06:00, 29 April 2025
Words by Abi Scaife, Staff Writer, London
Usher is known for many things - his soulful voice and beating out Justin Timberlake to sign young Justin Bieber come to mind - but perhaps his most important legacy lies in his charity work.
The singer, songwriter and dancer has been heavily involved in charitable efforts since the 90s, even going so far as to start his own not-for-profit with the help of his mother, Jonetta Patton.
Usher is currently on tour, and is performing in the UK and Europe throughout April and May. You can buy tickets to see Usher through his website.
Usher’s New Look (UNL) as the charity is named, aims to reach under-served youth, uplifting and supporting them through education and experience.
Created in 1999, Usher’s New Look celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, and the incredible work it has done so far supporting children all the way through middle school to college. Today, the charity’s ten-year programme is helping young people to identify and pursue their passions, supporting them through what can be some of the most difficult years of their lives.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the King of RnB was committed to giving back, helping the city of New Orleans to rebuild and its people recover from the devastation. Despite his star-status, Usher went to New Orleans to join students who were cleaning up their city, getting physically involved in making a change.
The year after Hurricane Katrina, Usher’s New Look created a project titled ‘Our Block’, where they revitalised blocks around New Orleans, rebuilding what was devastated during Katrina and helping to bring the city back to its former glory.
Usher’s commitment to philanthropy hasn’t gone unnoticed; in 2011, he was honoured with the Freedom Award by Memphis’s National Civil Rights Museum, based on his work through Usher’s New Look.
Since then, Usher has given back in myriad ways - even returning to his hometown of Chattanooga, Texas and visiting his old school, Dalewood Middle School.
He then went on to make a donation of an undisclosed amount to the Center for the Creative Arts, enabling them to make impactful improvements and changes to their building, creating a better, safer environment for children to learn and pursue their passions.
A similar donation to Orange Grove Center, a not-for-profit organisation supporting children and adults with intellectual disabilities, resulted in their building a facility track, named after Usher’s grandmother, who inspired him to give back.
In 2014, Usher was able to create the Usher Raymond Scholarship Programme with the United Negro College Foundation (UNCF), giving a student $100,000 to attend Tuskegee University. The next year, he teamed up with other black celebrities like Kevin Hart to help students with scholarships to historically black colleges and universities.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Windrush Foundation. This is a registered charity that designs and delivers heritage projects, programmes and initiatives which highlight African and Caribbean peoples’ contributions to the UK. Learn more here.
Race Equality Foundation. A national charity tackling racial equality in public services. Find out more here.
SARI. Stand Against Racism and Inequality is a charity that provides free and confidential support for anyone who is a victim of hate crime across Avon and Somerset. Support them here.
