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Is it unethical to be a billionaire?

caption: Co-hosts Lucas Galarneau (left) and Simone St. Pierre Nelson (right) dream about what they would do with a billion dollars. But is it unethical to have that much money?
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Co-hosts Lucas Galarneau (left) and Simone St. Pierre Nelson (right) dream about what they would do with a billion dollars. But is it unethical to have that much money?
KUOW PHOTO/Morgen White

How much is a billion dollars, really? And if you have a billion dollars, do you have an obligation to give money back to your community?

RadioActive youth producers Simone St. Pierre Nelson and Lucas Galarneau investigate where billionaires are putting their money, what successful philanthropy looks like, and whether it's ethical to have that much money when other people are suffering.

This story was created in KUOW's RadioActive Intro to Journalism Workshop for 15- to 18-year-olds, with production support from Enya Garcia. Edited by Mary Heisey.

Find RadioActive on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and on the RadioActive podcast.

The RadioActive theme song is by Prod Riddiman, Fabian Hernandez and Inline Sound Design.

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