ANNUAL REVIEW 2019-2020
CON N EC T I NG FOR C H A NGE
Our purpose, mission and goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Our call to action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 A connected community of changemakers . . . . . . . . . 7 The year at a glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Building a global community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Our response to COVID-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A conversation on race and justice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Senior Fellows Global Convening 2019 . . . . . . . 16 The Atlantic Senior Fellow Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Face-to-face convenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Crossing borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 My journey as an Atlantic Fellow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The pivot to virtual events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Solidarity Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Thank you, Penelope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Digital spaces and podcasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 The Atlantic Institute Governing Board . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Looking to the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
ANNUAL REVIEW 2019-2020
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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 Atlantic program staff 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 staff 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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PREVIOUS SPREAD Image by Johnny Miller, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, whose photography focuses on inequalities BELOW In the gardens of Rhodes House, Oxford, at the inaugural Senior Fellows Global Convening, in 2019
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 mega-trends 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.
“ This idea that you could get different change agents from different sectors and with different experiences, who could not only agree well and collaborate well, but disagree well and respect each other through philosophical or ideological differences. I joined to be part of that and to see how that could develop over time.� DEAN PARKIN, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, who is empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organizations and communities to craft their own narratives and lead their own change and development
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Welcome EVIE O’BRIEN Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute
It is my pleasure to present the “Annual Review” (2019-20) for the Atlantic Institute. As Executive Director, I am humbled to lead and be part of a global community of extraordinary changemakers who together are accelerating the eradication of global inequities for fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies. In 2019, the Atlantic Senior Fellows community became fully formed, with cohorts of Senior Fellows from all seven Atlantic Fellows programs around the world joining the global community. It was a watershed year of many firsts: the inaugural Atlantic Senior Fellows Global Convening held at Rhodes House, Oxford; the Atlantic Senior Fellow Awards; and the awarding of our first Atlantic Fellows Learning and Connection Grant. The Institute also curated smaller gatherings for Senior Fellows, with particular highlights being the thematic forum “Crossing Borders: Effects of Displacement on Health”, in Jordan; and the workshop “Changing the Leadership Narrative: Social Change and Values-based Leadership”, facilitated in partnership with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. In February 2020, the global pandemic swept the world, resulting in countrywide lockdowns to try to curb the spread of the disease and death rates in communities already impacted by inequities. We witnessed extraordinary leadership qualities in our Fellows, staff, colleagues and community as they responded to this crisis —
LEFT At the Senior Fellows Global Convening 2019: Amanda Brosnan, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US +Global; with Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia Noraida Abdullah Karim (on far left) and Borwornsom (Ack) Leerapan (in the middle)
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“ In 2019, the Atlantic Senior Fellows community became fully formed, with cohorts of Senior Fellows from all seven Atlantic Fellows programs around the world joining the global community.”
whether on the front lines in hospitals, or in looking after their communities, or through providing virtual support. Atlantic Fellows and staff told harrowing stories about the effects of the virus on their work to advance health, social and economic equity, as they pivoted to provide rapid responses and emergent practice. COVID-19 has revealed and continues to expose existing inequities across the world. The entire body of Fellows and staff, which crosses many borders and disciplines, shared a renewed sense of common purpose and commitment to equity in trying to combat the worst impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities. The effects of the virus are felt differently across the world, but this global crisis has been a catalyst for deep connection and solidarity. There has been increased engagement between Fellows on the Hub, and connections forged through Global Zoom Calls and the “(K)new World Reimagined” webinar series. Fellows have also collaborated on grant applications to deliver solutions in these unprecedented times. COVID-19 has also had a significant impact on the Institute, as staff juggled the personal and professional challenges associated with this pandemic and shifted to working from home, like so many others. Initially designed to be primarily focused on providing face-to-face engagement, the Institute team worked hard to support the community with virtual offerings to allow Fellows to continue connecting, collaborating and working toward achieving impact. The challenge for the Institute team was to provide a different approach urgently. In this time of “unknown unknowns”, of course there was frustration at times. I am incredibly proud of how they pulled together, despite the stresses, working extraordinary hours in emerging and new areas of practice. This time of significant learning for staff and the Institute will strengthen our offerings and the community moving forward. In 2020, the Institute underwent a strategic realignment process to refine our vision, mission and strategic goals. To create a new organizational structure and staffing profile, four existing leadership positions were disestablished and new positions have been created aimed at: • I ncreasing our capacity and excellence in community building and creating a system for meaningful connection and influence; • I ncreasing capacity and excellence in programming for narrative change, shaping policy and the generation of new ideas;
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“ Our Fellows are not passive recipients of change but rather agents of change within their communities, who continue to do extraordinary work, and need our collective support and empowerment to amplify and accelerate their vision.”
•B ringing expertise in stimulating and encouraging a community of action and impact; •B ringing structural inclusion of learning and impact across all roles so that reflection and learning are a core part of the culture of the Institute; • I ncreasing capacity and expertise in end-to-end administrative and platform services that support an externally facing team; •B ringing expertise in new and emerging technologies to increase and improve our virtual offerings. This has been an intense period of transformation, after which I hope we know much more about how Fellows can work together effectively to create a fairer world. Our Fellows are not passive recipients of change but rather agents of change within their communities, who continue to do extraordinary work, and need our collective support and empowerment to amplify and accelerate their vision. The Atlantic Institute Governing Board, Rhodes House and Institute staff have ensured that despite this challenging year, we have been able to provide the necessary architecture and resources for our Fellows and program staff to connect and collaborate for greater impact. In this regard, I would like to acknowledge the Board, particularly our Chair, Chris Oechsli, and Rhodes Warden, Elizabeth Kiss, for their continued support and vision for this community. I would also like to acknowledge the staff at the Institute and all program staff, who continue to dedicate themselves in service of our growing community of change agents. The community’s work is needed more than ever at this historically significant time.
