Ben Levenson '13 Managing Director of Justice is Global & Project 55 Fellowship Alum Two years after graduating from Princeton and working in the nonprofit sector, Ben Levenson '13 applied for a PP55 Fellowship and was placed at North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) in Chicago. The experience confirmed his desire to work towards criminal justice reform. After his Fellowship, he joined an ultimately successful political campaign that exposed him to community organizing and fundraising. The immersion in grassroots movement building at NLEN, coupled with his experience on the political campaign gave Ben what he calls the 'organizing bug' and propelled him into a career as a community organizer. He is now the Managing Director of Justice Is Global, an organization that seeks to tackle some of the greatest threats of our generation—inequality, farright nationalism, and climate change—by building an international coalition to create a more equitable global society. Justice Is Global started as a local project in Chicago, but in 2019 it expanded nationally by becoming a project of People’s Action Institute, a national network in 26 states with over 1 million members. With fiscal sponsorship and a new national platform, Justice Is Global hopes to expand its current success in Illinois across the country and dramatically increase its reach internationally as well. Ben has already started leveraging the AlumniCorps network by talking to former PP55 Fellow and current New York Area Committee co-chair Andrew Goldstein '06. While Andrew works as a physician in New York City, he is also a community organizer who spearheaded On Call for Democracy, a grassroots, informal group of progressive health professionals that mobilized voters to vote for pro-health candidates in the 2018 midterm elections. Ben shared, "There is a lot of power in the Princeton community, but it was often alienating because I didn't see many people with the same interest in the public sector. It has been great to connect with AlumniCorps as a way of tapping into the Princeton network for social change." Andrew agreed, "Ben's work is exactly what I want to support and propel forward. I am truly thankful that Kef Kasdin and AlumniCorps connected me with Ben and enabled me to learn about Justice is Global." Ultimately, Justice is Global is planning to build an international coalition to impact international policy within the next five years. Check out justiceisglobal.org, or reach out to Ben at blevenson@justiceisglobal.org.
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Leadership Breakfast, continued He currently volunteers with AlumniCorps in various capacities, including interviewing Project 55 Fellowship candidates each January. Over breakfast, audience members heard Pagels' thoughts on the role that religion has played in her life after personal tragedy and the way that religion shapes culture in everyday life. For the past several years, AlumniCorps has hosted a breakfast for those who have demonstrated their commitment by giving significant time, talent, and treasure to the organization. In addition to thanking our major donors and volunteers, the breakfast honors those people who have pledged to assure the long-term health and sustainability of AlumniCorps by choosing to include the organization in their estate planning and thereby joining the AlumniCorps Keystone Society. Past Leadership Breakfast guest speakers have included Nobel Prize-winner, Professor Angus Deaton; noted firstamendment authority, Professor Margaret ‘Peggy’ Russell '79; well-known author, documentarian, and media theorist Douglas Rushkoff '83; and most recently Professor Danel Padilla Peralta '06, Assistant Professor of Classics at Princeton University and current member of AlumniCorps’ Board of Directors. Learn more about ensuring a legacy and pledging your support in perpetuity by visiting tinyurl.com/KeystoneSociety or calling 609-921-8808 x7.
In Memoriam Emile Karafiol '55 January 16, 2019
Carol Amick s'55 January 17, 2019
Harrison Steans '57 February 26, 2019
Read our tributes to Emile, Carol, and Harrison at alumnicorps.org/blog, keyword search: 'In Memoriam'
