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IOL News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Navigating change: Insights from Melinda French Gates' The Next Day
The divorce, especially, was a raw, vulnerable chapter marked by sleepless nights and emotional upheaval. Yet, through that darkness, she discovered a surprising sense of freedom. This renewal marked a pivotal moment in her journey—proof that the end of one chapter often makes way for a truer one to begin. From there, the narrative moves into the profound changes Melinda faced: her divorce after nearly three decades of marriage and her decision to step away from the Gates Foundation. These aren't just headlines or public milestones. They are seismic shifts in identity and purpose. She writes candidly about the pain, fear and uncertainty that accompanied these transitions. What struck me first was Melinda's tender reflection on her relationship with her father. She honours him as a steadfast advocate—kind, generous, always pushing to improve—much like Malala Yousafzai's father, who fiercely supported his daughter's courage. This tribute hit home for me, stirring memories of my own dad, now gone, whose gentle support and unwavering belief shaped who I am. Fathers like these are rare gifts, our first champions in a world that doesn't always listen to daughters. Melinda's acknowledgment of that love and advocacy sets a deeply human tone for the entire book. When I read The Next Day, it felt like sitting down with a close friend who's been through the storm and come out the other side with quiet strength and a heart wide open. The Role of Relationships Leaving the foundation was another bold step, choosing to redefine her philanthropic journey on her own terms, focusing more deeply on women's empowerment through Pivotal Ventures. What I found especially inspiring was how Melinda leans into relationships as lifelines during these upheavals. Her friendship with John Neilson, a dear colleague and family friend, is woven throughout the book with warmth and sorrow. John's battle with cancer while Melinda was pregnant with her son Rory, whom she named in his honour, captures the bittersweet interplay between loss and new beginnings. It reminded me how change is never just about endings or beginnings, but the messy, beautiful overlap of both. Lessons in Vulnerability Melinda also speaks to the power of women's groups and friendships—those circles of empathy and strength that buoy us when life feels unsteady. Reading The Next Day brought to mind Brené Brown's Daring Greatly, which teaches us that vulnerability is not weakness but the birthplace of courage and connection. Melinda embodies this truth, showing us how to meet uncertainty with openness rather than resistance. At the same time, Brianna Wiest's The Mountain Is You echoes in the background, reminding us that the hardest climbs are often within ourselves, and transforming self-sabotage is the key to growth. Together, these voices create a chorus of resilience, courage and hope. Melinda writes, 'Change doesn't demand perfection; it asks only for courage to begin again, one small step at a time.' This simple truth pulses throughout the book, reminding us that the next day is always waiting—an invitation to meet life with openness, kindness and hope. She shows us that vulnerability is not a crack in our armour but the light that guides us through the unknown, and that the quiet strength of those who believe in us—like fathers, friends and ourselves—becomes the foundation for every new beginning. Conclusion: A Companion for the Journey The Next Day is a warm, honest companion for anyone facing change, loss or uncertainty. Melinda French Gates reminds us that every ending holds the seed of a new beginning, and that with courage, connection and compassion, we can meet each next day ready to grow. This book isn't just about moving forward. It's about learning to begin again, wherever you are * The Next Day by Melinda French Gates can be obtained at Exclusive Books.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Political tension and fears of violence may have depressed voter turnout in 2024
Women and gender-nonconforming people were more likely than men to fear violence and harassment while voting in the 2024 election, and those who expressed concerns about safety were more likely not to vote at all, new research shows. The study, released Monday and shared first with The 19th, was conducted by States United Democracy Center, a nonpartisan organization focused on promoting fair and secure elections and upholding the rule of law, in partnership with Pivotal Ventures, a fund focused on social impact backed by Melinda French Gates. Pivotal Ventures is also a funder of The 19th. 'Tens of millions of Americans ultimately cast their ballots in 2024 without incident,' the report said. 'But voting was not straightforward and safe for all Americans. Many were harassed, and a limited number were subjected to physical violence.' The study found that the 2024 election was, as a whole, safe, fair and securely conducted, with voters overwhelmingly reporting feeling safe at the polls and confident in the safety and security of the election. But rising incidents of political violence, heightened political polarization and gender-based harassment had a measurable impact on how women and gender-noncomforming people especially viewed the safety of voting in the 2024 election — and whether they turned out to vote at all, the study says. Researchers surveyed voters before and after the 2024 election in partnership with research data and analytics group YouGov and held a series of seven focus groups before the election — with three groups of White women, three groups of women of color and one made up of gender-nonconforming voters. They also fielded surveys of state lawmakers, election administrators and law enforcement officials in partnership with the nonprofit CivicPulse. The study is also one of the first of its kind to study the voting experiences of gender-nonconforming voters, who are subject to gender-based discrimination and harassment at the polls. Women, people of color and gender-nonconforming people were more likely to have perceived the election environment as being unsafe, reported experiencing higher rates of voting-related harassment and were more likely to take precautionary measures when going to the polls. The study also compared pre-election survey responses to voting records and found that higher expectations of experiencing violence or harassment at the polls was correlated with lower voting rates. 