The power of technology and media collide with these visionaries, as the 2018 Fellows leverage platforms to offer services and activism for a liberated future. These BADASS changemakers work with their communities to define and activate their dreams for tomorrow.
Alicia’s project, Streetwide allows allies and impacted communities to work together to deliver emotional and legal support to individuals and their loved ones impacted by immigration arrest and deportation. Before founding Streetwide, Alicia was a legal fellow with Justfix and helped low-income tenants use the web application to build affirmative legal cases against their neglectful and abusive landlords.
amber royster (SHE/HER) Where to Start | Núu-agha- Territory
Amber is focused on helping small nonprofits that, for systemic and practical reasons, rarely have the time, money, or other capacities to effectively and efficiently communicate their brand, work, and stories. Amber is a digital/communications strategist. Before this, she led LGBTQ civil rights campaigns for marriage equality, transgender student protections, and a conversion therapy ban.
chris vaeth (HE/him) How to Help | Myaamia Territory
How to Help uses the news cycle to connect people with ways to take action on the day’s big stories. Chris served on the team that opened and built the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, hosted The Resisters podcast, and worked across the nonprofit sector for social change.
Imara Jones (SHE/HER) The Last Sip | Canarsie Territory
The Last Sip is a weekly half-hour news program aimed at progressive Millennials of color, especially women and the LGBTQ community, focused on making national issues concrete for viewers by focusing on the people and organizations driving social and economic change at the grassroots level. An Emmy and Peabody Award winner, Imara is a genderqueer on-air news analyst, writer and host whose work focuses on the full-range of social justice and equity issues.
jeremiah smith (HE/HIM) For the Record | O-ga-xpa Ma-zho Territory
Jeremiah’s project, For the Record, is a program designed to empower underserved students to tell the story of their community with a critical eye toward systems of oppression. Working as an English teacher and inspired by the work of the Sunflower County Freedom Project, he became convinced that, if given the right opportunities, students anywhere could compete with students from prestigious schools.
Micah white (HE/HIM) Activist Graduate School | Canarsie Territory
Activist Graduate School is an online educational institution designed specifically for the needs of experienced activists who want to take their movement work to the next level. Micah is a lifelong social activist known for co-creating Occupy Wall Street while an editor of Adbusters magazine.
Nick guthamn (HE/HIM) Blue Future | Nacotchtank Territory
Nick’s project, Blue Future, will strengthen progressive youth activism by creating a clearinghouse website, social media campaign, and the infrastructure for a national coalition to coordinate, broaden, and optimize the work of youth civic engagement organizations. He is a progressive political organizer who has worked on local and national electoral races and issue advocacy campaigns surrounding racial justice, health care, and tax fairness.
shira frank (SHE/HEr) Maiden | Tséstho'e Territory
Maiden creates a more intelligent economy by diversifying the leaders, makers, and culture of Blockchain Technology. Before co-founding Maiden, Shira worked in politics, social change, women’s philanthropy, and fundraising.