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Take it from<\/span> me: Spending an hour with Melinda French Gates<\/a> will restore at least an iota of your faith in humanity. The billionaire philanthropist, investor, and longtime advocate for women\u2019s and girls\u2019 rights is the rare example of an \u00fcber-wealthy American who takes seriously the responsibility that their wealth confers.<\/p>\n In Gates\u2019 case, she\u2019s now channeling much of that responsibility\u2014and billions of her own dollars\u2014into Pivotal Ventures, a collective of organizations focused on advancing women\u2019s interests in the US and around the world. Most recently, Pivotal announced $250 million in awards<\/a> to women\u2019s health organizations in 22 countries. Given the Trump administration\u2019s ongoing assault on women\u2019s interests, and diversity writ large, as well as the dystopian cuddle puddle taking place between tech industry leaders (Gates\u2019 ex-husband, Bill, has been a part of that shift) and President Trump, it felt like a particularly salient moment to check in with Gates about, well, all of it.<\/p>\n From her own path through the masculine \u201cdebate club\u201d of Big Tech to the billionaire boys who aren\u2019t giving away the big bucks, I found myself pleasantly surprised, and even a little bit inspired, by Gates\u2019 candor in discussing the very real challenges of this particular moment. So if you checked the news and felt even slightly infuriated this morning, keep reading. It helps to be reminded that not all billionaires are created equal\u2014and that some of them are still pushing for more equality overall.<\/p>\n This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n