News

The Andrew Goodman Foundation Launches the Puffin Fellows Program

Upper Saddle River, NJ (January 23, 2018) — The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) is proud to announce the launch of its Puffin Fellows program, a multi-year fellowship designed to expand political equity for Millennials through policy change and grassroots organizing. The program, which is made possible by funding from The Puffin Foundation, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that supports social justice projects and the arts, is set to kick off this month.

“Young people are presently leading the way in the fight for social change,” says Perry Rosenstein, President of The Puffin Foundation, Ltd. “Gladys, Neal, and I at The Puffin Foundation are proud to support this new generation of leaders in this important endeavor as they develop the necessary skills to reach their goals.”

The Puffin Fellowship is open to five or more exceptional young leaders; preferably graduate students from around the country, who have experience and a passion for organizing and public policy work. By providing the Puffin Fellows with access to industry experts, thought leaders, and elected officials, as well as financial support, The AGF believes they will achieve high-impact results on the local and national level.

The inaugural cohort of Puffin Fellows will work on a variety of projects including expanding access to affordable legal representation, voter access, and education, as well as defending democratic principles and constitutional rights of African Americans, Muslim Americans, and the Latinx community.

“We are thrilled to partner with The Puffin Foundation to create this opportunity for our country’s brightest, young leaders. Whether they’re interested in civic policy, civil or voting rights, social justice, or other forms of civic engagement, we know that our Fellows have the potential to affect long-term change that yields a more just and equitable future. That’s why we want to support them on this exciting new journey,” says AGF’s Executive Director Sylvia Golbin Goodman.

The 2018 Puffin Fellows include Usjid Hameed (Columbus, OH); Maydee Martinez (Miami, FL); Megan Newsome (Jacksonville, FL); Valencia Richardson (Shreveport, LA); and Dana Sweeney (Montgomery, AL). 

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Established to continue the legacy of Andrew Goodman, a civil rights worker murdered during Freedom Summer 1964, The Andrew Goodman Foundation partners with America’s colleges and universities through its Vote Everywhere program which provides student leaders with a platform to register and mobilize voters, organize campuses, and collaborate with their peers. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.

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