'Concerns about violence or harassment depressed turnout, likely turning millions of voters into non-voters,' the report said. The pre-election survey, conducted September 23 to 30, 2024, surveyed 4,016 American adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 points. The post-election survey, conducted November 7 to 19, surveyed a separate group of 4,017 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6 points. The researchers asked a series of questions to identify gender-nonconforming respondents in its surveys with YouGov, resulting in a sample of 81 gender-nonconforming voters in the pre-election survey and 103 in the post-election survey. To measure fears of harassment and violence, researchers asked respondents how likely they thought it was to experience events ranging from verbal or written harassment to property damage and acts of physical violence. While all gender groups provided average responses of 'somewhat unlikely' across all five, gender-nonconforming respondents had a higher expected likelihood of harassment or violence. Overall, 91 percent of men, 89 percent of women and 73 percent of gender-nonconforming respondents said in the post-election survey that they felt safe voting. But respondents' perceptions and feelings of safety varied by race among women and gender-nonconforming people. In the post-election survey, 92 percent of White respondents said they felt completely or mostly safe voting, compared with 85 percent of Black voters and 84 percent of Hispanic voters. In pre-election surveys, women and voters of color were more likely than men and White respondents to view voting as unsafe and to say they were taking precautions as a result. Among women, the most common safety precaution respondents said they were likely to take was not bringing their children to the polls (32 percent), while the most common safety precaution for gender-nonconforming people was not interacting with others at the polls (46 percent). About a quarter of women and gender-nonconforming respondents said they were likely to vote by mail. Several women voters in focus groups cited the potential of gun violence as a concern. 'I don't go to the polls, because you never know what you will encounter there,' said a White independent woman voter who participated in one of the focus groups. 'It seems like everybody in Arizona has a gun. We vote by mail, because it's safer. Everybody has an opinion; you get in line, and you hear it all. You never know, if they don't agree with you, they'll shoot you. People are crazy.' Others spoke to the heightened political climate and general political tensions around the election as a reason they feared threats, harassment and even heated conversations in line. 'I go early, or late, when I won't run into anybody I know, and there won't be any conversation,' said a Black Republican woman focus group participant. 'I don't want to deal with the emotional, 'Who did you vote for?' And me saying, 'I don't want to discuss it.' So there are no issues, fighting, cussing, yelling. Save my peace of mind.' Voters who feared violence and harassment at higher levels were less likely to vote, researchers found by comparing survey responses to verified voting records. When controlling for turnout differences based on demographic considerations, the study still found an average three percentage point decline in the likelihood of voting. 'For context, differences in voter behavior based on education level, one of the strongest predictors of turnout, are only half as large as differences explained by expectations of violence or harassment,' the report said. 'Put another way, generalizing our results to the nationwide electorate, roughly 6 million Americans may have decided not to vote in 2024 because of concerns about violence or harassment.' Gender-nonconforming voters face particularly unique challenges and barriers when it comes to voting. A rise in anti-transgender political rhetoric from the right has been accompanied by a slew of laws targeting transgender people in Republican-controlled states. Some of these laws have sought to create strict definitions of gender and bar transgender individuals from changing the sex listed on their official identification to align with their gender identity. In states that require voters to show photo identification at the polls, that could open up transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals to scrutiny and potential harassment. In the pre-election survey, a third of gender-nonconforming voters said they were likely to dress differently at the polls. 'I've been a registered voter for decades. When I attempted to vote last time, they had a hard time 'finding' my registration,' said a gender-nonconforming Black independent who participated in a focus group. 'I could tell I was being judged. The attitude of the person looking at your information to give you the voting packet can be intimidating. My documents have been submitted, I have my ID, what's the problem? I felt there was judgment as far as was my information correct or was it fraudulent.' In the post-election survey, over half of gender-nonconforming respondents said they took at least one safety precaution when voting, compared with about a third of men and women who said they took at least one precaution. Thirteen percent of gender-nonconforming respondents reported experiencing verbal harassment, intimidation and threats compared to 5.2 percent of men and 4.8 percent of women. In all, 18 percent of gender-nonconforming voters reported experiencing violence or harassment during the 2024 election season. 'I am obviously queer when you look at me, and I've been harassed for it,' said another focus group participant, an Asian-American Democratic voter. 'Depending on how I do my hair or what I wear [on election] day, it's a higher chance I'll get harassed. If I was girly, I would be afraid someone could see through that and do me harm.' The post Political tension and fears of violence may have depressed voter turnout in 2024 appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
