MacKenzie Scott – the ex-wife of billionaire Jeff Bezos – said she was going to give the majority of her wealth back to society. And she’s doing just that. She recently donated millions to several historically black colleges and universities. She also coughed up almost two billion dollars in total to donate to several charities. More inside...
Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott - formerly known as MacKenzie Bezos - is paying it forward in a MAJOR way. And we mean MAJOR!
The 50-year-old walked away with almost $38 billion after her divorce from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The couple – who share four children - called it quits in 2019 and the divorce was finalized back in April.
Following up on the commitment I made last year to give away the majority of my wealth in my lifetime: https://t.co/Ocb8eU5UR1. (Note my Medium account is under my new last name -- changed back to middle name I grew up with, after my grandfather Scott.)
— MacKenzie Scott (@mackenziebezos) July 28, 2020
After the divorce, she made a commitment to give away the majority of her wealth in her lifetime and that’s exactly what she’s doing. She revealed in an article posted on Medium that she has donated $1.7 billion to various charities related to racial equity, climate change and public health.
”Like many, I watched the first half of 2020 with a mixture of heartbreak and horror,” she wrote. “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.
”What fills me with hope is the thought of what will come if each of us reflects on what we can offer. Opportunities that flowed from the mere chance of skin color, sexual orientation, gender, or zip code may have yielded resources that can be powerful levers for change. People troubled by recent events can make new connections between privileges they’ve enjoyed and benefits they’ve taken for granted. From there, many will choose to share some of what they have with people whose equal participation is essential to the construction of a better world,” she continued.
The novelist/philanthropist – who is the second-richest woman in the world - also made HUGE donations to several historically black colleges and universities, including Howard University. MacKenzie reportedly donated $40 million to Howard, making it the largest gift from a single donor in school’s history.
Howard University is pleased to announce a transformative gift from Author and Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott! https://t.co/SmhhnTbheJ pic.twitter.com/xAJq2rpLXT
— Howard University (@HowardU) July 28, 2020
Hampton didn’t reveal the amount, but HU President Dr. William R. Harvey said the university received the “largest, single gift in the school’s history from Ms. MacKenzie Scott.”
Tuskegee University received $20 million:
#TuskegeeUniversity received a $20 million gift from philanthropist, activist and author MacKenzie Scott. President Lily D. McNair said the unrestricted donation is the largest single gift in the university’s history. Read more here: https://t.co/GQ0S84Yuqn pic.twitter.com/LdwecPxRdB
— TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY (@TuskegeeUniv) July 28, 2020
Spelman College, Morehouse and Xavier University of Louisiana also received donations:
A magnanimous gift from MacKenzie Scott will bolster the College’s strategic outcomes designed to educate global leaders who graduate from Spelman with a competitive edge, prepared to become successful innovators and change agents. https://t.co/slngQINNHf pic.twitter.com/RO4ajuQARF
— Spelman College (@SpelmanCollege) July 29, 2020
We're honored to receive a $3M donation from MacKenzie Scott to push our efforts in leveling the playing field for girls of color in #STEM forward! @mackenziebezos your generosity will be instrumental in helping creating equitable futures for our youth! https://t.co/NeNAyqE1QP pic.twitter.com/KFHvbt8krx
— Black Girls CODE (@BlackGirlsCode) July 29, 2020
Ms. Scott donated to a total 116 organizations, which include Black Girls Code, Movement for Black Lives, Obama Foundation, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, United Negro College Fund, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and more.
"I gave each a contribution and encouraged them to spend it on whatever they believe best serves their efforts. Unless organization leadership requested otherwise, all commitments were paid up front and left unrestricted to provide them with maximum flexibility," she wrote.
She continued:
On this list, 91% of the racial equity organizations are run by leaders of color, 100% of the LGBTQ+ equity organizations are run by LGBTQ+ leaders, and 83% of the gender equity organizations are run by women, bringing lived experience to solutions for imbalanced social systems.
Here's the breakdown to her almost $2 billion donation:
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
We’re here for this type of philanthropy! Changing the playing field and closing the gap requires money, and Ms. Scott has stepped up to the plate tremendously. Thank you.
Ball's in your court, Jeff.
Photos: Eric Glenn/Shutterstock.com/Getty
source: theybf
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