Sherri Silver is a choreographer, actress and philanthropist hailing from Rwanda.
She is best known for her appearance in Childish Gambino’s viral politically charged music video for This is America which she also choreographed.
The culturally seismic video won the ‘Best Choreography’ category at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards and most recently at the 2019 Grammy Awards.
However, this creative visionary’s journey started way before the video’s release.
Before she had the attention of millions, Silver, who was educated in the UK, got her start recording dance videos on her phone and uploading them to Youtube. She used her platform — which now has over half a million subscribers — to create a sustainable dance career while providing opportunities for her community.
In 2017, she paid for 200 Rwandan citizens’ healthcare, and she regularly hosts large community events and then donates the proceeds to various causes. On her own, she rents out a home in Rwanda to shelter displaced and disadvantaged children, and she has also started several professional development programs for under-served women.
Now even though she is renowned worldwide, Silver still teaches dance classes, travelling the world and bringing African Dance to the public.
Now a huge name in the industry, Silver has also worked with the likes of Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Burna Boy, Cardi B, Nikki Minaj and more.
In February 2019, Silver became a UN IFAD advocate for rural youth.
In this role, Silver will use her global platform to meet and connect with youth around the world and help campaign for the importance of reaching young people through investing in agriculture and rural communities.
“Youth unemployment will be the defining challenge of this era alongside climate change, and I am committed to helping the UN as an IFAD Advocate for Rural Youth to do everything I can to provide a better future for young people everywhere,” Silver said. “They need jobs and opportunities in agriculture to help feed a growing population while also building a safe and prosperous future right where they live.”
Silver added that “the only way we are going to solve complex challenges like ending extreme poverty, hunger and forced migration is by calling on governments to invest in a different way of going about development. Young people want to build a better world, but they can’t do it alone.”
Tags: Africa, community, dance
Latest Tweets
Tweets by TwitterDev