Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have announced that they are donating $200,000 towards a program at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS, that promotes Indigenous women's leadership.
The university's Coady International Institute is aiming to raise $1 million for its Circle of Abundance — Amplifying Indigenous Women's Leadership. The actors' donation marks the launch of the campaign.
Reynolds and Lively said in a statement, "We're so happy to support the incredible work of the Coady Institute's program with Indigenous Women. We're blown away by the conversations we've had and the work they do and look forward to joining them on this journey."
The money will go towards Indigenous women's leadership programs across Canada, fostering worldwide connections between Indigenous women, and launching a new Indigenous-run women's initiative.
In a statement, Circle of Abundance said:
With good spirits, we are grateful to work with Coady Institute, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, and other partners. We have a shared vision for raising the profile of Indigenous women's leadership and voices in Canada and globally. We know that magic happens when women lift each other up and share their Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, cultures, and traditions. The funding means continued learning opportunities, awareness building, and the chance to share our stories with others and the next generations. It is also a recognition of the good work that took place over the last decade with Indigenous women at Coady. We also recognize the positive social and economic impacts it can have on Indigenous women, families, communities and Nations, locally and globally.
Learn more about the program and, if you're able, make a donation here.
In related news, Reynolds has also teamed up with Pacific Wild for a new ecological initiative to support British Columbia's endangered Great Bear Rainforest. The actor is inviting "Canadians to make him pay by matching his donation of up to $50,000 CDN between Canada Day and August 3."
You can learn more about the Pacific Wild fundraising initiative here.
Reynolds is known for his support of Canadian causes. In 2018, he famously campaigned to save the Rio Theatre in his hometown of Vancouver.
The university's Coady International Institute is aiming to raise $1 million for its Circle of Abundance — Amplifying Indigenous Women's Leadership. The actors' donation marks the launch of the campaign.
Reynolds and Lively said in a statement, "We're so happy to support the incredible work of the Coady Institute's program with Indigenous Women. We're blown away by the conversations we've had and the work they do and look forward to joining them on this journey."
The money will go towards Indigenous women's leadership programs across Canada, fostering worldwide connections between Indigenous women, and launching a new Indigenous-run women's initiative.
In a statement, Circle of Abundance said:
With good spirits, we are grateful to work with Coady Institute, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, and other partners. We have a shared vision for raising the profile of Indigenous women's leadership and voices in Canada and globally. We know that magic happens when women lift each other up and share their Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, cultures, and traditions. The funding means continued learning opportunities, awareness building, and the chance to share our stories with others and the next generations. It is also a recognition of the good work that took place over the last decade with Indigenous women at Coady. We also recognize the positive social and economic impacts it can have on Indigenous women, families, communities and Nations, locally and globally.
Learn more about the program and, if you're able, make a donation here.
In related news, Reynolds has also teamed up with Pacific Wild for a new ecological initiative to support British Columbia's endangered Great Bear Rainforest. The actor is inviting "Canadians to make him pay by matching his donation of up to $50,000 CDN between Canada Day and August 3."
You can learn more about the Pacific Wild fundraising initiative here.
Reynolds is known for his support of Canadian causes. In 2018, he famously campaigned to save the Rio Theatre in his hometown of Vancouver.
