A Money Call AOC Is Happy to Answer

Over the weekend, Filipino American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo’s debut festival Daisy Chain Fields raised $20 million USD in support of 10 non-profit organizations advocating for women and girls in the US and also globally.

The first $10 million came from the festival itself, making its debut at Great Park in Irvine, Calif. Before the start of the festival, Ms. Rodrigo said that all proceeds — including ticket sales, waived artist fees and sponsorships — would go to 10 nonprofit groups benefiting women and girls.

The second gift came from philanthropist Melinda French Gates, who got her groove on with Rodrigo onstage and doubled the haul for women and girls by a second $10 million, with her organization called Pivotal.

“What Daisy Chain Fields sets in motion will last far beyond a single night, by opening up opportunity for women and girls around the world and showing a new generation how much their voices matter. I’m so proud to support Olivia’s vision,” Ms. Gates said in a statement.

Wow! Rodrigo’s event got a big write up in the New York Times. The link is gifted, no registration required.

The Gifts Work Both Ways

In this photo, this 23-year old creative talent introduces Melinda French Gates to her 42.1M IG followers. Woman to woman, I cannot stress to all of us, the power our young women have to use their skills on behalf of women and girls — just giving exposure to a woman like French Gates.

We all have different talents and the weekend’s events give us a great example of how we can work together.

I can imagine women in the Pivotal network who would ‘adopt for a day’ one of these young women in Rodrigo’s network, donating $5 or $15 for every $1 she donates, and Melinda matches the combined donation with Pivotal funding.

Melinda G should be reaching out to Chanel CEO Leena Nair — if she hasn’t already — about Chanel backing this project led by young women.

Leena, Matthieu . . . Check This Out!

Nair is such an inspiring speaker, I know the young women would love to hear her address this topic and her philosophy about standing for women and children on a massive scale at Chanel. She can bring Chanel global ambassador Bhavitha Mandava with her. Perfect!!

We are living in such difficult times, for some of us to even process what’s happening in the world of maternal and child health in America and globally, and the totality of young women’s health in crisis everywhere on earth. The scope of the global crisis — created largely by the US Trump administration — is difficult to process some days, leaving us vulnerable to losing hope.

I’m very happy to share this wonderful story about Filipino-American Olivia Rodrigo.

AOC says “got her groove on” about Melinda with Olivia, because Ms. French Gates is a comparatively conservative person in terms of public displays of her activism, or seeking the limelight. The philanthropist has blossomed with her divorce from husband of 27 years, Bill Gates. She also has a new, younger man in her life Philip Vaughn, founder of the craft beer delivery company Tavour. Note that the French Gates involvement in supporting women and girls is decades long.

Yet Another Work of Beauty from Vogue Philippines

For Olivia Rodrigo, who covers the September-October 2026 issue of Vogue Philippines [IG], the Daisy Chain Fields festival was “the greatest joy of my career”, a sweet moment where Olivia’s creativity and musical talents acted on behalf of a cause larger than herself.

Photographer Szilveszter Mako [IG] is having his own sweet moment, and AOC is struggling to keep up with him. Lisa Jarvis styles this beautiful fashion shoot, with art direction by Jann Pascua and the photographer. / Hair by Owen Gould; makeup by Raoul Alejandre; set design by Nicholas des Jardins

Anne feels silly worrying that the very talented Mako was backing himself into a box he wouldn’t get out of it. “How can he keep this going,” I wondered outloud on AOC.

I love this fashion story where the box gets a face lift, but I would recognize the photographer’s creative imprint anywhere. Elizaveta Porodina has created a similar signature for herself. Inspiring work, people. ~ Anne