rinny's digital diary: Dolly Parton's Legacy

Hello readers,

Today we lost a legend. Dolly Parton, the beloved country music singer, actress, and philanthropist, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. She was 80.

Dolly Parton dazzled our radios, televisions, and hearts throughout her seven-decade-long career. Beyond her outstanding music career (which earned her 11 Grammys and more than 100 million records sold), she spent endless time and money giving back to those who need it. She was outspoken and fearless, and looked damn good while doing it.

Dolly's philanthropic work, to me, is one of the most admirable things about her. In 1988, she created the Dollywood Foundation, a non-profit to inspire the children in her home county to obtain educational success. In 1995, this foundation grew when it adopted Dolly's Imagination Library, where children ages 5 and under are gifted books once a month around the world. This foundation also offers five scholarships to students in her home county to attend any accredited university.

Dolly Parton was also a huge ally to the LGBTQIA+ community despite her strong Christian faith. In a 2017 interview with Larry King, she stated, "I keep saying: 'If you're the fine Christian that you think you are, why are you judging people? That's God's Job.'" Dolly followed this with, "We're supposed to love one another; we're supposed to not judge."

She was also very vocal about her support for the Black Lives Matter movement, endorsing the organization and removing Confederate implications from her businesses. In an interview with Billboard, she said, "Of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!" Iconic.

There is so much good in Dolly. If I wrote out every charity she donated to, everyone she stood up for when other people weren't, or how many people have said she was a "walking angel", I'd be here for days, and this entry would be incredibly long. As a little girl growing up in the South, I've always looked up to Dolly's beauty, wit, and her passion to help people. Dolly Parton, we will always love you. 🦋