We are excited to announce the launch of the Fellowship for Leaders Strengthening Democracy, in partnership with the Rockwood Leadership Institute. The year-long fellowship—consisting of a cohort of 24 leaders from the money in politics and fair courts fields—aims to diversify the leadership of both fields, and to build more impactful organizations, better positioned to engage diverse constituencies and win reform.

One of the core conclusions in Piper Fund’s December 2015 report “A New Way Forward” was that the Piper Fund should invest in leadership development for representatives of the New American Majority (NAM)—communities of color, women, and youth—to have a stronger voice and sustained presence in the money in politics and fair courts field. As one Piper Fund donor partner noted, “If we want to win, we must build our constituency in terms of support and leadership.”

In response, the Fellowship for Leaders Strengthening Democracy specifically provides leaders with individual development and tools to:

• Deal more effectively with leadership and organizational challenges;
• Create, sustain, and align with other leaders on compelling visions for their organizations;
• Forge strong partnerships across the boundaries of issues area, race, geography, and social identity; and
• Engage in a learning community of leaders who are promoting democracy in US political and judicial systems.

We congratulate the 2017 fellows, all key influencers in the money and politics and fair courts fields, positioned to building cohesion within as well as across organizations. The cohort includes national leaders as well as local leaders from 12 states and the District of Columbia. Cohort members are:
 
Heather Arnett, Project Director, Justice Not Politics Alaska*
Adriana Barboza, Director of Movement Building, Wellstone Action Fund*
Ashli Bolden, Civic Engagement Director, Missouri Jobs with Justice*
Emmanuel Caicedo, Senior Campaign Strategist, Demos*
Nimrod T. Chapel, Jr., President, Missouri NAACP State Conference
Liz Etta, Director, Washington Democracy Hub
Esteban Garces, Florida State Director, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund*
Emma Greenman, Director of Voting Rights & Democracy, Center for Popular Democracy
Kimi Lee, Director, Bay Rising
Antonio Lima, Executive Director, Safeguarding American Values for Everyone (Florida)*
Amanda Manjarrez, Advocacy Director, Coalition of Communities of Color (Oregon)
David McDougal, South Florida Regional Director, New Florida Majority Education Fund*
Delvone Michael, Senior Political Strategist, Center for Working Families (Washington DC)*
Elena Nunez, Executive Director, Colorado Common Cause
Melissa Price Kromm, Director, North Carolina Voters for Clean Elections*
Emma Sandoval, Co-Director, SouthWest Organizing Project (New Mexico)
Adam Smith, Communications Director, Every Voice
Larry Stafford, Jr., Executive Director, Progressive Maryland Education Fund*
Margrete Strand Rangnes, Executive Vice President, Public Citizen
Scott Swenson, Vice President of Communications, Common Cause
Sara Totonchi, Executive Director, Southern Center for Human Rights
Catherine Turcer, Policy Analyst, Common Cause Ohio*