Born in San Francisco in 1970, Scott attended Princeton University and graduated with a degree in English. She then went on to earn her master’s in creative writing from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Scott’s introduction into media came with her marriage to Jeff Bezos in 1993, with whom she had four children before divorcing in 2019. Her 25-year marriage to Bezos ended with her receiving a 4% stake in Amazon, making her an instant billionaire.
Following her divorce from Bezos, Scott vowed to give away her wealth to various charitable causes. In a blog post in 2019, she announced her intention to give away at least half of her fortune to charitable organizations.
Scott then proceeded to give away more than $4.2 billion in 2020 alone, focusing on 384 organizations in areas such as racial equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and education. Her donations were some of the largest ever given by an individual in a single year and earned her recognition as one of the world’s most generous philanthropists.
Some of the organizations Scott donated to in 2020 include historically Black colleges and universities, as well as charities focused on providing relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also gave to women-led organizations and groups combatting climate change.
Scott’s giving strategy is a departure from the traditional philanthropic approach of creating their own charitable foundations or focusing on established, high-profile non-profits. Instead, she collaborates with teams of researchers and analysts to identify organizations that are making a significant impact for their causes, yet may not receive as much attention or funding as they need.
In addition to her philanthropic work, Scott is also an author. In 2013, she published her first novel, “The Testing of Luther Albright,” which won the American Book Award.
Scott’s philanthropy has been applauded by many, including advocacy groups and politicians. Some, however, have criticized her for not giving more to smaller, community-based organizations and for the potential influence her donations may have on the non-profit sector as a whole.
Despite this criticism, MacKenzie Scott continues to inspire philanthropy and altruism across the globe. Her work highlights the incredible power of individual giving to create a more just and equitable world.