Equals Change Blog
Ideas and inspiration for a just world
It’s a familiar cycle: money and attention swoop into swing states during an election, then leave without any lasting benefit for local communities. But advocacy groups are shifting the paradigm by building the power of people too often neglected by political machinery.
Ford Foundation
An enterprising kid, Ford Fellow Adriana Barbosa helped her family make ends meet by selling her great-grandmother’s food. Today, she’s founded a game-changing platform for Black entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive across Latin America.
Ford Foundation
Police violence, hunger and lack of education keep many Black women and girls in Brazil from living their full potential. But they have a lifeline: Benilda Regina Paive De Brito. She knows what’s at stake for them and her moral leadership is opening new opportunities.
Ford Foundation
Drug policies have devastated Black communities. Kassandra Frederique and Drug Policy Alliance understand what’s at stake. One victory at a time, they’re bringing compassion and justice paired with hard data to upend America’s war on drugs.
Ford Foundation
From COVID-19 to the workplace, Black people face injustice on multiple fronts. Tanya Wallace-Gobern knows what’s at stake and is ready to respond. As the first executive director of the National Black Worker Center Project, she’s demonstrating the expansive power of Black leadership to bring justice.
Ford Foundation
The US has a long history of denying marginalized people the right to vote—and of those people fighting back and winning. Desmond Meade battled addiction, incarceration, organized opposition and more to restore voting rights to over a million formerly incarcerated Floridians.
Ford Foundation
Hurricane Maria brought devastation Puerto Rico had never seen. When the federal government’s response fell short, a new vanguard of leaders stepped up, including Glenisse Pagan-Ortiz who is uniting funders with Filantropía Puerto Rico to meet the challenge together.
Ford Foundation
Who better to fight for migrant women than the daughter of farmworkers? Lawyer Monica Ramirez hasn’t stopped advocating for the Latino community since she was 14. Name a challenge migrant women workers face and she is probably tackling it—from sexual harassment to equal pay to COVID-19.
Ford Foundation
From teaching adults to read to exposing injustice in the national press, Bianca Santana is using the power of words to stem the tide of oppression that Black Brazilians face. She’s won some big victories—and is now blazing a trail for future generations.
Ford Foundation
Restaurant workers have long faced inequality, even before COVID-19 devastated the industry and hit them hard. But Sekou Siby, a former kitchen worker, is cutting through the hurdles they face with the precision of a chef’s knife, taking on wage theft, paid sick leave and more.
Ford Foundation
When Dorian Warren joined his mother, a public school teacher, to protest as a child, he never thought he’d go on to become someone who transforms communities. Through years of door-knocking, organizing and now running Community Change, he’s delivering big wins on issues that affect every American.
Darren Walker, President
As the world watched America’s Capitol stormed and its very ideal of democracy attacked, president Darren Walker reflects on the white supremacy that has not only plagued US politics for centuries but also thwarted the country’s chances at living up to its promise.
Margot Brandenburg, Senior Program Officer, Mission Investments
We talk to Giselle Leung from the Global Impact Investing Network, about how investors are playing a key role in the response to COVID-19, and promoting equity in the process.
Andrea Armeni, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Transform Finance
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
Alberto Cerda Silva, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Technology is changing the world at a blistering pace. Organizations can’t just keep up, they need to work with public interest technologists to shape the spread of tech as a tool for change. We talk to Mozilla Foundation’s Vice President about how our joint fellowship is meeting this moment.
Darren Walker, President
As America faces a pandemic of pandemics, the very idea of democracy is being tested. As the country mourns and works to move forward, President Darren Walker makes the case for moral leadership to reimagine a future grounded in equality and justice for all.
Ximena Saskia Warnaars, Program Officer, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Extracting natural resources can exacerbate climate change, but it can also lead people to develop disabilities. Around the world, there are movements led by people with disabilities emerging, proving powerful partners in the fight to protect the planet. Connecting environmental justice to disability rights is vital, but it’s just beginning.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker reflects on the resolve and righteousness of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her 87-year legacy as a champion for justice, equality and women’s rights.
Ford Foundation
Low-wage workers have borne the brunt of COVID-19, but the US economy was broken long before the pandemic. Our grantees teamed up with workers across the country to reimagine a future of work that works for everyone.
Black philanthropy is rooted in the traditions of Black and Pan-African communities globally. Today, a growing movement to demonstrate the power of community-based philanthropy is uniting a network of more than 17 million to mark Black Philanthropy Month each August.Their efforts are taking root, and aim, at racial injustice globally.
How did Camp Jened in upstate New York inspire the political awakening that led to the Americans with Disabilities Act? Crip Camp creators Nicole Newnham and Jim LeBrecht talk about the power of community at the camp—and at the heart of the disability rights movement—and its importance in the fight for justice.
Steve Rhee, Senior Program Officer, Indonesia
In 1973, a logging company approached the Dayak Iban indigenous community in Sungai Utik with an offer to buy its land in Indonesia. When its members turned down the offer, they thought their forests would be safe. What they didn’t expect was a nearly 50-year battle to protect their land rights.
Farai Chideya, Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression
How do we make American news more equitable? This diverse mix of industry leaders has answers.
Darren Walker, President
As the Americans with Disabilities Act turns 30, president Darren Walker reflects on the movement that made it all possible and why integrating disability into the fight for justice is the only path to achieve equality for all.
Catherine Townsend, Disability Inclusion Adviser
Adela Ruiz, Program Assistant
Noorain Khan, Director, President's Office
Integrating inclusion and the values of disability justice into your work, whether as a philanthropy or an organization, is hard, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. We share our journey thus far, the lessons we’ve learned along the way and why our commitment is stronger than ever today.
Marc Climaco, Strategic Communications Officer
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the American with Disabilities Act, activists Judy Heumann and Katherine Perez share what the law means to them, the evolution of the disability rights movement, and why disability justice is the future.
Darren Walker, President
Congressman John Lewis was a righteous force for a more American United States and a fairer, better world. President Darren Walker reflects on the life of the civil rights icon and his legacy of good troublemaking.
Farai Chideya, Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression
As America faces the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism, a new report looks at the state of the media and offers recommendations to help newsrooms adapt and find the funding they need to build an equitable future.
Ford Foundation
The Supreme Court’s decision to reject the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle DACA is the culmination of a long, sustained effort by thousands of young, undocumented people and the organization that helped bring them together in the fight for immigrant rights: United We Dream.
Ford Foundation
In Louisiana, ground zero in America’s fight over abortion, the fight for access has reached the Supreme Court in an unprecedented case that could have a sweeping nationwide impact and put the future of abortion rights at stake for millions of women.
Tanya Coke, Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
In the wake of recent killings of black and brown people at the hands of police during COVID-19, Ford’s Tanya Coke and Nicolette Naylor pay tribute to two important holidays this week that symbolize the global movements of black resistance across the diaspora, the progress made globally and the work that still remains in the fight for racial equality.
Darren Walker, President
The world has been confronted with a confluence of crises, but the economic realities brought on by COVID-19 threaten the very survival of the organizations on the frontlines, the nonprofits fighting for justice and tirelessly working toward a just, equitable recovery. Reflecting on this unprecedented moment, President Darren Walker explains why extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, starting with a bold step from philanthropy.
