Third Annual BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS Changemaker Announced

MRC and NBC TODAY announced that 14-year-old activist Mari Copeny, also known as Little Miss Flint, will be honored as the third annual BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS Changemaker at the "2022 Billboard Music Awards" (BBMAs).

Hosted by music mogul and global superstar Sean "DIDDY'' Combs, the evening will honor the year's top performing artists on the Billboard Charts in 62 categories across all genres of music. The BBMAs will broadcast live coast-to-coast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC and will stream live on Peacock.

The BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS Changemaker honor is given to pop culture figures that speak truth to power through their commitment to individual action and leadership. They are socially conscious, politically aware, ever-present in their community and charitable with time, crucial resources, and influence to improve the lives of others. Mari joins previous recipients which include Trae The Truth and Killer Mike.

"I'm excited to be honored by the BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS for my community efforts and commitment to highlight America's water issues," said Mari Copeny. "I'm hopeful that this inspires others to fight for what's right, even when no one else is looking."

Mari Copeny, most well known as "Little Miss Flint," first gained national attention in 2016 when, at the age of 8, the Los Angeles Times published a letter she wrote to President Obama challenging him to visit Flint, Michigan to experience the water crisis first-hand. The letter to the President prompted him to visit the city and survey the devastation for himself, which ultimately led to him approving $100 million dollars in relief for the city of Flint.

Her work in the community and successful crowdfunding campaigns have allowed her to raise more than $250k and distribute more than 1M bottles of water to Flint residents.

To date, she has raised more than $600,000 for her Flint Kids projects. These include giving out more than 17,000 backpacks stuffed with school supplies, hosting community movie screenings, and arranging annual holiday events to deliver thousands of toys, and countless other events centered around the kids in her community.

Mari partnered with water filter company Hydroviv to donate and distribute her very own high-capacity lead removal filters to families and child-centric organizations in Flint, every dollar raised for her filter provides the equivalent of 160 bottles of water, to date she has raised $627K for her filters and has shipped them out all over the US.

Mari was named to the U.S. Delegation to the 65th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, making her the youngest delegate ever selected.

Mari is also a Youth Ambassador to the Women's March on Washington, served as chairman of the board of directors for Kid Box in 2019, and is an active member of 18 x Eighteen, an initiative to get young people to vote once they turn 18. Mari is a member of the Michigan

Department of Education Student Anti-racism advisory board, and a member of the Flint Youth Justice League, an advisory board through Michigan State University to advise on issues related to the kids of Flint.

Outside of her work in activism and giving back, Mari is a varsity cheerleader and is competing for Miss Michigan Teen USA in a few weeks.

As previously announced, the "2022 Billboard Music Awards" will honor Mary J. Blige with the Icon Award. Blige, along with Burna Boy, Latto, Florence + The Machine, Maxwell, Megan Thee Stallion, Morgan Wallen, Rauw Alejandro, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Silk Sonic are set to perform. More information about the BBMAs including additional performers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more than 30 years, the BBMAs have celebrated music's greatest achievements, honoring the hottest names in music today. Unique among music awards shows, finalists are determined by performance on the Billboard Charts. Since 1940, the Billboard Charts have been the go-to guide for ranking the popularity of artists, songs, and albums, and are the ultimate measure of success in music.

This year's awards are based on the chart period of April 10, 2021 through March 26, 2022. "Billboard Music Awards'' finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, and touring, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Luminate.

The "2022 Billboard Music Awards" is produced by MRC Live & Alternative. Robert Deaton and Sean "Diddy" Combs are executive producers.

Photo Credit: Loui Brezzell

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