To the Editor:
Maria Di Mento’s recent article, “Is the Giving Pledge Living Up to Its Potential?” (July 30), highlights how billionaires are getting wealthier but their donations remain stagnant. It also underscores why philanthropists like me must push our peers to give more.
In my experience, candid, face-to-face conversations among trusted friends or relatives are the best way to encourage greater generosity. My Aunt Gloria and Uncle Hector, for example, shaped my own giving philosophy. Though they weren’t billionaires, they recognized that their substantial fortune exceeded their heirs’ needs. That’s why they created the Hector and Gloria López Foundation, which I now run, to address education disparities among Texas Latinos.
As a Latino foundation leader, I’ve seen first-hand that wealthy Latinos are eager to give but unsure where to start. Recognizing this, I recently began holding intimate gatherings of fellow Latino philanthropists to share knowledge, aspirations, and challenges.
These gatherings have shown me that peer education is highly effective at increasing generosity. Although we’ve only met a few times, I already see a powerful change in the group, including a new appetite for bolder investment and a growing sense that helping others is a shared responsibility.
Above all, the group proves to me that wealthy donors must hold each other accountable, both publicly and personally.
Sergio Rodriguez
President
Hector and Gloria López Foundation
