Janes Blog: Lady Gaga Launches Born This Way Foundation

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Lady Gaga Launches Born This Way Foundation

Mother Monster taps her own mom, Cynthia Germanotta, in push to fight bullying and inspire young fans.
By Jocelyn Vena

Lady Gaga
Photo: Credit KCSPresse / Splash News

Lady Gaga has always made it her mission to empower her little monsters. On Wednesday (November 2), Mother Monster announced she's launching the Born This Way Foundation, which aims to further inspire young people. The pop superstar is even getting some help from her very own Mother Monster, Cynthia Germanotta.

"My mother and I have initiated a passion project. We call it the Born This Way Foundation," Gaga said in a statement about the foundation, which takes its name from her hit single and album. "Together we hope to establish a standard of Bravery and Kindness, as well as a community worldwide that protects and nurtures others in the face of bullying and abandonment."

The foundation will work with a number of partners, including the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the California Endowment and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. According to the statement, the foundation will focus on "youth empowerment and equality by addressing issues like self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development and will utilize digital mobilization as one of the means to create positive change."

Gaga has been a leader in shedding a light on the issue of bullying. She met with President Obama at a fundraiser in September to talk about the bullying epidemic, after she was touched in particular by the suicide of bullied 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer.

"The past days I've spent reflecting, crying, and yelling," she tweeted when news of the teen's death broke in September. "I have so much anger. It is hard to feel love when cruelty takes someone's life." She went on to post Rodemeyer's "It Gets Better" video, urging that bullying "must become illegal. It is a hate crime."

Lady Gaga isn't the only pop star using the public spotlight to give back. On Tuesday, Justin Bieber announced the creation of his Believe Charity Drive and noted that partial proceeds from the sale of his brand-new Under the Mistletoe album will be donated to charitable organizations.

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