Atlantic Institute Annual Review (2020-21)

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020-2021

ST R E NGT H E N I NG COM M U N I T I E S

Our purpose, mission and goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Our call to action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 An open road ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Reflections on the year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 A connected community of changemakers . . . . . . . . . 12 The year at a glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Building a global community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Our response to COVID-19 Building a virtual community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The future of virtual connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Virtual Welcome Ceremony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 ‘A (K)new World Reimagined’ series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 My journey as an Atlantic Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Senior Fellow-led events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 In solidarity: Solidarity Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 First round of Solidarity Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Senior Fellow Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Global Atlantic Senior Fellows Advisory Forum . 45 The Atlantic Institute Governing Board . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 The Atlantic Institute Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Helping older and younger people tackle loneliness together in San Francisco, Phaedra Bell and Rowena Richie, Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, developed online Qigong to foster new friendships. Credit: Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow.

Seven Programs.

One Common Purpose: EQUITY. ALL PROGRAMS BEGIN WITH A CORE FELLOWSHIP PURPOSE: ● Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health (in San Francisco and Dublin) led by Executive Director Victor Valcour ● Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa, Tekano (in Cape Town) led by Chief Executive Lebogang Ramafoko ● Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia (in Bangkok) led by Executive Director Le Nhan Phuong ● Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity U.S.+ Global (in Washington, D.C.) led by Executive Director Guenevere Burke ● Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity (in New York and Johannesburg) led by Executive Director Kavitha Mediratta ● Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (in Melbourne) led by Executive Director Elizabeth McKinley ● Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (in London) led by Executive Director Armine Ishkanian When Fellows have completed their program, they become Senior Fellows and join the lifelong global community supported by the seven program Executive Directors and the Atlantic Institute.

ANNUAL REVIEW 2020-2021

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Our purpose, mission and goals

OUR PURPOSE To accelerate the eradication of inequities for fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies.

OUR MISSION To provide Atlantic Fellows and staff from the seven distinct but interconnected Atlantic programs with the networks, architecture and resources to connect, learn and act so they can address the underlying systemic causes of inequity, locally and globally.

OUR GOALS ● To build a catalytic lifelong community of leaders who connect, learn and collaborate across diverse perspectives for greater impact. ● To provide courageous programming (face-to-face and virtual) that supports Fellows and the staff of Atlantic programs to shift narratives, shape policy and create new solutions. ● To drive a culture of reflection and learning, allowing the Atlantic Institute to be responsive to changing needs, new technologies and brave ideas. ● To build an extended community with strong strategic partners and alliances for greater impact.

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Kritaya Sreesunpagit, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, created online platforms and counseling services to help people cope with the stress of COVID-19.

Credit: Luke Duggleby.

Our call to action

Although there has been progress, social and economic inequalities persist across the world, with the already most endangered groups of people suffering disproportionately.

Inequality and inequity are a result of human failure, and are therefore neither ubiquitous nor inevitable. This provides the platform to strengthen our resolve for action. Equity is a policy choice.

Inequality is overlaid by global megatrends including demographic and social change, rapid urbanization, climate change and shifts in economic power and technology. Our world is complex, uncertain and ambiguous with systems that are constantly changing.

Our Fellows and staff are accomplished leaders working in diverse settings and contexts who together can think, learn, incubate and implement strategies for greater impact.

The level and scale (current and projected) of diversity and inclusion in the community of Fellows is unprecedented in any fellowship program in the world.

Our diversity means that our Fellows are in proximity to the challenges. They are not just passive recipients or beneficiaries of change but rather the agents of change in the communities that they serve.

“With the Atlantic Institute, we are part of a global community of changemakers on a common path toward social justice. Together our voices are stronger, and we make a powerful case for the inclusion of those at the fringes of society.”

THARANI LOGANATHAN, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia; Medical Lecturer, Social and Preventative Medicine Department, University of Malaysia.

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An open road ahead CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI Chair, The Atlantic Institute Governing Board President and CEO, The Atlantic Philanthropies

Fifty years ago (!), I drove west across the United States to begin university studies in California. In my rear-view mirror, I could see the road I had traversed. But it was the open road ahead, the western horizon, that fired my imagination because it offered a promise of what was to come.

At university, I studied Chinese language, art and literature, including the Chinese classic 16th-century novel “Journey to the West.” In the book, protagonists engage in a protracted westward journey, surmounting challenges and setbacks as they seek enlightenment with varying degrees of success. The novel, which includes humorous critiques of characters and human foibles, is possibly the most popular literary work in East Asia. It suggests that we humans have a yearning for the road to enlightenment as well as a resilience to the obstacles we encounter en route, while also keeping a sense of humor and a capacity for keen observation. Similar stories abound across our global cultures and literature: the characters we meet throughout our life travels, the travails we face and the promise of journeys ahead.

In early 2020, as we were about to celebrate the coming together of this community, COVID-19 hit. Our plans to gather in fellowship to refresh our creative energies for action were stymied. Since then, we have seen the devastating impact of the virus. No one has been immune; many Fellows, friends, family members and communities that we live in and engage with have suffered. Inequities have increased. Many of the obstacles to our shared fellowship still remain. Yet, as Bruce Miller, Co-director of the Global Brain Health Institute, reminds us: “The bumps in the road are the road.”

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“We traveled difficult roads in 2020-21. However, we will not be deterred as what drives us is the promise of what is to come: the open road and the inevitable increase in opportunities for our growing community of exceptional people”

We traveled difficult roads in 2020-21. However, we will not be deterred as what drives us is the promise of what is to come: the open road and the inevitable increase in opportunities for our growing community of exceptional people to enlighten our world, amid its human foibles, with their keen observations, insights and collective action. And, of course, a good dose of music, art and humor is integral to how we connect.

This community’s resilience, hope and promise is aided by the efforts of the many staff who have tenaciously and graciously held and advanced the work of the seven programs and the Atlantic Institute. It is reflected in the work of the Global Atlantic Senior Fellows Advisory Forum, Senior Fellows across all seven programs, dedicated to ensuring this community’s connectivity and effectiveness. It is evident too in the commitment and insights of the Atlantic Institute Governing Board, which now includes Kavitha Mediratta, Executive Director of the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity, and two Senior Fellows, Cyan Brown (Tekano) and Anne Browning (Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health). Most of all, it is apparent every day in the continuing efforts of Atlantic Fellows who seek paths and connections to make a fairer, healthier and more inclusive world.

Despite the huge challenges of this pandemic, I am grateful for our community, and your resilience and undimmed commitment to equity. I look forward to traveling with you in person in the year ahead.

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Reflections on the year EVIE O’BRIEN Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute

The period of this annual review (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021) has been beyond extraordinary: a time that will go down in history. We have experienced the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide protests against racism and police brutality, and growing global movements calling for multilateral governmental action and payments to poorer countries to reduce the impacts of climate change.

COVID-19 has starkly exposed and continues to reveal the longstanding structural drivers of racial, health, and social and economic inequities in communities across the world. Disparities have widened, reversing much of the progress made over decades to reduce global extreme poverty. The World Bank has warned of a “truly unprecedented increase” in levels of poverty this year. It says a combination of the impact of the pandemic, the growing climate emergency and increasing debt mean that, according to current estimates, there will be an extra 150 million people living in extreme poverty by the end of 2021.The pandemic has claimed the lives of millions of people and there is not one person in this community who has not been affected. It is a year we will never forget.

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Jonatan Konfino, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity U.S. + Global, led a project to strengthen the contact tracing strategy in a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Credit: Hernán Caride Frigerio.

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“Postpandemic, we hope for ‘a (k)new normal’ and ‘(k)new solutions’: solutions that recognize and legitimize our longer histories, knowledge and ways of being.”

