Beyoncé will receive the Humanitarian Award at the 20th annual BET Awards on Sunday.
The 24-time Grammy winner is receiving the honor for her prestigious career and tremendous charitable efforts — specifically, the work her BeyGOOD initiative has done in recent years.
Through BeyGOOD, the singer has launched several scholarship programs, many for students at historically black colleges and universities. She’s worked with UNICEF to provide assistance to the East African country of Burundi and recently joined forces with her mother, Tina Knowles, to launch a mobile COVID testing initiative for the Black community in Houston, Texas.
She’s also teamed up with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to make a $6 million pledge to different mental health relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another way Beyoncé gives back? Proceeds from her new song “Black Parade,” released on Juneteenth, benefit BeyGOOD’s Black Business Impact Fund, which supports Black-owned small businesses. The fund is administered by the National Urban League.
Along with the Humanitarian Award, Beyoncé is nominated in four categories at the award show: Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Album of the Year for Homecoming: The Live Album, Best Movie for Homecoming, and the BET Her Award for her hit, “Brown Skin Girl,” from The Lion King: The Gift.
Beyonce’s daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, is featured on that track, along with artists Wizkid and Saint Jhn, making the 8-year-old a first-time BET nominee.
During the show, several other stars, including Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Nicolas Johnson, and D-Nice will also be honored, and the late Kobe Bryant and Little Richard will receive tributes as well.
The 2020 BET Awards air Sunday, June 28, at 8 p.m. ET on ViacomCBS networks including BET and BET HER.
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
By Hayley FitzPatrick
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.