Melinda French Gates on disrupting society with new philanthropic focus, finding her voice

Melinda French Gates says her recent departure from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was an “evolution” and not a sudden move. After years of careful planning and trust in the foundation’s leadership and its CEO, Mark Suzman, the 59-year-old philanthropist felt the institution was in a great place, allowing it to take a step forward.

“This feels like the right time,” she said.

Founded in 2000, the Gates Foundation has focused on addressing global challenges such as poverty, disease and inequality. Her years of nonprofit experience showed French Gates firsthand the impact of empowering women and girls and led her to create Pivotal Ventures in Seattle in 2015.

Through Pivotal Ventures, which now has an all-charitable arm, French Gates will distribute new grants as part of his funding efforts, bolstered by the $12.5 billion he received from Bill Gates following his departure from the Gates Foundation.

“What we’re trying to do is create social change with Pivotal Ventures, you know?” she said. “Those crucial moments when you need to intervene or create change.”

The first US$ 1 billion dollars will be used to support organizations in the United States that focus on safeguarding women’s rights and increasing their influence and power. Beneficiaries include the National Women’s Law Center, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the Center for Reproductive Rights.

At Pivotal Ventures, French Gates says he will have greater flexibility and full control over fund allocation – a step towards revolutionizing philanthropy and changing the conversation around women’s rights to also include ensuring the well-being of men and boys .

“I’m trying to disrupt society. I’m trying to change social norms,” French Gates said.

She is supporting this effort by donating to research groups like the “American Institute for Boys and Men.” French Gates said he believes that having good men and boys in society is beneficial as they can be excellent partners for women and help support their advancement.

This weekend, French Gates addressed a group of college students, including his daughter Phoebe, at Stanford University. She spoke about being an advocate for women and girls, a journey that began in 2012 when she realized she had lost the confidence she once had.

When asked why she thought she had lost her voice, French Gates admitted that she didn’t know that others saw her as smart and talented. She explained that entering the job market can be challenging for young women who “face 10,000 paper cuts.”

“They told you that you’re not enough, that you don’t know enough. Someone speaks for you. Someone speaks for you,” she said, adding that while working alongside a strong, outspoken partner, she gradually lost some of her trust. .

‘I just, you know, became less myself and didn’t like myself. And I wanted to be more myself and really dedicate myself to the work that I was seeing and knew — I knew needed to be happening in the world,” French Gates said.

French Gates also spoke with “CBS Mornings” co-host Gayle King about the rise in her political giving, which she said is partly influenced by her children and driven by her belief in the importance of women’s rights in the US.

She said her son Rory “definitely thinks a lot about politics” and pushes her politically. Her oldest daughter, Jennifer, is in medical school and recently returned from Kenya, providing insight into the African country’s needs. And her youngest daughter, Phoebe, engages her in discussions about reproductive rights.

“We have absolutely seen a reversal in the last two years,” she said. “And we’re not seeing good progress on maternal mortality in this country. We’re not seeing good progress on women’s well-being. So I’m stepping up my political giving along with my charity, because I think we can move things like additional paid family sick leave if I’m doing both.”

She encourages women to make their voices heard at the polls, emphasizing their impact on elections. Although she has voted for both Republicans and Democrats in the past, she has made it clear that she will not support former President Donald Trump in the upcoming election and plans to vote for President Biden.

Amid all of his philanthropic work, French Gates said he is also embracing uncertainty, especially after their divorce. She said with the help of family, good friends and a therapist, she healed and came out the other side. She maintains a “friendly” relationship with her ex-husband Bill Gates and awaits her 60th birthday with a sense of vitality, optimism and overall happiness.

“I feel fantastic. Yes, some things hurt a little more when I go for a run or play pickleball. But I still have all my vitality. And I have, I hope, a body of wisdom that I can carry forward,” she said. “I’m just happy.”