen, and winner of 10 Grammy Awards — addressed a crowd of 1,000 young people at the United Nations during a special ceremony for climate action on the 2015 “International Day of Happiness.”

And for the past decade, Pharrell has done everything in his capacity to bring happiness to as many people as he can — whether that’s through fighting for the planet, encouraging political engagement, promoting educational empowerment, or championing women’s rights.

In 2008, Pharrell founded a nonprofit, From One Hand To AnOTHER Inc. (FOHTA), with the mission of promoting a new vision for the US educational system called S.T.E.A.M.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Motivation).

FOHTA organizes six-week summer camp programs for 1,000 low-income students across six states — Virginia, Florida, Arizona, California, Missouri, and New York — with a focus on learning through and with technology.

In 2011, the artist poured $35 million into the Pharrell Williams Resource Center, which provides a space for underprivileged Virginia Beach students to stay after school and study.  Not only does Pharrell believe in the power of youth to create change, he also knows that girls and women hold the key to a happier, healthier world.

“As you find your ways to serve humanity it gives me great comfort knowing that this generation is the first to understand that we need to lift up our women,” he said. “Imagine the possibilities when women are not held back. The world that you will live in that will be a lot better.”