On August 25, country music legend Dolly Parton died at the age of 80, after a short battle with cancer.
I can safely say that this is the most devastating celebrity death that has happened in my lifetime–and I’m sure many others feel the same way.
Dolly Parton’s legacy goes far beyond her music, her rhinestones, and her platinum blonde wigs. Yes, she has one of the most impressive music catalogs in American history. But greater than that, she dedicated her entire life to philanthropy and giving back to her community. Dolly was born in a one-bedroom log cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, where she lived with her 11 siblings and parents. She never forgot where she came from and spent her entire career trying to uplift those less fortunate.
Her philanthropy includes, her most famous initiative, The Imagination Library, was inspired by her own father’s struggle with illiteracy. Starting as a local program in her Tennessee hometown, The Imagination Library sends children one book a month from birth to age 5. Today, The Imagination Library has given away over 300 million books to children that need them. In 2020, she donated $1 million to COVID-19 research and vaccine development. After earning millions from the royalties of Whitney Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You,” she invested the money into a Black neighborhood in Nashville, calling it “the house that Whitney built.”
These are just a few of the countless philanthropic efforts that Parton made in her lifetime. It is likely that if she didn’t dedicate her life to charity, she would have become a billionaire. However, Dolly chose to give back instead of hoarding her wealth.
I think that this is why Dolly Parton’s death is so heartbreaking. I cannot think of any other celebrity that is so unrelentingly kind and giving, especially in our current world. This is why we need to use our grief over Dolly to become better people.
Dolly taught us to use our privilege for good. She taught us to love and accept all people, no matter their identity. She taught us that we can contain multitudes: you can be glamorous and over the top while still being real and genuine.
Above all else, though, Dolly taught us to be kind. Imagine having the talent, beauty, wealth, and celebrity status that so many wish for, but your defining characteristic is still your kindness and dedication to people. That is Dolly Parton’s legacy: kindness. That is what I am choosing to learn from her.