The Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, presented by Strathmore with Core Partner Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, supports youth leadership and vision at the intersection of arts and social change. This fellowship will nurture the next generation of artists, changemakers, and leaders.
ASJF was created in 2022 as part of their co-presentation of Octavia E. Butler’s "Parable of the Sower" by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. This educational program seeks to identify the next generation of artists whose activism reflects Butler’s dynamic lineage.
This program is made possible with generous support from Dr. Deborah M. Smith & the Dr. Allen A.B. Herman Fund, Victoria J. Perkins, and Hope Brown Saxton.
Artwork by Doudgy (Dew the Artist) Charmant
2026 Program Information
Now in its fifth year, the fellowship engages high school students in artistic experiences and workshops with program facilitators Blue Cavell-Allette and Trinity Villanueva, guest artists, and mentors that empower creative expression and explore systems of justice.
The world’s challenges require us to lean into collaboration, solidarity and productive partnerships and we are committed to strengthening our fellows’ capacity to work together. By engaging in the power of collective artistry, the cohort will form a collaborative group project that reflects their learning and vision. This arts based community activation will be featured at a site or cultural event to be determined by the cohort. In addition, there will be a public sharing of the work at Strathmore on June 14, 2026. Each fellow will receive a $750 stipend to support their participation. The group will make collective decisions about how to build their budget, including paying themselves, buying supplies, etc.
See the preliminary list of performance and workshop dates here: ASJF Calendar.
Fellows are required to attend all performances which are not marked as optional. Applicants must look carefully at their calendars to ensure they will be able to commit fully to the program.
Please see all application information below to explore eligibility and application requirements.
Forms must be submitted by 11:59PM on October 5, 2025. Applicants will be notified if they will be invited to interview by the end of October.
Application Information
Meet the 2026 Fellows
Natalie Chen
Natalie Chen (she/her) is a high school senior from Potomac, Maryland, passionate about exploring intersections between science and art. She began as a ballet dancer before transitioning to technical theater, with experience as a lighting designer, technical director, and stage manager. Recent credits include The Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Wizard of Oz. She is also a visual artist committed to multimedia experimentation and editor-in-chief of PULP, a literary and arts student magazine.
A lifelong environmentalist, Natalie volunteers at the National Aquarium, where she focuses on marine conservation and the climate crisis. Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, she looks forward to investigating art as a tool for social change.
Madeline Cortez
Madeline Cortez (she/her) is a high school senior from Silver Spring, Maryland, who explores visual and sculptural art as an IB Studio Art and Advanced Ceramics II student. She is president of her school’s Latino Student Union and works with her school’s Equity Justice Initiative to create student art for panels with award-winning authors. Her works focus on representation, self-expression, joy, and humanization, predominantly in the Latino and queer community, and have been exhibited at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and featured in The Washington Post.
Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, Madeline looks forward to strengthening her craft, experimenting with new media, and deepening her connection to the social justice movements that matter to her community.
Arianna Fulcher
Arianna Fulcher (she/her) is a high school junior from Brentwood, Maryland. A Youth Poet Laureate Ambassador of Prince George’s County and member of the International Thespian Society, she performs at local open mics and in school musicals and plays.
With an interest in music, writing, and acting, as well as history and the humanities, Arianna's work is influenced by social justice issues she cares deeply about, including gender, politics, and oppression. She is excited to learn, grow, and meet new people through her experiences with the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship.
Noah Morris
Noah Morris (he/him) is a high school senior from Montgomery Village, Maryland, who is passionate about art and advocacy. Published in the Library of Congress, he is also an ACT-SO Gold Medalist in Written Poetry for the Montgomery County NAACP and a visual artist with the Art League of Germantown. He was a Democracy Summer Fellow for Rep. April McClain Delaney and a voting judge for the board of elections and currently serves as president of the Maryland State 4-H Council and a junior ambassador for Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences.
Noah would like to pursue a career in political and environmental sciences, believing that progress in both fields depends on a deeper understanding of the world around us.
