The Social Justice Fund and Brooklyn Community Foundation Announce $100,000 “Just Brooklyn Prize” to Honor Brooklyn Leaders Pursuing Racial Justice (Copy)
Five winners will be announced in September
(Brooklyn, NY ) — The Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation’s Social Justice Fund and Brooklyn Community Foundation announced today the launch of The Just Brooklyn Prize, a new $100,000 annual award to celebrate five outstanding BIPOC champions in the fight for racial justice in Brooklyn. Each winner of The Just Brooklyn Prize will receive $20,000 in recognition of their contributions to the pursuit of racial and social justice in the borough.
Nominations for The Just Brooklyn Prize are open to the public until May 15, 2023 at www.bksjf.org/justbrooklyn. Nominees for the prize should be BIPOC-identifying individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to racial justice and dedication to Brooklyn communities. The winners will represent a diversity of backgrounds and professional pursuits — from artists to activists, teachers to techies, nonprofit directors, healthcare workers, journalists, and others doing the work on the ground in Brooklyn.
The $20,000 prizes will be awarded without restrictions, as a sign of gratitude for and belief in the recipients’ vision and commitment to the borough. Winners will be announced in early September with an award ceremony to follow later that month.
“We know that so many Brooklynites work every day to fix the inequalities in our economy and our society, without seeking or expecting any reward for their efforts. We also know that simply recognizing and celebrating their contributions can be a powerful symbol of change. That is why Brooklyn Community Foundation is thrilled to launch The Just Brooklyn Prize with the Social Justice Fund! We are so excited to embark on this new partnership to deepen our collective investment in Brooklyn’s incredible changemakers in pursuit of justice for all,” said Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO, Brooklyn Community Foundation.
“The Just Brooklyn Prize aims to shine a spotlight on Brooklynites who are leading the fight for racial justice and the important work they’re doing to improve the borough,” said Clara Wu Tsai, founder of the Social Justice Fund and owner of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center. “The Social Justice Fund brings together people and organizations with a shared commitment to inclusivity, justice, and equal opportunity. We are proud to partner with the Brooklyn Community Foundation to honor five changemakers building power in their communities,” said Clara Wu Tsai, founder of the Social Justice Fund and owner of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center. “The Social Justice Fund brings together people and organizations with a shared commitment to inclusivity, justice, and equal opportunity. We are proud to partner with the Brooklyn Community Foundation to address the racial gaps in economic mobility and wealth by awarding these five changemakers building power in their communities.”
The 2023 Just Brooklyn Prize winners will be chosen by a selection committee of esteemed Brooklynites including:
Dr. Uche Blackstock (Founder, Advancing Health Equity)
Sharon Daughtry (Executive Director, Downtown Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance)
Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson (President, Auburn Theological Seminary)
Randy Peers (President & CEO, Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce)
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso
Ouigi Theodore (Founder, The Brooklyn Circus)
Angela Yee (Host, Way Up With Angela Yee)
Jo-Ann Yoo (Executive Director, Asian American Federation)
The Just Brooklyn Prize builds on the Social Justice Fund’s investment in the national Black Voices for Black Justice Fund, and Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Spark Prize for Brooklyn nonprofits. Each year, the Spark Prize recognizes pioneering Brooklyn nonprofits committed to racial and social justice with deep roots in the borough that are often overlooked by the City’s philanthropic sector and wealthy donors. To date, the Brooklyn Community Foundation has distributed $3.6 million to 30 Spark Prize winners.
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About the Social Justice Fund
The Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation launched the Social Justice Fund in 2020 in Brooklyn, New York, with a commitment to fight for racial justice and plan for the economic recovery of the Borough in the post-Covid era. Driven by a $50 million commitment over ten years, the Social Justice Fund has provided small-business loans to local BIPOC-owned businesses impacted by COVID and provides grants to community leaders working to combat racial injustice.
About Brooklyn Community Foundation
Brooklyn Community Foundation is on a mission to spark lasting social change, mobilizing people, capital, and expertise for a fair and just Brooklyn. It is the first and only public foundation solely dedicated to Brooklyn, working in partnership with generous donors and local leaders to advance racial justice and invest in community-led change. Since its founding in 2009, the Foundation and its donors have provided over $90 million in grants to hundreds of nonprofits in Brooklyn and beyond. Learn more at www.BrooklynCommunityFoundation.org.