While the COVID-19 vaccines brought a new optimism—a way out of this crisis—many inequities persist in the vaccine rollout worldwide. Despite everything, our Fellows and program staff from the community have remained resilient in the face of these challenges and it has given us an opportunity to demonstrate solidarity with one another. In many ways, the last few months have heightened our sense of belonging to this global community, given us a new appreciation for connection with others in our collective pursuit of equity and renewed our sense of purpose. Postpandemic, we hope for “a (k)new normal” and “(k)new solutions”: solutions that recognize and legitimize our longer histories, knowledge and ways of being.

Over the past 12 months, our entire community has responded in ways that are humbling, compassionate and, most of all, impactful. Thankfully, Fellows’ global projects (some of which were funded by the Solidarity Grants), have helped mitigate the toll of this pandemic on different fronts in many communities. The Institute was able to support projects led by Fellows that ranged from the donation of personal protective equipment to health education projects such as raising awareness of the virus in internally displaced communities in Afghanistan, and providing online content to reverse vaccine hesitancy. Culturally appropriate content was produced for at-risk people in vulnerable communities. Fellows created “infotainment” in Indian and African languages; and a call center was set up in the Philippines to deal with general and coronavirus-related health concerns.

The Institute completed 22 films profiling the incredible work of the Fellows, which I urge you to watch on our relaunched atlanticfellows.org website that was launched in May. The website includes interactive maps showing the location of Fellows and programs around the world, and opportunities to hear about our community’s work in different countries through podcasts, videos and blogs.

During this period, the Institute also worked closely with Fellows and staff on a suite of responsive virtual offerings. There have been skills workshops, a series of rapid action labs on vaccine equity and virtual “Social Spaces” designed to support connections.

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“The flip side of fear and uncertainty is hope for new opportunities and thinking about (k)new solutions. We are making history, wherever we are in the world and for many years to come.”

Senior Fellows contribute to the design of many of our offerings and events, and there have also been events solely led by Fellows, on topics such as meta-leadership and the decolonization of African health systems.

This year the Institute also launched our augmented and virtual realities strategy, with a highlight of the year being the “Being Human When Digital” webinar series.

New and emerging technologies will never replace the magic that happens when we are in physical proximity to one another. However, as we look to the future, and using the last few months as a rapid testing ground, we find that new technologies can provide another form of magic: an opportunity to be digitally connected while retaining and celebrating our sense of humanity. As a community, we will continue exploring the potential of new and emerging technologies to transform our connections and relationships of meaning across distance.

COVID-19 has brought us into uncharted territory in many ways, but the flip side of fear and uncertainty is hope for new opportunities and thinking about (k)new solutions. We are making history, wherever we are in the world and for many years to come. Scholars, practitioners and activists will look back at how people living at this time navigated and responded to the crises. We are stewards of a world for the generations yet to come.

Tread lightly. Use less. Harm less. Love each other more.

As American activist Marian Wright Edelman said: “Be a good ancestor. Stand for something bigger than yourself. Add value to the Earth during your sojourn.”

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Cedric Brown, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, created “The Shape of Blackness” art exhibition and co-hosted one of the first “Social Spaces” to promote connection.

Credit: Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow.

Mural: Black Joy Parade, Oakland, United States.

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A connected community of changemakers 1 Canada

131

US

1 Bermuda Cuba

1 1 Haiti 1 Jamaica

Mexico 7 Nicaragua 1 Costa Rica 1

Trinidad &

2 Tobago

Colombia 6 Ecuador

2

Peru

585 Atlantic Fellows are active in 68 countries.

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6

Brazil

5 Chile

7

Argentina

Over the next two decades, the network of Fellows will grow to more than 3,000.

Africa

Australasia

Europe

24% of Fellows / 16 countries

8% of Fellows / 2 countries

14% of Fellows / 15 countries

24%

Botswana, the Democratic Republic of

8%

Australia and New Zealand

14%

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France,

the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya,

Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania,

Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra

Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Spain,

Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda,

Sweden and the United Kingdom

Zambia, Zimbabwe

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Fellows active by country as of June 2021

Netherlands United Kingdom

1 Sweden Denmark

1 2 Lithuania 4 4 Germany 2 Ireland 1 Austria France 4 Belgium 1 Serbia Armenia 1 1 2 1 10 3 Portugal Turkey Spain Italy 1 Greece Iraq 3 2Jordan Egypt 4 Israel 14

31

Senegal

1

Sierra 1 3 Leone 1 Liberia

1

Pakistan

1

India

7

2

1

Democratic Republic of the Congo

9 Thailand China

Myanmar

9

1 Ethiopia

Uganda

104

2

Sudan Ghana Nigeria

Lao PDR

Nepal

7 18

6 6 7

Kenya

16

18

Cambodia

8

11

Vietnam Philippines

Brunei

Malaysia

1 10

Indonesia

1 Zambia 1 Malawi 2

Singapore

Zimbabwe

2

Timor-Leste

2

39

Botswana

Australia

South Africa

9 New Zealand

Middle East and Asia

North and Central America

South America

22% of Fellows / 19 countries

25% of Fellows / 10 countries

7% of Fellows / 6 countries

22%

7%

25%

Armenia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India,

Bermuda, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Haiti,

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador

Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Laos,

Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Trinidad and

and Peru

Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines,

Tobago, and the United States

Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey and Viet Nam

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The year at a glance JULY 2020 Æ Premiere of films profiling the work of eight Atlantic Fellows Æ First round of Solidarity Grants ends: 74 Fellows received 54 grants

AUGUST 2020 Æ The Virtual Welcome Ceremony 2020 Æ Start of online skills workshops

JANUARY 2021 Æ Announcement of the winners of the Senior Fellow Awards

FEBRUARY 2021 Æ Inaugural Global Atlantic Senior Fellows Advisory Forum is established

MARCH 2021 Æ First Rapid Action Lab series for Fellows

SEPTEMBER 2020 Æ Charles “Chuck” Feeney signs papers dissolving The Atlantic Foundation 38 years after its founding

APRIL 2021 The Covax initiative is established by CEPI, Gavi and WHO, to ensure fair access to COVID-19 vaccines

OCTOBER 2020 Æ Launch of the Atlantic Fellows Peer Group Mentoring Program Æ Khalil Goga appointed as Atlantic Institute Associate Executive Director

NOVEMBER 2020 Æ Evie O’Brien appointed as the Institute’s Executive Director for a five-year term

DECEMBER 2020 A UK woman is the first in the world to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 jab in a mass vaccination program

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Æ Launch of the “Being Human when Digital” webinar series Æ The Institute’s hosts the first “Social Space” event, a virtual art exhibition sponsored by the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity

MAY 2021 Æ Reopening of the Solidarity Grants scheme due to the prolonged impacts of the pandemic on Fellows’ communities Æ Relaunch of atlanticfellows.org website

JUNE 2021 Æ Release of the first films about projects supported with Solidarity Grants

Building a global community 585 Atlantic Fellows

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2

Virtual Welcome Ceremony

Webinars

“Social Space” events

43

Solidarity Grants

2

Learning & Collaboration Grants

2

Promoting Collaborative Work

47 Grants and Awards

Global Gatherings

1

Senior Fellow Awards

Cross-program peer mentoring groups

6

Program staff Communities of Practice

Online Groups & Platforms for Learning

5

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Building a virtual community KHALIL GOGA Associate Executive Director JEMMA STRINGER Program and Impact Lead (Innovation and Special Projects)

Atlantic Fellows have been on the front line, mitigating the worst impacts of the virus on their communities. As an international community of social justice leaders from nearly 70 countries, the Institute and programs responded to the needs of Fellows drawn from diverse geographies, sectors and disciplines with a variety of approaches and forms of support that took individual contexts into account.

