Natalie Portman vowed to match charity donations up to $100,000 as she celebrated her birthday on Tuesday (09.06.20).
The ‘Black Swan’ star turned 39 this week, and took to Instagram to make the gesture to match pledges to charity A New Way of Life, which provides formerly incarcerated women with a safe place to sleep and a chance to rebuild their lives.
She wrote: "For my birthday this year, I will be matching donations to Susan Burton’s @anewwayoflifela, up to $100k (for the next 24 hours). Link in bio to donate. I am in deepest gratitude for Susan’s work, which helps heal our broken world.
"Ever since I first read Susan Burton’s book Becoming Ms. Burton, I’ve been committed to supporting her organization A New Way of Life – which provides formerly incarcerated women with a safe place to sleep and a chance to rebuild their lives. The vast majority of these women have children and are victims of sexual or physical assault. Often, when they are released, they have no resources and the cycle of entrapment within the criminal justice system continues. While there are so many great organizations fighting for racial justice, @anewwayoflifela is Susan’s solution to ending mass incarceration and healing communities. Please join me today in supporting @anewwayoflifela if you’re able (sic)"
Her comments come after she voiced her support for the Defund The Police movement, after admitting she was initially apprehensive about the movement – which came amid calls for a new system of ensuring public safety in the US – because of her "white privilege".
She wrote: "When I first heard #defundthepolice, I have to admit my first reaction was fear. My whole life, police have made me feel safe. But that’s exactly the center of my white privilege. The police make me as a white woman feel safe, while my black friends, family and neighbors feel the opposite: police make them feel terror. And for good reason. Police are the 6th leading cause of death for black men in this country. These are not isolated incidents. They are patterns and part of the system of over-policing of black Americans. Reforms have not worked. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered, is one of the most progressive police forces in the country, having undergone extensive anti-bias training. (sic)"