By Mary Beth Collins, J.D., M.A., Executive Director of the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies
With special thanks to an important contributor to the conceptual basis of this article,
Dr. Troy Williams, Ph.D., an Affiliate of the CommNS
We live in times of grand challenges and urgent problems. The need for effective philanthropy, activism, and social change for the greater good has never been more apparent. Meanwhile, the look-back on significant philanthropic expenditures and charitable efforts since the early 20th century aptly results in critiques and questions as to whether they have moved the needle on our most pressing problems. Meanwhile, wealth gaps have widened to create a Second Gilded Age when just a few have disproportionate access to and influence over all elements of our human ecology. In just the past few years, philanthropic giving totals and American political contributions have peaked, while we continue to face what seems like a relentless cascade of crises. In the same moment, our digital media landscape has created constant appeals for donations and opened the door for influencers to have a global, instantaneous, and viral impact, creating powerful platforms for broad influence. In this context, celebrity philanthropy and activism can be a consequential force for the greater good. As wealthy and influential participants in this landscape, modern celebrities must approach this opportunity (and some would argue, responsibility) more thoughtfully and carefully, informed by current best practices and lessons learned from history. And we, as the consumers of their messages, art, and entertainment, must hold them to higher standards. A failure to make these shifts could not only result in a missed opportunity for the greater good, but actually cause negative impacts in critical times.
There is a long tradition in the United States of celebrity influence, activism, and philanthropy – and the recognition and use of it as a powerful force. Consider Muhammed Ali, who leveraged his athletic fame to become a leading civil rights icon; the public health campaign for polio vaccinations which featured Elvis Presley’s on-stage vaccination to encourage the public; the “We Are the World” hit single which brought together a range of pop stars to raise millions for famine remediation in Africa; Bono and Oprah Winfrey’s respective forms of star-powered purpose-driven work – just to name a few different types of historic examples. The intersections of celebrity and major causes have broadened and deepened in recent times. These days, most recognizable professional athletes, TV personalities, movie stars, or pop stars have chosen from a broad range of charitable causes which they support, and usually make it public. Awards shows and athletic events feature philanthropic deeds and are platforms for celebrity activist stances. The owners and boards of teams, brands, and professional associations in these fields feel the need to navigate social issues to remain relevant, and then attempt to do so in coordination with their celebrity ambassadors – with mixed approaches and results.
While there may be a long history of athlete and pop star influencers, donors, and activists in our country, the current potential for impact is exponentially greater than ever before. In this “Second Gilded Age”, with a broad and growing wealth gap, celebrities have more to give than ever. Major American sports league stars now earn salaries that are up to hundreds of times what their counterparts in previous eras made (even when adjusted for inflation), and valuable sponsorships and endorsements (which have increased dramatically in recent decades) add to their net worth, sometimes reaching into the billions. The most financially successful pop stars now have net worth in the billions; movie stars in the hundreds of millions. Further, the non-monetary influencing potential of celebrities has exploded in the internet era. Social media and our constant digital connectedness have made celebrities’ presence and positions more immediate and influential in the lives of their many fans and followers. A regular American can and often does know how their most admired celebrity feels about a timely social or political issue. And, if a celebrity has been silent about an issue, they might be called out to take a position. Finally, the pool of resourced and influential celebrities has diversified and grown, going beyond traditional Hollywood and pop stars, and major professional athletes, to include a growing range of very-watched social media personalities.
For regular folks, it’s become more accessible to dabble in some types of philanthropy, activism, and social and political movements. All of us are now, like never before, asked at the grocery store checkout, in our circles of friends and colleagues, on our social media platforms, and via text message, to contribute our donations and voices to various causes and campaigns. Yet, the complexity and urgency of issues can be overwhelming, and in turn, it can be confusing to determine what to support, or how best to do so. We also see the way that immensely powerful participants hold most of the influence, and we see, sadly, that many causes seem to have not put a dent in some of our worst problems. To further confuse things, the media landscape of the 2020s is a peculiar and potent minefield of polarization, misinformation, viral influence and vapid static – not the ideal place to make sense of issues for committal action.
