Welcome to Progressive Pockets! I go by GG, that’s short for Genet Gimja. This is a show about our money and our societal values and the disconnect that can sometimes exist between those two. For a long time I assumed that my giving was really the only opportunity I had to live out my values with my money. But it turns out we have a lot more power than that. We can think about where we shop, where we bank, certainly which companies we are investing in, and we can think about how we earn our money.


Episodes come out weekly, the best ideas come from you, so if you have a topic you’d love to hear covered here just drop an email anytime at progressive pockets at gmail dot com.


Today’s episode is going to be a little lighter. It’s part of the Celebrity Giving Series which is always a lot of fun to put together. In the past, celebrities that have been covered in this series are Beyonce, Paris Hilton, Will I Am, former President Barack Obama, the list goes on.


Talking about celebrity giving is fun and can also be really thought provoking. You might discover a charity or a cause that you’ve never considered supporting before. Or maybe you’ll learn more about a celebrity you already loved. Or maybe, like me, you’ll be challenged to reconsider how our identities and interests can inform our giving in a way that just makes sense.


Today let’s talk about where Taylor Swift donates her money….

  1. Music Education: Swift has been a supporter of music education, donating $4 million to build the Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. She also supports organizations like MusiCares and the GRAMMY Museum through donations of guitars and other items for charity auctions. She also does one off donations here and there, like She helped a Nashville record store during the COVID-19 pandemic, she gave them 3 months worth of aid to get them through a tough time. 
  2. Swift has donated to organizations like GLAAD and supported the passage of the Equality Act in support of LGBTQ Rights.
  3. Hunger Relief: She has donated to food banks across the country, particularly in cities where she performs during her tours. For example, she made donations to food banks in Glendale, Arizona, Las Vegas, and Tampa during her Eras Tour.
  4. Disaster Relief: Swift has contributed to disaster relief efforts, including a recent $1 million donation to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund following deadly tornadoes in the state. She donated $100,000 to Dolly Parton's "Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund" telethon to help families affected by the Smoky Mountain wildfires.
  5. Cancer Support: Both her parents have battled cancer, Swift has supported individuals facing cancer and related organizations.
  6. Sexual Assault Survivors: She has made donations to support sexual assault survivors and related causes. Specifically she donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation and also to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).
  7. Crowdfunding Efforts: She has supported various crowdfunding campaigns, helping individuals with medical expenses and families in financial need.
  8. Music Industry Support: Swift has made contributions to support music industry workers in need of financial assistance, addiction recovery, and healthcare services


I think that when Taylor takes time from producing album after album and tour after tour I think she will probably, hopefully, take some time to really come up with what she wants her giving back to really look like. Traditionally she has been an artist that really avoids putting a stake in the ground in terms of her political or societal beliefs, and with very very few exceptions she has very clearly avoided taking positions that could alienate her from any potential fans, and that’s not very different from some other superstars, so if I had to think about the direction she’ll pursue with her giving and her philanthropy I think she’ll go further in supporting the music industry.


I could see her providing some support to musicians who want to better protect their art, maybe in the form of pro bono legal support. I think she might donate towards increasing access to music education for children. I could see that.


In looking at Taylor Swift’s giving, it does sort of stand out compared to her peers. So if you look at Beyonce’s giving, or Lady Gaga, or Rihanna, Selena Gomez…they have foundations and giving that seem a lot more thought out and clear and developed.


Combining her Eras tour with donations to food pantries feels a little….off to me. It is the safest and least controversial possible thing you could possibly support so I get that it will appeal to her brand, but it’s clear she has an opportunity to go further.


So to recap, here’s what we covered today:


If you have more time today, here’s another episode to check out, that’s episode 72 How much do Harry and Meghan give away? This episode is about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and I really enjoyed digging into their giving to understand where they are headed with their giving especially as they have launched their own, independent lives away from the rest of the royal family.


I’d love to hear your thoughts on this episode, especially if you are a Swiftie. What’s your sense for what her philanthropy will look like? Do you think people are unfairly harsh in criticizing her for not giving back enough? Let me know. You can always reach the show at progressive pockets at gmail dot com.


Alright so this has been another episode of the celebrity giving series. Who else do you want to hear about? You can fill out the contact form at progressive pockets dot com to suggest other celebrities for other episodes.


Let’s end with a quote…

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall


Let’s talk again soon!