At the end of 2021, rapper Saweetie was offered a job as guest lecturer at her alma mater, the University of Southern California.
Now the chart-topper is bringing those lessons to those young people who can’t afford a $65,000 experience at the top-notch school
Earlier in the year, the “Icy Girl” founded the Icy Baby Foundation with Roxanne Glass, her grandmother. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, the two desired to give back to youth within POC communities with philanthropic outreach, designing programming rooted in helping others learn the skill of “leveling up.”
The foundation is launching a financial literacy program for underserved youth.
“The reason why I’m so sensitive to that is because I need help my damn self. Just putting money in the savings account is not enough – especially not enough to create generational wealth for you, your family, or your kids,” the rapper told Glamour.
“It’s important that we educate these young kids so that it’s something that’s instilled into their minds, so it’s not something that they’re trying to figure out as an adult,” Saweetie said.
When discussing why she chose to work with her grandmother versus some of the other nonprofits already existing, the star said she “was tired of giving away a lot of money to other foundations, not knowing what they did with the money” and “I trust my grandmother.”
“As a kid, I watched my grandma give back, I watched her go to high schools, I watched her go to other churches, I watched her go to other people’s homes, praying for them, giving to them,” she explained. “Uplifting those who look like me has been important all of my life since I was a little girl. Because I would be right there next to my grandma helping other people.”
Her grandmother Roxanne Glass was a former Miss Black Nebraska. She engaged in service, helping others both as a crown winner and as a community stakeholder.
Click here for more information on the foundation and its charitable and programming efforts.