CBS News
08-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Melinda French Gates reflects on her work with foundation as Bill Gates announces 2045 closure
Melinda French Gates entered some of the most powerful circles while leading the foundation she co-founded with her ex-husband, Bill Gates, who announced on Thursday that it will close "permanently" at the end of 2045. French Gates, who studied computer science and worked at Microsoft, the company Gates created, exited the Gates Foundation last year to pursue philanthropy and investment through her own organization, Pivotal Ventures, which she started in 2015. The foundation changed its name from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation after her departure, which she previously described an "evolution" rather than a sudden move. French Gates offered written responses to The Associated Press' questions about the foundation's 25th anniversary and its decision to close in 20 years. She said the former couple had always intended to spend down their resources. "Ultimately, though," she wrote, "the timeline was Bill's decision to make with the board of trustees." Bill Gates says he will give away virtually all of his wealth over the next 20 years through the foundation, telling "CBS Mornings" that he hopes to live long enough to see some of the positive ways it has helped communities. The foundation has focused on tackling global challenges, including poverty, disease and inequity. The following responses from French Gates have been edited for length. Q: What do you hope the foundation's legacy will be? A: To me, the greatest measure of success would be if long after the foundation closed, someone, somewhere, was living a life that looked different because we existed. We talked a lot there about unlocking virtuous cycles. I like to think that right now, the foundation's work is contributing to a child getting a vaccine or a woman opening her first bank account — and that decades from now, their families and communities are going to continue to look different, because of what that child and that woman unlocked for the people around them. Q: What specific areas did you influence at the foundation? A: I was excited for us to launch the Giving Pledge because I believe that the most responsible thing to do with great wealth is give it away — and that you have an obligation to society to give it away as effectively as possible. I think it's important for people in that position to set norms around giving generously and to learn as much as possible from each other about how to be effective in their philanthropy. (As for gender), for too long, global health and development efforts treated women and girls as secondary — if they were considered at all. Data wasn't collected on their experiences. Their specific health needs were often ignored. There were so many questions that needed to be asked: What is the cost of all the unpaid labor women do at home? Will mobile banking make a difference if women don't have equal access to cellphones? Why are so many infectious diseases especially dangerous for women? We opened a gender equality division, but not just that — we made gender equality a priority across all of our work. And we put a lot of resources into expanding access to contraception, starting with a big commitment we made in 2012. Q: Why did you invest in opening more offices in other countries? A: When you're doing this kind of work, it doesn't take long to see that solutions that seem great on paper may not work in reality. We funded community toilets in India that people — especially women —wouldn't use because they were dangerous to go to at night. We funded vaccines in Vietnam that had to be kept cold, but came in packaging that didn't fit into the small refrigerators most people had there. We funded a simple pump to help East African farmers irrigate their land, but women — who account for half of all smallholder farmers — wouldn't buy it, because they didn't want to be seen swaying their hips in the way the pump required. There are many ways to learn about the cultural norms and logistical issues that determine whether a solution is feasible — and they all boil down to engaging people with local knowledge and lived experience, and trusting what they tell you. Q: Some foundation goals — like eradicating polio and controlling malaria — depend on the generosity of other countries and donors. How can you accomplish those goals given recent cuts to international aid? A: It's easy for people to forget — or maybe they didn't ever know — how hopeless the situation seemed around the year 2000, when malaria, tuberculosis and HIV were totally out of control. Since then, efforts funded, in large part, by development aid have saved more than 65 million lives from those diseases alone. No doubt the work has just gotten a lot harder, but we never thought it was going to be easy. And we still have the key ingredients of success. The pipeline of innovations has never been stronger. More lower-income countries are taking a leading role. As some donors announce cuts, others are stepping up. ____ The Associated Press receives financial support for news coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation and for news coverage of women in the workforce and in statehouses from Melinda French Gates' organization, Pivotal Ventures.