Ford Foundation
COVID-19 has presented the world with an unparalleled situation.
Maria Torres-Springer, Vice President, US Programs
George Floyd’s death is forcing America to reckon with its long history of racism. As protests spread from Minneapolis across the world, Ford’s Maria Torres-Springer spotlights the organizations fighting for equality and justice and turning our collective despair into real, lasting change.
Darren Walker, President
Ford President Darren Walker reflects on the murder of George Floyd, the uprisings that have spread across America as a result, and the country’s long history of racial injustice.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
The challenges we face as a world require a new kind of leader. Hilary Pennington shares what we’ve learned from 80 years of investing in individuals and introduces the Ford Global Fellows, our big bet to build the next generation of change agents.
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
As COVID-19 spreads globally, women and girls are shouldering the brunt, left vulnerable to violence and economic insecurity and carrying the majority of the burden at home. Ford's Nicolette Naylor, along with Jess Tomlin and Jessica Houssain of grantee Equality Fund, explain why the fight for gender equality doesn’t stop during a pandemic but is more critical than ever.
Ford’s Sarita Gupta and Rachel Korberg break down the reality for America’s low-wage workers on the frontlines of COVID-19 and how we are working to ensure they get the support they need now and well into the future.
Ford Foundation
As the #COVID-19 crisis exacerbates inequality and puts many workers at risk of harassment, we spotlight the National Women's Law Center, a Ford-funded organization that knows #MeToo doesn’t stop in the midst of a pandemic—nor does the fight for justice. Established in 1972, the center has been behind every major legal and policy change for women in the United States and, most recently, was selected to run the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.
Margaret Morton, Director, Creativity and Free Expression
By using their gender as a lens and their work to amplify women’s voices, issues and perspectives, these 13 artists, writers and filmmakers are changing society’s perceptions of women and forcing the world to rethink the very definition of the arts.
Darren Walker, President
As COVID-19 spreads rapidly around the world, President Darren Walker finds hope and strength in our interconnectedness and calls us to come together with urgency and compassion to address the pandemic’s immediate and yet-to-be-known consequences.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
Hilary Pennington announces the philanthropy pledge, a partnership with the Ford Foundation and more than 40 organizations to urge philanthropies everywhere to commit to more flexible funding to support nonprofits navigate the impacts of COVID-19.
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
Ford’s Nicolette Naylor digs into the complexities of the problem and shares how Ford is working to build a world free of fear and violence.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
Advancing the rights of women and girls is one of the most critical tasks of the 21st century. Hilary Pennington, executive vice president for program, shares how the intrepid individuals and organizations Ford supports are pushing the boundaries of possibility to build a future where all individuals have the power and opportunity to shape their own lives.
Marc Climaco, Strategic Communications Officer
A longtime activist fighting for disability rights, Judith Heumann sits down with Ford to talk about her new memoir, Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist
Lisa Kim, Gallery Director
The Ford Foundation Gallery’s Per(Sister) spotlights the stories of 30 currently and formerly incarcerated women in Louisiana and the issues they face in the criminal justice system.
Darren Walker, President
President Darren Walker talks about the sacrifice, struggle and the need to embrace urgency to move forward in 2020 and bring the world closer to justice.
Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Three films supported by the Ford Foundation are nominated for Best Documentary at the 2020 Academy Awards.
Tanya Coke, Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Just Mercy spotlights Bryan Stevenson, Founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and Ford trustee, and his unshakable drive to end racial discrimination in the American South.
Michelle Shevin, Technology Fellow, Technology and Society
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker reflects on the need for nuance amid an era of extremism in order to address society’s most pernicious challenges: “We cannot let the perfect be the enemy of progress. Within complexity and nuance, we find hope for the year ahead.”
How we're transforming our culture and grant making as we continue to learn and advance our work on disability justice.
Judith Heumann, Senior Fellow
Disability rights leader and Ford Fellow Judy Heumann discusses the essential findings of her new report, Road Map for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media.
Marielle Velander, Research Manager, Reboot
Reflections on the Ford Foundation’s tech fellows program, and a set of key principles for others interested in using this model.
Darren Walker, President
We mourn the loss of Kevin Roche, the architect behind some of the world’s most remarkable buildings—including the Ford Foundation’s own.
Ritse Erumi, Technology Fellow, Future of Work(ers)
To shape a future of work that offers opportunity, security, and prosperity for all people and communities, we’ll need to think outside the box.
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
In the wake of high-profile data breaches at Cambridge Analytica, Yahoo, Equifax, and other companies, privacy issues are increasingly the focus of attention and conversation. But privacy is a complicated issue—and often a contested one.
Darren Walker, President
Later this year, our esteemed program vice president, Xav Briggs, will depart the foundation to return to the frontlines of social change.
Carly Benkov, Senior Systems Analyst
Catherine Townsend, Disability Inclusion Adviser
Megan Morrison, Former Officer, Strategy and Learning
We are always working to improve our grant making process, and to make sure our systems are efficient, easy to use, and accessible to everyone.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
Bess Rothenberg, Senior Director, Strategy and Learning
Megan Morrison, Former Officer, Strategy and Learning
Based on feedback from our grantees, we have begun a number of initiatives to help improve our impact as grant makers, improve our responsiveness, and share what we're learning.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
We’re excited to announce thirteen new research grants being made by the Ford and Sloan foundations, focused on the sustainability, maintainability, and security of open-source digital infrastructure.
Darren Walker, President
Philanthropy is not immune from the plague of inequality, Darren Walker writes in his annual letter. If we are to be legitimate participants in the fight against it, there is urgency to our embracing this truth.
José García, Program Officer, Future of Work(ers)
Xavier de Souza Briggs, Former Program Vice President
The fall of this iconic company is the cautionary tale of a volatile economy—and also a definitive example of how private capital can do well while doing much better for affected workers and their families.
Kathy Reich, Director, Building Institutions and Networks (BUILD)
Our new report, Changing Grant Making to Change the World, offers a set of early lessons from our BUILD program, to help other grant makers who are interested in changing entrenched systems and supporting nonprofit sustainability.
Darren Walker, President
The renewed building will be a unique asset for champions of social justice across sectors and geographies—a vibrant, fully accessible hub with 54,000 square feet of meeting space for use by people and organizations advancing change in the US and globally.
Darren Walker, President
Addressing the future of work is central to our mission, and also essential to the stability and success of our democracy.
Aurélio Vianna Jr., Former Senior Program Officer
Here's how mapping technology are helping Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities in Brazil prove that they are the best #Guardiansoftheforest
Steve Rhee, Senior Program Officer, Indonesia
In Indonesia, the convergence of policy and technology is improving the lives of millions of people.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
How can we ensure that large numbers of trees are able to reduce emissions and suck up more carbon? One important answer is to give indigenous peoples and traditional communities greater rights to the forests where they live.
Diane Samuels, Vice President, People and Culture
When we make diversity, equity, and inclusion a staffing priority, our work has greater impact.
