In her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott received a 4 percent stake in the online behemoth. As a result, her net worth ballooned (Forbes estimates its $34.9 billion). Stunningly, she pledged to give the majority of this fortune away to organizations supporting everything from perinatal health to LGBTQIA rights. Her financial gifts have been felt throughout D.C., most recently at Dance Institute of Washington. In April, Scott donated  $2 million to the equity-focused dance school in Columbia Heights.

Fabian Barnes, a former soloist with Dance Theatre of Harlem, founded Dance Institute in 1987. Like DTH’s famous founder Arthur Mitchell, Barnes’ mission became focused on improving the lives of underserved children through the arts. After his passing in 2016, Kahina Haynes stepped up as executive director. Since then, she has guided DIW through the transition and has positioned the school to become not only a local standout but also a national—even global—leader in dance equity. Validating her efforts, President Joe Biden appointed Haynes to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, & Nutrition in 2023. 

Scott’s $2 million gift will further equip the Institute’s efforts to drive societal change through dance education, continuing Barnes’ legacy. For example, the program teaches both arts and educational institutions in D.C. and beyond DIW’s methodology, “spotlighting dance as a pivotal tool for unity, healing, and empowerment, especially for marginalized communities,” according to the April press release announcing Scott’s gift. 

“Our duty, beyond teaching dance technique, is to equip our students with life skills—resilience, discipline, creativity—that are invaluable both within and outside of the dance world,” said Haynes in the release. “This extremely generous grant from MacKenzie Scott will provide us the opportunity to uphold our commitment to multiplying our efforts to communities all over the globe.”