LEFT Sophia Hage, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia; Brigit M. Carter, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global; (pictured behind) Ariadne Gorring, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity; and Zanele Figlan, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa
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A connected community of changemakers 1 Canada 100
US
1 Bermuda 3
Mexico 4
Cuba 1 Jamaica
Costa Rica 1
1 Trinidad & Tobago
Colombia 3
Atlantic Fellows are active in more
Peru
than 60 countries. Over the next
4 Argentina
will grow to 2,500.
UNITED STATES
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BERMUDA CANADA COSTA RICA JAMAICA TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CUBA MEXICO
24% of Fellows / 8 Countries A T L A N T I C I N S T I T U T E
EU RO PE
UK
AUSTRIA BELGIUM DENMARK LITHUANIA SWEDEN FRANCE GERMANY NETHERLANDS GREECE SPAIN IRELAND
14% of Fellows / 12 Countries
Brazil 2 Chile
two decades, the network of Fellows
N O RTH AM E R I CA
9
4
SO UTH AM E R I CA BRAZIL
5% of Fellows / 5 Countries
CHILE COLOMBIA ARGENTINA PERU
Active Fellows by country as of June 2020
The Netherlands United Kingdom Ireland 11
29
1 Sweden Denmark
1 33
1 Lithuania
1 Germany 1 Austria 3 Belgium
Lao PDR 1 Armenia 2 Nepal 4 Turkey France 1 12 1 Iraq Greece 1 Thailand 3 Jordan 1 China Myanmar 3 Israel Pakistan 8 Egypt 7 6 Senegal 6 15 18 India 18 1 Nigeria Philippines 17 Vietnam Sierra 1 1 Ethiopia 8 1 Ghana Leone 1 2 5Cambodia Uganda 9 Liberia Brunei Kenya Malaysia 1 11 Spain
9
2 77
Indonesia 1
1 Malawi
Singapore
Zimbabwe
1 Botswana
Timor-Leste 29
South Africa
Australia 3 New Zealand
AFR I C A SOUTH AFRICA
BOTSWANA ETHIOPIA GHANA LIBERIA MALAWI SENEGAL SIERRA LEONE UGANDA ZIMBABWE EGYPT NIGERIA KENYA
22% of Fellows / 13 Countries
A S IA
VIETNAM THAILAND PHILIPPINES BRUNEI NEPAL PAKISTAN TIMOR-LESTE IRAQ JORDAN ARMENIA TURKEY ISRAEL SINGAPORE LAO PDR MYANMAR CAMBODIA INDIA MALAYSIA INDONESIA CHINA
28% of Fellows / 20 Countries
AUSTR AL A S IA
NEW ZEALAND
AUSTRALIA
7% of Fellows / 2 Countries
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The year at a glance
JULY 2019 First Atlantic Senior Fellows Global Convening, Oxford Launch of the Hub Launch of the Atlantic Senior Fellow Awards
The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic. The Institute pivots to online events
MARCH 2020 Global In Solidarity Zoom Calls launched Business Zoom accounts offered to all Fellows In Solidarity - Fighting COVID-19 group launched Learning & Connection Grants launched
OCTOBER 2019 Atlantic Institute funding approved Thematic forum, Jordan: “Crossing Borders: Effects of Displacement on Health”
APRIL 2020 Solidarity Grants launched Collaboration Grants launched
MAY 2020
NOVEMBER 2019 Skills workshop, Oxford: “Changing the Leadership Narrative” Inaugural AIGB Board Meeting, Oxford 6 Senior Fellows externships launched
Launch of new webinar series, “Post COVID-19: A (K)new World Reimagined”, in partnership with Rhodes Scholars, Obama Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellows Rhodes Scholars join forces with Atlantic Fellows to share ideas aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19
The brutal killing of George Floyd was the catalyst for Black Lives Matter global protests
JANUARY 2020 Atlantic Institute strategic realignment Cuba Platform visit
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JUNE 2020 The Atlantic Institute hosted “A Conversation on Race and Justice” – a virtual gathering for the global community
Building a global community 469 Atlantic Fellows
6
19
Face-to-face convenings across 3 continents
Webinars “Post COVID-19: A (K)new World Reimagined”
Global In Solidarity Zoom Calls
Solidarity Grants
2
Learning & Collaboration Grants
2
Promoting Collaborative Work
61 Grants and Awards 57
Global Gatherings
4
Senior Fellow Awards
Affinity Groups for Fellows with shared interests created on the Hub
5
Cross-program peer groups formed for monthly meetings
Online Groups & Platforms for Learning
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Our response to COVID-19 TANYA CHARLES Program and Impact Lead: Senior Fellow Engagement
The first half of 2020 was characterized by the spread and impact of the coronavirus. For the Atlantic Institute, planned face-to-face gatherings that were meant to take place in April (the “Indigenous Approaches to Health” pre-forum in association with the Beyond Flexner Conference in Arizona) and May (the “Conversations on Hope” forum in Dublin) had to be postponed indefinitely. Instead, the Atlantic Institute was forced to pivot to online programming that could meet its objectives while supporting the Atlantic community as it faced the crisis. The most urgent concern was the wellbeing of Fellows. From March, the Atlantic Institute supported the Atlantic Fellows’ online engagements by providing Business Zoom accounts to enable connection as the world moved to online platforms as a way of life. This meant that Fellows had the tools not only to connect with family and friends, but also to participate in the Institute’s now mainly virtual offerings. The first of these was the weekly Global Zoom Calls: spaces made available to discuss ongoing professional and personal challenges, as well as any changes and small victories in dealing with this period. These conversations allowed for debate, support and re-strategizing as everyone thought through how best to serve their communities, families and colleagues. With the community adjusting to “the new normal”, it was a privilege to see Fellows jump into action. The Solidarity Grants, which the Institute made available from May 2020, meant that Fellows like Maureen Sigauke, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, were able to respond to the needs of their communities in urgent and profound ways. With her Solidarity Grant, Maureen bought textbooks and computers for vulnerable learners in her hometown of Kwekwe, in Zimbabwe,
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“ It is evident that Atlantic Fellows are at the forefront and on the front lines in this pandemic, doing their utmost to mitigate inequities in their communities that are amplified by the virus.”