Salome Asega, Technology Fellow, Creativity and Free Expression
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Marc Climaco, Strategic Communications Officer
Many in philanthropy are investing in opportunities to help build the Public Interest Tech field. Here are some of the opportunities available right now.
Linda Ochiel, Program Officer, Eastern Africa
We were excited to bring a delegation of disabled activists to the the 62nd session of the Commission for the Status of Women in New York City—and surprised by some of the challenges involved.
Joy Buolamwini, Founder of the Algorithmic Justice League
Joy Buolamwini is fighting the “coded gaze” - a term she uses to describe bias in algorithms that can lead to social exclusion and discriminatory practices. She is one of the many people in #PublicInterestTech working on algorithmic justice.
Atila Roque, Director, Brazil
Today marks 100 days since human rights activist and Rio de Janeiro councilwoman Marielle Franco was brutally executed, alongside her driver Anderson Gomes.
After her death, the Ford Foundation joined efforts with two other global foundations—Open Society Foundations and the Kellogg Foundation—and a Brazilian one, Instituto Ibirapitanga, to grant a combined total of ten million US dollars to Fundo Baobá in honor of Marielle’s life and struggle.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
Advances in emerging media are swiftly reshaping the landscape of storytelling, at a level and pace unseen since the invention of the moving image.
Michelle Shevin, Technology Fellow, Technology and Society
Follow a sci-fi fan’s journey into the field of public interest technology.
Erika L. Wood, Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
In an executive order, Governor Andrew Cuomo restored voting rights to over 24,000 New Yorkers currently on parole. It's an important step forward for criminal justice reform, for voting rights, and for racial justice.
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
Addressing sexual harassment and sexual violence in the workplace among social justice organizations is long overdue.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
The Ford and Sloan foundations have come together to support a new wave of research exploring the economics, sustainability, and maintenance of digital infrastructure.
Penny Davies, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
In rural and remote places, increasing numbers of women are mobilizing and becoming leaders in their organizations and communities.
Josie Hodson, Tom Ford Fellow in Philanthropy, Creativity and Free Expression
On view now in NYC, the Defend Puerto Rico exhibition uses traditional and emerging media formats and technologies to illustrate the experiences of Puerto Ricans across the diaspora.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
We’re spreading the word about Public Interest Tech, an exciting field that’s eager for fresh ideas and skills.
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
10 pressing tech issues and trends that exist at the nexus of technology and social justice.
Justin Sylvester, Program Officer, Southern Africa
The right to protest has always been essential to movements for human rights and social justice. But around the world, there is a big gap between the promise of that right, and its reality.
Otto Scharmer, Economist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Otto Scharmer, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says companies and nonprofits must adopt a new mindset and pursue new forms of collaboration.
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
Protecting human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia—like Temistocles Machado, who was killed last month—remains an uphill battle.
Judith Diers, Program Officer, Office of the Vice President for International Programs
Ivana Fertziger, Senior Program Officer, Mexico and Central America
Alexander Irwan, Director, Indonesia
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
To mark the release of the World Inequality Lab’s 2018 World Inequality Report, some of our staff from around the world reflected on what inequality looks like in their regions, and some of the work they’re supporting to help disrupt it.
Darren Walker, President
In a New Year's message, Darren Walker reflects on why justice is more important than American "greatness", and how that impacts our work.
Graciela Selaimen, Senior Program Officer, Brazil
In our “post-truth” world, we are all overwhelmed by information. In-person interactions struggle to compete with the ceaseless barrage of push notifications popping up on our mobile devices. Attention, trust, and full presence are now among our scarcest resources.
Salome Asega, Technology Fellow, Creativity and Free Expression
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Ryan Gerety, Former Technology Fellow, Equitable Development
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Sophia Hernández, Program Associate, Civic Engagement and Government, International Program
Todo comenzó con un grupo de chat entre amigos en WhatsApp, quienes buscábamos la manera de ayudar a los afectados por el terremoto.
Christopher Cardona, Program Officer, Philanthropy
A growing number of foundations around the world are experimenting with new approaches to philanthropy. Our new paper explores what we can learn from them.
Morgan Hargrave, Former Technology Fellow, Civic Engagement and Government
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Michelle Shevin, Technology Fellow, Technology and Society
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Ritse Erumi, Technology Fellow, Future of Work(ers)
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
The Ford Foundation’s tech fellows work at the intersection of social justice and technology. Each of them is embedded within one of our program areas, lending their expertise on a particular set of issues along with their ability to understand and solve problems through a tech lens.
Kevin Ryan, Program Officer, Cities and States
Kevin Ryan joined the Ford Foundation’s Equitable Development team earlier this year, leading our grant making in Detroit. Here, the Detroit native talks about his family’s history in the city and region, the changes he’s seen in Detroit over the years, and the shape and scope of the foundation’s grant making there.
Noorain Khan, Director, President's Office
It quickly became clear that our focus on inequality demands that we think seriously about disability issues.
Sophia Hernández, Program Associate, Civic Engagement and Government, International Program
It all started with a WhatsApp group chat between friends looking for ways to help those affected by the quake.
Amy Brown, Former Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Janna Bilski, Hedge Fund Investments
Universal free school lunch is a simple but radical idea. It removes stigma, improves children’s health and education, and helps low-income families make ends meet. Because it is one system, it also simplifies administrative processes, allowing schools, principals, and teachers to focus on teaching.
Darren Walker, President
El presidente de la Fundación Ford, Darren Walker, nos pide que tengamos el valor moral de defender nuestros valores democráticos más esenciales.
Darren Walker, President
Earlier this summer, the Ford Foundation launched an interactive tool called Your American Dream Score, which aims to help each of us examine the factors that have helped us succeed or held us back, and to start conversations about the role of inequality and opportunity in our lives.
Darren Walker, President
Ford Foundation President Darren Walker calls on us all to have the moral courage to stand up for our most essential democratic values.
Anna Shireen Wadia, Senior Program Officer, Future of Work(ers)
Laine Romero-Alston, Former Program Officer, Future of Work
The people responsible for the safety and health of our loved ones are paid less than parking lot attendants, and rarely receive health insurance or other benefits. According to PHI, home care workers in the US, like Vilma, are 89% female and make a median annual income of $13,300.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
The “American Dream”—one of the country’s most foundational principles—has long made a simple promise: Hard work leads to success. But what happens when large swaths of American society don’t buy into it?
Atila Roque, Director, Brazil
Privilege is very comfortable. But fighting the kind of inequality that leads to great suffering for so many will require disrupting that privilege, and breaking down some of the barriers that enable and preserve it.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Alfred Ironside, Former Vice President, Global Communications
Ghada Abdel Tawab, Program Officer, Middle East and North Africa
There are millions of workers around the world who are working and living at the periphery of the formal economy. We call these workers informal workers.
Otto Saki, Global Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Around the world, corporations are using Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) to silence environmental activists.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker reflects on four of his commencement speeches, addressing how around the world, democracy and democratic values are under siege, and our responsibilities to protect democracy.
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
Morgan Hargrave, Former Technology Fellow, Civic Engagement and Government
The Internet is increasingly automated, sometimes by programs that have ill intentions toward social justice organizations. Learn what you and your organization should be aware of if you use the Internet.
