Main fundraiser photo

Sheila C. Johnson Documentary

A future that respects Black people — and all people of color — will require a group of empowered Black leaders. For the past five years, the next generation of Black leaders has been quietly funded by one of the world's most powerful Black women: Sheila C. Johnson.

Since 2014, she has sponsored the Sheila C. Johnson Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School, which has provided full-tuition and leadership training to 35 students committed to improving life outcomes for the African American community. This year, the fellowship will come to a close, but the impact of this fellowship is just beginning.

To recognize our donor for this effort — and more importantly, to inspire others to invest in leaders of color — we are putting together a short documentary that highlights the impact of the Sheila C. Johnson Fellowship, on us as individuals and the communities we serve. This documentary will also challenge HKS and peer institutions to think critically about why and how they should invest in more people of color, without necessarily relying on an external donor.

We’re contracting a Black-owned business, Tailor Made Visual Productions, to develop and edit this video, and we want to fairly compensate them for their work. Our filmmaker will travel from DC to Boston, New York, and Atlanta to film fellows, alumni, and supporters of the fellowship. Therefore, we’re kindly asking for donations to support our following costs:

Labor: 90 hours of filming ~30 individuals and editing clips
Travel: Flying our filmmaker and Project Manager (Tiffany Thompson - 2019 Johnson Fellow) to Boston, Washington, DC, Atlanta and New York to record individuals
Accommodations: Providing lodging for the filmmaker on travel shoots

This film is about more than recognizing one individual. It’s about showing people across the world the power of investing in communities that have historically been overlooked and underserved. Ultimately, we hope that this video inspires not just dialogue around supporting diverse leaders, but concrete action. Your donation will help us realize this ambitious goal.

Thank you for your consideration and support — it matters to us and those we hope to serve.
Donate

Donations 

  • Anonymous
    • $25 
    • 5 yrs
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

Shawon Jackson
Organizer
Cambridge, MA
Tiffany Thompson
Beneficiary

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.