The team designed virtual spaces as sources of mutual support, where Fellows could connect with each other and talk about the critical issues that many in the community were experiencing. There were also conversations, hosted by the Institute, to discuss, explore and develop innovations in response to global needs.

“RAPID ACTION LAB” ON VACCINE EQUITY In 2021, the Institute developed collective projects to respond to vaccine distribution inequities, catalyzed by a new initiative, the “Rapid Action Lab” series. Fellows received guidance from Reos Partners, a team that supports global leaders in their pursuit of systemic change and uses design-thinking principles to provide a framework for moving toward solutions to some of the world’s pressing problems. Individual and collective projects that emerged included a health promotion campaign in the Philippines for overcoming mistrust of the vaccine, and a project about dealing with grief and dying in culturally appropriate ways.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continued throughout this period, extending and intensifying its reach into communities, particularly in the global South, a number of concerned Atlantic Fellows came together to discuss the ongoing issue of the unequal availability of vaccines to certain populations. A statement emerged about the acute urgency of achieving vaccine equity, by and on behalf of Atlantic Fellows around the world. The statement was widely shared on social media and also achieved media coverage.

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“To achieve true vaccine justice will require moving beyond aid models of vaccine donation, in which poorer countries are gifted vaccine leftovers: vaccine equity demands reparative justice—not charity.”

It reads, in part: “To achieve true vaccine justice will require moving beyond aid models of vaccine donation, in which poorer countries are gifted vaccine leftovers: vaccine equity demands reparative justice—not charity. Across the globe, vaccine inequity is also being compounded by infrastructural constraints. Local systemic injustices emerge as vulnerable populations have the least access to vaccines. Overall, many of the current challenges we are witnessing are the inevitable outcome of a long history of inequitable support for nations to develop the infrastructure that allows them to independently support scientific development.”

SUPPORT FOR LEADERS The Institute sought to support the Fellows’ leadership at all levels: Professor Ian Robertson, a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist who is Co-Director of the Global Brain Health Institute, gave a virtual master class, based on the latest scientific research, on how confidence plays out in our minds and our brains.

Fellows were also encouraged to sign up for a pilot peer-mentoring program, in collaboration with the New Zealand Coaching & Mentoring Centre led by Aly McNicoll, who is recognized globally for her expertise in peer-learning techniques. The workshop for Fellows harnessed collective knowledge, wisdom and collegiality. After the program, Fellows continued to meet monthly to offer mentoring to one another.

With the CARE Lab, a new initiative from the team behind the Cuba Platform (created to foster connections and collaborations between Cuba and Atlantic Fellows), the Institute hosted a webinar about how to advocate effectively for care-centered policies.

This well-attended event featured leaders in their fields: feminist sociologist Beverley Skeggs, Professor, Lancaster University; Tim Phillips, founder and CEO of Beyond Conflict, which supports peace and reconciliation efforts; and Marcus Akuhata-Brown, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity.

RIGHT

Professor Ian Robertson, CoDirector of the Global Brain Health Institute.

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Images from “The Shape of Blackness”.

Lebo Thoka, "Black of My Flesh," 2020. (image of the three figures on a black background) Brette Sims, "Peace with Pulling Energy," 2020. (image of feminine face with the flowers)

SOCIAL SPACES Due to travel restrictions, virtual spaces became vital to deepen connections between the Fellows. In recognition of this changing landscape, the Institute team carried out research into the conditions needed for thriving online communities. The Institute team’s goal was to create online spaces which provided unique opportunities to share, collaborate, think and co-create anytime and from anywhere. These virtual spaces had to create a sense of community, when isolation and exhaustion spread across the world.

This online series, “Social Spaces,” allowed Fellows to find support and energy with others in the community.

The first in this series featured “The Shape of Blackness” a virtual art exhibition created

by Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity Cedric Brown, with partners in South Africa and the U.S. The exhibition considered contemporary Blackness as envisioned by artists from both countries. Fellows were invited to connect with each other and to have closer conversation with featured artists.

Another “Social Space” brought together the kitchens of Fellows and program staff around the world, giving participants the opportunity to cook with one another under the guidance of Durkhanai Ayubi, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity and a celebrated restaurateur in Adelaide, Australia. She delivered a virtual cooking class, “Feeding the Soul”, that offered a hands-on opportunity to try one of her family’s favorite recipes while sharing her stories reflecting on the cultural history of Afghanistan.

RIGHT

SKILLS WORKSHOPS Other virtual offerings aimed to give Fellows and staff opportunities to train and build skills that would motivate and strengthen their work in shifting narratives, and to inspire bonds of purpose among the Atlantic community members. Online skills workshops were curated by the Institute, with experts in their field leading sessions such as media training, authoring blogs and writing effective fundraising or grant proposals.

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Durkhanai Ayubi, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, whose book “Parwana” tells the story of her family’s memories and recipes from her native Afghanistan set against a sweeping history of the country.

Credit: Sia Duff.

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THE HUB Centering virtual experiences and connection also accelerated the Institute’s longer term aspiration to lay the foundations to support connection while reducing our carbon footprint. Part of this approach led to improvements in the design of the Hub, a portal for staff and Fellows, that we hope will increasingly become a central place of connection. To set the right tone and make it more accessible, recent features have been the development of iOS and Android apps for access to the Hub via different mobile phone systems. This year’s changes also included a redesigned landing page for easier navigation to the seven different grants offered by the Institute and a video with Fellows welcoming visitors to the Hub in multiple languages.

SOME OF THE MESSAGES FROM THE FELLOWS’ WELCOME VIDEO ON THE HUB

“

An Igbo word comes to mind, ‘Igwebuike’, which means there is strength in community. And community is what the Atlantic Hub offers all Atlantic Fellows.

”

IFEANYI NSOFOR, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global, CEO of EpiAFRIC and an advocate of universal health care, Nigeria.

“

When the pandemic hit us all... Life became digital. I feel fortunate to be part of the Hub community where we can connect, share, learn and support each other, no matter where we are in the world.

”

RENNTA CHRISDIANA, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, and Commissioner of Yogyakarta Hospital, Indonesia.

AFFINITY GROUPS There has been continued support from the Institute for Affinity Groups, which provide Fellows with a way to come together across programs to connect, learn or act. Despite these groups only meeting virtually over the year, they have enabled Fellows to build trust and forge connections; some have gone on to work together toward shared visions and goals. The Institute team helps these groups with initial introductions, and provides bespoke facilitation and access to resources. New Affinity Groups initiated over the last year include the African Brain Health Network and Amplifying Black Women’s Voices; previously established groups work on criminal justice, displacement and climate change, among other topics.

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The future of virtual connection ALICE WROE Augmented and Virtual Realities Lead

Within the context of the climate emergency and a physical world that is increasingly digital, the Atlantic Institute has placed a strategic focus on augmented (AR) and virtual realities (VR), technology that brings the digital experience into our physical world— through a wearable headset, mobile phone or tablet.

As the Atlantic Fellows community grows, the Institute has a responsibility to create and explore innovative ways to be meaningfully together when we are physically apart. Hopefully, augmented and virtual realities will support the Institute’s longterm commitment to lowering carbon emissions by reducing global travel, without compromising the personal connection that fuels our equity work.

The Institute is not seeking to replace in-person gatherings, but rather to use emerging technologies to complement them and offer alternatives. That way, flying around the world does not feel like the only route to a healthy and connected community.

