MacKenzie Scott, the author and former wife of billionaire Jeff Bezos, has set a new example in the philanthropy world in the past year through the speed with which she has given away billions of dollars — a matter of significance given the rate at which the assets of the ultra-wealthy can sometimes grow faster than they can give away.
Jim Braude spoke on Greater Boston with the leaders of three arts organizations in Boston who received large donations from Scott in her latest round of giving: Madeleine Steczynski, co-founder and executive director of ZUMIX, a non-profit that empowers kids through music; Harold Steward, executive director and cultural strategist of The Theater Offensive, a theater company by and for LGBTQ people of color; and Cathy Edwards, executive director of the New England Foundation for the Arts.
Steward said the gift will allow The Theater Offensive to support its young staff, made up mostly of people of color, with ample salaries and benefits, and enhance its programs. He also said the gift could have a longer-term impact on his community.
“There are sleepless nights where you wonder, ‘should I compromise, should I change, should we go a little softer with our messaging to appeal to more people?’ It [the gift] just really means that our work is affirmed,” Steward said. “There’s been an increased need during the pandemic in terms of services for queer and trans people of color… and also, [we can have] an interesting and very new conversation around, what does it mean to have this money re-generate through our organization? Can we be in a position to make investments?”
WATCH: Three arts organizations from Boston on surprising gift from MacKenzie Scott