08-05-2025
- Business
Melinda French Gates reflects on legacy of Gates Foundation as it announces it will close in 2045
Melinda French Gates entered some of the most powerful circles while leading the foundation she co-founded with her ex-husband, Bill Gates. She petitioned heads of state and convened other billionaires. Along with Gates, she won the trust of one of America's most admired investors, Warren Buffett, who has given more than $43 billion to the former couple's foundation. French Gates, who studied computer science and worked at Microsoft, the company Gates created, exited the Gates Foundation last year to pursue philanthropy and investment through her own organization, Pivotal Ventures, which she started in 2015. The foundation changed its name from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after her departure. At an ELLE Women of Impact event in New York in April, which also launched her new memoir, French Gates said she left, in part, to respond to the U.S. rollback of women's rights. 'I thought, I want to be much more nimble than this, and I want to be able to set the agenda by myself without having to ask anybody else, and do it with my partners,' she said. French Gates offered written responses to The Associated Press' questions about the foundation's 25th anniversary and its decision to close in 2045. She said the former couple had always intended to spend down their resources. 'Ultimately, though," she wrote, 'the timeline was Bill's decision to make with the board of trustees.' The following responses have been edited for length. A: To me, the greatest measure of success would be if long after the foundation closed, someone, somewhere, was living a life that looked different because we existed. We talked a lot there about unlocking virtuous cycles. I like to think that right now, the foundation's work is contributing to a child getting a vaccine or a woman opening her first bank account — and that decades from now, their families and communities are going to continue to look different, because of what that child and that woman unlocked for the people around them. A: I was excited for us to launch the Giving Pledge because I believe that the most responsible thing to do with great wealth is give it away — and that you have an obligation to society to give it away as effectively as possible. I think it's important for people in that position to set norms around giving generously and to learn as much as possible from each other about how to be effective in their philanthropy. (As for gender), for too long, global health and development efforts treated women and girls as secondary — if they were considered at all. Data wasn't collected on their experiences. Their specific health needs were often ignored. There were so many questions that needed to be asked: What is the cost of all the unpaid labor women do at home? Will mobile banking make a difference if women don't have equal access to cellphones? Why are so many infectious diseases especially dangerous for women? We opened a gender equality division, but not just that — we made gender equality a priority across all of our work. And we put a lot of resources into expanding access to contraception, starting with a big commitment we made in 2012. A: When you're doing this kind of work, it doesn't take long to see that solutions that seem great on paper may not work in reality. We funded community toilets in India that people — especially women —wouldn't use because they were dangerous to go to at night. We funded vaccines in Vietnam that had to be kept cold, but came in packaging that didn't fit into the small refrigerators most people had there. We funded a simple pump to help East African farmers irrigate their land, but women — who account for half of all smallholder farmers — wouldn't buy it, because they didn't want to be seen swaying their hips in the way the pump required. There are many ways to learn about the cultural norms and logistical issues that determine whether a solution is feasible — and they all boil down to engaging people with local knowledge and lived experience, and trusting what they tell you. A: It's easy for people to forget — or maybe they didn't ever know — how hopeless the situation seemed around the year 2000, when malaria, tuberculosis and HIV were totally out of control. Since then, efforts funded, in large part, by development aid have saved more than 65 million lives from those diseases alone. No doubt the work has just gotten a lot harder, but we never thought it was going to be easy. And we still have the key ingredients of success. The pipeline of innovations has never been stronger. More lower-income countries are taking a leading role. As some donors announce cuts, others are stepping up. ____
The Hill
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Melinda French Gates reflects on legacy of Gates Foundation as it announces it will close in 2045