Douglas Wood, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
Despite similar crime rates, the US incarceration rate is more than five times that of comparable countries. Out of every 100,000 Americans, 693 are in prison—a number that has multiplied in the past four decades.
Martín Abregú, Vice President, International Programs
The Ford Foundation will continue to be a major funder in this field, supporting human rights actors and practices within all our efforts to overcome inequality.
Kamilah Duggins, Talent Acquisition Manager
William Kelley, Global Director, Talent Acquisition and Engagement|People and Culture
In 2015, the Ford Foundation decided to "walk our talk" and start a professional development program for formerly incarcerated people. Our HR department explains what the process was like.
Kamilah Duggins, Talent Acquisition Manager
William Kelley, Global Director, Talent Acquisition and Engagement|People and Culture
Ford Foundation shares some lessons for organizations considering starting a hiring program for formally incarcerated people.
Amy Brown, Former Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Sanjiv Rao, Director, Civic Engagement and Government
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
Noorain Khan, Director, President's Office
Your American Dream Score aims to help us examine the many experiences, systems, and institutions that have helped—or hindered—our path to where we are today, and to jump-start honest discussions about the role of inequality and opportunity in our lives.
Lavar Gibson, Associate
In their new book, Whiplash: How to Survive Our Faster Future, MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito and journalist and MIT visiting scholar Jeff Howe lay out new “rules” for surviving and advancing in this age of rapid technological change.
Noha El-Mikawy, Director, Middle East and North Africa
The global refugee crisis poses a range of challenges to host countries but also economic and cultural opportunities. Policy solutions that ensure refugees’ dignity and help build their skills, talents, and assets will ensure that migrants can live full lives and contribute to their new communities.
Jocelyn Harmon, Chief Philanthropy Officer, CFED
Jeremie Greer, Vice President of Policy and Research, CFED
The US tax code is upside down—spending on tax benefits for wealthy Americans is significantly higher than on federal agency programs that benefit Americans who need help the most. A commonsense tax code would benefit all Americans and minimize wealth inequality.
Ivana Fertziger, Senior Program Officer, Mexico and Central America
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Ximena Saskia Warnaars, Program Officer, Natural Resources and Climate Change
El Salvador's Congress voted to prohibit metallic mining, putting aside their differences to protect human health and the environment.
Darren Walker, President
The Ford Foundation is committing up to $1 billion from its $12 billion endowment over the next 10 years to the nascent investment field known as mission-related investing.
Altaf Rahamatulla, Former Program Associate, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Attitudes around drug use are changing and the "War on Drugs" has failed—especially in communities of color. Updated policy is needed to create a more humane drug policy.
Keaton Allen-Gessesse, SERI litigation volunteer and Harvard Public Service Venture Fellow
Bringing the Truth Home tells the story of the 34 miners shot down in Marikana during their strike for a living wage in 2012, attempting to right the prevailing narrative.
US Olympic medalist and entrepreneur Ibtihaj Muhammad on her experience as a woman of color, a Muslim American, and a female athlete today
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Consumer Reports launches open-source consumer privacy effort called the Digital Standard, supported by the Ford Foundation.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
It has now been a year since the courageous environmental activist and indigenous leader Berta Cáceres was murdered in Honduras, and those responsible still have not been brought to justice.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
JustFilms, part of Ford’s Creativity and Free Expression program, is a longtime partner of the Sundance Institute and supported seven films in 2017.
Hannah Meropol, Tom Ford Fellow
The power of the Women’s March can't be sustained without people coming together to resist the sources not only of their own oppression but also of each other’s.
Morgan Hargrave, Former Technology Fellow, Civic Engagement and Government
The Ford Foundation is looking for technologists to join our grant-making teams and help them advance social justice and challenge inequality.
Timothy Flacke, Executive Director, Commonwealth
Each week, nearly one-third of the US population visits a Walmart store. As is the case with nearly half of all Americans, many of these shoppers have $400 or less in savings. In fact, one in six Americans says he or she is unprepared for a financial emergency, and only half feel financially secure. A third say they have no savings at all, according to a recent Pew survey.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Q&A with URGE executive director Kierra Johnson on how gender, reproductive rights, and sexual health issues impact a person’s life.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
How can creative and documentary work help build a fairer and more just society?
We need an immigrant rights movement that decreases fear and expands opportunities for all.
Wilneida Negrón, Project Manager, Capital, Media, and Technology, Transform Finance
10 pressing tech issues that exist at the nexus of technology and social justice.
Darren Walker, President
In a New Year's message, Darren Walker reminds us that we share a human aspiration to live in dignity.
Elizabeth Alexander, Former Director, Creativity and Free Expression
The Ford Foundation's Elizabeth Alexander speaks with actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith about Smith's new play, Notes from the Field: Doing Time in Education, examining the school-to-prison pipeline.
Margaret Morton, Director, Creativity and Free Expression
Today’s divisive climate makes it more urgent than ever to lift up vibrant art and creative expression that unifies and humanizes people through stories, art, and cultural practice.
Rebeca Sandoval, Program Associate, Mexico and Central America
Helena Hofbauer Balmori, International Program Director, Civic Engagement and Government; Director, Mexico and Central America
The Ford Foundation recognizes four grantees that recently received special awards for their outstanding work and dedication to advancing human rights in Mexico and Central America.
Rebeca Sandoval, Program Associate, Mexico and Central America
Helena Hofbauer Balmori, International Program Director, Civic Engagement and Government; Director, Mexico and Central America
The Ford Foundation recognizes four grantees that recently received special awards for their work and dedication to advancing human rights
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Graham Macmillan, Former Senior Program Officer, Mission Investments
Penny Davies, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Ford Foundation program officers reflect on the progress made in the past year since the Paris Climate Agreement was adopted, the roles of business and indigenous land rights in combating climate change, and how countries are moving from planning to implementation.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Graham Macmillan, Former Senior Program Officer, Mission Investments
Penny Davies, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Darren Walker, President
According to a new research report from the Center for Effective Philanthropy, 67 percent of foundations say they should listen more to grantees.
Tony Sheldon, Executive Director, Program on Social Enterprise at the Yale School of Management
CGAP and the Ford Foundation commissioned case studies in Colombia, Peru, Ethiopia, and India exploring the Graduation Approach.
Tracy Van Slyke, Director, Culture Lab
Rinku Sen, President and Executive Director, Race Forward
The Culture Lab and Race Forward offer five questions and a tool kit to help social change and media makers become better storytellers.
Douglas Wood, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
Stereotypes and stigma make black female students vulnerable to mistreatment and criminalization in school.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker writes about finding hope amid the global challenges of 2016.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Protecting our forests and restoring indigenous peoples' rights over their land will keep carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and slow the rate of global climate change.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Derechos indígenas a la tierra: Una solución efectiva y de bajo costo ante el cambio climático, y justo a tiempo
Eryn Loeb, Editor
America Divided, a new documentary series from EPIX, explores narratives around inequality in education, housing, healthcare, labor, criminal justice and the political system.