where pupils could not afford online or offline educational resources to mitigate the effects of the school closures during lockdown. Similarly, Holiday Simmons, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, was able to offer holistic psycho-social support to leaders of communities who were more vulnerable and marginalized due to COVID-19. Through helping both Fellows prepare their funding applications, I saw firsthand how they met the challenges undaunted — with huge drive, passion and dedication. Fellows’ experiences were further brought to bear during our Post COVID-19 webinar series, “A (K)new World Reimagined”. The series was developed as a space for Fellows to think about possible strategies for impact that we could collectively take forward after the pandemic. Cedric Brown, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity, shed light on how the coronavirus tested leadership and global solidarity, and reset expectations; Kentse Radebe, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa, provided a South African case study on mental health services provision; and Tracey Jooste, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, was one of the speakers who explored how the virus disproportionately affects certain racial, national or ethnic communities and populations. It is evident that Atlantic Fellows are at the forefront and on the front lines in this pandemic, doing their utmost to mitigate inequities in their communities that are amplified by the virus. The Atlantic Institute is proud to have provided the infrastructure and resources to support Fellows during this time. We will continue to see how they have helped mitigate the effects of coronavirus and brought some positive changes to those most in need across the world.
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A conversation on race and justice
Earlier this year the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity, the Atlantic Institute and our sister programs collectively issued a Call to Action to address racial injustice. As noted then, the brutal and senseless killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery — as well as the less well publicized deaths of Collins Khoza and Tony McDade — reignited global anguish, anger and action. Millions of people around the world took to the streets to protest the systemic failure to see, value and protect Black lives. Those deaths and many more since — along with the global health and economic disparities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic — are painful reminders that anti-Black racism renders Black lives disposable. As an international community of social justice leaders from more than 60 countries, the full global community of Atlantic Fellows and programs are united in challenging anti-Black racism in all its forms. Fellows and staff mobilized in many ways to amplify existing anti-racism work and collaborate, reflect and act in more collective ways across the community. The Institute hosted an online event, “A Conversation on Race and Justice”, for Atlantic Fellows and staff, led by Joedrecka Brown, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global; Betsy Hodges and Busisiwe Dlamini, Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity; Maureen Sigauke, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity; Lance Louskieter, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa; and Janine Mohamed, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity. It was an important conversation not only for healing and processing but also for moving toward collective action. The 2019 cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity wrote a powerful statement, reminding us all that the work to achieve racial equity requires a daily commitment. The Atlantic Institute is committed to modeling the work for systemic change that we expect and support in our community. In particular, we aim at lifting up and legitimizing the voices of Black people and ways of knowing, being and doing in everything that we engage in.
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BLACK ‘N’ COVID By Richard Wallace, Atlantic Fellow for Racial Equity Oh, here he go again being extra Guess I’m just tired of playing Tetris Shape-shifting, spinning on my back So racism doesn’t catch us Poor Aubrey During a pandemic that stole loved ones At arms reach Reminds me of I c-c- c-c-can’t breath Lord, can we have a moment with you please? We’ve been hanging from trees Since we got here On the bottom of boats Shackled to our elders as they rot there If there was ever a moment to show yourself It was right there A hundred years later And we, right there As jail cells turn into electric chairs If COVID’s there The spook that sat by the door Heard plans of war, a war like no other When Queen became bitch and nigger replaced brother Where race is used to other The able disabled others Mothers shackled at birth Give birth to children in shackles from it The trauma, worn like armour Armour, armour, amma savage Amma, amma, amma monster Opposed to Amma asylum-seeker my parents were taken from us Don’t tell me you didn’t hear Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, our Laquan That you didn’t see Trayvon Martin murdered on that lawn The list goes on and on And on and on My grandmother told me stories about you Told me to never doubt you, so I don’t I’m praying that you end it But I’ll settle for some hope Please show us a sign Signed Black ‘n’ COVID Richard Wallace performed this poem at the online event “A Conversation on Race and Justice” on June 11.
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The Senior Fellows Global Convening 2019 INTRODUCING NEWLY GRADUATED SENIOR FELLOWS TO THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
The first Senior Fellows’ convening was held July 12-15, at Rhodes House, Oxford, in the UK. Some 130 Senior Fellows who had graduated from one of the seven Atlantic Fellows programs came together to begin the process of working collaboratively for greater impact in the world. The overarching theme of the convening was continuous catalytic conversations in leadership and equity. Senior Fellows contributed to the delivery and pedagogical design of the convening. Their opinions were also sought on the choice of keynote speakers, who were: • Professor Gurminder Bhambra (University of Sussex) History Matters: Inequalities, Reparation and Redistribution
• Professor Brian Lawlor (Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin) Dementia: Changing the Narrative from Tragedy to Hope
• Dr. Kumi Naidoo (Amnesty International) Creative Maladjustment: Affluenza and Converging Crisis
• The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Artificial Intelligence and Ethics
In a packed Milner Hall, Senior Fellows listened while each speaker spent much of their time in dialogue with a panel made up of Fellows. This style of discussion animated the content, enabling new ideas and lived realities to spark insights and create connections between the participants, both onstage and off. In addition to the delivered content, spaces were curated throughout the four days of the convening for Senior Fellows to reflect, connect and learn new skills together. Some of these spaces were facilitated by external experts, who led workshops on using voice, art, activism, and understanding anxiety in leadership. There were also Fellow-led thematic sessions, honoring the Fellows’ own expertise, which foregrounded deep connection, listening and the forging of new ideas and solutions. Every part of the convening was designed to create an environment for stimulating new ways of thinking about entrenched conditions leading to inequity, and to inspire bonds of purpose between the Fellows.
