The Open Society Foundations has announced the 2023 cohort of its Leadership in Government Fellowship.

Established in 2016 to assist former senior-level government staff who have made significant contributions to advance social, economic, and racial justice, the program awards stipends ranging from $110,000 to $150,000 over 12 to 18 months.

The seventh cohort includes Carlos Menchaca, who will share stories of migrant families crossing the southern U.S. border with the goal of inspiring humane immigration policies; Jennifer Kates, who will work to develop accessible models for nonprofit and movement organizations to use the power of local government to build power for marginalized communities; Mike Bonin, who will advance housing justice, economic justice, and public safety; Miya Saika Chen, who aims to build the capacity of community organizations to develop a pipeline of legislative staff and civil servants who work inside government on policy and budgetary solutions that address the root causes of poverty; and Montina Cole, who will create a community advocacy toolkit to ensure that Black histories are included in federal environmental justice reviews.

“People leave leadership posts in government with a wealth of knowledge that can immeasurably enrich and sharpen the work of other sectors. This includes an understanding of where there are cracks or fissures on issues of equity and inclusion,” said Open Society-U.S. executive director Laleh Ispahani. “That makes their expertise especially valuable for civil society organizations, at a time of spikes in attacks on migrants, and on the right to vote, and to speak freely. I draw deep hope from this all-star lineup of fellows. They’re geographically diverse, emerge from all levels of government, and have demonstrated leadership and a commitment to human rights, equal opportunities, and an inclusive, multiracial democracy.” 

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