Posts in fellow highlights
2022 Fellow Focus: Julius B Anthony + St. Louis Black Authors of Children's Literature

“St. Louis Black Authors of Children’s Literature began by supporting the work of local Black self-published authors, providing avenues to get their books in the hands of children. Our core goal is to ensure Black children are getting quality books and Black authors are being supported and valued.”

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Philanthropy in the Deep South: Know Your Funding History & Share The Wealth

“Across the Deep South, we see examples of foundations and philanthropists creating complicated grant applications and reporting requirements in order to dole out small sums of money to communities upon whose backs their wealth was built in the first place. Imagine the trauma of applying for funds from a foundation that bears the name of the people that enslaved your ancestors. And then being forced to center the shortcomings of your community in order to convince them that your request is justified.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Melissa Cesarano + Affectifi Inc. (ThinkHumanTV)

“Given the current youth mental health crisis, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, it has never been more evident that adolescents and young adults are in desperate need of authentic, fun, and culturally-relevant ways to learn about their emotions. We built ThinkHuman to meet young people right where they are (on streaming sites) to help address this need.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Mckayla Warwick + Collective Climb

“I did not become a co-founder of Collective Climb out of an initial desire to be an entrepreneur. What started off as an informal practice became something important to the lives of young people and their families in my community. In essence, I entered the entrepreneurial space because it became a necessity to expand these efforts and because I couldn't see myself doing anything else.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Jerren Chang + GenUnity

“I hope that future generations will be active and equal co-creators in building communities that serve everyone equitably. If they are, I believe we’ll see governments, nonprofits, and businesses that are not only responsive to community needs, but proactively collaborating with their communities to promote the common good.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Wesley Ma + healthOpX

“I had aspired to become a foreign service officer and ambassador, but due to changing budgets and presidencies, my dream got derailed. I looked inward and thought about the problems that I wanted to solve as a second-generation American. I came to the conclusion that I could best use my talents to support nonprofits and healthcare organizations that work with communities like the one I come from by giving them access to tools and support they otherwise would not have.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Gabriel Reyes + FLi Sci

“Since creating FLi Sci, I’ve been able to have far more meaningful engagement with the people I love the most in the world who give me hope: other FLi students of color. In all of my interactions with them, I am reminded of the strengths of my community—and how the challenges they face are systemic and structural, not intrinsic or individual.”

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2022 Fellow Focus: Jamani Montague + Sankofa Roots

“At Sankofa Roots, we disrupt the narrative by remembering and envisioning a decolonial past and future informed by indigenous African, Native American and Queer wisdoms, rooted in the interdependence and nurturance of all of life, interspecies and intergenerational accountability, and remediating the myth of white/male/cis/hetero/human exceptionalism.”

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