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“ I absolutely love the inclusivity that the Atlantic Institute brings to the global fellowship. This is radical inclusivity which holds and supports deep difference and all the challenges of real diversity.” HILLARY VIPOND, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity
WHAT WERE SOME OF THE OUTCOMES? As a result of the connections and conversations at the convening, four new cross-program Senior Fellow Affinity Groups were formed: •C riminal Justice Sixteen Fellows from all seven programs and a current Rhodes Scholar are exploring issues relating to the criminal justice system and inequities in its treatment of groups such as Indigenous and Black people.
BELOW Left: Marcus Akuhata-Brown, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity, addresses other Fellows Right: Professor Gurminder Bhambra in discussion with Senior Fellow panellists
•Y outh Development Twelve Senior Fellows are collaborating and engaging on their shared focus.
• Social Justice Parents Group A small group of single parents formed as a support/mentoring group. They are working toward the potential development of a social justice “boot camp” for children of Senior Fellows to be offered alongside future convenings.
• The Displacement of Migrant and Refugee Populations Fellows Group Six Senior Fellows organized a thematic forum and created a website to showcase thought leadership.
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The Atlantic Senior Fellow Awards
During the Senior Fellows Global Convening at Rhodes House, the Atlantic Institute held a special ceremony to recognize projects that are emblematic of the Atlantic Fellows’ mission to create fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies. Two projects submitted by teams of Senior Fellows were chosen by a selection panel of Senior Fellows and program staff to receive awards of £50,000 each. THE FINALISTS The East Mediterranean Brain Health Initiative (EMBHI) A joint project between three Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health: Hany Ibrahim of Egypt, Elaine Howard of Ireland, and Stelios Zygouris of Greece. Designed primarily to help people with dementia in underserved populations, the project promotes information and expertise sharing among participating countries. Starting with Greece and Egypt, the aim is to create a vibrant community of expertise in the East Mediterranean that will work collaboratively to implement better brain health services. The Development of a Health Impact Assessment Framework for the Philippines A joint initiative involving two Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity in Southeast Asia: Somporn Pengkam of Thailand and Beverly Lorraine Ho of the Philippines. Their innovative way of engaging deeply with local communities in the Philippines leads to a better understanding of, as well as a means of addressing, the health impacts of large-scale industrial projects. The project has the potential to be rolled out elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
LEFT TO RIGHT Stelios Zygouris, Elaine Howard, Somporn Pengkam, and Hany Ibrahim
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Face-to-face convenings RIGHT The workshop on leadership narrative and social change at Rhodes House
CHANGING THE LEADERSHIP NARRATIVE — SOCIAL CHANGE AND VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP SKILLS WORKSHOP From Nov. 8 through to Nov. 10, a workshop at Rhodes House gave Atlantic Fellows the opportunity to review and discuss current theoretical frameworks on social change and values-based leadership. The Atlantic Institute co-designed and delivered the workshop, in partnership with the Saïd Business School of the University of Oxford. Fifteen Fellows from across the programs and staff from the Atlantic Institute and the Global Brain Health Institute participated in the workshop. They examined academic literature on leadership and social change as part of the framing; they also shared narratives and personal values, developing tools and strategies for purpose-led leadership and strengthening influence. The sessions were delivered by experienced facilitators from outside the community, who drew on the Atlantic Fellow participants’ lived experience and knowledge. LEARNING AND CONNECTION GRANT — SAN FRANCISCO WORKSHOP The first four Fellows to receive the Learning and Connection grant from the Atlantic Institute convened in San Francisco, California, from Nov. 19 through Nov. 22. Fellows Jalayne Arias, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, Lawrence Aritao, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in Southeast Asia, and two Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity US + Global, Sarah Hooper and Carla Ventura, are all trained lawyers who work closely with non-legal advocates in unconventional ways to advance social justice. They had deep face-to-face discussions about the role of law in advancing the work of the Atlantic community, joined by Natasha Forrest, who assisted in ensuring that the workshop was aligned with the Atlantic community’s goals. Legal mentorship was provided by Joel Teitelbaum, an associate professor and Director of the Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. The Fellows also met with UC Hastings School of Law faculty staff to explore different models for using law as a tool to advance social justice. Finally, they held a workshop where they were joined by other Atlantic Fellows, either in person or by Zoom. They aim to pass on legal knowledge and tools for rights engagement to the wider Atlantic community.
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Crossing borders EFFECTS OF DISPLACEMENT ON HEALTH THEMATIC FORUM IN JORDAN
From Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, the Atlantic Institute hosted a thematic forum in Jordan, the first of a new suite of gatherings for Senior Fellows designed in response to emerging themes and interest areas. Eighteen Senior Fellows from across the seven programs travelled to Jordan, joined by eight program staff members and the President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies, Christopher G. Oechsli. They learned more about the factors surrounding displacement and how the Syrian refugee crisis has unfolded into what the UN has described as one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. The forum was designed to stimulate connection across all the programs, disciplines, cultures and ideologies in the spirit of curiosity, reciprocity and collaboration. It provided stimulating place-based content: Fellows were able to see firsthand the effects of displacement and hear about its effects on health through meeting Syrian and Jordanian people living through the crisis. The visit provided the group with significant opportunities to collaborate to explore how they might contribute to shifting the narrative on displacement. Tala Al-Rousan, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, who originates from Jordan, led on the design of the forum and provided guidance to ensure that while the wider goals of the thematic gathering were met, the visit was also conducted in a culturally sensitive way. Tala is a member of a Displacement Affinity Group, along with 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. As well as contributing to the design of the convening, the Affinity Group led on facilitating workshops in Jordan and shaped the creative outputs. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Day one: Tala Al-Rousan and Rania Tarazi, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, who is also Jordanian, gave a presentation that introduced the group to the historical context of the land and its peoples. Day two: After presentations at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Fellows took part in a cooking session and had dinner with Syrian refugees.
