Jeff Bezos just took a quick jaunt over to space this week, and all eyes were on him as he embarked on the incredible mission. That was just one of the many incredible things he did in recent days. He also happened to give away two massive gifts of $100 million each, and one of those huge checks went to none other than CNN commentator Van Jones. After giving him the astronomical gift, Bezos indicated that Jones was free to do whatever he wanted to with the money, no strings attached. Bezos later went on to explain that he was staying true to his belief of creating a more peaceful, civilized community, and he was rewarding Jones for his efforts to date. The other lucky recipient of the 2nd check of $100 million was chef Jose Andres.
Jeff Bezos believes in paying it forward, and just set the bar high by issuing a huge check of $100 million to CNN's Van Jones. During a press conference, Bezos stated he was launching a Courage and Civility Award, which was established to recognize leaders that approach problems with civility and create positive solutions for change and growth. The lucky recipients of the awards are those who work hard to pursue their passions and beliefs, but do so with civility.
USA Today quotes Bezos as saying; "We need unifiers and not vilifiers. We live in a world where sometimes instead of disagreeing with someone's ideas, we question their character or their motives. Guess what? After you do that, it's pretty damn hard to work with that person. And really what we should always be doing is questioning ideas, not the person."
Given his philosophy, he couldn't have selected a more deserving person for this astonishingly large monetary gift. USA Today confirms that Jones "founded the nonprofit organization Dream Corps, which tackles issues such as criminal justice reform and tech equity. He also works as a contributor for CNN."
When prompted for a response about this huge gift, Jones was visibly stunned and incredibly grateful. He replied by beaming ear to ear and simply saying; "Sometimes dreams come true."
The recipient of the other $100 million check was Chef Jose Andrews who founded World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides emergency food relief. "I'm so honored, "I'm really grateful for this reward," he said.
Neither has commented on what they'll do with their newfound wealth, but the hope is that they will continue to pay it forward.
Sources: Black Enterprise, USA Today