Announcing the 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago
June 13, 2023
CONTACT:
analía rodríguez
Field Foundation of Illinois
(773) 259-4826
arodriguez@fieldfoundation.org
FIELD AND MACARTHUR FOUNDATIONS ANNOUNCE 2023 LEADERS FOR A NEW CHICAGO COHORT
10 Diverse Leaders Across the City to be Awarded for Exemplary Work Advancing Racial and Social Justice in their Communities.
CHICAGO – The Field Foundation, in partnership with The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, today announced the 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago cohort. These 10 leaders are advancing the racial and social justice movement in Chicago and serve as powerful examples of what positive, impactful change looks like at the community level.
The Leaders for a New Chicago program recognizes past accomplishments and seeks to build a more inclusive city by promoting leaders who are designing new approaches to civic discourse and action. Each of the 2023 awardees will receive a no-strings-attached award of $25,000, and their affiliated organizations will receive an additional $25,000 general operating grant.
Since the Leaders for a New Chicago Award launched in 2019, the MacArthur Foundation has committed a total of $4.2 million through 2024 to support its recipients and their affiliated organizations. The leaders’ work aligns with Field’s grantmaking areas of Art, Justice, and Media & Storytelling, with a focus on organizations addressing systemic issues in the city’s historically underserved communities. Leaders from within existing grantee organizations of the Field Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation’s Chicago Commitment and Chicago-based Journalism & Media grantees are eligible for the award.
“Our city thrives when its leaders serve its residents,” Field Foundation President Daniel O. Ash said. “The 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago awardees are transformational in their leadership and bring a strong commitment to community, to racial and social justice, and to making a lasting impact for the benefit of the Chicagoans they serve. They make our city better.”
A committee comprised of previous awardees, facilitated by Field and MacArthur staff members, oversaw a rigorous process of reviewing nominations and recommending award recipients. Their selection of the 2023 leaders includes advocates, artists, educators, journalists, organizers, and storytellers. Together, they reflect the diversity of Chicago residents and the complex issues they face.
“Our 2023 awardees have demonstrated exceptional leadership, and we are profoundly inspired by their stories and accomplishments,” said Field Foundation Leadership Investment Program Officer analía rodríguez, who was a member of the inaugural 2019 cohort. “They exemplify a unique combination of strength and love for their communities and for Chicago.”
MacArthur Senior Program Officer, Chicago Commitment, Geoffrey Banks said, “We are proud to honor these voices of change who are paving the way toward a new Chicago that is reflective of its diverse residents and communities. By supporting these leaders in their fields with a 'no-strings-attached' award, the leaders can spend the funds as they wish to pursue their personal and professional goals as they continue to shape the landscape of our city.”
Congratulations to the 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago awardees and their respective organizations listed below. Learn more about them at: https://fieldfoundation.org/2023-leaders-for-a-new-chicago.
ART
Carlos Flores, Programs Manager & Community Organizer, Chicago Art Department
Phil Jackson, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, The Firehouse Community Arts Center of Chicago
Yvette Moyo, Founder & Executive Director, Real Men Charities
JUSTICE
Glo Choi, Community Organizer, HANA Center
Mark Clements, Community Organizer, Chicago Torture Justice Center
Ling Young, Youth Organizer, Southside Together Organizing for Power
Nasir Zakaria, Founder & Executive Director, Rohingya Culture Center
MEDIA & STORYTELLING
Amethyst J. Davis, Founder, The Harvey World Herald
Vanessa Harris, President and Founder, Strategy for Access
Judith McCray, Founder & Creative Director, Juneteenth Productions
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About the Field Foundation
The Field Foundation is a private and independent foundation that, along with its strategic partners, distributes more than $6.5 million in grants to organizations working to address systemic issues in Chicago’s most divested communities. With racial and social equity at the center of its giving, the Field Foundation directs dollars to grantmaking in the areas of Art, Justice, Media & Storytelling, and Leadership Investment. Learn more at www.fieldfoundation.org.
About the MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur is placing a few big bets that truly significant progress is possible on some of the world’s most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, decreasing nuclear risk, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., and reducing corruption in Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our hometown, Chicago. Learn more at www.macfound.org.