Sofia Otero-Diaz
Sofia Otero-Diaz (she/her) is a high school sophomore from Arlington, Virginia. She launched "Breaking Barriers: Expanding Language Access in Juvenile Justice" to help Spanish-speaking youth navigate the criminal justice system, a project that has earned grants from the Institute for Citizens and Scholars and the Arlington Youth Philanthropy Initiative (AYPI). Fluent in Spanish and French, she serves as a youth board member with the Center for Youth and Family Advocacy (CYFA) and AYPI and sits on Arlington's county-appointed Teen Network Board.
This summer, Sofia will join CYFA as a Youth Specialist. Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, she is committed to ensuring her work moves audiences to both feel and act.
Rihanna Pabai
Rihanna Pabai (she/her) is a high school senior from Rockville, Maryland, interested in film and visual storytelling. She serves as president of her school’s Black Student Union and is the lead video editor for the school newspaper, where she has also written for the arts section. Drawn to cultural journalism, Rihanna is especially interested in the music, fashion, art, and creative movements that shape communities.
Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, she hopes to develop her creative practice across different media and highlight underrepresented voices and perspectives. She plans to study journalism in college.
Ana Redman
Ana Grecia Redman (she/they) is a high school senior from Washington, DC, whose work spans visual art, writing, and theater. She creates in both traditional and digital formats and has contributed to a collaborative mural at the Latin American Youth Center. At school, Ana performed in The Addams Family and serves on the working crew for High School Musical. She also participates in a writing program focused on publishing books for immigrant children ages 4 to 8. She has completed two short stories and is currently developing two novel manuscripts.
Ana’s work explores identity, found-family, representation, resilience, and love. Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, she hopes to help communities engage with one another and build connections. She plans to study English at Swarthmore College.
Sofiia Remizova
Sofiia Remizova (she/her) is a high school sophomore from Rockville, Maryland, whose work centers on dance, writing, and community engagement. She is deeply involved in dance and sees performance as a powerful way to express ideas and connect with others. Outside the studio, she volunteers with an organization that supports incoming refugees of war and helps organize events that advocate for social causes across the DMV. She also writes poetry and narrative pieces that reflect the world around her and engage with issues she cares about.
Sofiia’s work explores the relationship between art, identity, and activism, with a focus on how writing can inspire dialogue, empathy, and change across communities and generations. Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, she hopes to grow as an artist and advocate while strengthening her voice and expanding her impact.
Reon Williams
Reon Williams (he/him) is a high school junior from Silver Spring, Maryland. An IB student with a focus on film, he has produced dozens of films over the past five years. His goal is to pursue a career in filming and focus his storytelling at the intersection of Black culture and speculative fiction and horror genres. In addition to filmmaking, he writes creatively and is developing his work as a musician.
Through the Arts and Social Justice Fellowship, Reon hopes to build meaningful connections and bring attention to social justice issues through film.
Facilitators
Trinity Melelani Villanueva
Trinity Melelani Villanueva (she/ella) is a mother, Babaylan, and founder of Trin’s Music, drawing guidance from her Filipino-Hawaiian-Puerto Rican ancestry. A jazz vocalist, classical pianist, ukulelist, and educator, she has worked across Broadway, immigrant-centered arts programs, museums, and now serves as a Hawaiian Cultural Ambassador on international cruise lines. Her arts leadership roles as Vice President, Executive Director, and Board of Director informs her cultural work today.
Blue Cavell-Allette
Blue Cavell-Allette (she/her) is an internationally renowned, multi-award-winning performing artist, producer, and educator who has headlined and taught across North America—including in Toronto, New York, Chicago, and Portland. With over two decades of experience, she is a trailblazer in the improv community, known for breaking barriers and championing equity through her work. Blue currently serves as a professor of Applied Improvisation at Morgan State University.
2025 Class Highlights
The 2025 class viewed activism through the lenses of journalism, photography, music, poetry, and more.
2024 Class Highlights
The 2024 class created striking visual art, portions of original plays and music, multi-media installations, and more. Fellows also explored visions for future work in artistry and activism.
2023 Class Highlights
Projects explored themes including climate justice, trans healthcare, pay equity, and beyond. Fellows showcased an array of art forms including visual art, original plays and music, multi-media installations, and more.
2022 Class Highlights
The inaugural class's research and reflection covered Butler's Parable novels, as well as many other works and creators including Audre Lorde, Sonic Youth, Terence Trent D’Arby, Danez Smith, Robin DiAngelo, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, the film Sorry to Bother You, TV show American Gods, and more.