'Activist of the Year': Paul Walker's daughter Meadow honored as she continues father's charity work
Meadow Walker, the 23-year-old daughter of late actor Paul Walker has been named the 'Activist of the Year' by Pencils of Promise. She took to Instagram to share the news with her 3.7 million followers on Wednesday, August 31, 2022. The founder and president of the Paul Walker Foundation will receive the award at the PoP gala on October 30, 2022, at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City.
Walker, who had first collaborated with Pencils of Promise in 2020 is also their Global Ambassador. She is the only daughter of 'Fast and Furious' actor Paul Walker who passed away in 2013.
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Walker shared a post on her Instagram profile, revealing the news. The image features the date and location of the gala as well as a picture of herself with the words 'Activist Award' written below. Expressing her gratitude, she wrote, "So humbled and grateful to be receiving this year’s Activist Award from @pencilsofpromise. Thank you so much!"
Walker, who first founded and is also the president of The Paul Walker Foundation in 2015, aims to continue her father's charitable work through the organization. To this end, the foundation teamed up with Pencils of Promise in 2020 to build the Jasikan College of Education Demonstration Primary School in Ghana.
Incidentally, Walker had earlier revealed how her collaboration with the Pencils of Promise came about. In an interview with Forbes, she confessed that she had sent them a DM after which the partnership began. "I’d been spending a lot of time in Ghana, and I was inspired by work they’re doing there. Their access to education was so impressive to me," she said, adding, "So I actually DM’d them, which is kind of funny. They answered that day."
With the 'Activist of the Year' award, Walker will be joining the ranks of an extensive list of past honorees, including Justin Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Usher, John Legend, Lil Jon, Olivia Culpo, Wiz Khalifa, Trevor Noah, Malala Yousafzai, Tori Kelly and Jay Shetty.
Walker has since then been closely associated with the non-profit organization founded in 2008. Over the span of 14 years, the organization has built 554 schools across Laos, Guatemala and Ghana. During this year's gala, they will also be honoring Ricky and Lisa Novak with the Philanthropist Award.
According to the Daily Mail, the event will be hosted by Kailee Scales (CEO, Pencils of Promise), Adam Braun (Founder, Pencils of Promise), Scooter Braun (SB Projects) and Brad Haugen (Westbrook Media). In addition, the host committee comprises members like Gabe Bourgeois, Gary Vaynerchuk, Rob Hamwee, Ricky and Lisa Novak and Ralph and Nancy Casazzone.
Walker, in addition to her philanthropic acts, is also a model with DNA Models. In the fashion industry, she has walked the ramp for Givenchy and was also the face of Proenza Schouler - both brands she wore for her wedding with Louis Thornton-Allan.
An outspoken advocate of women's right to bodily autonomy, Walker had also teamed up with Soma Sara, who runs the anti-rape movement 'Everyone's Invited'. Earlier this year, she made the headlines in June, criticizing the overturn of Roe v Wade. "There are countless women who have struggled with making the decision to have an abortion," she said, adding that such a reversal marks "a huge setback in history" and is "a profound injustice to women across the United States." The 23-year-old revealed that she had also undergone an abortion in 2020.