Beyoncé’s foundation commits $500K to Black cowboys, Bill Picket Rodeo

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is not only highlighting Black cowboys and equestrian culture in her music, the superstar is is continuing to champion them through her foundation.
Most recently, the “Cowboy Carter” creator teamed up with the annual Bill Picket Rodeo and committed $500,000 in grants through her BeyGood foundation and its Black equestrian program, which supports programs that amplify Black cowboys, cowgirls and ranchers. ⁠
Started in 1984, the Bill Picket Rodeo, deemed the original African American touring rodeo association, “honors Black cowboys and cowgirls and their contributions to building the West,” according its website. Now in its 40th year, the invitation rodeo is considered the longest running Black rodeo in the U.S. and the leading event within Black equestrian culture.
The “BeyGood” foundation has been traveling alongside the rodeo, and some of those stops have included Atlanta and Los Angeles where the charity has awarded thousands in grants and programming.
Of course, the megastar released her highly acclaimed album on March 29 and has since made history and broken multiple records. Moreover, she put a huge spotlight on Black country artists and reinvigorated the conversation around Black artists and country music and its roots.
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Prior to sharing the album with the rest of the world, Beyoncé opened up about creating the five-year project and alluded to her 2016 performance at the CMA Awards.
In a post on Instagram, she wrote: “This album has been over five years in the making. It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive.”
“It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history,” she wrote. “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. Act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
And it’s clear that impact of “Cowboy Carter” is far bigger than music.
Follow Caché McClay, the USA TODAY Network’s Beyoncé Knowles-Carter reporter, on Instagram, TikTok and X as @cachemcclay.