MacArthur Foundation

A new photo essay in TIME, featuring the work of #MacFellow Matt Black, covers many of the critical mineral fights that MacArthur grantee EARTHWORKS is engaged in across the American West. First spurred by the clean energy transition, the demand for critical minerals is now driven by their role as essential ingredients for AI data centers. Take a look ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eapmHnBt

The stories we tell and how we use language can help us envision and enact our futures. Reflecting on the 250th year of the United States, Kristen Mack, Vice President of Communications, Fellows, and Partnerships, shares why this moment, "is a critical time for philanthropy to meaningfully and boldly consider how narrative power operates.” Read more in Nonprofit Quarterly: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gUM4Hvsu

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are prolific in English, cropping up in everyday activities and services. Yet for languages that lack sufficient digital data and linguistic resources to train AI systems, the functionality, use, and application of AI is much more complicated. Learn how organizations like The Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) are working to achieve a more equitable alternative. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gqXRcqYR

🎉 Congratulations to our President, John Palfrey, on being named one of The NonProfit Times’ Power & Influence Top 50 honorees! The list recognizes leaders who resisted, fought, and built coalitions to continue to serve their communities, constituents, and the overall nonprofit sector. Take a look at the full list of honorees: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eHCYDJ6v

People with disabilities are significantly overrepresented in the criminal justice system, with more than half of people who are incarcerated estimated to have at least one disability. Our Criminal Justice Program and Celebrating Disabilities Affinity Group (CDAG) recently hosted a panel discussion exploring policies and practices that advance equity and promote more community-centered approaches to safety and justice. Featured panelists included Kaitlin Kall of Activating Change, Yosef Moore of Access Living, Jordyn Jensen of the Center for Racial and Disability Justice and Anne Raisch of The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

People in the federal workforce serve the public with essential expertise and knowledge. As part of our commitment to protect democracy, we have supported organizations, such as FedsForward, Partnership for Public Service, and Foundation for Public Service, that are helping ensure that, amid a seismic shift for federal workers, critical skills and experience are not lost, but instead carried forward to strengthen civic institutions, inform policy, and support communities. In a new Perspective, leaders from these nonprofits reflect on the importance of bolstering a vital, committed, and talented public sector. Read more ⬇️ https://bit.ly/4fJ0Ltd

In 2015, we launched the Safety and Justice Challenge (SJC), a 10-year initiative which aimed to safely reduce jail populations and transform the way people think about jails and how they’re used. "I’m hopeful that the momentum that we were able to support over the last 10 years will continue on for decades to come." said Senior Program Officer, Bria Gillum. Subscribers can learn more about SJC's community-led approach at Inside Philanthropy ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eWj32SKY

Last weekend our Celebrating Disability Affinity Group (CDAG) gathered to watch the 24th Annual Chicago Disability Pride Parade and cheer on its participants. MacArthur, in partnership with Disability Lead, also participated in a pre-parade Member Exchange hosted by The Economic Club of Chicago, which featured remarks from our President, John Palfrey, Disability Lead CEO, Emily Blum, and President and CEO of Access Living, Karen Tamley. Special thank you to our partners and our CDAG organizers, Tom Dreixler, Kelsey Ganser, and Briana Cox.

🎉 As a partner of Humanity AI, we're excited to welcome Beth Goldberg as the initiative’s new executive director! Beth’s expertise in public-interest technology, civil society, and community-driven research and advocacy will keep Humanity AI moving toward an AI future that is shaped for and by people. Congratulations, Beth!

“Justice doesn’t just happen because we will it to. The arc of history can bend toward justice if we bend it that way.”* Our President, John Palfrey, recently joined Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dele Olojede at the The Aspen Institute's Resnick Aspen Action Forum, where they spoke about resisting inevitability and the importance of actively creating the world we want to live in. Watch the full conversation to learn how philanthropic institutions are meeting the moment through courage and collaboration: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e9HcrHRY