Showing Up Together

Over 20 years ago the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation started with a box of letters, each was opened and read by their North Star, Bill Gates Sr. Bill Sr. was a humble, playful individual with a camp counselor-like spirit. He could relate with anyone regardless of job title, age, gender or culture and he made time to do so. It was typical to see him meeting with staff in the Atrium eating his daily chocolate chip cookie and asking about their work with true interest and complete respect.

This collaborative art piece with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation global team was conceived to collectively grieve and honor the life and legacy of Bill Gates, Sr. ”Showing Up Together” was suspended in a 6,000-square-foot atrium space on the Seattle campus. There is a large kite leading the flock, symbolizing Bill Sr, their North Star. Messages of gratitude and inspiration reflecting on how Bill, Sr. and his mantra to Show Up For Life were collected from all over the world (from employees, partners, and alumni), are folded and carried in a flock of 350 paper cranes. “Showing Up, Together’ flies between day and night, between time zones and continents, to inspire and connect us all in a common mission; every person deserves the chance to lead a healthy, productive life.