Andrew Catauro, Former Manager, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Elizabeth Wann, Program Assistant, Inclusive Economies
Ford Foundation staff recap Episode 5 of America Divided and discuss domestic workers' rights and voter suppression
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
Mayra Peters-Quintero, Senior Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Ethan Frey, Program Officer, Cities and States
Ford Foundation staff recap episode 4 of America Divided and discuss the influence of big money in politics and protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants.
Gavin Silber, Research Consultant, Ndifuna Ukwazi
Lwazi Mtshiyo, Candidate Attorney, Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI)
Hopolang Selebalo, Head of Research, Ndifuna Ukwazi
South African cities illustrate how urban policies can be effectively implemented but also destructive to the communities they should be serving.
Ford Foundation's director for Equitable Development, Don Chen, explains how the global community can ensure that Habitat III and the New Urban Agenda live up to expectations.
Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
The Ford Foundation recaps episode 3 of America Divided, a docu-series about rising inequality in the United States.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
The documentary When Two Worlds Collide captures the conflict between indigenous communities determined to protect their tribal lands, and government-supported business interests eager to open those lands up to oil drilling, mining, and clear-cutting.
Julio Berdegué, Principal Researcher, Rimisp - Latin American Center for Rural Development
Felicity Proctor, Research Associate, Rimisp - Latin American Center for Rural Development
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
Mia Deschamps, Former Program Associate
Michael Cohen, Director, International Affairs, The New School
Lena Simet, Coordinator, Global Urban Futures Project, The New School
The Ford Foundation and its grantees weigh in on the opportunities and challenges of the upcoming Habitat III conference in Quito.
Lori McGlinchey, Director, Technology and Society
Jenny Toomey, International Program Director, Technology and Society
Data scientist Cathy O’Neil shows in her revealing book, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality, that math and mathematical algorithms are not as neutral and unbiased as we think they are.
Alberto Cerda Silva, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Alberto Cerda Silva speaks with David Kaye, the United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, about how the Internet is changing the right to free speech, press, and expression.
David Kaye, the United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion
Andrew Catauro, Former Manager, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
The Ford Foundation recaps episode 2 of America Divided, a docu-series about rising inequality in the United States.
David Robinson, Principal, Upturn
A new report released by Upturn examines how philanthropy can harness data at scale , what risks big data pose to foundations, and how to address these risks.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
The first episode of America Divided, a new documentary series from EPIX, explores three issues of American inequality: our nation's broken criminal justice system, the Flint water crisis, and housing issues in New York City.
Margaret Morton, Director, Creativity and Free Expression
Despite being the fastest growing ethnic group, Latinxs are the least represented group in the arts. Teresita Fernandez speaks with the Ford Foundation about why Latinxs are critical to the future of the arts.
John Irons, Former Director, Future of Work(ers)
For the first time since 1999, we have seen improvements in incomes, poverty reduction, and health coverage all in one year.
Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, discusses why he created the web, why access to the Internet is a human right, and what it really means for the Internet to be open “for everyone" following a screening of Foreveryone.net, a documentary by Jessica Yu about his great invention.
Kavita N. Ramdas, Former Senior Adviser, Global Strategy
Ford Foundation's Kavita Ramdas authored a poem inspired by her time with feminist activists from around the globe who are living with disabilities.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker on how ignorance can fuel inequality, and learning from our oversights can forge a way towards justice.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker, President
Rachel Wimpee, Ford Foundation Historian and Project Director
The Ford Foundation has a rich history of supporting scholarships and fellowships that have a focus on social justice, including our International Fellowships Program.
Susie Jolly, Former Program Officer
China's growing relationship with and participation in the Global South raises questions about the role of gender and sexuality issues in foreign aid, investment, and development in the region.
Jacqueline Burton, Grants Officer, Cities and States
A pesar de que los grandes acuerdos intergubernamentales son negociados y adoptados por los gobiernos nacionales, son las autoridades regionales y locales quienes entienden mejor las necesidades y desafíos locales y son, en última instancia, los responsables de establecer un desarrollo equitativo en sus regiones.
Juliet Mureriwa, Grants Officer, Reserves Fund
Evan Mawarire's Facebook video lamenting the worsening economic crisis and political repression in Zimbabwe sparked an online revolution, #ThisFlag. Mawarire urged Zimbabweans to reclaim their aspirations and reminded them that the power to change the status quo is in the hands of citizens.
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
Javier Ciurlizza, the Ford Foundation’s Andean Region representative, discusses the strategy behind the opening of a new regional headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia, inequality in Colombia, the historic peace agreement, and what’s ahead for the region.
Anna Shireen Wadia, Senior Program Officer, Future of Work(ers)
Raising the minimum wage positively impacts all Americans and the broader economy. Workers are making gains in raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing paid sick days and paid family leave, and cracking down on wage theft, but there is still progress to be made.
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
El 5 de septiembre de 2016, la Fundación Ford abrirá una nueva oficina regional en Bogotá (Colombia), la cual se convertirá en la sede central de nuestras labores en la Región Andina. Javier Ciurlizza, director de la fundación para esta región, habla sobre la estrategia que motivó el traslado, así como la desigualdad en Colombia, el histórico acuerdo de paz y lo que le espera a la región en el futuro.
Big data drives much of our daily lives, but without proper oversight, the use of data by government agencies can exacerbate existing inequality and harm communities.
Alberto Cerda Silva, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Access to the Internet is critical for freedom of expression in modern societies and for enjoying cultural, social, and economic rights. Government's role in protecting this human right includes not blocking free speech, but also providing the disenfranchised with a voice.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
The second class of Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellows aims to support the next generation of public interest technologists who leverage their technology-related expertise to serve the public good.
Amy Kenyon, Senior Program Officer, Cities and States
A Q&A with Roosevelt Institute President Felicia Wong on how to create a US economic system that supports strong growth and shared prosperity for all.
Letícia Osório, Former Program Officer
The 2016 Olympics promised benefits for all of Rio’s citizens, but instead ended up violating human rights, increasing public debt, and further segregating the city's most vulnerable populations.
Kali Villarosa, Intern, Ford Foundation
While millennials are concerned about what’s going on in the world today, somehow HIV/AIDS, a disease that intersects with issues like LGBT rights, mass incarceration, gender equality, and war, has fallen off their radar.
Thalia Orphee, Intern, Ford Foundation
Despite an increasing emphasis on diversity in organizations and corporate America, leadership roles are overwhelming still white and male.
Sabina Razak, Intern, Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation intern reflects on the current state of internships, are they more about prestige than learning?
Tanya Coke, Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Real change will require hard work by every one of us who values fairness and safety. Activists must be willing to sit down with police and politicians to propose specific solutions. Police officials must listen and find the will to implement them.
Stefan Norgaard, Stanford University Tom Ford Fellow in Philanthropy
If we change the approach to development, large sporting events like the Olympics can reduce, rather than drive, inequality.
Delane Kalembo, Program Coordinator, African Men for Sexual Health and Rights
Reflecting on the International AIDS Conference in Durban, Delane Kalembo speaks to the role that religious leaders and faith-based organizations play in turning the tide on HIV in Africa.
Darren Walker, President
Foundation presidents acknowledge the courageous organizations working every day to push past despair and create change. #reasonsforhope
Michael Clemens, Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development
The global inequality of opportunity is what's driving the current migration crisis.
