Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife Mackenzie Scott sold her Amazon shares worth $13 billion in 2025, reducing her stake in the e-commerce giant by nearly half. Scott, a novelist and early contributor to Amazon, is known for her philanthropic work, and has donated billions of dollars to organizations around the world. In 2025 alone, she donated $7.1 billion to non profits, marking her biggest-ever annual give away. According to reports, she has given away more than $26 billion since 2019. A report by Fortune says that Scott donated more than $700 million to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) last year. In 2020, she donated about $500 million to HBCUs. Together, Scott’s contributions to Black higher-ed institutions now add more than $1.2 billion. These grants, the report says, are unrestricted which means universities can decide how to use the money. MacKenzie Scott’s donations are seen as part of broader Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Continuing her surge of major contributions to diversity and equity causes, the 55-year-old billionaire donated $80 million to Howard University, marking one of the largest single donations in the school’s 158-year history.
Mackenzie Scott’s donations come as tech companies roll back DEI
These donations come at a time when tech leaders like Meta, Amazon and others have pulled back from funding DEI initiatives. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Google eliminated its diversity hiring targets in 2025. Similarly, Amazon wind down some DEI “outdated programs and materials,” and reportedly removed a post from 2021 focusing on DEI from its latest annual 10-K report.Mark Zuckerberg-run Meta also eliminated some DEI programs targeting hiring, suppliers, and training last year. The Facebook-parent also said it eliminated its DEI team and ended representation goals to eliminate any impression “that decisions are being made based on race or gender,” a 2025 internal memo read.In July last year, Microsoft laid off its internal DEI team because of “changing business needs”.
MacKenzie Scott’s close relationship with Toni Morrison ‘influenced’ her philanthropy
As per a Fortune report, Scott’s donations have led to tributes for her former mentor – Toni Morrison, who died in 2019. Author and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison helped Scott find her footing early in her career. The two met at Princeton and worked together closely, with Morrison serving as Scott’s senior thesis advisor. As per the report, Morrison played a key role in helping Scott publish her first book and also introduced her to agent Amanda Urban.In a 2017 Princeton University interview, Scott said of Morrison: “This writer that I admired so much also turned out to be such a gifted and devoted teacher. She has given me a real example of a life of passionate devotion to more than one calling”.
