Following the tragedy at his Astroworld Festival that left 10 people dead, Travis Scott has announced the launch of a new philanthropic effort he’s calling Project HEAL.

On Tuesday, after taking “the time and space to grieve” and “reflect,” the Houston rapper took to Instagram to share a lengthy message presenting the initiative.

“Over the past few months, I’ve been taking the time and space to grieve, reflect and do my part to heal my community,” Scott wrote. “Most importantly, I want to use my resources and platform moving forward toward actionable change. This will be a lifelong journey for me and my family.”

“While it’s easy for corporations and institutions to stay in the shadows, I feel as a leader in my community, I need to step up in times of need,” he continued. “My team and I created Project HEAL to take much-needed action toward supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be. I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever.”

Last November, chaos unfolded at Scott’s Astroworld festival in Houston, which led to the tragic deaths of 10 people and hundreds of injuries. Scott and Live Nation now face one giant lawsuit, comprising nearly 400 individually filed cases.

“Giving back and creating opportunities for the youth is something I’ve always done and will continue to do as long as I have the chance,” Scott shared. “This program will be a catalyst to real change and I can’t wait to introduce the rest of the technology and ideas we’ve been working on. See you all so soon.”

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— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) November 6, 2021

In partnership with the Cactus Jack Foundation, Project HEAL combines a variety of initiatives ranging from HBCU academic scholarships, free mental health resources, a creative design center and a first-ever, tech-driven solution to ensure the safety of concertgoers at large events.

In a news release shared with Blavity, Project HEAL is described as a “multi-tier, long-term series of community-focused philanthropy and investment efforts” dedicated to addressing challenges facing today’s youth, especially marginalized and at-risk communities.

The initiative, divided into four pillars, will first grant $1 million in pledged scholarships for seniors at Historically Black colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through the Waymon Webster Scholarship Fund. The fund aims to support 100 students “facing the last-minute challenge of financial adversity” graduate, offering $10,000 scholarships to seniors who have reached academic excellence, averaging a 3.5 GPA or higher.

“My grandfather was an educator who made a difference in thousands of young lives throughout his life,” Scott said in the release. “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.”

The scholarship is named after Waymon Webster, Scott’s grandfather, to honor his lifetime of dedication to academic excellence. Jordan Webster, Project Manager at the Cactus Jack Foundation’s HBCU Program, Howard University student and sister to Scott, further explained the significance of supporting HBCUs.

“I know personally how deeply important my grandfather’s academic legacy at HBCUs is to Travis and to my entire family – my twin brother Josh also attends an HBCU at Prairie View A&M University,” Webster said. “Travis creates hope and makes a real difference to 100 of our HBCU peers who will be able to graduate without going into crushing debt. As a third-generation HBCU student, I cannot be prouder to partner with Travis on the second year of this exceptional initiative.”

Past recipients include Howard University, Texas Southern University, Grambling State University, Morehouse College and Prairie View A&M University—his grandfather’s alma mater, where he also served as an educator.

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Led by Houston-based behavioral health expert Dr. Janice Beal, the second pillar of HEAL addresses the mental health crisis affecting the youth throughout the country. The effort will provide free support programs with licensed professional counselors and social workers with seven figures in pledges to fund digital counseling and telephone hotlines.

“Mental health has traditionally been a taboo subject,” Dr. Beal said in the release. “As life begins to return to normal, many young people are still suffering and need help to re-adjust after serious disruptions to their experiences at home, in school and within their community. With Travis Scott’s help, HEAL’s programs will help empower young people to overcome mental health issues and become the best they can be.”

The third pillar is offered through Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation. According to the release, it focuses on expanding its CACT.US Youth Design Center at TXRX Labs in Houston, according to the release. The Center includes free studio space, workspace, tool spaces, job and apprenticeship training, youth education and events. Through a strategic online partnership with an HBCU, Project HEAL will finance a new creative design education program—”existing where fashion, art, technology and music intersect.”

The final pillar addresses safety challenges for large-scale live events—like Astroworld, Rolling Loud and Coachella—by funding the US Conference of Mayors Task Force on Event Safety and a tech-driven device currently in development. These new philanthropic efforts aim to independently and collectively solve challenges and overcome problems affecting the youth.

For more information, visit heal-project.org.

Project HEAL

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