Natasha Sharma, Intern, Ford Foundation
In a world where building connections is everything, paid internships offer young people of all different economic and social classes the opportunity to prepare for the future without having to sacrifice financial stability.
Emily Akpan, Intern, Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation interns weigh in on President Darren Walker's New York Times op-ed "Why Internships Are Not a Privilege."
Victor Tavarez, Intern, Ford Foundation
Internships help disadvantaged students tap into the advantages that so many of their peers already have.
Jacqueline Burton, Grants Officer, Cities and States
Ana Marie Argilagos, Senior Advisor, Equitable Development
Habitat III—the United Nations conference on housing and sustainable urban development—will take place in Quito, Ecuador this October.
Clarisa Bencomo, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
Leaders from the Middle East and North Africa must figure out how to make their cities more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable as they grapple with devastating conflicts, mass displacements of people, widespread inequality, and rapid population growth.
Brook Kelly-Green, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Luna Yasui, Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
The Movement for Black Lives has created an opportunity for philanthropy to see and learn from new and dynamic forms of social justice leadership and infrastructure.
Eka Williams, Program Officer
There is a close link between child marriage and the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Yet the interventions designed to respond to these two issues are often not integrated.
Margaret Hempel, Former Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
We remember Alison Bernstein, former vice president of Creativity and Free Expression
Brook Kelly-Green, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Fighting laws like the one invalidated by the Supreme Court means playing defense.
Justin Sylvester, Program Officer, Southern Africa
The worst-hit countries were Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines, and nearly 40 percent of victims were members of indigenous groups.
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
The ceasefire between the Colombian government and the FARC guerrillas ends 50 years of conflict and creates an opportunity to make Colombia more safe, just, and equal.
Javier Ciurlizza, Director, Andean Region
El cese al fuego entre el gobierno colombiano y las guerrillas de las FARC crea una oportunidad para aumentar la seguridad y la igualdad.
Darren Walker, President
The Ford Foundation's new strategy to support institutions and networks, and to strengthen civil society, ensuring that the courageous people within it have what they need to fight for a more just and equitable world.
Ethan Frey, Program Officer, Cities and States
A framework for achieving more meaningful and active voter participation.
Lori McGlinchey, Director, Technology and Society
Strong net neutrality rules in the US ensure that we will continue to have access to a free and open Internet—one that will remain an engine of free expression, economic growth, and innovation.
Stefan Norgaard, Stanford University Tom Ford Fellow in Philanthropy
Just and inclusive cities put people first, and put equity and social justice at the center of policy and design.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
JustFilms director Cara Mertes spoke to filmmaker Morgan Neville about his film, The Music of Strangers.
Deborah Wright, Senior Fellow, Ford Foundation
Google’s ban eliminates a major way for payday lenders to entice consumers, but industry and government leaders need to address the underlying reasons why people turn to payday loans in the first place.
Nicole Okai, Strategic Communications Officer
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Lee-Anne Walters, key players in exposing the Flint water crisis, discuss the root causes of the crisis and implications for other cities across America.
Martín Abregú, Vice President, International Programs
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
Andrew Catauro, Former Manager, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Filmmakers Kelly Duane de la Vega, Katie Galloway, and Kevin Bilal Chatman discuss mass incarceration, and their experiences making the documentary, The Return.
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
Unlike traditional scholarships based primarily on academic achievement, social justice fellowships use non-traditional ways to recruit talented individuals and extend higher education opportunities to leaders from marginalized communities.
Frederick James Frelow, Former Senior Program Officer, Youth Opportunity and Learning
New York City school suspensions are down by one third, great news for students, parents, and "restorative justice".
Marla Blow, Founder and CEO, FS Card Inc.
Tech startups can take risks with new technology, while large incumbent financial institutions have the resources to go to scale, the result can be increased financial inclusion.
Ana Marie Argilagos, Senior Advisor, Equitable Development
The Ford Foundation and the OECD recently brought together 21 mayors from around the world to discuss what cities can do to tackle inequality and promote inclusive growth.
Minna Penttila, Program Assistant, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
America’s racial demographics are changing and there are major implications for elections and the political process.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Indigenous peoples are stewards of their ancestral land, vital to keeping our planet healthy and fighting climate change.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Si bien cada vez se está prestando mayor atención a los derechos indígenas, la mayoría de las personas aún no entienden estas cuestiones y cómo están conectadas con sus propias vidas. Pensé que sería útil explicar los principios básicos en materia de derechos indígenas: qué son, exactamente por qué están siendo amenazadas estas comunidades, y por qué desempeñan un papel fundamental en el abordaje del cambio climático.
Barbara Raab, Former Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression
Program Officer Barbara Raab interviews International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Director Gerard Ryle on the Panama Papers.
Deborah Wright, Senior Fellow, Ford Foundation
Taking lessons from public health, five ideas that can help Americans improve their financial literacy and wellbeing.
Steve Phillips, Author, Brown is the New White
Author Steve Phillips offers some bold ideas to address inequality and close America's racial wealth gap
Paul Silva, Strategic Communications Manager
#PopJustice reports show how entertainment and pop culture can advance social change.
David Reiling, CEO, Sunrise Banks
Davis Reiland, CEO of Sunrise Banks on the importance of access to small-dollar lending.
Marc Climaco, Strategic Communications Officer
Twitter conversation with Nigerian actress and award-winning filmmaker Stephanie Okereke Linus about her film, Dry.
Felipe Agüero, Former Program Officer
Upcoming censuses in Colombia and Peru present opportunities for greater inclusion, for every person to count and be counted.
Felipe Agüero, Former Program Officer
Los próximos censos en Colombia y Perú presentan oportunidades para una mayor inclusión, para que cada persona cuente y sea contada.
Marc Climaco, Strategic Communications Officer
We asked the delegates at the UN for the 60th session of the Commission for the Status of Women to tell us what inequality means to them.
Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
An interview with filmmaker Nelson George on his experience documenting Misty Copeland's historic rise to become the world's first black principal dancer at a major international ballet company.
Lawrence Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute
Improving upward mobility without addressing income inequality is a dodge, according to Lawrence Mishel, president of the Economic Policy Institute.
Lourdes A. Rivera, Former Senior Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
A group from our Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice team traveled to Washington, DC to join a rally with thousands in support of women's reproductive rights.
Eric K. Ward, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
With increasing xenophobic political rhetoric and brazen incidents of violence against American Muslim, South Asian, and Arab communities, the Ford Foundation hosted a dialogue with leaders to strategize ways to advance inclusion. Here are the highlights from the discussion.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Director of Natural Resources and Climate Change David Kaimowitz reflects on the courageous life and work of indigenous rights leader Berta Cáceres
Lori McGlinchey, Director, Technology and Society
A Q&A with Internet freedom advocate Rebecca MacKinnon
Andrew Catauro, Former Manager, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Brook Kelly-Green, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
An interview with the filmmaker of Wilhemina's War, the story of an African American grandmother living in the rural south and fighting to help her granddaughter survive the health risks and social stigma of living with HIV.
