We all know Oprah Winfrey not just as the “Queen of All Media” but also as a philanthropist billionaire. Now, she’s donating $2 million to aid hurricane recovery efforts in the still-recovering archipelago of Puerto Rico.
Since 2017, Puerto Rico has struggled to fully recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria. Oprah’s contribution will not only help with long-term needs. It is also intended to help revive, support, and preserve Puerto Rico’s arts programs.
“I was so moved by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s commitment to bring ‘Hamilton’ to Puerto Rico and support the community that served him growing up that I wanted to join in the revitalization efforts of an island so rich in culture, beauty and heritage,” Oprah explained in a statement released on Monday.
Miranda, earlier this year, brought his critically acclaimed Broadway hit “Hamilton” to his home of Puerto Rico. Reprising his starring role, he helped raise around $15 million for the island.
“People are going to come to Puerto Rico because of ‘Hamilton,’ and hopefully spend a lot of money here,” Miranda explained in January. “But they’re also going to see blue tarps, and they’re also going to see how much work there is to be done.”
And, of course, he was right.
Oprah’s donation went to two funds. $1 million was donated to The Hispanic Federation’ UNIDOS Disaster Relief & Recovery Program. Another million went to The Flamboyan Arts Fund, which was co-founded by Miranda.
Of the $2 million Oprah contributed to the fund, one million will be used to support basic long-term recovery efforts. The other half will go towards funding arts and culture-related programs via The Flamboyan Arts Fund.
“The needs of Puerto Rico and our fellow American citizens following the tragic hurricanes are still very real,” Oprah said. She also noted that work completed by the these as well as other organizations “is long from over.”
Thousands died as a result of Hurricane Maria, and many were left homeless, without fresh water or electricity, for months.