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ABOVE Left: Atlantic Fellows and refugee children at Za’atari Rufugee Camp Right: Fellows walk around the camp
Day three: At the UNHCR Branch Office in Amman, the Middle East’s largest registration center, the group received a briefing about its work, meeting families who were being registered there. Later that day, they went to Za’atari Refugee Camp, home to nearly 80,000 refugees, where they gained insights into the health situation in the camp from the UNHCR and Syrian Refugee Affairs Directorate. Day four: They visited a Palestinian Refugee Camp, Talbieh, which shelters mainly displaced persons. Day five: Presentations were given from experts on refugees and refugee health: Zarlasht Halaimzai — Obama Fellow and co-founder of the Refugee Trauma Initiative, a nonprofit organization providing training and psycho-social support based on trauma-informed models of care Professor Cheryl Anderson — Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Family and Public Health at UC San Diego, who has led many research projects on the health of Somali refugees, as well as international projects in Peru, Malawi and Cameroon investigating health disparities related to migration Dr. Shadi Saleh — Associate Vice President for Health Affairs at the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the founding Director of the Global Health Institute (GHI), the first such institute in the Middle East and North Africa region Nusrat Faizullah — works with emerging and established organizations to support them in tackling social issues and systemic injustice OUTCOMES OF THE FORUM The Displacement Affinity Group, in collaboration with other participating Fellows, have developed long-term project strands that combine academic research, thought leadership pieces and art. They launched a dedicated website in May 2020 to host current research relating to the health of migration and refugee populations, photographs, and a collaborative thought piece entitled “The Global Republic of the Displaced”, which includes the voice of one of the Syrian refugees they met in Jordan. The home page of the website explains: “By building bridges of understanding in an atypical way, we hope to destigmatize and contextualize the topic of displacement and assist those living in precarious situations.” See www.narrativesofdisplacement.org
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My journey as an Atlantic Fellow DURKHANAI AYUBI Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity
When Penelope Brook from the Atlantic Institute visited the University of Melbourne during my first fellowship year, it was a key moment. I heard about the Institute’s commitment to generating a global sense of community. Then I attended the first Senior Fellows Global Convening in Oxford in 2019, and what happened was quite extraordinary: I felt excitement, curiosity, and all kinds of emotions and aspirations. The Institute felt like the hub at the centre, connecting all the different spokes of the various communities globally. As a first-generation migrant from Afghanistan, with an acute awareness of my family’s and my country’s history, and misgivings created through dominant narratives of appropriation and imperialism, I felt an electric alignment. Being able to analyze such perspectives with other Fellows broadened my thinking to a global level,
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“ Working with the other Fellows has given me many more connection points, so I call them ‘stars in my night sky’. I have made a growing number of ‘constellations’ through meeting the Fellows...”
allowing me to unpack my ideas on a deeper level. I was crystallizing my own views among people with similar experiences of displacement, or people who were made vulnerable in some way by “normal” systems of power. Working with the other Fellows has given me many more connection points, so I call them “stars in my night sky”. I have made a growing number of “constellations” through meeting the Fellows and now have a sharper idea of who I am, and a better understanding of my own vision and what I can create and contribute. I was paired with Dana Walrath, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, for the Narrative Justice Externship; we connected and so extend each other’s thinking. Our co-created report, “Remembering through Narratives”, offers a vision for an Atlantic approach that challenges and shifts dominant narratives designed to keep us categorized, disconnected and segregated. I experience an immersive feeling of connectivity in my work with fellow Fellows from around the globe in our Displacement Affinity Group. The group’s vision is to broaden the conversations around displacement and to shift consciousness around the discussions surrounding it. A transformative part of this work was the forum in Jordan in October 2019, where Fellows and program staff gathered to understand displacement from the perspectives of Syrian refugees. It had a huge impact on me, personally, and in terms of the shift it generated amongst the group gathered there, which is still unfolding in unanticipated and transformative ways. The world is now riven by the impacts of COVID-19, and I have the ability to decode the ongoing impact of this pandemic on issues of social justice. My connection to a global Atlantic community has broadened my pool of knowledge and developed my ideas and writing. An invaluable offering from the Atlantic Institute has been the webinar series, “A (K)new World Reimagined”, in which I had the opportunity to be a moderator. In the discussion about (k)new modes of leadership, our own Atlantic Fellows, with panel members from around the globe, shared visions of leadership to meet the challenges and combat inequities. The convenings run by the Institute, featuring academics, speakers and Fellows, have encouraged me to explore ideas with more rigor. What resonates the most are topics about deeply human concerns where the humanness is lacking. For example, LEFT Durkhanai is joined by Fellows from across the Atlantic programs at the Senior Fellows Global Convening
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“ I feel I am a part of something that seriously respects the dignity of others and the value of humanity while being committed to unearthing and enlivening known, but long forgotten, ways of approaching our collective challenges.”