Hank Willis Thomas, Visual artist
LaShawn R. Jefferson, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Brook Kelly-Green, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
To mark Black History Month, we asked three racial justice advocates to reflect on what it means to commemorate and celebrate black history in a moment when racial justice is at the center of the national conversation.
Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Interview with the filmmakers of (T)ERROR on the very real consequences of counter-terrorism surveillance and what we’re willing to sacrifice in the fight against terrorism.
Elizabeth Wann, Program Assistant, Inclusive Economies
While tipping remains a favored practice in the United States, it has created a system of unfair pay that disproportionately affects women and people of color—a system that has roots in America’s ugly history of slavery and racial discrimination.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
The Ford Foundation is looking for technologists to join our grant making teams and help them advance social justice and challenge inequality.
Chi-hui Yang, Senior Program Officer, JustFilms, Creativity and Free Expression
Interview with filmmaker Stanley Nelson on his Black Panthers documentary and its relevance to #BlackLivesMatter and racial tensions today.
Jean Ross, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
What Flint can learn from a new generation of civic activism and engagement among diverse Detroit communities.
Lori McGlinchey, Director, Technology and Society
Vivek Malhotra, Director, Civil and Human Rights
Eric K. Ward, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Ford staff recount their most memorable social justice moments from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Lourdes A. Rivera, Former Senior Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
43 years after Roe v. Wade, reproductive justice is as important as ever, and goes beyond the right to abortion and contraception.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Paul Polman, Rajiv Joshi, and Martin Whittaker on how capitalism and the 1% can help fight inequality.
Xavier de Souza Briggs, Former Program Vice President
As world leaders, CEOs, and intellectuals make their way to Davos for the World Economic Forum, let’s not have yesterday’s conversation about inequality.
Martin Whittaker, CEO, JUST Capital
JUST Capital CEO Martin Whittaker answered five questions about the agenda at Davos and the role of business in building a more fair and equitable world.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker announces the launch of #InequalityIs, a conversation about inequality in all its forms.
Penny Davies, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Altaf Rahamatulla, Former Program Associate, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Laine Romero-Alston, Former Program Officer, Future of Work
Eric K. Ward, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Foundation staff weigh in on Obama's final State of the Union, and his takes on criminal justice reform, raising the minimum wage, climate change, discrimination, and inequality
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Michelle Alexander speaks candidly to Ford Foundation staff about the state of racial justice in America.
Darren Walker, President
The New Yorker profiles Darren Walker and his leadership in rethinking philanthropy and defining a new strategy to combat inequality.
Eka Williams, Program Officer
Forty percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa are married before they turn 18.
Darren Walker, President
We're transforming our landmark building into a center for philanthropy and civil society.
Heather McGhee, President, Demos
Demos President Heather McGhee asks whether it is enough to bend the arc of justice, or if it needs to break.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
Cara Mertes reflects on 5 years of JustFilms, and looks ahead to the next phase of immersive storytelling.
Farhana Khera, President and Executive Director, Muslim Advocates
Farhana Khera, President of Muslim Advocates, discusses the need to build coalitions with other movements to bend the arc of justice.
Susie Jolly, Former Program Officer
Ford Foundation awarded the Kumquat Prize by Chinese NGOs.
Penny Davies, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Nicolette Naylor, International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice; Director, Southern Africa
If we’re going to speak about the power of storytelling then I guess I should tell a story—or rather, my story.
Michael Brennan, Program Officer, Technology and Society
Studies show big data can lead to racial bias, algorithms develop prejudices.
Author and activist Cida Bento has been named one of the top "diversity figures in public life" by The Economist.
Margaret A. Rugadya, Program Officer
Landesa honored with Hilton Humanitarian Prize for "extraordinary contributions to alleviating human suffering"
Moushira Elgeziri, Former Program Officer
Clarisa Bencomo, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
How can lessons from gentrification around the world inspire change in Egypt?
Jenny Toomey, International Program Director, Technology and Society
Digital technologies present critical challenges to equity, opportunity, and security—activists and advocates must make technology a cornerstone of their work.
Martín Abregú, Vice President, International Programs
Xavier de Souza Briggs, Former Program Vice President
Hilary Pennington, Executive Vice President of Programs
With the announcement of our new programs, we know many of you have questions. We answer some of them here.
Darren Walker, President
Today, the Ford Foundation’s two-year transition is over. Darren Walker explains the details of FordForward.
Darren Walker, President
Ford's president takes question on a live facebook chat.
Jenny Toomey, International Program Director, Technology and Society
FCC votes to cap the rates and fees that companies charge for phone service in prisons and jails.
Jee Kim, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
A new tool from the Foundation Center—"Foundations Funding US Democracy”—allows funders and civil society organizations to align, collaborate, and coordinate better.
Alexander Irwan, Director, Indonesia
Grantee works with government to ensure residents of low-income communities are empowered to participate in the planning of residential areas.
Good Pitch makes the filmmaking community stronger and builds a broader capacity for collaboration.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
Remembering the extraordinary Grace Lee Boggs.
Darren Walker, President
In his annual message, Darren Walker explains why now is the time for philanthropy to reimagine the "gospel of giving."
Jean Ross, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
The foundation-supported Center for Popular Democracy’s Fed Up campaign educates the Fed and the public at large on racial and economic disparities.
Kirsten D. Levingston, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
The pope’s visit to a Philadelphia prison puts a spotlight on the immorality of our justice system and the urgent need for reform.
Douglas Wood, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
President Obama announced a major improvement to the federal student aid application process, making it easier for students to tap into needed Pell Grants and other college aid.
Mayra Peters-Quintero, Senior Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
We remember her as an advocate, lawyer and funder who took up tough battles for justice and fought tirelessly for the most marginalized.
Darren Walker, President
Celebrating the transformative work of the National Arts and Humanities Medalists.
Ford partners are working with local communities, the private sector, and government to help residents secure rights over natural resources in the Turkana Basin.
Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director, ACLU
Remembering Lynn Walker Huntley, a champion of civil rights and esteemed member of the Ford Foundation family.
Kirsten D. Levingston, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Program officer Kirsten Levingston remembers Julian Bond as a professor and mentor, on a mission seeking racial justice in America.
Jerry Maldonado, Director, Cities and States
Ten years after Hurricane Katrina, Ford Foundation reflects on the progress and philanthropy's investment in New Orleans and the work ahead.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, pays tribute to civil rights leader Julian Bond.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Education and voting are fundamental rights, and they’re also essential opportunities. So when a federal appeals panel ruled against a strict voter ID law in Texas this week—deeming it discriminatory and in violation of the Voting Rights Act—it was an encouraging sign. It was also evidence that there’s still a serious need for our 50-year-old civil rights law. And that disenfranchisement doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Douglas Wood, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
People incarcerated in federal and state prisons will be eligible to receive federal aid to take the college courses that will prepare them to be thoughtful, responsible, engaged members of their communities—and help keep them from returning to prison.
Holly Fetter, Stanford University Tom Ford Fellow in Philanthropy
Our support for the student power model and its movements is an investment in the future of social change.
Altaf Rahamatulla, Former Program Associate, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
There is genuine momentum to examine justice issues and bipartisan interest in reassessing corrections at both the state and federal level.
