Melinda French Gates Says Her 'Lowest Moment' Was Making the Decision to Leave Bill Gates
Melinda French Gates is opening up about her life, personal challenges and her commitment to making investments to help advance equality for women and people of color.
On Monday, the billionaire philanthropist was named one of USA Today's Women of the Year, which recognizes "women across the country who have made a significant impact."
In addition to reflecting on her work and the change she hopes to create for women and families around the globe, French Gates spoke about some of the personal challenges she has faced throughout her life, including her divorce from Bill Gates, which was finalized in August.
"We all have low moments," the global advocate, 57, shared in an interview with the outlet. "I would say probably, though, for sure, my lowest moment in life was when I finally reached the decision that I knew I needed to leave my marriage."
"That wasn't something I ever thought would happen to me. It certainly wasn't what I thought on the day I got married, but I realized for myself, I needed to make a healthier choice," she continued. "That was just a very, very sad day."
KAMIL ZIHNIOGLU/AFP via Getty Melinda French Gates, Bill Gates
In order to get through difficult times, French Gates said she relies on the people she can "be authentic with."
"I surround myself with people who have good values and are like-minded in the sense of caring about others," she explained. "A group of people that I can be authentic with and I can pick up the phone in tears and talk to them or say, 'Can we go for a walk?' "
Albert Cara/Anadolu Agency via Getty Melinda French Gates
"They're there on my saddest days and my most joyful days and vice versa. I'm there for them," she continued. "Without that group of people around me, friends and a few colleagues, I don't know how I would've gotten through some of my toughest days, particularly in the last couple of years."
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In addition to her work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, she is focused on helping advance social progress for women and families through her investment and incubation company, Pivotal Ventures.
"The goal really is to create societal change for women and people of color," French Gates said. "I really feel like we need to accelerate their power and their influence."
"I feel like right now, during this pandemic, we're seeing finally in the United States jobs starting to come back, but women are not going back to their jobs nearly at the same rate as men," she continued. "A lot of that has to do with the burden they have of caregiving. And so I feel like this is a moment to say, 'Look, how do we fix that system? And how do we make sure that women and people of color can take the jobs they want in society?' "
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The process of investing in women also goes beyond individual benefits, French Gates explained.
"What I know about women is that when you invest in them, they invest in everybody else," she shared. "They lift their kids up, they lift up their community, they lift up their society. So I get a lot of passion and excitement when I see women who are becoming empowered.
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images Melinda French Gates
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When it comes to taking care of herself, French Gates says she loves spending time outside in nature — and reflecting on what she's grateful for.
"I learned maybe a decade ago that no matter what your day has been like — good, bad, highs, lows — if you write down three things that you're grateful for, every day, just having that simple gratitude practice, it just fills you with joy," she said.
