An open letter to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Dear Mark and Priscilla,

I was touched by your letter to your new daughter. I can imagine few things more inspiring and more likely to create concern for the future than bringing a new life into the world.

You are to be commended for devoting such a large part of your fortune to building that better future. Such a large amount can be hard for the imagination to comprehend, and a better future can be so vague, that it would be easy for time to pass with very little being done beyond plans and consultations. Bold actions now will not only be their own changes but be more inspiring to others.

I agree with your instincts that key areas of focus are the environment and inequality. Here are some thoughts on projects that can be done now for a better tomorrow. Research is important, but we already know how to do a lot.

You could take one of the most coal-polluted cities in America and begin converting residences to solar. Installation costs are frequently listed at around $20000 per home, though costs are going down. With a project of this scale you could probably get some bulk pricing, but even at the $20K price you could convert fifty thousand homes.

Perhaps it would make sense to get into solar panel manufacturing, with some sales in addition to the donations. As a limited liability company, Chan Zuckerberg should have the option to do so, while still having the ability to provide living wage jobs without worrying about profit. Refusing to sell any applicable carbon credits will leave the air cleaner, and healthier.

Coal is not the only source of pollution. You could also select a city that is smoggy from cars, and have a trade-in program where drivers exchange their gas-powered cars for electric vehicles. A common price point for electric vehicles is below $30000, so with a billion dollars you could get over thirty three thousand vehicles changed out, recycling the older vehicles. Many people would like to reduce their carbon footprint, but can't afford to. You could make that a reality for thousands.

Economic inequality plays a key role in environmental inequality, as we are especially seeing now with the water situation in Flint, Michigan. There could certainly be a use for funds there, and for the lead paint issue in Chicago. Perhaps there are city or state authorities who should take responsibility, at least in holding various companies responsible, but they are moving slowly and people are being poisoned now.

Handling specific problems for an area is one approach, but it could also be beneficial to give people extra money to use as they see fit. One idea that could come into play in the future is a guaranteed income. Canada has done some experimenting, but there was a chance to track similar circumstances in the United States when the opening of a new casino gave Cherokee families an extra $500 a month, which included children who were already part of a study. (The Great Smoky Mountains Study of Youth, 1996)

The children did well. They were healthier and happier and got more out of school, without anyone other than their parents determining how to spend the additional money. You could replicate this. Find a poor community, and you could give over 33,000 families an extra $500 per month for five years, then see how they do. That would begin making a difference as soon as it started.

The economy plays an important role in inequality, but it is not the only factor. There are systemic patterns in place that make discrimination real, and make it feel like the most natural thing in the world.

This can be fought through media. You could form a film production company seeking out directors of color, both men and women. Give them the opportunity to tell stories with diverse casts and crew. Not only will this help with representation, but it can even make trips to the theater better; so often the movies currently playing are infected with a dreadful sameness.

This type of diversity is needed in publishing too. It is especially important for children's books, as young readers are unconsciously learning who is worthy of empathy. You could seek out authors of different races as well, and let them create books featuring different races, cultures, ages, and abilities. Like the production studio, that would be a business, but there would be room for a charity there too. We know that it is important for children to own books, and getting these books into the hands of children could be a program as well.

These programs would be especially useful because the creative class has suffered so much in this new age. Not only has that affected writers, musicians, and artists, but it has made journalists an increasingly endangered species. That has happened at a time when people need to be able to get good information on what is going on in the world more than ever.

You could help here. With your background in social media, you could work on finding ways to better meet the needs of journalists for investigations and for dissemination of their findings. You might even be able to find a way to make it profitable. With your fortune, even if the news could not be profitable without being compromised, you could still pay them.

These are just some ideas, but my ideas are not even necessary. If you ever look through a catalog of the World Wildlife Fund, or at the Greater Good website, there are always various projects beyond the day to day that they are attempting to fund. There is always something that could be done right now if someone would step up. A donation to Strike Debt could relieve the anxiety of thousands. Scrolling through Kiva or any crowdfunding sites will show you many dreams ready to be fulfilled, and only needing money.

Many of them, having been helped once, will then pay it forward to others. There can be reciprocal effects that will echo for years. Mainly though, I hope this letter will remind you of the potential of right now.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Gina Harris