Louis Bickford, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Supporting INGOs that are based in the Global South, the Ford Foundation can contribute further to the realization of rights.
Darren Walker, President
Supporting institutions at their core, through critical general support, is the key to building durable, resilient institutions that can take on inequality and advance justice.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
As we celebrate Independence Day, we reflect on the lessons about working for freedom and justice over the past months.
Aurélio Vianna Jr., Former Senior Program Officer
State Secretary for Family Farmers created in Maranhão to support and invest in rural communities, especially babassu coconut breakers
Luna Yasui, Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
The United States Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex couples have the right to marry. This landmark decision establishes the right to marry for over 1,000,000 same-sex couples in the US.
Darren Walker, President
We are making some big changes—but what will never change is our commitment to supporting those closest to the problems, engaging collaboratively with every sector, and pursuing the cause of justice and dignity for all people.
Darren Walker, President
Darren addresses three graduating classes at three commencement ceremonies.
Laila Hourani, Senior Program Officer, Middle East and North Africa
Written and directed by Ely Dagher, Waves '98 is first Lebanese film to win Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival.
Susie Jolly, Former Program Officer
Peer-review grant making provides philanthropy with an innovative way to challenge the donor-grantee power dynamic.
Frank DeGiovanni, Former Senior Adviser
Through concerted, sustained, and multi-pronged programs that empower individuals and open opportunity, it is possible to significantly improve the lives of the poorest people in a number of meaningful ways.
"Radio listening groups" and digital resource centers throughout rural Kenya empower women.
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
The best thing about Berta Cáceres receiving the Goldman Environmental Prize, and being recognized internationally for her grassroots efforts to protect the environment, is that it means she is still alive.
Innocent Chukwuma, Director, West Africa
Lessons learned from Nigeria's election.
Darren Walker, President
An example of true leadership development and community building.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker shares his reflections from the celebration in Selma.
Altaf Rahamatulla, Former Program Associate, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Charlene Caronan, Events Producer
A group from Ford traveled to Selma to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
JustFilms director, Cara Mertes, shares how CITIZENFOUR is an example of how filmmaking can be an act of justice.
Darren Walker, President
Unlikely partners come together to support the formation of the Coalition for Public Safety, created to reform the criminal justice system.
Betty Yu, NetGain Blogger
On February 11, the presidents of the Open Society Foundations and the Knight, MacArthur, Mozilla, and Ford foundations came together with leading figures from government, philanthropy, business, and the tech world to launch a major new partnership, explore shared principles, and get ambitious about the next generation of innovation for social change and progress.
Barbara Raab, Former Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression
Program officer Barbara Raab recaps the the successes of the event Cracking the Code: Success for Women Digital News Entrepreneurs.
Amy Brown, Former Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Program officer Amy Brown offers her reflections on a form of financial injustice faced by so many Americans.
Anna Shireen Wadia, Senior Program Officer, Future of Work(ers)
Read program officer Anna Shireen Wadia's reflections on how paid leave policies can help break the cycle of inequality.
Cara Mertes, Project Director, Moving Image Strategies, International Programs
Luna Yasui, Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
This event demonstrated how arts and culture, including film, dance, and music serve as a central means of self-expression and political activism for LGBT people of color.
Mario Bronfman, Former Regional Representative
Mario Bronfman, former representative of the Mexico and Central America office, reflects on the foundation's commitment to Cuba.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker offers his reflections: in light of the 2014 shootings of young black men, there is still hope.
Eric K. Ward, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Program office Eric Ward explains why now is a pivotal moment for racial justice.
Louis Bickford, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Program officer Louis Bickford deliberates the complex nature of the international human rights movement.
Jean Ross, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Program officer Jean Ross celebrates 20 years of impact made by the State Priorities Partnership (SPP).
Myriam Méndez-Montalvo, Former Regional Representative
Colombia's indigenous communities finally have the autonomy to govern themselves and manage resources at the local level.
Darren Walker, President
Learn about Ford's commitment to Detroit.
Kirsten D. Levingston, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
How can we rethink safety, crime, and victimization so resources can be redirected to structures that support individuals, families, and communities instead of trapping them?
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: The hidden costs of being LGBT, a groundbreaking filmmaker, and more...
Frank DeGiovanni, Former Senior Adviser
Frank DeGiovanni, Director at the foundation discusses how we do good business in a global world.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: A genuine global climate movement, diversity in the suburbs, and more...
All voices should be heard, that's why in partnership with Mozilla, Ford launched the Ford-Mozilla Open Web Fellows Program.
Darren Walker, President
The Ford Forum presents conversations with change makers about their ideas for reshaping our fundamental systems for greater good.
Judith F. Samuelson, Executive Director, Aspen Institute Business and Society Program
Susan Crawford, Co-Director, Harvard University Berkman Center for Internet & Society
Darren Walker, President
Learn more about the four social justice leaders who received the 2014 MacArthur Fellowship.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: The most diverse apartment building in America and more...
Amy Brown, Former Senior Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Program officer Amy Brown shares five things you should know about student debt and social justice.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
Fund for Shared Insight is a collaborative effort to make grants to improve philanthropy.
Darren Walker, President
Darren Walker reflects on his first twelve months as president of the Ford Foundation, and provides his thoughts for the future of the organization.
Jonathan Barzilay, Former Director
Reflections from program officer Jonathan Barzilay on protecting journalism and journalists.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Michael Brown's college, restaurant workers below the poverty line, and more...
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: A "climate swerve," Brazil's first indigenous woman lawyer, and more...
Eric K. Ward, Former Program Officer, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice
Program Officer Eric Ward shares articles and resources from the Ferguson protests.
Darren Walker, President
President Darren Walker shares his 2014 summer reading list.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Photos from Ferguson, John Oliver's genius and more...
Myriam Méndez-Montalvo, Former Regional Representative
Consulta previa--the right of indigenous groups to be consulted on matters that affect them is a very important issue for Latin America.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Mainstreaming the inequality convo, transforming Mexico City, and more...
David Kaimowitz, Former International Program Director, Natural Resources and Climate Change
Deforestation is a major cause of global warming, and so we all have a stake in helping indigenous communities defend their resources.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Understanding trans rights, lessons in migration from Ecuador and more...
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Unaccompanied minors, solving poverty, and more...
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Mapping HIV, urban design for safer cities and more...
Jee Kim, Former Program Officer, Civic Engagement and Government
Read one program officer's process of trying to articulate his work's theory of change.
Darren Walker, President
Learn how and why Ford used crowdsourcing to help frame its new website.
Amy Kenyon, Senior Program Officer, Cities and States
The Green Line didn't just connect the downtowns of the Twin Cities, it built significant opportunities within the communities.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: The geography of innovation, surveillance meets networks, and more...
Douglas Wood, Former Program Officer, Global Grants
Prison education can have a transformative affect on incarcerated people.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: A case for reparations, tech use around the world, and more...
Barbara Raab, Former Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression
Contrary to popular belief, telling personal stories about living in poverty can be captivating, and Talkpoverty.org is doing just that. Read about Amy's story.
Eryn Loeb, Editor
The Weekly Five: Inequality in higher ed, fast food workers, and more...