narratives around the transition to market societies have evolved in a way that normalizes the dehumanizing aspects of capitalism. My capacity to understand and decode such narratives that normalize gross injustices has increased. My desire to develop informed counter-narratives and independent thinking has grown, influenced by the context of my life story and my own trajectory. At a workshop run by the Institute, a discussion about the market-driven model of leadership made me think: “What parts of this now largely normalized narrative of leadership, embedded in a vision of power that elevates exceptionalism, is being brought into social justice spaces, thereby entrenching inequity even further?”. I can now look at things in multi-layered ways, and speak with greater clarity. In my book, “Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen”, my experience as a Fellow has been etched into the pages, unfurling through narratives which invite and implore readers to look beyond the superficialities around Afghanistan. Instead, I reveal interconnections encoded within Afghanistan’s rich history and cuisine. The overall transformative impact for me, as an Atlantic Fellow, has been that I have a tether — a lifeline — to a global community of people who have the desire to share knowledge and parts of themselves, in ways that transgress all constructed boundaries. They offer a very real and tangible vision for an idea of power that is reimagined; one that values human dignity and our humanness. I have come to see the community almost as an extension of myself. I don’t think I would be able to say that about much else that is collective. It comes down to the Atlantic community’s values about how people are treated. I feel I am a part of something that seriously respects the dignity of others and the value of humanity while being committed to unearthing and enlivening known, but long forgotten, ways of approaching our collective challenges. I have trust in how the community evolves. What grows from here, from the planting of this seed, I believe emerges from the wellspring of what it means to be human — which is, through its potential to return us to our deeper selves, transfiguring. RIGHT Top: Durkhanai in conversation with Selam Bedada, Assistant Program Director of the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity US + Global program
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Bottom: Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity pose for photos outside Rhodes House
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The pivot to virtual events
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed the Institute’s face-to-face gatherings for Fellows and program staff. To deepen social connection and learning, we offered Global Zoom Calls to the whole community and launched a new webinar series to turn imaginations toward something (k)new – where we remember, reflect and shape what our local and global futures might look like post COVID-19. GLOBAL ZOOM CALLS From Mar. 23 to May 12, the Institute held a total of 19 Global Zoom Calls for the Atlantic community, including all Fellows and program staff. They provided the space to talk about the challenges of the pandemic, and to foster hope and reflect on the shifts that had occurred in our personal and professional lives. Some 110 members of the community took part, with several participants joining them on a regular basis. This period of reflection inspired some of the themes explored in the Atlantic Institute’s webinar series, “Post COVID-19: A (K)new World Reimagined”. POST COVID-19: A (K)NEW WORLD REIMAGINED The Atlantic Institute, as part of a fellowship or fellowships’ series that included Rhodes Scholars, Obama Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellows, held webinars that brought together diverse perspectives and ideologies, amplifying the voices of artists, activists, academics, practitioners, researchers, scientists and scholars. The first webinar, “A (K)new World Post COVID-19: Universal Health Care and the Care Economy”, was launched on May 6. It was followed by others examining the nature of leadership, displacement, mental health services and the racialization of COVID-19. The series aimed to catalyze imaginations to explore what (k)new futures after COVID-19 might look like. The webinars were also designed to connect the global community for greater impact and solidarity. Through encouraging discussion about equity and justice, they set out to increase understanding and advance thinking toward collaborative action and impact in shifting narrative, shaping policy and creating new solutions. The open Zoom calls and breakout room discussions gave participants an active role, mirroring the critical, inclusive approach of the face-to-face convenings. At each of the webinars, “graphic weavers” from Dpict, a graphic services firm, visualized the topics discussed, helping center the conversations while also providing an inspiring record of the learnings.
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Solidarity Grants In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute offered Fellows the chance to apply for short-term, rapid response Solidarity Grants that were designed to scaffold or scale up Fellows’ work to minimize the impact of the virus on endangered and vulnerable communities. As from April 2020, 74 Atlantic Fellows received 57 Solidarity Grants.
CROSS-PROGRAM PROJECTS 1. Exploring loneliness, social isolation, and the care burden in care partners and families of people with dementia in Arabic- French- and Bengali-speaking countries — Mohamed Salama, Yaohua Chen, and Sanjib Saha, Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health; and Anjali Sarker, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity 2. Empowering disenfranchised communities with storytelling for advocacy — Rose Mary Nakame and Elena Rivera, Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity US + Global; and Juanita Wheeler, Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity 3. Disability Justice Narratives — Fredrick Ouko, Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, and Mildred Omino, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR EQUITY IN BRAIN HEALTH 4. Understanding inequalities in the consequences of “social distancing” policies for health and wellbeing in Latin America — Emily Adrion and Fernando Aguzzoli-Peres 5. Stay safe: implementation of remote cognitive assessment in Brazil — Maira Okada de Oliveira and Barbara Costa Beber 6. Brincar de Viver (Playful Living) — Lenisa Brandão and Barbara Costa Beber 7. Quantifying the financial impacts of COVID-19 on families with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias via Tele-STELLA — Walter Dawson 8. Developing an online module for training of family caregivers of people with dementia, supported by Alzheimer’s Society Ireland — Wambui Karanja 9. Personal protective equipment for caregivers of people living with dementia in Bangladesh — Sanjib Saha 10. Evaluating the effectiveness of informational supports for people with traumatic brain injury — Lingani Mbakile-Mahlanza 11. I’m Still Virtually Here: creative online sessions for people with dementia and their caregivers — Karin Diamond 12. Boosting inclusivity in our post COVID world: a second video of “My Brain Robbie” — Eleonore Bayen 13. Virtual Brain Health Center — Krystal L. Culler 14. Assessing the impact of the pandemic on unmet needs in community-dwelling older adults: a retrospective chart review of outreach efforts in San Francisco — Joni Gillisen 15. “What’s going on?”: videos in Brazil — Fernando Aguzzoli-Peres
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16. Solidarity with older people living with loneliness in San Francisco — Phaedra Bell and Rowena Richie 17. Protecting the health of at-risk farm workers — Dvera Saxton 18. A photojournalist’s documentation of the effects of COVID-19 in Peru — Alex Kornhuber and Maritza Pintado-Caipa 19. Digital cognitive training to promote brain health during the pandemic — Rogerio Panizzutti and Christine Fitzgerald 20. Fighting the loneliness of elderly patients in Belgium — Sandra Higuet ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR RACIAL EQUITY 21. Rural community resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown — Bongiwe Lusizi 22. Southern Soul Wellness: virtual holistic mental health (including spiritual wellbeing) consultation services — Holiday Simmons 23. Alternative food and support provisioning system: a COVID-19 response — Dorah Marema 24. The New Normal Game — Sarah Summers and Kelly-Eve Koopman 25. Justice Serves — Jitu Brown 26. Black Funders Network of the Bay Area — Cedric Brown 27. Moatane honey-making project, Goedgevonden Village, South Africa — Constance Mogale ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR HEALTH EQUITY IN SOUTH AFRICA 28. A parent champion network addressing barriers to health care in the light of the COVID-19 epidemic — Erna van der Westhuizen 29. Tembisa Community Action Network — Tracey Malawana ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR HEALTH EQUITY IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 30. Bridging the gap: meeting the needs of PPE for health facilities, and building a website for long-term impact — Rennta Chrisdiana and Blandina Rosalina Bait 31. Self-empowerment through Forum Theater — Letchimi Devi 32. SAKU Jobsbot: personalized chatbot that provides employment access to untapped talent from marginalized communities during the COVID-19 crisis in Thailand — May Sripatanaskul 33. Solidarity for the vulnerable: it matters for mother and child health — Elisabeth Listyani and Blandina Rosalina Bait 34. #BIDASolusyon: cash-for-face mask/shield project — Beverly Lorraine Ho 35. Del Carmen Polyclinic Telemed Center — Alfredo M. Coro II 36. Building Thailand-focused strategic information for the continuity of HIV and sexual health service delivery in the country — Midnight Poonkasetwattana 37. Strengthening food security and promoting nutrition resiliency through hydroponics in the time of COVID-19 — Gideon Cauton 38. Redesigning spaces and services for post COVID human-centered health care — Kotchakorn Voraakhom and Santi Lapbenjakul 39. Building food security and community health resilience for the Baan Bang Kloy Indigenous Karen community impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in Thailand — Somporn Pengkam and Ratawit Ouaprachanon
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40. The Food Bridge Project — Abdel Jamal Disangcopan 41. Raising awareness of internally displaced communities in Afghanistan to fight COVID-19 and its effects — Sharon Low and Dauod Khuram 42. Bridging the sexual reproductive health service gap — Ana P. Santos 43. Preventive action for Nageko Regency — Blandina Rosalina Bait and Sharon Low 44. Development of multi-modal instructional materials to support the education of vulnerable Filipino students amidst the pandemic — Abelardo Apollo David, Jr., and Abdel Jamal Disangcopan 45. Inner Journey Forum to support mental wellbeing — Kritaya Sreesunpagit 46. Digital marketing transformation strategy and support for SMEs & communitybased enterprise affected by COVID-19 in Indonesia — Goris Mustaqim 47. Learning packets for children in remote areas of Flores Island and Sumba Island — Nila Tanzil ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR HEALTH EQUITY US + GLOBAL 48. Assisting communities with education to reduce coronavirus transmission — Abraham L. B. Freeman 49. Strengthening of the contact tracing strategy in the municipality of Quilmes — Jonatan Konfino 50. Using infotainment to communicate prevention of COVID-19 — Monalisa Padhee and Ifeanyi Nsofor 51. COVID Health Animation Project — Megan Srinivas, Syed Mustafa Hasnain Nadir and Gilberto Lopez 52. The COVID Health Animation Project (CHAP): children’s mental health — Bertrand Moses, Elena Rivera, Syed Mustafa Hasnain Nadir, Megan Srinivas, Gilberto Lopez and Nkem Osian 53. Teledental health kiosks and comic books in rural Nigeria — Adekemi Adeniyan 54. Every child counts, even in COVID times — Shubha Nagesh and Syed Mustafa Hasnain Nadir ATLANTIC FELLOWS FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY 55. Intersectional Tapes: a new podcast / YouTube channel — Asha Kowtal 56. Equal education through collective community home-schooling — Maureen Sigauke 57. Alleviating the hunger of elderly widows and orphans in rural Western Kenya — Roseline Orwa
RIGHT Top: Abraham L. B. Freeman and his organization, Environmental Rescue Initiative, provide hygiene kits and hand-washing facilities to rural communities in Monrovia, Liberia Bottom: Jonatan Konfino, Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity US + Global (pictured second right), is using the Solidarity Grant to strengthen contact tracing in Quilmes, Argentina LEFT Left: Video animations created by Monalisa Padhee and Ifeanyi Nsofor explain COVID-19 to rural communities in India and Nigeria Right: Maureen Sigauke has bought textbooks and laptops for more than 100 children in Zimbabwe so they can continue their schooling
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Thank you, Penelope
The leadership of founding Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute, Dr. Penelope Brook, was recognized at a farewell celebration at Rhodes House, in Oxford. On Jan. 17, Dr. Brook’s colleagues at the Rhodes Trust and a small group of Atlantic Fellows had the opportunity to acknowledge her remarkable contribution in establishing the Institute and the global Senior Fellow community. The Fellows shared their memories and read out messages from other Fellows from across the world in her honor. Under Penelope’s leadership, the aspirations of Fellows and staff from across the seven Atlantic programs were woven into the beginnings of an ecosystem of changemakers — diverse in perspective, but united in their pursuit of equity. Her work provided the foundations for the Senior Fellow community, on which we now build. Although she has left the Institute, Penelope remains a key part of this community and its founding story. Inā te mahi, he rangatira. Ko koe tenā, Penelope.
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BELOW Dr. Penelope Brook thanks Fellows and staff at her farewell celebration
Digital spaces and podcasts PLEASE CONNECT WITH US AND SHARE, LIKE AND TWEET / @ATLANTICFELLOWS
Digital spaces are used to highlight the work of the Atlantic Institute, the Atlantic programs and the worldwide community of Atlantic Fellows. The Institute has recorded a wide range of podcasts for you to download and listen to for free at https://soundcloud.com/atlanticfellows. Listen to the “In Conversation” series with Fionnuala Sweeney, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health, carrying out one-to-one interviews with Atlantic Fellows, a diverse community of leaders from around the world with a common commitment to fairer, healthier and more inclusive societies. In each podcast, we learn about their work and ambitions. In another series, “Reflections”, Fellows talk about their aspirations for the Atlantic community’s mission. Recordings with groups of Fellows include “The Future For Racism Post COVID-19”, “The Future for Migrants in Southeast Asia Post COVID-19 and “The Future For Non-Profits Post COVID-19”. Also listen to the webinar series, “Post COVID-19: A (K)new World Reimagined”, which focuses on topics as wide-ranging as “Radical Selfcare for Leaders” to “Displacement: Lockdown When You Have No Home”. “Talk Mental Wellbeing” is a series in which Professor Ian Robertson, neuroscientist and Co-director of the Global Brain Health Institute, gives advice on what happens in our brains during times of mental pressure and how we can better cope during this time of collective stress.
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The Atlantic Institute Governing Board
The Atlantic Institute Governing Board provides primary operational and programmatic oversight of the Atlantic Institute, by this means promoting and supporting the Atlantic Fellows’ community, mission and vision. MR. CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI Chair Christopher G. Oechsli served as President and CEO of The Atlantic Philanthropies from 2011 until 2020. 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 MA in Foreign Affairs and JD from the University of Virginia. DR. VERONICA CAMPBELL Board member Veronica Campbell is Bursar and Director of Strategic Innovation at Trinity College Dublin and Chair of the Governing Board of the Equity in Global Brain Health program. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh and obtained her PhD 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, Dr. Kiss served for 12 years as president of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, and from 1997 to 2006, Dr. Kiss 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 has been Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Melbourne since 2011. Professor McCluskey trained in Perth as a physician and pathologist before spending four years at the National Institutes of Health in
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“ I am honored to serve on the Board and to be part of this powerful global community focused on equity. It is inspiring to learn about the work of Atlantic Fellows and all the ways they are changing the world for the better.� DR. ELIZABETH KISS, Board member
the US. 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. PROFESSOR MVUYO TOM Board member Professor Mvuyo Tom is Deputy Chairperson of the Tekano Atlantic Fellows Programme for Health Equity in South Africa. He sits on various boards on development, health and education.
BELOW Left to right: Christopher G.Oechsli, Dr. Elizabeth Kiss, Professor Mvuyo Tom, Dr. Veronica Campbell and Professor James McCluskey
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 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.
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Looking to the future CHRISTOPHER G. OECHSLI Chair, The Atlantic Institute Governing Board President & CEO, The Atlantic Philanthropies
This, the Atlantic Institute’s first “Annual Review”, represents the culmination of a startup period that has involved concentrated testing of hypotheses and activities to support and amplify the work of a growing Atlantic Fellows global community. The learning curve has been steep, made even more acute by the onset of COVID. These unprecedented conditions, which have thrown existing inequalities into stark relief, have further catalyzed the work and aspirations of this community to reduce long-term systemic inequities. The Atlantic Institute’s work is made possible by the leadership across the seven Atlantic Fellows programs, the Atlantic Institute staff, support from the Rhodes Trust staff at Oxford and the engagement of the Atlantic Fellows themselves. Penelope Brook’s foundational efforts and Evie O’Brien’s emerging leadership have been central to the Institute’s growing achievements. The demands and challenges we have faced in this historically difficult and volatile time, globally, have been remarkable — however, even more striking is the promise of change that is emerging from the work of this community, as this Review shows. Thinking deeply about how to overcome the challenges of this year has driven emergent practice and
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LEFT Christopher G. Oechsli with Chuck Feeney, 2020
“ 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 and expanding opportunities.”
encouraged connections and collaboration, taking us to greater heights and opening new prospects. As the Atlantic Fellows community continues its ascent to greater influence and impact, this Review comes at a time when the founding donor is concluding its work. The dissolution of the Atlantic Foundation on Sept. 14 2020 marks the completion of Chuck Feeney’s personal mission of Giving While Living after 38 years and $8 billion in grants. As he explained in his Feb. 3 2011 letter to Bill Gates: I cannot think of a more personally rewarding and appropriate use of wealth than to give while one is living — to personally devote oneself to meaningful efforts to improve the human condition. More importantly, today’s needs are so great and varied that intelligent philanthropic support and positive interventions can have greater value and impact today than if they are delayed when the needs are greater. I am often asked what Chuck Feeney’s legacy will be, what he would want it to be. 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 and expanding opportunities. Chuck’s and Atlantic’s legacy will be about this community of Atlantic Fellows, its values and its dedication to shared aspirations to improve the human condition — to make the world a fairer, healthier and more inclusive one. But Chuck would be quick to emphasize that such a legacy belongs not to him or Atlantic, but to those who have built and will build it in the decades to come. As Chuck would say, Atlantic have “put the wind in their sails.” This community will steer the ship. The ship has launched. It promises to be an exceptional voyage.
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Rhodes House South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3RG EMAIL atlantic.institute@atlanticfellows.org WEB atlanticfellows.org SOCIAL Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn @atlanticfellows
IMAGES CREDITS Page 1: Johnny Miller Pages 2, 4, 6, 10, 16, 18, 22 and 25: Lee Atherton — The Senior Fellows Global Convening at Rhodes House, in Oxford Page 4: Simone Magner — Evie O’Brien, Executive Director of the Atlantic Institute Pages 10, 21: Issa Dahdal — Thematic forum, Jordan Page 30: Barefoot College International — Solidarity grant: Video animations created by Monalisa Padhee and Ifeanyi Nsofor explain COVID-19 to rural communities in India and Nigeria Page 31: Abraham L. B. Freeman — Solidarity grant: Abraham L.B. Freeman and his organization provide hygiene kits to rural communities in Liberia Page 31: Hernan Caride — Solidarity grant: Jonatan Konfino is strengthening contact tracing in Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina Pages 12, 32 and 35: Maria Jeffery/Atlantic Institute: various images
