NEED TO KNOW
Mondays can get a bad wrap, but for Melinda French Gates, there’s always something to look forward to.
In a new interview with Marie Claire as part of their 2025 Changemakers Issue, the 61-year-old philanthropist opened up about a weekly tradition that’s been going on for decades now.
“For the past 30 years, I’ve kept a standing date on Monday mornings to go walking with three of my best friends. We’re strict about it. If you’re in town, you’re there,” said French Gates.
“I call them my truth council, because we consult each other about almost every major decision in our lives. That word truth is key,” she added. “I have to be willing to tell them the truth about what I’m thinking and feeling. And then I know that they’ll tell me the truth, even if it’s a hard one I won’t want to hear.”
The mom of three said she particularly leaned on her friends while preparing for the start of a new chapter in her life, which included stepping away from the Gates Foundation to focus on her own philanthropy through Pivotal Ventures.
“I knew I could have more impact by stepping away to focus on other issues, many of which were outside the foundation’s scope. As I kept seeing women’s rights rolled back, I started to think differently about the last chapter of my career,” she told the magazine. “I am simply not willing to accept that my granddaughters could grow up with less freedom than I did.”
“My intention is to help even the playing field,” she added. “I am going to spend the rest of my life trying to get more power in women’s and girls’ hands.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories
After she left the foundation she co-founded with ex husband Bill Gates, she pledged $1 billion in support of women in the Unites States — a commitment she previously told PEOPLE she made “because I believe [in this work] so strongly.”
“I believe the only responsible thing to do with these resources is to give it away — as thoughtfully and impactfully as possible,” she added. “One of my core values has always been to whom much is given, much is expected.”
