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Russell Simmons, like a lot of celebrities, doesn’t stick with one business venture, he branches out to do a little bit of everything. You’ll be able to see all the business Russell is apart of when his new show, ‘Running Russell Simmons,’ premieres on Oxygen, November 2 at 10/9c.

One of Russell’s main charitable focuses is Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. Russell, along with his brothers Danny Simmons and Joseph “Rev. Run” Simmons, founded Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation in 1995 to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant arts exposure and access to the arts as well as offering exhibition opportunities to underrepresented artists and artists of color.

Russell is also co-founded the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) with civil rights activist Dr. Benjamin Chavis. The mission of HSAN is to harness the cultural relevance of hip-hop music as a catalyst for education advocacy and other societal concerns fundamental to the well being of at-risk youth throughout the United States.

After starting Simmons Jewelry Company, Russell felt it was important that the diamon industry gave back to those countries where the diamonds are extracted.  The Diamond Empowerment Fund was founded in 2007 with the mission to raise money to support education initiatives that develop and empower economically disadvantaged people in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource.

Russell also spends a lot of time as the Chairman of the Board for The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding, which since 1989 has been dedicated to promoting racial harmony and strengthening inter-group relations.

There are more celebrities that put themselves second, and put their time and efforts for others first, we call them celebrity do gooders.

Check out more celebrities that go the extra mile for others on the next page!

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Angelina Jolie

While filming her movie Tomb Raider in Cambodia, Angelina Jolie became personally aware of worldwide humanitarian crises. She turned to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to learn more information.

Since then Angelina Jolie has been on many field missions around the world and met with refugees and internally displaced persons in more than 20 countries. In 2005 Angelina founded the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children, an organization that provides free legal-aid to asylum-seeking children with no legal representation.

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Kanye West

Kanye West, along with his late Mother, Donda West, founded the Kanye West Foundation. About The Kanye West Foundation. The mission of the Kanye West Foundation, is to help combat the severe dropout problem in schools across the United States by partnering with community organizations to provide under-served youth access to music production programs that will enable them to unleash their creative ability and reach their full potential.

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