Oprah is opening up for the first time about the backlash to the relief fund she and Dwayne Johnson launched to support victims of the recent Maui wildfires.
The two teamed up late last month and each contributed $5 million each to launch the fund, which would directly support residents of Lahaina and surrounding areas who had lost their homes to the wildfires.
However, Oprah revealed that she was not expecting the backlash from the fund that came next.
Keep reading to know more…
During an interview at CBS MorningsOprah revealed that she was inspired by Dolly Parton, who organized her own support fund to help victims of the 2017 wildfires in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
For that, Dolly had organized a concert and all profits would be donated directly to the families who had lost a significant amount of their homes and belongings. Many of them received $1,000 from Dolly herself.
“That’s the idea,” Oprah said. “Putting the money directly into the hands of the people created the ultimate structure for that.”
However, she was not prepared for the backlash.
“I was very excited,” she added. “I was so excited about it, and then I woke up the next morning and saw all this vitriol and thought, ‘Wow, what happened here?’”
Many social media users criticized both Oprah and Dwayne for asking other residents to donate their own money while they too were struggling financially.
Oprah still supports the fund and says that Dolly’s initial idea combined with “so many people calling asking where we give our money” that the fund was launched.
“We’re going to create something and I still think it’s a really solid idea.”
Watch the full interview below:
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn