Taylor Swift Donates $113,000 To Tennessee Equality Project
Taylor Swift has donated $113,000 to the Tennessee Equality Project (TEP), an organization that tries to prevent the passing of discriminatory state laws, reports E! News.
Swift also sent a handwritten note to the group, praising them for their work.
“I’m writing you to say that I’m so inspired by the work you do, specifically in organizing the recent petition of Tennessee faith leaders standing up against the ‘slate of hate’ in our state legislature. Please convey my heartfelt thanks to them and accept this donation to support the work you and these leaders are doing.”
In a post on TEP’s Facebook page, executive director Chris Sanders commended the singer for her donation and said the organization was honored and grateful for her contribution.
“Taylor Swift has been a long-time ally to the LGBTQ community. She sees our struggle in Tennessee and continues to add her voice with so many good people, including religious leaders, who are speaking out for love in the face of fear.”
A long-time resident of Tennessee, Swift has become more transparent about her political leanings as of late, urging her millions of Instagram followers to vote in November’s 2018 midterm elections.
In one post, she admitted to previously being reluctant to voice her opinions. Swift added that she believed in fighting for LGBTQ rights and against systematic racism and other forms of discrimination, noting that her vote would always go to candidates who believed the same.
The singer publicly endorsed Senate candidate Phil Bredesen over opponent Marsha Blackburn, whose voting record Swift greatly disapproved of.
Bredesen lost the race, but Swift’s social media campaign proved to have real influence over generating an increase in new voters. According to Vote.org’s director of communications Kamari Guthrie, in the 24 hours following Swift’s post, registrations went up by 65,000.
The pop superstar has also remained a staunch supporter of other causes close to her heart. After she won a lawsuit against former DJ David Mueller for groping her, Swift accepted a “symbolic” payout of $1 and pledged to donate to causes that helped victims of sexual assault.
She proceeded to offer a “generous” amount of money to Mariska Hargitay’s charity, the Joyful Heart Foundation, a few days later.
A year after the trial, Swift opened up to fans at a Tampa concert where she talked about thinking of the victims who were not believed and the ones who were afraid to speak up for fear of not being taken seriously.
The performer expressed remorse, saying if it were not for those who believed in her story, it would be impossible to determine what turn her life would have taken.
Taylor Swift filled in the blank space of a check with a very generous donation: $113,000. https://t.co/n3V2taFzc5
— E! News (@enews) April 9, 2019
