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Melinda Gates wants to see more women in power and she's pledging $1 billion to make it happen

Melinda Gates wants to see more women in power and she's pledging $1 billion to make it happen

The gender gap is so wide, you could probably fall into it. Women make, on average, 77% of what their male counterparts make. Only 24 S&P 500 companies are run by women, and when Forbes came out with their list of the top 100 innovators this September, a whopping total of one woman made the list. Barbara Rentler, the CEO of Ross Stores, got the honor. But the gender gap, oddly enough, extends into our efforts to fix the gender gap. In an op-ed for Time, Melinda Gates highlighted the inequality in how much we're spending to address women's issues. She also pledged to put $1 billion over the next 10 years towards creating gender equality. "I believe that women's potential is worth investing in—and the people and organizations working to improve women's lives are, too," she wrote in Time.

It turns out, projects that support women receive less funding than other projects. "Data from Candid's Foundation Directory Online suggests that private donors give $9.27 to higher education and $4.85 to the arts for every $1 they give to women's issues," wrote Gates. First we make less, now this?


Debates over reproductive issues have been getting a lot of ink. Other issues not so much. "90 cents of each dollar donors spend on women is going to reproductive health. As absolutely essential as reproductive health is, we also need to fund other unmet needs," notes Gates. In other words, programs that support abortion rights are more likely to receive funding than programs that support women in STEM. Our intellectual endeavors deserve the same amount of support as our reproductive ones.

RELATED: Watch Michelle Williams' positive, impassioned Emmy speech on women and equal pay

The gender gap is closing slowly, and the lack of financial support many initiatives receive might be a reason why. In the Harvard Business Review, Gates pointed out that the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index found that, at the rate we're going, the gender inequality gap won't close in the U.S. for 208 years. In comparison, it will take 74 years to close in England, and 51 years to close in Canada. We've got some catching up to do.

Gates delineated a three-part plan to tackle the issues holding women back. "First, dismantling the barriers to women's professional advancement," she wrote. "Second, fast-tracking women in sectors with outsized impact on our society—like technology, media, and public office." Last but not least, "Third, mobilizing shareholders, consumers, and employees to amplify external pressure on companies and organizations in need of reform."

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Gates' $1 billion will go towards funding and growing female-focused programs through Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation firm founded by Gates in 2015. According to Gates herself, Pivotal Ventures "works to drive social progress for women and families in the United States." The specific initiatives will be announced later.

Gates and her husband, Bill, have a collective net worth of $107 billion. She was named "the most powerful woman in philanthropy" by Forbes because of her work as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Women's initiatives deserve to be taken seriously as other initiatives. Here's to closing the gender gap in every which way it exists.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

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A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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