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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMacKenzie Scott has already donated nearly $1.7 billion of her wealth since divorcing Jeff Bezos
(The Verge) Novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, whose ex-husband is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, announced on Tuesday that shes already donated close to $1.7 billion of her immense wealth in the past year. The causes and nonprofits she has so far chosen include those supporting racial, LGBTQ+, and gender equity, as well as those dedicated to combating climate change and improving public health and economic mobility, among others. Scott has a net worth of more than $60 billion, thanks to recent gains in Amazon stock.
The announcement, made as part of a Medium post under Scotts new name (taken from her middle name) following her divorce, comes after Scott last May signed The Giving Pledge. The campaign was launched in 2010 by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett to encourage the worlds wealthiest people to donate a majority of their wealth over their lifetimes. It currently has more than 200 signatories from nearly two dozen countries.
Last year I pledged to give the majority of my wealth back to the society that helped generate it, to do it thoughtfully, to get started soon, and to keep at it until the safe is empty. Theres no question in my mind that anyones personal wealth is the product of a collective effort, and of social structures which present opportunities to some people, and obstacles to countless others, Scott writes in her Medium post.
Like many, I watched the first half of 2020 with a mixture of heartbreak and horror. Life will never stop finding fresh ways to expose inequities in our systems; or waking us up to the fact that a civilization this imbalanced is not only unjust, but also unstable, she adds. What fills me with hope is the thought of what will come if each of us reflects on what we can offer.
Heres the breakdown of how Scott says shes donated money so far:
Total given to date:
Racial Equity: $ 586,700,000
LGBTQ+ Equity: $ 46,000,000
Gender Equity: $ 133,000,000
Economic Mobility: $ 399,500,000
Empathy & Bridging Divides: $ 55,000,000
Functional Democracy: $ 72,000,000
Public Health: $ 128,300,000
Global Development: $ 130,000,000
Climate Change: $ 125,000,000
(Read More) https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21345440/mackenzie-scott-jeff-bezos-amazon-wealth-donation-philanthropy
genxlib
(5,518 posts)I envy her. I bet that feels great to have that kind of impact.
Dream Girl
(5,111 posts)Disaffected
(4,544 posts)Now, how 'bout a couple of Bils or so more for climate change and environmental protection?
fierywoman
(7,662 posts)progressoid
(49,929 posts)AJT
(5,240 posts)they will ever get, $1,000,000 a piece. He has a trust that will give the rest of his money to charities when he dies.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)threat our country has ever faced? What are these people waiting for?
We need help now! Not in years from now, not when they die. Now! Before we are taken over by an authoritarian, fascist dictator who will destroy the nation who made them successful in the first place.
MFGsunny
(2,356 posts)iluvtennis
(19,822 posts)ProfessorGAC
(64,817 posts)That's very impressive.
Jakes Progress
(11,122 posts)Most of them don't get it.
Dem2theMax
(9,636 posts)I live on a very small fixed income, and I still find ways to donate when I can. I can't imagine having billions of dollars. But if I did, oh the fun I would have putting it to good works! I can't imagine doing anything better with money, than helping to improve the lives of other people, and the planet.
I will never be able to understand the mentality of people who think they have to have more and more and more money. Use it for good. How hard is it to figure out how to do that? Apparently very hard, for the likes of Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Etc.
drmeow
(5,011 posts)But because it doesn't take up room in their houses and because we value wealth, the mental illness aspect of it is not recognized. Gaining enormous wealth changes people's brains, too.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,558 posts)At least, who among us?
Honestly, I wouldn't even want anything like that kind of money, except for the opportunity to give it to places it will do the most good. Once it was gone - at least, down to a "reasonable" personal fortune level (say, $10M for the sake of argument - no sense in not living at least comfortably if you were once a multi-billionaire), I hope I would be able to sit back and be pleased with a job well done.
Dreams. *sigh*
TeamPooka
(24,201 posts)warmfeet
(3,321 posts)Well done MacKenzie!
AllaN01Bear
(17,937 posts)Mr.Bill
(24,228 posts)for a charitable organization. It was very rewarding, but what a lot of people don't realize is that doing it fairly and correctly entails a lot of work. Don't get me wrong, it was work I enjoyed doing, but it was work. Fortunately I had lots of help from some very good people.
DBoon
(22,336 posts)drmeow
(5,011 posts)But part of giving back to the society that created the wealth is paying more taxes since without DARPA she would have no wealth.