A risk of emerging technologies is that they can exacerbate racial, social and economic inequities. Therefore, before commencing hands-on exploration by Fellows and program staff, the Institute hosted a series of webinars led by a group of Atlantic Fellows to explore some of the conceptual and ethical implications of the medium. The six-part webinar series, “Being Human When Digital,” focused on the particular interests of the different Atlantic programs as they intersect with AR/VR. The Institute collaborated with five Atlantic Fellows, who were in conversation with world-leading experts such as Nonny De La Peña, dubbed the “Godmother of Virtual Reality”; and Shari Frilot, filmmaker and chief curator of the New Frontier program at the Sundance Film Festival. The series also featured Atlantic Fellows with AR/ VR experience such as Dylan Valley, a filmmaker whose 360-degree documentary, “Azibuye—The Occupation,” about land occupation in South Africa premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

Together, the Fellows and program staff explored how this seemingly abstract technology could strengthen our community and its work to effect narrative change, and interrogated ethical concerns such as algorithmic injustice, data security and the dominance of big tech. Such questions and more were raised in the webinar series, guided by Wilneida Negron, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity.

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“There is great potential in these emerging technologies for putting us on the front foot of this next technological revolution, primed and ready to use it to advance healthier, fairer and more inclusive societies.”

We then began our research and development into phone-based augmented reality which was streamed by the Fellows and program staff into each other’s spaces. Atlantic Fellows and program staff actively created content for the rest of the community, experimenting with this innovative medium for webinars, outreach and connection. Around the world, they constructed green screen kits in their homes—from South Africa to Uganda and the United States to Wales. The Institute’s strategy to use AR/VR experiences is grounded in research suggesting that the medium heightens attention, strengthens connection and raises empathy.

Over the long term, the Institute is committed to supporting the Fellows to create, critique and connect through emerging technologies. This work supports the community to become adventurous and fluent in being together while apart. There is great potential in these emerging technologies for putting us on the front foot of this next technological revolution, primed and ready to use it to advance healthier, fairer and more inclusive societies.

ABOVE

Wilneida Negron, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, a political scientist-technologist at the Ford Foundation.

Dylan Valley, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity and awardwinning filmmaker.

Shane Webster, an Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, led a conversation about using tech to honor the cultural knowledge of Indigenous Australia.

Jeremy Lim, Atlantic Fellow for Southeast Asia, led a session on the potential for health care.

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The Virtual Welcome Ceremony TANYA CHARLES Program and Impact Lead; Senior Fellow Engagement

Before COVID-19, Atlantic Fellows who completed their local equity program were invited to meet Fellows from other programs face to face in Oxford, UK. However, travel restrictions across the world meant that the Atlantic global community’s annual highlight, the global convening of Senior Fellows, was virtual on Aug. 1, 2020.

The Virtual Welcome Ceremony enabled Senior Fellows who had recently completed one of the seven Atlantic Fellows equity programs an opportunity to connect with 142 Fellows and staff. The four-hour ceremony offered conversation circles, and music and poetry from South Africa, India and the United States. Courageous conversations were catalyzed by a keynote panel of social justice advocates: Sisonke Msimang, author of “Always Another Country: A Memoir of Exile and Home” and “The Resurrection of Winnie Mandela;” Loan Tran, Co-director of the Southern Vision Alliance, former Executive Director of the Youth Organizing Institute and founder of the Queer Mobilization Fund; and Rukia Lumumba, an Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity who is a transformative justice strategist, human rights activist, and founder of the People’s Advocacy Institute.

The topic addressed by the panel was “Resistance, Reclamation and Reconstruction: Overcoming Global Systemic Racism,” a timely discussion necessitated by the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the many incidents of racial injustice occurring across the world. The panel explored the ways in which different actors had harnessed this moment to resist the status quo, reclaim Indigenous knowledge and practices, and give shape to a more just and equal world.

Reflections from some of those who attended the event are below:

“

”

What a unifying event, a call to continued action, and community building.

CAMELLIA LATTA, Alumni Relations Manager, Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health

“

A well-spent afternoon from here on the East Coast of the U.S. Thank you . . . and virtual hugs!

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HOPE E. RHODES, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity U.S. + Global

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O U R R E S P O N S E T O COV I D -19

Films for Equity FIONNUALA SWEENEY Multimedia Editor

FILMS FOR EQUITY In the week before the Virtual Welcome Ceremony, as an introduction for Fellows to the global community, the Institute hosted two premieres of eight short films shot in different countries across the world. Showcasing the work of Fellows in their local context, the films represent the seven interconnected but distinct Fellows programs while portraying a community pursuing collective action for equity. In doing so, the films foster a sense of community among Fellows by demonstrating its diversity, breadth and ambition.

Alberto Retana, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, who is promoting collaboration between Black and Latino communities as President and CEO of the Community Coalition, Los Angeles.

Bongiwe Lusizi, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, who is using ancient African melodies to explore and retain the issue of identity among Black South Africans.

Christina Rosenthal, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global, who is inspiring young Black women to consider a career in health care in Memphis, Tennessee.

Jody Barney (pictured above), Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, an Aboriginal Deaf woman who is empowering Deaf and Hard of Hearing Indigenous people in Australia.

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O U R R E S P O N S E T O COV I D -19

“We need everybody to build new deep relationships that we know will ultimately lay the groundwork over the next ten or 20 years to change the world.”

ALBERTO RETANA Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity

Lawrence Aritao (pictured on the right above), Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, who is protecting children and women trafficked on the streets of Manila in the Philippines.

Roseline Orwa, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, who works across her community in rural Kenya, protecting widows by changing attitudes to traditional practices such as “sexual cleansing” when their husband dies.

Shamiel McFarlane, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, who is delivering better dementia care in people’s homes in Jamaica.

Thami Hukwe (pictured left), Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa, who is engaging his community in the struggle to repatriate land in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Credit: All the images are from Films for Equity by Flatbush Pictures.

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‘A (K)new World Reimagined’

COVID-19 has profoundly changed the way we think and further exposed global inequities. As our “normal” has changed, the Institute encourages activities that catalyze the imaginations of Fellows and staff to look ahead to what our (k)new futures might look like.

The webinar series,“Post-COVID-19: A (K)new World Reimagined,” brought Atlantic Fellows together with fellowship programs including the Rhodes Scholars, Obama Fellows, Roddenberry Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellows. Together, they imagined, reflected, and explored what local and global futures might look like postpandemic.

The webinar series was designed to surface tools and knowledge, catalyze actions to address inequities locally and globally, and foster connections beyond the Atlantic community, contributing to the development of a “fellowship of fellowships” for greater impact and solidarity. The topics discussed in each webinar—arising out of conversations with the Atlantic Fellows during the pandemic—deepened participants’ understanding of equity and justice. They also provided inspiration for collaborative action and impact to create (k)new solutions. Each session was globally focused and curated to lift up the perspectives and experiences of a diverse range of voices, including those who might otherwise be unheard in public discourse.

Compelling visuals were produced live during the webinars by Dpict LLC, whose graphic weavers unpacked the dialogues, synthesizing and reflecting some of the issues raised.

The artwork from the series is represented alongside information about the speakers, their insights and even some of the exchanges on the Zoom chats.

As well as the archive, there is “The Knowledge Wall,” a visual framework that houses provocative questions, insights and key information gleaned across the entirety of the series, and a tool to help engage in further inquiries with one another. Take a deep dive into both the archive series and the living document here bit.ly/AI-Kwall See an image of The Knowledge Wall on pp. 28-29.

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“The ambition of the Knowledge Wall was to create a multifaceted record of the entire series that could be used to expand dialogue, spark action and inform future directions.”

The series started in May 2020, two months after the pandemic was declared. The seven sessions (during the period of this annual review) included: ● “The Future of Capitalism: New Economies?” (Aug. 28, 2020) Featured speakers: Dr. Jason Hickel, Dr. Gilad Isaacs and Crystal Simeoni; moderated by Tanya Charles, the Institute’s Program and Impact Lead: Senior Fellow Engagement. ● “Vaccine Development, Distribution and Justice” (Sept. 17, 2020) Featured speakers: Professor Glenda Gray, Tian Johnson and Professor Allen Buchanan; moderated by Tanya Charles. ● “Racial Equity and STEM” (Sept. 29, 2020) A collaboration with the Schmidt Science Fellowship, with speakers Professor Daniel Hastings, Dr. Malebogo Ngoepe and Toyese Oyeyemi; moderated by Dr. Megan Wheeler, Executive Director of the Schmidt Science Fellowship. ● “(K)new Forms of Activism: The ‘Good Trouble’’’ (Oct. 8, 2020) Featured speakers Fungai Machirori, Srđa Popović and Gayle Karen Young; moderated by Tanya Charles. ● “Radical Self-care for Leaders” (Oct. 22, 2020) Featured speakers Mia Birdsong, Professor Ian Robertson and Ivelyse Andino; moderated by Tanya Charles. ● “Anti-racist Leadership: Commitment, Action and Sustainability” (Nov. 5, 2020) Featured speakers Elizabeth Crews, Betsy Hodges and Leyla Hussein, OBE; moderated by Tanya Charles. ● “Addressing Climate Change in a Post-COVID World” (Dec. 3, 2020) Featured speakers Dr. David Schimel, Jacqui Patterson and Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali; moderated by Tanya Charles.

Listen to 11 edited recordings of the sessions on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/ atlanticfellows/sets/a-k-new-world-reimagined-webinar-series

“

We have the opportunity to listen deeply, synthesize and represent some of the most relevant, mind-expanding ideas. The ambition was to create a multifaceted record of the entire series that could be used to expand dialogue, spark action and inform future directions. @Miro quickly became our tool of choice. With it, we built a “Knowledge Wall” to house all of the insights, questions, resources, conversations, and notes that were shared over a yearlong journey of learning together.

MIKE FLEISCH, Managing Member of Dpict LLC

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The Knowledge Wall

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My journey as an Atlantic Fellow DORAH MAREMA Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity

I got to know about the global Atlantic community through my longtime friend, comrade and sister, Constance Mogale, in 2019, when the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity program was calling for potential candidates to apply for the fellowship program.

At that time, I was the director of a small nonprofit organization, GenderCC Southern Africa-Women for Climate Justice, based in Johannesburg. I took my chances and applied for the fellowship because its objectives resonated with me. I am passionate about issues of equity and justice.

As a Fellow who has completed my program, I then had an amazing opportunity to participate in the global community, with a wide range of multidisciplinary, multinational and intergenerational events and gatherings. I have attended a countless number of them. However, there is one particular program, the Atlantic Fellows Peer Group Mentoring Program, that was a life-changer for me. Its main purpose was to drive personal and professional growth; to maximize impact and provide an extra layer of support to people who are leading in challenging and complex environments.

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BELOW

Dorah Marema, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, led a project to grow community food gardens in Johannesburg.

Credit: Sydelle Willow Smith, Atlantic Fellow.

“I found solace and support in the Atlantic Fellows Peer Group Mentoring Program. On it, there were various Atlantic Fellows from different equity fellowship programs, and the counsel and support sustained me.”

We formed small groups and had dedicated time for in-depth reflection on leadership practice. I received group coaching support which helped me to transition, so I began to explore the possibility of a move from GenderCCSA, which I had founded and led for over 10 years. I developed a desire for self-development and I enrolled in a master’s degree program in environmental sciences at the beginning of 2021. I was also offered an opportunity to join the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) as head of the Municipal Sustainability Portfolio.

I had never worked in any other sector for over two decades and the transition process was very painful. However, I found solace and support in the Atlantic Fellows Peer Group Mentoring Program. On it, there were various Atlantic Fellows from different equity fellowship programs, and the counsel and support sustained me in my first three months at SALGA. This support saw me stay, and I grew to love my new role. Even though the program came to an end, my group decided to proceed further and we still meet once a month to this day.

I began to understand the broader purpose and essence of the global Atlantic Fellows’ community as I interacted with Atlantic Fellows from the other programs and participated in various opportunities. Then in 2020, I received an Atlantic Fellows Solidarity Grant at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was already involved in a civil society initiative to mobilize resources and support for communities that were impacted badly by the national lockdowns. We were providing the communities with food relief and protective equipment against the virus, but the grant meant I could scale up the food relief efforts in my two communities, in Johannesburg West Rand and Kaditshwene village, Limpopo, where I grew up.

I was awarded a grant of nearly £4,000 that allowed me to implement a project to support 200 households in the periurban West Rand district municipality of Gauteng, South Africa, by providing them with nutritious food supplies. The aim was to map where small domestic farmers and producers were located in a given area and procure their produce, and obtain nonperishable food and protective equipment to distribute to the local vulnerable communities. This grant was administered through Dynamis Foundation, a nonprofit organization that I had set up and registered, in April 2020, during a lockdown.

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“I believe that the entire network of Fellows and program staff has established ... systems for me to plug in and be part of a group of amazing people working to build inclusive communities around the world.”

This grant was so impactful on many fronts: the local champions, the small-scale producers and the broader communities we served. We mobilized the local champions to identify households that needed urgent support and the small-scale producers in their areas who were producing seedlings, fresh vegetables and food stuffs that could be purchased, packed and delivered to the various households. This was such an exciting initiative, which the Institute documented so we could share our learning and experiences with the broader community.

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Dorah’s Solidarity Grant project gave nutritious food supplies to 200 households in the peri-urban West Rand district municipality of Gauteng, South Africa.

Credit for both images: Sydelle Willow Smith, Atlantic Fellow.

Another opportunity came in January 2021, after the Atlantic Institute made a call for Senior Fellows to apply to become volunteer members of the Global Atlantic Senior Fellow Advisory Forum (GASFAF). I was selected and was also privileged to be asked to take up a volunteer position as a deputy chairperson of GASFAF. This has been an amazing opportunity to work alongside Senior Fellows across all the Atlantic fellowship programs and many different nations to promote and support the global community’s objectives of accelerating the eradication of inequities for fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies. At GASFAF, we also aim to increase and widen Senior Fellows’ awareness of and engagement with the global Atlantic Fellows community.

I believe that the entire network of Fellows and program staff has established the necessary groundwork and systems for me to plug in and be part of a group of amazing people working to build inclusive communities around the world.

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Senior Fellow-led events

Senior Fellows contribute to the design of many of the Institute’s events and offerings.

However, some of the events are solely designed by Fellows, with some support from the Atlantic Institute.

“Legal Tools in Grassroots’ Hands,” led by Nicola Browne and Joey Hasson (Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity) On Nov. 19, 2020, the Institute hosted a webinar exploring how legal tools are used by grassroots activists across the world, in partnership with the Social Change Initiative (SCI), an organization that aims to develop the skills and capacity of activists so they are more effective agents for change. More than 50 participants attended the event, which featured keynote speakers Dami Makinde, Co-CEO of We Belong; Joey Hasson, Atlantic Fellow, activist and co-founder of Equal Education; and Michael Farrell, civil rights activist and former leader of People’s Democracy. The moderator was Nicola Browne, Atlantic Fellow, SCI Fellow and a human rights activist with 18 years of experience in academia, civil society and NGOs.

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“We looked at research, applying critical lenses such as decolonial, pan-Africanist, climate justice, intersectional feminist and critical race theories. This approach deliberately looked inwardly at Africa, not at the North American and European frameworks...”

LANCE LOUSKIETER AND SHEHNAZ MUNSHI Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa

“Decolonial Thought and African Consciousness for Socially Just Health Systems: An Imaginative Space,” led by Lance Louskieter, Shehnaz Munshi and Kentse Radebe, (Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa) Three members of the Affinity Group on Decolonizing Global Health developed and led a three-day convening (Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2020). “Health Systems Africa Convening 2020: Decolonial Thought and African Consciousness for Socially Just Health Systems: An Imaginative Space” aimed to shift the dominant Western narrative around health to shine a light on African health policy and systems. The convening was co-sponsored by the Atlantic Institute, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa, Health Systems Global, CHESAI (a collaboration of health policy and systems researchers based in the Western Cape, South Africa), and the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. More than 260 people attended the online event, which featured academics and activists from across Africa and included uplifting songs, poetry and art.

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A graphic weave from the convening—From Paradigm to Praxis: Tools for decolonial, African health systems and policy and research.

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“Meta-leadership: From Theory to Action,” led by Corinna Grimes (Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health) At the Department of Health Northern Ireland, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health Corrina Grimes works in health and social care policy, where she is currently leading on advance care planning for adults. Corrina was so inspired by a social media post she came across on meta-leadership, she decided to organize an event about it for other Atlantic Fellows.

On March 24, 2021, supported by the Atlantic Institute, her master class and workshop offered participants an opportunity to consider what the theoretical framework of meta-leadership might offer, and how they might adopt the tools and techniques. They moved from the theory to an exploration of their own leadership practice and a case study of leadership for health equity through a variety of lenses.

The workshop speakers were Rafael Bengoa, Co-director of the Institute of Health and Strategy, Deusto Business School of Spain; Mark Taylor, consultant, hepatobiliary surgeon, and Visiting Professor, Ulster University in the United Kingdom; and Deepa Mann Kler, Chief Executive of Neon and Visiting Professor, Ulster University. The master class was delivered by Eric McNulty, associate director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, a joint program of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in the United States; McNulty is also an instructor at the Chan School of Public Health.

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“The meta-leadership framework prompts leaders to be self-aware, seek out diverse perspectives and develop strong purposeful connections across organizations to deliver impact and change.”

CORRINA GRIMES Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health

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Artist Gwen Stevenson created her reflections on the metaleadership master class through a series of digital artworks.

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In Solidarity: Solidarity Grants For most of 2020 and 2021, the world has been in the grip of COVID-19. In solidarity with the Fellows, the Institute offered Fellows the chance to apply for short-term, rapid-response Solidarity Grants. Between April and August 2020, a total of 74 Fellows from all seven programs received 54 Solidarity Grants from the Institute to develop their own local projects to alleviate the worst impacts of COVID-19.

The first round of grants from the Institute totaled £267,383, with £64,452 matched funding from the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia. The grants ranged from £500 to £5,000 and were given to Fellows in 20 countries to provide urgently needed food, personal protective equipment and information, and funding for research or projects that could help maintain forms of health care and education despite the pandemic.

A second round of Solidarity Grants was opened in May 2021, in recognition of the continuing and far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. This round was capped at the same level as in 2020, and was offered to Fellows who were making new applications and those requiring further funding for existing projects.

As Fellows connect and collaborate through the global network, they think and learn together, incubating and implementing strategies for greater impact.

Accelerated by the Atlantic Institute and community support, they become collective agents of change.

CROSS-PROGRAM PROJECTS FUNDED WITH SOLIDARITY GRANTS IN 2020 ● Exploring loneliness, social isolation and the care burden of care partners and families of people with dementia or neurodegenerative disorders in Arabic-, French- and Bengali-speaking countries (involving Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health and an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity). ● Empowering disenfranchised communities through stories of advocacy (involving Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity U.S. + Global and an Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity).

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Constance Mogale, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, used a Solidarity Grant to upscale a honey-making project in Goedgevonden, South Africa.

It enabled the community to sell the honey and have a food supply for themselves.

Credit. Sydelle Willow Smith, Atlantic Fellow.

● Providing people with disabilities opportunities to represent their narratives through the Disability Justice Narratives (involving an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity and an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity U.S. + Global).

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ABOVE

Kotchakorn Voraakhom and Santi Lapbenjakul, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, redesigned human-centered spaces and services for health care buildings.

Credit: Luke Duggleby.

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The Solidarity Grant paid for the internet service and digital tablets for participants of a project called Playful Living. Lenisa Brandao, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, led a clowning element of the project to enhance the lives of vulnerable older adults.

Credit: Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow.

Somporn Pengkam and Ratawit Ouaprachanon, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, improved food security and health resilience for a Bang Kloi Karen Indigenous community.

Credit: Luke Duggleby.

Maira Okada de Oliviera, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, led a project to examine the feasibility of remote cognitive assessments of hospital patients during COVID-19. The project carried out in São Paulo also involved Atlantic Fellow, Barbara Costa Beber.

Credit: Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow.

First round of Solidarity Grants HOW FELLOWS HELPED THEIR COMMUNITIES

217,340

85,214

32,698

people were reached with videos/ animations relating to COVID-19.

views of educational videos.

people reached with sexual reproductive health information.

2,100

1,893

1,644

participants took part in COVID-19 prevention sessions.

people watched/listened to sexual reproductive health information.

children at risk of missing education received it.

100

61

40

refugees took part in theater sessions to give traumainformed care support.

households taught how to grow food through hydroponics.

households received safe water through new water tanks.

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27,655

12,950

2,202

face masks and face shields were distributed.

households received food and other supplies.

responses to surveys about health or inequalities experienced.

319

170

136

adults trained in different of skills.

counseling sessions given to boost brain health and tackle loneliness.

community food gardens were created.

30

25

10

people took part in online cognitive testing to be assessed for dementia.

beehives set up to provide food and income.

people participated in arts and health practice for living with dementia and family caregivers.

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The Senior Fellow Awards NATASHA PURPLE Associate Executive Director

The Atlantic community is striving to accelerate the eradication of inequities through collective action, so through consultation with early cohorts of Senior Fellows, an award was developed to celebrate emerging collective projects developed by Fellows working across countries and disciplines. The projects that best exemplified the community’s values and aims were chosen by a panel of Atlantic Fellows, the Atlantic Institute and program staff.

In 2020, the projects that received Senior Fellow Awards of £50,000 were: THE SLEEP AND DEMENTIA EXPERT SYSTEM PLATFORM A project involving Elissaios Karageorgiou and Konstantina Sykara, Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health.

Their online platform will improve the assessment and management of sleep and neurocognitive disorders at low cost. It is a secure data-sharing platform designed to help patients with sleep or cognitive problems and their caregivers—whatever their country or background—receive an early diagnosis and a framework of recommendations for further assessment or interventions tailored to their symptoms.

There are plans to expand this project and involve other Atlantic Fellows (in other programs) in rolling it out across high- and low-income countries.

NARRATIVES OF DISPLACEMENT A project involving Tala Al-Rousan, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health; Durkhanai Ayubi, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity; Dominic Campbell, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health; Zanele Figlan, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa; Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity; and Luqman Yesufu, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa.

The Fellows have created an online repository for narratives around displacement to shift misconceptions in the public domain and elevate the voices of the displaced. They created a website to host written works and images as well as collective academic research about displacement—its causes and impacts, including those on health.

The interdisciplinary team is building the repository to include contributions from themselves, future Fellows, and external like-minded stakeholders as well as displaced people. As part of the project, they created the website: narrativesofdisplacement.org/

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The Global Atlantic Senior Fellow Advisory Forum The Atlantic Senior Fellow Advisory Forum was launched in 2021 to harness the power of the Fellows’ voices and their wide range of perspectives to contribute to the direction of the Institute’s work. They meet regularly to offer advice to the Institute on matters such as how to increase engagement with the Fellows; to promote and support the Institute’s strategy and objectives; and to increase the Fellows’ awareness of and engagement with the global Atlantic Fellows community.

The Institute invited applications from Fellows across the global community to select 14 Senior Fellows (two from each program). Members will serve on the forum for a period of two years. Two members of GASFAF also serve as the Senior Fellow representatives on the Atlantic Institute Governing Board.

ALEX SPLITT, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, is a Kabi Kabi man and an independent consultant working in Narrm (Melbourne, Australia). His interest lies in advancing the social and economic outcomes of First Peoples, specializing in the co-design, development and implementation of strategic policy frameworks that seek to facilitate social and economic equity for First Peoples.

DR. ANNE BROWNING, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, is Assistant Dean for Well-being, University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine; founding director of the UW Resilience Lab; and Affiliate Assistant Professor, UW College of Education. Through her work, she is promoting resilience, brain health and well-being for health care teams.

BAYANDA NDUMISO, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa, is a curriculum developer at Equal Education, Cape Town, South Africa. Bayanda has experience in public education transformation and activism, which has been used to lobby for changes and amendments in South African policies, particularly in public education.

DR. CYAN BROWN, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa, completed her medical training at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and a master’s degree in public health with a global health specialization through King’s College London. Her work focuses on health equity, sustainability and innovation. Seven years ago, she founded the TuksRes women in leadership academy at the University of Pretoria to equip young women leaders.

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“Chuck would not be interested in any monuments or buildings with his name on them. In the end, he has said, ‘it’s always about people,’ the people with needs and the people who are capable and committed to addressing those needs.”

CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI Chair, The Atlantic Institute Governing Board and President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies on why Chuck Feeney founded The Atlantic Philanthropies.

DORAH MAREMA, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, is Portfolio Head for Municipality Sustainability at the South African Local Government Association, Pretoria, South Africa. She is working at the forefront of environmental sustainability in municipalities across the country. She has worked with a wide range of NGOs in different sectors in rural and urban settings focusing on issues of land reform, gender equality and environmental sustainability.

JANE SLOANE, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, is Senior Director of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality at The Asia Foundation, an international development organization headquartered in San Francisco, in the United States, and with 18 country offices in Asia. Jane is working to advance gender equality and social inclusion globally, and is writing a book on activism to address inequalities.

MARCUS AKUHATA-BROWN, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, is the Pou Whakatere: Deputy Secretary, Māori, New Zealand Ministry of Justice, a position that seeks to represent the Iwi Māori at the highest levels. Over the last ten years, he has been involved in leading an Indigenous leadership development program for the younger generation.

MARITZA PINTADO-CAIPA, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, is a neurologist at the research unit of the Department of Neurology, Peruvian Institute of Neurosciences in Peru. She is leading work in brain health promotion, working in prevention and improving dementia diagnoses, particularly in vulnerable regions where there are inequities in access to health care.

NUR KHAULAH FADZIL, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, is the Network Coordinator for Asylum Access, Malaysia’s aid program for refugees and people seeking asylum. Her work focuses on proving alternatives to immigration detention and access to health care for refugees in detention.

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DR. NATARAJAN RAJARAMAN, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, is Executive Director of Maluk Timor, an Australian-Timorese NGO. It aims to transform health care in Timor-Leste’s community health centers and enable people to receive high quality care when and where they need it.

DR. PETER GAN KIM SOON, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity U.S. + Global, is Epidemiology and Medical Officer of Health at the Ministry of Health of Malaysia.

He also is a board member of the Medical Research and Ethics Committee, Ministry of Health of Malaysia; and an executive council member of MERCY Malaysia, an international nonprofit organization focusing on providing medical relief and sustainable health-related development and risk reduction.

RICHARD WALLACE, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, is the co-founder of The Future of Benin Project, an initiative structured to provide sustainable aid to orphaned youth.

He also is an organizer, activist and founder of Equity and Transformation (EAT) that harnesses the voices of Chicago’s informal economy to advance social change locally and increase equity for those who are the most excluded from society.

SARAH HOOPER, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity U.S. + Global, is Executive Director of University of California (UC) San Francisco / UC Hastings Consortium on Law Science & Health Policy; Policy Director of UCSF-UC Hastings Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors; and Lecturer at UC Hastings Law School in San Francisco. Her work lies in developing medical-legal collaborations in education, research and clinical service that advance equity in the care of older adults.

TRACY JOOSTE, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, is a public policy practitioner specialising in housing, basic services and public finance. She has led advocacy efforts to improve access to water, sanitation and primary health care in slums across South Africa. She is a board member of Isandla Institute and Lead Facilitator for the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), southern Africa.

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The Atlantic Institute Governing Board

The Atlantic Institute Governing Board has programmatic oversight of the Atlantic Institute; promoting and supporting the Atlantic Fellows community, mission and vision.

MR. CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI, Chair

Christopher G. Oechsli is President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies. Previously, he served in various leadership roles in Atlantic’s international business subsidiaries and program work; as Counsel to US Senator Russell Feingold; and with private law firms in the US and Asia. He is a graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles and received an M.A. in foreign affairs and his J.D. from the University of Virginia.

DR. VERONICA CAMPBELL, Board member

Veronica is Chair of the Governing Board of the Equity in Global Brain Health program and former Bursar and Director of Strategic Innovation at Trinity College Dublin. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and obtained her Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from the University of London.

DR. ELIZABETH KISS, Board member

Dr. Elizabeth Kiss became Warden of Rhodes House and CEO of the Rhodes Trust in August 2018, the first woman to hold this position. She oversees the world’s oldest graduate scholarship, the Rhodes Scholarship, as well as several partnership programs.

Before joining the Rhodes Trust, she served for 12 years as President of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, and from 1997 to 2006, served as the founding Director of Duke University’s Kenan Institute for Ethics.

PROFESSOR JAMES MCCLUSKEY, Board member

Professor James McCluskey is a board member of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity program, and serves as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Melbourne, appointed in 2011. He trained in Perth as a physician and pathologist before spending four years at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. He has worked at Monash University, Flinders University and Life Blood, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service. He led the development of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, and has served as a director of numerous independent medical research institutes in Melbourne.

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KAVITHA MEDIRATTA, Board member

Kavitha Mediratta is the founding Executive Director of Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity (AFRE), which is based at Columbia University in New York and the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, South Africa. Before joining AFRE, she was Chief Strategy Adviser at Atlantic Philanthropies. Her experiences as a teacher, journalist, organizer, researcher, policy analyst and grant-maker inform AFRE’s effort to dismantle anti-Black racism and white supremacy. She holds a B.A. from Amherst College, Massachusetts; a master of education from Teachers College, Columbia University, New York City; and a doctorate in philosophy from New York University.

PROFESSOR MVUYO TOM, Board member

Professor Mvuyo Tom is Deputy Chairperson of the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in South Africa program, based at Tekano in Cape Town. He sits on various boards on development, health and education. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare from 2008 to 2016. He served as provincial Director-General (1998-2004) after being a Permanent Secretary for the Department of Health and Welfare (1994-1997). In 1994 he received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights for his role in the anti-apartheid struggle.

