Melinda French Gates on LinkedIn: After a difficult few years of watching women’s rights rolled back in the… | 205 comments (2024)

Today, I’m excited to share more about the next chapter of my philanthropy.

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In an interview from earlier this spring, Brian Sozzi of Yahoo Finance asked me about the core values that guide my work. My answer, which can be traced back to what my parents and teachers taught me as a kid, is that I believe we’re all here to lift up those around us. Ultimately, I want everyone—especially those who have been left behind or excluded—to have the resources and opportunities they need to live the life they want. Listen to the full interview:

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“All I want is for girls to live in an equal and safe society…is that too much to ask?” I love this sentiment from Memory Banda, an activist I met in Malawi last year who’s leading heroic efforts to prevent child marriage. Learn more about her inspiring work to ensure every girl, everywhere, is free to live the life of her dreams.

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Today’s Annual Meeting at the will be a meaningful one for me.I’m looking forward to celebrating my colleagues, applauding their important work, and letting them know how much these last nearly 25 years have meant to me.

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Building women’s political power not only strengthens democracy; it’s good for business, too. Thank you, Leadership Now Project, for inviting me to talk about the important role women play—as voters, candidates, and elected officials—in making our government more representative of the people it serves.

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I couldn’t be more inspired by Break Through Tech’s efforts to help computing students from underrepresented backgrounds jumpstart their careers in tech. Their AI program is such a powerful example of what’s possible when young people have opportunities to explore their interests, learn new skills, and get hands-on experience. I’m proud to support their work through Pivotal Ventures.

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After careful thought and reflection, I have decided to resign from my role as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. My last day of work at the foundation will be June 7th.This is not a decision I came to lightly. I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world. I care deeply about the foundation team, our partners around the world, and everyone who is touched by its work.I am taking this step with full confidence that the foundation is in strong shape, with its extremely capable CEO Mark Suzman, the Executive Leadership Team, and an experienced board of trustees in place to ensure all its important work continues. The time is right for me to move forward into the next chapter of my philanthropy.This is a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world—and those fighting to protect and advance equality are in urgent need of support. Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families. I’ll be sharing more about what that will look like in the near future.

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For far too long, women and people of color in the United States have been forced to navigate systems that weren’t built with them in mind. This not only holds them back—it holds our entire country back from the progress we’re capable of.I founded Pivotal Ventures in 2015 to get more power in the hands of more people, especially women, by removing the barriers that stand in their way. Ultimately, I want to see more women of all backgrounds in positions where they can make decisions, control resources, and shape policies and perspectives in every sector of society. They belong there, and we need them there. Learn more about Pivotal Ventures’ work: PivotalVentures.org

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This The Seattle Times story is yet another heartbreaking reminder of why #CareCantWait. Parents shouldn’t be forced to give up their jobs, go into debt, or sit on months-long waitlists in order to give their kids the care they need. Our country must do more to address this crisis so that all parents have affordable, timely child care options.

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