2021 Global Fellows
Meet the 2021 class of Ford Global Fellows!
Aisyah Ardani
“I want to see people with disabilities included in all aspects of society, from education to climate adaptation.”
SEMARANG, INDONESIA
Alvaro Montenegro Muralles
“I believe in building spaces that allow everyone to fight for justice and work to hold powerful forces accountable.”
GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
Andrea Isabel Ixchíu Hernández
“I change stories and narratives about Indigenous people that reinforce harm, because when communities change their stories they change their lives.”
TOTONICAPÁN, GUATEMALA
Angela Benedicto
“I work to ensure that everyone has the right to safe and dignified work, free from the threat of exploitation.”
MWANZA, TANZANIA
Anielle Francisco da Silva
“The safety and prosperity of human rights defenders, Afro-descendants, and people living in favelas must be protected.”
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
Aristofani Fahmi
“Indigenous artists carry the legacy and culture of Traditional people, and deserve to have equal opportunity and rights.”
PEKANBARU, INDONESIA
Bukky Shonibare
“I work to ensure that all girls in Nigeria can access their rights to education and opportunity with safety and freedom.”
ABUJA, NIGERIA
Chantal Wong
“My work fosters self expression, critical thinking, and connection between people through arts and education.”
HONG KONG
Cruz Helena Valencia Moreno
“Girls and women in Colombia’s Pacific region must be empowered to take on leadership roles and have access to education.”
QUIBDO, COLOMBIA
Dandan Wang
“Helping underserved communities to achieve and maintain financial health is critical to a healthy economy and social progress in China and around the world.”
AUSTIN, UNITED STATES
Devi Anggraini
“I work to transform and build the political consciousness of Indigenous women so they can advocate for their interests.”
BOGOR,JAWA BARAT, INDONESIA
Dhyta Caturani
“Technology is a powerful tool to fight the oppression of sexism and patriarchy.”
JAKARTA, INDONESIA
Diane Sousa da Silva Lima
“I believe art is a powerful force that can challenge outdated notions of social justice and spur meaningful social change.”
SALVADOR/SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL
Dicky Senda
“I want to see quality education and a strong economy for Indigenous people in Timor, Indonesia, and preserve our cultural heritage.”
KAPAN, INDONESIA
Duduetsang Makuse
“I want to see systemic changes that enable marginalized communities to exercise their own agency and live out their freedoms through meaningful access to inclusive and safe technology.”
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA
Ekaete Judith Umoh
“We can’t address the world’s injustices without ensuring rights and opportunities for people with disabilities.”
ABUJA, NIGERIA
Esteban Kelly
“I believe democracy depends on strong movements for workers’ rights and structures that enhance participatory economics.”
PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES
Farida Bemba Nabourema
“We must ensure the human rights of marginalized communities and stop exploitative practices that perpetuate oppression.”
LOME, TOGO
Gabriel Wer
“I believe that Guatemala can be a country where all people can participate in democracy, civic space, and social change.”
GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
Hadeel Abdel Aziz
“My work is rooted in the belief that everyone must have equal access to the legal system and protection of the law.”
AMMAN, JORDAN
Henrique Silveira de Souza
“I want to transform Rio de Janeiro into a city where everyone has access to what they need to live with dignity and opportunity.”
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
Hui (Lulu) Ning
“I believe journalism should connect people around the world by building understanding of different perspectives.”
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Ian Damian Tarimo
“Technology has the power to create better social conditions for millions of people around the world.”
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA
Imededdine Ouertani
“I work to ensure people with disabilities must be partners with governments and funders in addressing the world’s challenges.”
TUNIS, TUNISIA
Ivo Cípio Aureliano
“Indigenous people have the right to control their land and live free of exploitation.”
BOA VISTA, BRAZIL
Jabhisane Pinky Langa
“It’s time for women to be in leadership positions in every sector of society. I work to realize this in Southern Africa.”
WITBANK, SOUTH AFRICA
Jing Xiong
“I am committed to being a strong voice for feminism and advocating for the rights of women around the world.”
HONG KONG
Joseph Kaifala
“Women and girls in Sierra Leone and around the world must have equal access to education and be free from discrimination.”
FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE
Juliana Lohar
“We can achieve a society that is free of sex trafficking and where all children, women and transgender people are safe.”
GOA, INDIA
Keamogetswe Seipato
“My work is rooted in the belief that those on the margins of society have the power to radically shift us toward justice.”
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Lewis Raven Wallace
“I want to weave stories that bring us closer to a decolonized, liberated world of free people and free information.”
DURHAM, UNITED STATES, ON OCCANEECHI AND ENO LAND
Luis Francisco Cabezas
“I believe in a society that promotes the active, healthy, and dignified inclusion of elderly people in Venezuela and around the world.”
CARACAS, VENEZUELA
María Del Pilar Cáceres Cartagena
“Art and music can empower Black and Indigenous women and break oppressive cultural narratives.”
LIMA, PERÚ
Michael Richard Katagaya
“I strongly believe that visualizing and sharing public finance data and laws can help citizens better understand government policy and advocate for the outcomes they need.”
KAMPALA, UGANDA
Murendeni Mafumo
“I believe all communities can thrive if they have sustainable access to clean water. My work is dedicated to this goal.”
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
Neidi Dominguez
“I work to center the experiences of women of color through a feminist lens in achieving a labor movement that works for all.”
ALBUQUERQUE, UNITED STATES
Nettrice Gaskins
“I believe STEAM learning will bring out the best in all students, especially those from underrepresented communities.”
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
Nina Sisa Guamán Villa
“Indigenous people in Ecuador, particularly women, must be free to exercise their rights to freedom, safety and opportunity.”
RIOBAMBA, ECUADOR
Nkosikhona Swaartbooi
“We can end gender-based violence through community programs that address men’s systemic and intergenerational trauma and create positive male role models.”
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Noah Mirembe Gabigogo
“Protecting the rights and safety of sexual and gender minorities in Africa is what motivates my work.”
KAMPALA, UGANDA
Ramsey George Tesdell
“I believe in the power of storytelling to build community and create a more equitable world.”
AMMAN, JORDAN
Sara Curruchich Cúmez
“As a singer-songwriter in Guatemala, I believe music has the power to embrace memory, heal communities and resist injustice.”
COMALAPA CHIMALTENANGO, GUATEMALA
Sely Martini
“I am dedicated to creating strong systems of integrity that are a bulwark against corruption at all levels of society.”
BANDUNG, INDONESIA
Smita Chakraburtty
“I’ve advocated for open prisons throughout India, and for ending the cruel and ineffective practice of caging people.”
RAJASTHAN AND WEST BENGAL, INDIA
Tawanda Mugari
“We must give activists and human rights defenders the tools to protect themselves from threats to their digital security.”
HARARE, ZIMBABWE
Waleed Abu Nada
“Through sustainable investments, refugee youth can engage with their society in an unprecedented manner and inevitably influence decisions and local policies.”
AMMAN, JORDAN
Wendy Lisseth Morales Gálvez
“I work to ensure civic participation of communities and youth who face inequality and denial of their human rights.”
QUEZALTEPEQUE, EL SALVADOR
Zhiying Ma
“I work to ensure that people with disabilities are a valued part of society, with full rights, opportunity and dignity.”
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES