Fellowship Experience: Calling all Racial Justice Changemakers

Over the 12-month Fellowship, all Fellows will be required to attend and participate in a series of virtual convenings, a two-week, in-person residency in Johannesburg, South Africa; and an in-person immersion in Oxford, UK.

An important aspect of the virtual and in-person gatherings of the Fellowship Experience are the out-of-session assignments, peer connections, leadership coaching and check-ins that Fellows are expected to complete.

During this journey, Fellows will have opportunities to build relationships with each other, deliberate on the histories and futures of race across the world, reflect deeply on their leadership and experiment with new ideas.

Topics to Explore

• Racemaking and racialisation
• Narrative power and strategy
• Global forces of anti-Black racism
• The futures of race
• Domination and racial capitalism
• Somatic and wellness practices
• Collective and interpersonal leadership competencies
• Personal theory of change

Funding Information

• AFRE supports Fellows’ participation and leadership development through:
  • Round-trip travel, accommodation, food, and ground transportation costs for all in-person convenings.
  • Fellows may access up to $10,000 USD to support their leadership development and incidental costs of attending in-person programming.
  • Family care funding for Fellows supporting children, dependents, and family members.
  • Up to six and half hours of leadership coaching sessions.
  • Tablets for Fellows to attend virtual programming.

Fellowship Outcomes & Expectations

• They hope by the end of the Fellowship each Fellow has:
  • Gained insight into complex histories of race, engaged their imaginations about its potential futures and grappled with the present global forces that perpetuate white supremacy and anti-Black racism.
  • Developed personal strategies and routines to strengthen their long-term staying power in the fight to combat anti-Black racism.
  • Supported the formation of meaningful and robust lifelong relationships.
  • Articulated their next idea for impact and acted on their vision.

They Are Looking For

• Individuals who:
  • Have a track record of improving the quality of Black life in their local or regional contexts.
  • Are curious and want to learn, grow, and challenge themselves.
  • Are eager to develop or deepen a global dimension to their racial equity work.
  • Are eager to immerse themselves in the vastness of planetary Blackness and global perspectives.
• Whether candidates prefer to call themselves leaders or not, the impact of their work must be evident, as is their commitment to building a world beyond anti-Black racism.

Applicant Characteristics

• Ideal candidates will demonstrate and embody a range of the characteristics listed below.
  • Open: Are eager to learn and know more about others and the world.
  • Aware: Are conscious of themselves and awake to the world around them.
  • Intentional: Are thoughtful and mindful in their actions.
  • Aspiring: Can see possibilities beyond the current reality.
  • Caring: Can relate to and care about others’ experiences.
  • Relational: Are committed to the well-being and health of others.
  • Bold: Has demonstrated a willingness to take risks.
  • Persistent: Has persevered through challenges.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applicants must meet the minimum requirements listed below:
  • Have a minimum of 5 years of professional experience in racial equity or related field.
  • Can commit to fully participating in all programming sessions including a 2-week residency in South Africa and week-long programming in the United Kingdom.
  • Will be living in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, or the SWANA region during virtual programming (September, October, and November 2024).
  • Will not be participating in another Fellowship programme during the programming dates.
  • Highly proficient in spoken and written English.
  • Kindly note that there are no academic qualifications required to be nominated.

For more information, visit Atlantic Fellows.