Gates Shares Office Items That Bring Her Joy

Melinda French Gates posted an Instagram tour showing three items she keeps in her office that inspire her.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Philanthropy

Photograph of a bare light-oak shelf in a quiet modern office with warm window light and a single empty glass vase. — Melinda French Gates shared a guided Instagram office tour on Tuesday showcasing three personal items that inspire her philanthropic work for women. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Melinda French Gates shared a video showing three items she keeps in her office that bring her joy. The guided tour video, posted to Instagram, drew 1.2 million viewers.

Why it matters

The video offers a personal look at the symbols French Gates keeps close as she works on philanthropic priorities. It highlights her ongoing commitment to women's advancement and the causes behind her giving.

The office tour video reached 1.2 million viewers on Instagram. French Gates also pledged $215 million to Pivotal earlier this year, bringing her total commitment over the last two years to $600 million.

The players

Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation who founded Pivotal in 2015 to advance women's leadership and gender equality.

Pivotal

Pivotal is an organization founded by Melinda French Gates in 2015 that works to advance gender equality and women's leadership.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court known for her advocacy of gender equality and women's rights.

The details

French Gates shared the items through a guided office tour posted to Instagram. The three items include a figurine of late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg given to her by her younger brother, the board game "The Exciting Game of Career Girls," and a JOY artwork made of photomosaic letters composed of small figures of people.

Earlier this year: French Gates pledged $215 million to Pivotal.

Philanthropy Landscape

French Gates keeps a figurine of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose line "Women belong in all places where decisions are made" anchors her view of women's leadership. Her $600 million commitment over two years places her personal symbols within a sustained funding effort.

The video offers no direct change for most readers, but it shows how a major donor frames her priorities. Readers following philanthropic giving can track Pivotal's funding as it develops.

The takeaway

Personal symbols can reveal the values behind large-scale giving. French Gates' office display shows how a commitment to women's leadership can be kept close to daily work.