Mark Zuckerberg: The King of Kindness

Most people know Mark Zuckerberg as the co-founder of the social media company Facebook and its parent company Meta. Time magazine has consistently listed Zuckerberg as among the most influential people in the world, and Forbes has listed him as one of the richest and most powerful people.

However, there is more to Mark Zuckerberg than power and wealth. He has a kind and gentle heart that helps millions of impoverished people.

In 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, established the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) which is a limited liability company (LLC) designed to help make our world a better place by investing in uplifting humanity. The initiative is an example of “philanthrocapitalism” and it is one of the most well-funded philanthropies in human history.

Some in the general public wrongly assume wealthy people party, celebrate, and indulge in the excesses of power. This is an unfair stereotype and generalization. The Zuckerberg family has chosen to follow in the footsteps of great humanitarians such as Mother Teresa.

In the United States, there is an old saying: It’s better to give than to receive. The Facebook founder has decided to give away much of his wealth by empowering oppressed people.

The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s areas of focus include Education, Justice, Science, and Opportunity. From criminal justice reform to immigration reform and housing affordability, the mission of the initiative is to build a healthy future for everyone and advance human potential.

On a personal note: Although I have a background as a military soldier, I find myself drawn to the peacefulness, love, and mercy of Mark Zuckerberg’s charitable enterprise. Whereas in combat training, I was trained to use modern weaponry, I have put aside my combat skills to focus on empowering women and girls, educating future generations, and alleviating extreme poverty.

Thanks to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, I have been transformed from “soldier” to “philanthropist”. I have been transformed from “militant fighter” to “advocate for mercy”. I am sincerely inspired by the Facebook founder’s commitment to helping those in need.

When I was a small child growing up in Southern California, I once dreamed of becoming a millionaire or billionaire with mansions, private jets, yachts, and expensive luxury-fashion items. As a boy, I wanted to “make it big” like the Rockefeller and Rothschild families. I wanted to be a “somebody” rather than a “nobody”.

However, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have shown me that everyone is a “somebody”. Every human being is important and significant. There is no “First World” or “Third World”, instead, we all live in “One World”. All human beings are entitled to dignity, access to education, equal opportunity, and human rights.

Whereas I once dreamed of having wealth and power like the richest of the rich, I have now become a financial donor to Columbine High School, Sidwell Friends School, and Princeton University to help marginalized students.

Although I am not a multi-billionaire like Mark Zuckerberg, my heart, soul, and spirit are rich with love, mercy, generosity, and hope. The Facebook co-founder is not only the king of social media, Zuckerberg is the king of kindness.