DR. CYAN BROWN, Board member

Dr. Cyan Brown is an Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa and a member of the Global Atlantic Senior Fellows Advisory Forum. She completed her medical training at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, and her master’s degree in public health with a global health specialization through King’s College London. Her work focuses on health equity, sustainability and innovation. Central to her work is the empowerment of women; seven years ago, she founded the TuksRes women in leadership academy at the University of Pretoria, which serves to equip young women leaders.

DR. ANNE BROWNING, Board member

Dr. Anne Browning is an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, and a member of the Global Atlantic Senior Fellows Advisory Forum. She is Assistant Dean for Wellbeing, University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine; founding Director of the UW Resilience Lab; and Affiliate Assistant Professor, UW College of Education. Through her work, she is promoting resilience, brain health and well-being for health care teams.

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The Atlantic Institute Team The Atlantic Institute is housed with the Rhodes Trust in Oxford, UK. It provides Fellows and staff with the networks, architecture and resources to connect, learn and act to address the underlying systemic causes of inequity, locally and globally.

EVIE O’BRIEN, Executive Director

Evie provides overarching strategic and operational leadership to the Institute and promotes the Institute’s mission. Previously, she served as Program Director at the Atlantic Institute and, she is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity. She was the Deputy CEO at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, a Māori (Indigenous) higher education institution in New Zealand, and has held executive leadership roles in several higher education institutions across New Zealand over the past 20 years.

KHALIL GOGA, Associate Executive Director (Community Engagement, Program and Impact)

Khalil has responsibility for the design and implementation of programs in support of the work of Senior Fellows and program staff, and the development of a strongly connected lifelong community of action. Khalil was the former Director of Dialogue and Advocacy at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, where he also served as a Senior Director with the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity program.

NATASHA PURPLE, Associate Executive Director (Operations and Organizational Development)

Natasha is responsible for leading end-to-end operational support for the Institute and a learning culture for impact, with a focus on organizational development, communications and learning. Natasha has held a number of roles building infrastructure for creative, academic and leadership organizations including art therapy charities, Oxford University Press and the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.

KATHERINE BOND, DEVELOPMENT LEAD (FOUNDATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS)

Katherine is responsible for driving the implementation of the strategic partnerships and fundraising strategy for the Institute and the community of Senior Fellows it supports. Previously, she was founding Director of the Cultural Institute at King’s College London. She also worked for the European Forum on HIV/AIDS Children and Families; the Canadian High Commission, London; the British Council; and as a senior policy adviser for the British government.

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“With so much unfairness in this world and the worsening of inequities due to COVID-19, I feel privileged to be part of a community that is working for a better future.”

MARIA JEFFERY Communications Lead

TANYA CHARLES, Program and Impact Lead; Senior Fellow Engagement

Tanya is responsible for the development and support of programming, both for the Atlantic program staff and for Senior Fellows. She is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, who has worked in the nonprofit sector in southern Africa, providing a range of services from designing bespoke training sessions on gender equality in the mining sector to forming strategies on how to tackle gender-based violence nationally.

DR. ABI DIAMOND, Learning and Evaluation Lead

Abi is responsible for supporting a learning culture at the Institute and for the design and implementation of an evaluation strategy. Previously, she was Managing Director of CFE Research and has held a number of other leadership roles. She has more than a decade’s experience of designing and developing evaluation methodologies and methods to assess the impact of social change programs over time.

MARIA JEFFERY, Communications Lead

Maria is responsible for communications activities in support of the Institute’s strategy, including the development and implementation of its global internal and external communications. She has worked for Oxfam GB; as a media relations manager in the Public Affairs Directorate, the University of Oxford; and spent nearly 20 years as a radio and television reporter for regional and national newsrooms in the UK. DAVID MALLINSON, Events and Team Administrator

David provides high-quality operational support to the Institute team to ensure that events and other activities run smoothly. Before taking up the position at the Institute, he worked as the Events Officer at Oxford Brookes University for eight years.

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“It’s an honor to work with such out-of-the-box, innovative thinkers and my privilege to play a small part in serving this community striving for change on a global scale.”

SUKH SANGHERA Technology Platforms Lead

AMANDA ODUKA, Impact Fund Lead

Amanda leads on grants and her role includes the provision of dedicated support to Fellows applying for grants as well as the design and delivery of the funding for the Atlantic Fellows’ collaborative projects. She has significant experience in the international development sector and has held positions at Engineers Against Poverty, Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and KwaAfrica, an African diaspora-led organization.

KIM OOI, Team Coordinator (Grants and Funding)

Kim provides high-quality support as Coordinator for grants and funding in support of the work of Senior Fellows and program staff. In her 13 years in higher education, she was involved in managing student fees, academic records and scholarships. She has worked with charitable organizations, corporations and foreign education ministries to help promote and manage their scholarships at the University of Oxford.

DESIREE PEARCE, Executive Assistant

Desiree coordinates the Executive Director’s diary and helps coordinate communications on her behalf. She also is Secretary to the Atlantic Institute Governing Board. She worked previously for the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in London; and at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands.

SUKH SANGHERA, Technology Platforms Lead

Sukh is responsible for maintaining and developing the Institute’s online platforms and services, as well as providing technical support to Fellows and program staff.

He has provided information technology support for staff at the Rhodes Trust, and worked as a Systems Administrator for schools and colleges, implementing systems to support teaching.

SHANJITHA RAJASINGAM, Team Coordinator (Convenings)

Shanjitha provides high-quality coordination for the Institute’s convenings and programs in support of the work of Senior Fellows and program staff. Before arriving at the Institute, she was a Grants Coordinator in Canada at the Catherine Donnelly Foundation, which is committed to promoting positive social changes in the environment and housing, as well as addressing homelessness.

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“The Atlantic Fellows community is special because of the diversity within it: across disciplines, geographies and experiences.”

JACK WILKIN Data Insight Lead

JEMMA STRINGER, Program and Impact Lead (Innovation and Special Projects)

Jemma designs and facilitates programs and initiatives to support Fellows to come together for impact across the Atlantic community, underpinned by critical and inclusive pedagogy. Previous roles have focused on gender justice and social justice. At Oxfam International, Jemma specialized in gender justice and organizational development, capacity development and culture change through a feminist lens.

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, Multimedia Editor

Responsible for producing multimedia presentations and tools to amplify the work of the Institute and Senior Fellows, Fionnuala also provides content editorial support to the Institute team. She is an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health with a focus on raising global awareness about attitudes and policies relating to brain health. Previously, Fionnuala was an anchor and reporter with CNN International covering stories in Europe, the Middle East and the United States.

JACK WILKIN, Data Insight Lead

Jack manages the design, implementation and development of the Institute’s data strategy, transforming data into readable, goal-driven reports, and he ensures that data-management processes exceed regulatory standards of compliance. Previously, he worked for the major UK charity, Comic Relief, as Transparency and Reporting Lead; and he continues to hold a number of voluntary roles aimed at reducing inequities.

ALICE WROE, Augmented and Virtual Realities Lead

Alice researches, trials and co creates innovative ways of using emerging technologies, with a focus on AR and VR, for building the Atlantic global community. Previously, she was a Creative Director at Magic Leap, exploring how embodied AI can champion gender equality. She has worked at the intersection of art, technology and social justice for leading institutions and brands including the band U2, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Tate and Penguin Books.

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Constance Mogale, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity (pictured in the center), bought bee hive equipment for a honey-making project for people in Goedgevonden Village, South Africa.

Credit: Sydelle Willow Smith, Atlantic Fellow.

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Rhodes House South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3RG United Kingdom

EMAIL atlantic.institute@atlanticfellows.org WEB atlanticfellows.org SOCIAL @atlanticfellows @atlanticfellows @atlanticfellows

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