Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you, Derrick.
-WOMAN: I love you, Rihanna! -(chuckles)
(cheering and applause)
Thank you, Derrick, and thank you to the staff,
board and community of the NAACP,
including all of you guys here in this room
and everyone at home watching
who's devoted their lives and efforts
toward supporting people of color.
-(cheering and applause) -Yeah. Yeah.
Can do that.
(chuckles)
Okay, I'm gonna try to keep this simple
because, um, tonight is not really about me.
Because the purpose is bigger than me, right?
You know?
It's not bigger than us together,
but it's bigger than me 'cause my part
is a very small part
of the work that's being done in this world
and the work that is yet to be done.
(cheering and applause)
Thank you.
I'm lucky I was able to start
the Clara Lionel Foundation in 2012,
and if there's anything that I've learned,
it's that we can only fix this world together.
-(cheering and applause) -We...
We can't do it divided.
I cannot emphasize that enough.
We can't let the desensitivity seep in.
-MAN: Yes. -MAN 2: Yeah!
-(applause) -WOMAN: Rihanna!
(whooping)
The "if it is your problem, then it's not mine."
MAN: Right. Right.
It's a woman's problem.
It's a black people problem.
-WOMAN: Right! -It's a poor people problem.
(whooping and applause)
I mean, how many of us in this room
have colleagues and partners and friends
from other races, sexes, religions?
Show of hands.
(applause and whooping)
Well, then, you know,
they want to break bread with you, right?
They like you?
Well, then, this is their problem, too.
(applause)
So, when we are marching
and protesting and posting
about the Michael Brown Juniors
and the Atatiana Jeffersons of the world,
tell your friends to pull up.
MAN: Yes!
(cheering and applause)
Thank you to the NAACP for all of your efforts
to ensure equality for our communities.
Thank you for celebrating our strength and tenacity.
We have been denied opportunities
since the beginning of time, and still we prevail.
So, I am honored.
Imagine what we could do together.
Thank you for this honor.
(cheering and applause)