Melinda French Gates entered some of the most powerful circles while leading the foundation she co-founded with her ex-husband, Bill Gates. She petitioned heads of state and convened other billionaires. Along with Gates, she won the trust of one of America's most admired investors, Warren Buffett, who has given more than $43 billion to the former couple's foundation. French Gates, who studied computer science and worked at Microsoft, the company Gates created, exited the Gates Foundation last year to pursue philanthropy and investment through her own organization, Pivotal Ventures, which she started in 2015. The foundation changed its name from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation after her departure. At an ELLE Women of Impact event in New York in April, which also launched her new memoir, French Gates said she left, in part, to respond to the U.S. rollback of women's rights. 'I thought, I want to be much more nimble than this, and I want to be able to set the agenda by myself without having to ask anybody else, and do it with my partners,' she said. French Gates offered written responses to The Associated Press' questions about the foundation's 25th anniversary and its decision to close in 2045. She said the former couple had always intended to spend down their resources. 'Ultimately, though,' she wrote, 'the timeline was Bill's decision to make with the board of trustees.' The following responses have been edited for length. A: To me, the greatest measure of success would be if long after the foundation closed, someone, somewhere, was living a life that looked different because we existed. We talked a lot there about unlocking virtuous cycles. I like to think that right now, the foundation's work is contributing to a child getting a vaccine or a woman opening her first bank account — and that decades from now, their families and communities are going to continue to look different, because of what that child and that woman unlocked for the people around them. A: I was excited for us to launch the Giving Pledge because I believe that the most responsible thing to do with great wealth is give it away — and that you have an obligation to society to give it away as effectively as possible. I think it's important for people in that position to set norms around giving generously and to learn as much as possible from each other about how to be effective in their philanthropy. (As for gender), for too long, global health and development efforts treated women and girls as secondary — if they were considered at all. Data wasn't collected on their experiences. Their specific health needs were often ignored. There were so many questions that needed to be asked: What is the cost of all the unpaid labor women do at home? Will mobile banking make a difference if women don't have equal access to cellphones? Why are so many infectious diseases especially dangerous for women? We opened a gender equality division, but not just that — we made gender equality a priority across all of our work. And we put a lot of resources into expanding access to contraception, starting with a big commitment we made in 2012. A: When you're doing this kind of work, it doesn't take long to see that solutions that seem great on paper may not work in reality. We funded community toilets in India that people — especially women —wouldn't use because they were dangerous to go to at night. We funded vaccines in Vietnam that had to be kept cold, but came in packaging that didn't fit into the small refrigerators most people had there. We funded a simple pump to help East African farmers irrigate their land, but women — who account for half of all smallholder farmers — wouldn't buy it, because they didn't want to be seen swaying their hips in the way the pump required. There are many ways to learn about the cultural norms and logistical issues that determine whether a solution is feasible — and they all boil down to engaging people with local knowledge and lived experience, and trusting what they tell you. A: It's easy for people to forget — or maybe they didn't ever know — how hopeless the situation seemed around the year 2000, when malaria, tuberculosis and HIV were totally out of control. Since then, efforts funded, in large part, by development aid have saved more than 65 million lives from those diseases alone. No doubt the work has just gotten a lot harder, but we never thought it was going to be easy. And we still have the key ingredients of success. The pipeline of innovations has never been stronger. More lower-income countries are taking a leading role. As some donors announce cuts, others are stepping up. ____ The Associated Press receives financial support for news coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation and for news coverage of women in the workforce and in statehouses from Melinda French Gates' organization, Pivotal Ventures. ___ Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP's philanthropy coverage, visit
