The Ripple of Hope Award For Meghan and Harry
On Tuesday night, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights Organisation’s Ripple of Hope Award in New York as recognition of their activism work on issues of racial justice and mental health. Additionally honored were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Frank Baker – co-founder and managing partner at Siris, Brian Moynihan (chairman/CEO Bank of America), as well as NBA legend Bill Russell.
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F Kennedy and president of RFKHR charity, expressed her delight to honor Meghan and Harry with an award for “changing the narrative about mental health and racial justice worldwide.” Kerry commented that Meghan’s bravery in opening up about her struggles was amazing while Harry’s support of Meghan was noteworthy. RFKHR will soon release their film to address stigma around mental illness.
According to a statement released by RFKHR, they anticipate the film being released sometime around 2022. Their hope is that this will raise awareness and help disprove some myths associated with mental illness.” The couple have described their work as being part of “their lifetime commitment towards building strong, equitable communities while expanding dialogue around mental health awareness as well as advocating for an improved world both online and off.”
They are known for their charitable efforts, such as hosting the Invictus Games for veterans, advocating gender equality through Beyonce-backed charity The Circle and helping Afghan refugees seeking resettlement find asylum, all while championing vaccine codes. Furthermore, according to their website they’re also passionate about reducing inequality and combatting climate change.
The Ripple of Hope Award honors outstanding leaders from business, entertainment and activist communities who demonstrate commitment to social change while embodying Patrick Kennedy’s passion for equality, justice and human rights. Past recipients have included former President Barack Obama, Stacey Abrams, Tim Cook, Dolores Huerta Archbishop Desmond Tutu as well as George Clooney – just to name a few!
Alec Baldwin hosted an elegant gala attended by celebrities, politicians and other notable figures from New York and beyond. A large crowd gathered outside to catch glimpses of Meghan and Harry on the blue carpet; Meghan donned a white off-the-shoulder dress while Harry donned dark suit; they were joined by their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte who joined them later at their table. This ceremony came only days before Netflix releases their documentary series which is anticipated to contain allegations of racism from British tabloid press and even members of their royal family.