NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations today announced the 2024 cohort of Soros Equality Fellows. The diverse group of fellows includes documentary filmmakers, writers, digital specialists, organizers, researchers, and artists.
Working from places across the country, the fellows will take on a range of issues at the core of Open Society’s work advancing justice, equity, and human dignity. Their projects will focus on a range of policy issues that impact BIPOC communities, including reparations, trans representation in philanthropy, strengthening multiracial democracies, white and South-Asian supremacy, and racial disparity.
“As we confront evolving challenges in the pursuit of racial justice, we’re honored to back the extraordinary leaders pushing for real, lasting change that reflects the inclusive multiracial democracy we strive to build,” said Andrew Maisel, senior program officer at Open Society-U.S. “This group of Soros Equality Fellows brings the innovation, dedication, and inspiration essential to this important work.”
Founded in 2017, the Soros Equality Fellowship program supports innovators and risk takers striving to create and develop new ways of tackling the systemic causes and symptoms of racial disparity and discrimination.
The 2024 Soros Equality Fellows will receive stipends of $130,000 for their projects over the course of 18 months, along with networking and other professional support aimed at strengthening new ideas in the racial and social justice movement.
The 2024 Soros Equality Fellows
Allen Kwabena Frimpong will executive produce The Remedy is Solidarity, a multimedia anthology to educate and build public will for the demand for reparations across the Black diaspora.
Aldita Amaru Gallardo seeks to meet the new moment in philanthropy by mobilizing funds to BIPOC trans movement-building and intersectional racial and gender justice, while training trans leaders to better navigate philanthropy.
Esther A. Armah will create a multimedia digital village where Black and Latino men explore masculinity through power, vulnerability, accountability, loss, empathy. The project aims to create a healing practice of Emotional Justice.
Dania Rajendra will lead a project focused on research, writing, and convening, aimed at expanding the ideas and practices of participatory multiracial democracy within and among diasporic communities.
Sandeep Ravindranath will work on a project focused on strengthening democracy and constitutional frameworks within the Indian diaspora.
Kevin Powell will produce a documentary film exploring the age-old question, “What is a man?” through the perspectives of Black males ranging from youth to those in their 90s.
Jungwon Kim will create a cross-cultural event series and related toolkit focused on transmuting “han,” a Korean word for unresolved historical grief and rage, through ritual practices of joyful catharsis and healing.
Cori Thomas, in partnership with Rahsaan Thomas, will curate a film festival inside San Quentin State Prison by BIPOC and system impacted people featuring short films made by both currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Rahsaan Thomas, in partnership with Cori Thomas, will curate a film festival inside San Quentin State Prison by BIPOC and system impacted people featuring short films made by both currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Joseph Phelan will research and develop effective strategies for promoting racial justice narratives through internet technologies and influencer networks.
Pushkar Sharma will advance SACRED’s work to build a just and inclusive democracy, countering the enduring alliance of white supremacist and South Asian supremacist movements that promote racial and caste superiority.
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