Celebrities face the same complexity as the rest of us in determining how to dedicate their actions and resources for the greater good, while their individual actions are of greater scale and consequence. Very few celebrities have actual training or expert knowledge in the issues they are asked to support or address. Nonetheless, studies show that the general public trusts celebrities more than other individuals traditionally esteemed as “experts” or “leaders”. And, it is more accepted than ever that celebrities’ roles as major donors and ripple-effect influencers are duties associated with their fame and fortune. A celebrity supporting or advocating for something may have the ability to shift the popular zeitgeist about an issue, or to marshal resources and support for various causes, and that is a power that has not gone unnoticed or untapped. Critique of this influence has also proliferated – the calling-out of “Hollywood Elites” who are viewed to have inappropriate involvement in political matters; of celebrity podcasters who are accused of adding to toxicity in an age of polarization and misinformation; and of athletes being told to stick to their sports and stay out of the public discourse. We’ve recently witnessed devastating examples of the way a celebrity’s hateful messaging can create harm and cost dearly for any brand or cause associated with them. For better or worse, however it is used, celebrity influence is a force to be reckoned with.
The range of interests, viewpoints, and ideologies of celebrity influencers is varied, as is the case with the rest of the American public. That’s the nature of a pluralistic nation and civil society. That said, there is also an argument to be made that these types of wealthy and influential individuals – pop culture stars, creators, artists, and athletes – are more likely to have a better influence than other highly influential individuals in the Second Gilded Age. As posited in Winners Take All’s sharp critique of American philanthropy, wealthy philanthropists and activists whose wealth is derived from traditional business endeavors may be in an specially conflicted position when a particular effort for the greater good stands in contrast to the very business endeavor from which their wealth is derived. To put it in modern context, a tech or media company CEO may have abundant resources to donate to charitable and political causes, but be motivated by business interests (for example, the opportunity to profit on fewer social media regulations or a relatively anemic landscape of nonprofit media source competitors) that could lead to quite a different agenda and influence on than what most regular folks would consider helpful for the greater good (for example, good research on the impacts of social media use and appropriate regulation, and a well-supported robust nonprofit media landscape). While celebrity athletes, influencers, and artists are not living the same type of life as average Americans, and may have personal interests which may affect their decision-making, they are arguably less likely than other highly wealthy individuals to be concerned with or lobbying for industry or corporate interests. They have often emerged, through their artistic and athletic talents, from communities that they are still somewhat connected to, and feel responsible for. This dynamic is evidenced by many celebrities’ individual philanthropic efforts in the communities they come from or to address issues that affected them personally, which can look pretty different than the type of philanthropy often advanced by the traditional modern business philanthropists of our times. Take, for example, LeBron James’ efforts to support young peoples’ educational opportunities in Akron, Ohio. Once again, it’s important to note that the scale and scope of individual stars’ potential impact on issues they feel connected to is on a very different new level. When Kareem Abdul-Jabaar was interviewed about LeBron James beating the NBA scoring record he previously held, the conversation pivoted to James’s charitable efforts. . . .and Abdul-Jabaar acknowledged that he wished he could have done similar things, but in those dates athletes weren’t making the kind of money for massive philanthropic efforts. It’s fair to argue that the overlap between many celebrities’ authentic connection to issues and relatively unconflicted motivation for the greater good, and the resources and influence they wield, is of unique and of unprecedented value.
The problem with the reality of celebrity influence is that most celebrities’ participation in charitable giving and activism is done in a relatively ad hoc fashion. Some engage deeply with issues or participate in sophisticated networks around issues. But most simply support and even launch causes that compel them personally, respond to others’ calls for support on issues, and post content on their powerful platforms in ways they are seemingly rather spontaneously moved to speak to. The world could benefit greatly from more celebrities taking more intentional approaches to their individual and collective power – to better shape their actions, improve their impact, and to avoid missteps and causing harm.
