All articles tagged with #mackenzie scott
MacKenzie Scott unveiled the latest entry in her third book, Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds), a self-published Substack dystopia that centers on a sex-crazed head of state; the project is planned to run about 320 pages and 80,000 words and follows her prior self-published works, underscoring her nontraditional publishing route and liberal philanthropic profile.
MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’ ex, is releasing her third novel as a Substack serialization called Last Days in Two Nations, a 320-page dystopian tale about a fascist United States ruled by two rival leaders—one a sex-obsessed president in the White House and the other a South Africa–raised surgeon—who navigate a divided nation; the work began Aug 8 with dense daily installments that subscribers can read for free, and early reception is mixed among critics while Scott’s philanthropic profile and Princeton-Toni Morrison connection are noted.
Elon Musk replied “Sadly, yes” when asked about Mackenzie Scott’s more than $26 billion in philanthropy, highlighting the ongoing debate over the impact of large unrestricted gifts. Scott’s Yield Giving has awarded billions to thousands of nonprofits, often focused on progressive causes, while Musk argues lasting impact comes from building transformative companies rather than philanthropy.
During a 2,000-mile road trip in 1994, Jeff Bezos drafted Amazon’s first business plan on a laptop in the passenger seat while MacKenzie Scott drove in a borrowed 1988 Chevy Blazer; after leaving D. E. Shaw, the couple settled in Seattle and launched Amazon in 1995 with books as the initial product. Scott helped with early operations, including bookkeeping and shipping contracts, as Bezos’s modest early sales predictions gave way to a global e-commerce and tech empire (including AWS). Bezos remained CEO until 2021, and Scott later became a prominent philanthropist using her Amazon wealth.
Elon Musk criticized MacKenzie Scott’s roughly $26 billion in charitable donations, saying they harm society and replying 'Sadly yes' to a post on X. The jab follows a history of similar comments; Scott, Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, has given about $26.2 billion through Yield Giving to around 2,700 nonprofits using a quiet research approach, with a major share of gifts in 2023.
MacKenzie Scott donated $59 million to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Jan. 30, continuing a sustained philanthropy that also included a $45 million gift to The Trevor Project earlier in January. The piece notes she gave $7.1 billion to nonprofits in 2025 and that, after her divorce, her net worth is about $32.5 billion, while Jeff Bezos’s is around $230.2 billion. The article also references a legal dispute involving Lauren Sánchez’s brother.
MacKenzie Scott donated $45 million to The Trevor Project, the largest single donation in the organization's 27-year history, to strengthen its crisis-services and long-term sustainability for LGBTQ+ youth facing elevated mental-health challenges amid political hostility; the gift follows previous large gifts and underscores Scott's ramped-up philanthropy.
MacKenzie Scott, a billionaire philanthropist and novelist, had a close mentorship relationship with Nobel laureate Toni Morrison during her time at Princeton, which influenced her career and philanthropic efforts. Scott has donated over $26 billion since 2019, including more than $1.2 billion to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), honoring Morrison's legacy. Morrison also played a key role in Scott's early writing and career development, and Scott continues to support HBCUs and arts education in her philanthropic work.
MacKenzie Scott has donated over $19 billion since 2020, primarily through her philanthropic platform Yield Giving, despite still holding significant Amazon shares that have increased her net worth to over $35 billion. Her donations focus on education, DEI, and disaster recovery, and she employs a unique, unrestricted giving style that empowers organizations to use funds flexibly. Her philanthropy stands out compared to Jeff Bezos, who has donated a smaller percentage of his wealth.
MacKenzie Scott has donated the largest gift ever to an HBCU, continuing her pattern of significant philanthropic contributions to historically Black colleges and universities.
MacKenzie Scott donated $40 million to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, doubling her previous support and emphasizing her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion amid ongoing challenges to DEI initiatives, and highlighting her significant role in funding Black cultural preservation.
MacKenzie Scott continues her strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through substantial, unrestricted donations to organizations supporting students of color, Native students, and HBCUs, totaling over $19 billion in recent years, with a focus on flexible, trust-based funding to scale access and institutional capacity.
MacKenzie Scott donated $70 million to UNCF to support historically Black colleges and universities, part of a broader $1 billion campaign to help close funding gaps for minority institutions. Her philanthropic efforts, characterized by large, unrestricted gifts, have totaled over $19 billion in recent years, making her one of the most significant modern donors.
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $70 million to the UNCF to support historically Black colleges and universities, aiming to raise $1 billion to strengthen all 37 HBCUs through endowment funding, highlighting her ongoing commitment to Black education and community empowerment.
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $70 million to the UNCF to help strengthen historically Black colleges and universities, part of a broader $1 billion fundraising effort to address funding disparities, with the donation aimed at establishing a $370 million endowment to support HBCUs financially for decades.