Travis Scott announced $5 million in community-focused initiatives through his newly launched Project Heal, a long-term series of philanthropy and investment efforts.
The program kicks off today with $1 million in scholarships for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Backed by Scott, the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund will provide $10,000 grants to seniors with GPAs of at least 3.5 who risk not graduating due to financial adversity. According to the press release, the scholarship will help 100 students cross the finish line and earn diplomas.
Scott said in a statement, “My grandfather was an educator who made a difference in thousands of young lives throughout his life. He is a major influence on me and countless others, whose dreams he believed in, whose hopes he invested in, and whose futures he made big. It’s in his spirit that we are creating projects and programs that will look to the future of our communities and create hope and excellence in as many lives as possible.”
Future plans for Project Heal include addressing the mental health crisis through digital counseling and telephone hotlines, spearheaded by Dr. Janice Beal. According to the press release, the initiative also plans to expand Scott’s CACT.US Youth Design Center at TXRX Labs in Houston, a nonprofit makerspace for aspiring artists, designers and tech innovators, as well as fund the previously announced U.S. Conference of Mayors Task Force on Event Safety and a tech-driven device that will address safety at large-scale live events.
Scott’s sizable philanthropic contributions come just four months after his Astroworld Festival, which left 10 concertgoers dead and hundreds injured. The tragedy led him to cancel several concert appearances and delay his next album. Also, fashion brand Dior indefinitely postponed its collaboration with Scott’s Cactus Jack brand.
Applications for the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund are now open at cactusjack.foundation.