Some universal guidelines derived from history and lessons learned from the field can serve as a starting point for celebrity philanthropists, activists, and influencers to shape their important contributions for the greater good (and, many of the themes and concepts included are relevant on a smaller scale for every day givers and activists):
- Start with authentic personal interests — it is best and most feasible to invest time and effort, and sustain efforts and influence, when there is a genuine passion for and connection to the issues chosen. This element also depends upon and acknowledges a notion of network theory: everyone does not need to work on everything. And in fact, if everyone tries to keep up with all of the issues, efforts and understanding may be diluted, or even problematic. Individual celebrities can select discrete issues that they will focus their efforts upon, and branch out from their core investments of time and energy when an intersection with adjacent causes or initiatives emerges. Through a webbing of many focused and issue-driven efforts of individuals and groups, an ecosystem of positive change is built by change agents knowledgeable about and committed to specific issues.
- On chosen issues, engage with and continuously learn from experts, defined broadly, who are closest to and most impacted by the identified issues. It’s impossible to expect individual celebrities who are making movies, going on world tours, or training and performing as world-class athletes, to be experts in the issues they support. Best results will come from a more integrated relationship with, and a deference to the expertise of individuals and organizations actually working on or living with the issues on a daily basis. Respect the complexity of philanthropic work and social change, and get input from those who can provide advice and support on giving strategies, appropriate and effective messaging, and advocacy. Avoid the temptation to make performative statements about issues or to speak on issues before really self-educating. Listen a lot before crafting a plan or message, or taking action, and know what the purpose is. Become a committed student of the issue, staying connected to experts, organizations, and the information sources they recommend. Continuously leverage celebrity visibility, platforms, and resources to lift up and drive support to the other type of “stars” (those doing the work and making change on the ground, and who really know the issues best).
- Structure philanthropy and advocacy in context, based on the ultimate impact desired. Create a plan which takes into account existing efforts, and carefully taking into account various options for methods and modes of support and influence that are available, to determine what your optimal and complementary contributions should be. Such a plan can leverage traditional charitable giving; use of media platforms and influence to raise awareness about and advocate for issues, and to encourage others to take action; use of endorsements to amplify existing efforts; investment in social enterprises; and launching new initiatives only if there is a gap to be filled. Building on the connections with experts referenced in #2, pursue collaborations, and consider sustaining support of organizations. Consider trust-based philanthropy approaches which center those with the most experience with the issues, and offer flexibility and sustained funding to support their work.
- Investigate thoroughly potential unintended consequences or harms that could be caused by proposed actions. Take into account the ways that polarization and vitriol can detract from civic efforts for the greater good. Continually interrogate if the voices of those most impacted by the issue have been heard and carefully considered in any and all actions taken.
- Identify the root causes that should be called out or advocated for alongside immediate relief or support which may alleviate the most acute consequences and symptoms. Include planned advocacy to address root causes in action plans. Rely on experts in the field to identify the root cause issues and advocacy strategy.
- Monitor and evaluate the impact and efficacy of efforts, to the extent possible, seeking outside expertise when needed, continuously adjusting in a dynamic world.
- Allow the work to be generative and dynamic, creating more champions, and encouraging iteration, flexibility, adjustment, and responsiveness. The world is a rapidly changing place and everyone doing work for the greater good needs to continually reflect and stay flexible about the way causes, issues, and context may shift. Recognize and nurture connections with others working on the same and adjacent issues; identify synergies and potential for collaboration.
It’s a critical moment for celebrities to better deploy their important and powerful influence for the greater good in these pressing times– and for all of us to ask that they do so. Modern celebrities hold a disproportionate amount of wealth, visibility, and influence in our society, and can have more significant impact than their predecessors. They also arguably can have a better collective influence than “traditional” philanthropists, whose historic legacy has been tarnished by antithetical motivation to address root causes and inequities, and a lack of deference to those closest to the issues. The class of “celebrity influencers” is growing to include not only pop stars and professional sports heroes, but also local celebrities, Tik Tok and YouTube influencers, and name-and-likeness college athletes, in turn reaching an increasingly broad range of followers and fans. This powerful collective force is already being deployed to have a massive influence on our world, but it can and must be deployed more effectively. We already expect celebrities to respond to issues, and ask that they use their expansive platforms and resources for various causes, but now we need to expect them to do so well, truly embracing their potential to help nudge us towards a greater good. Such a shift in expectations can lead to more responsible, thoughtful, intentional, and effective approaches to their giving and influence. If we as the general public, and celebrities themselves, don’t expect more, the vast potential for their special collective impact could be left unrealized or misdirected – at a time when it is most needed.