Encore Public Voices Fellowship
The Encore Public Voices Fellowship was a three-year collaboration with The OpEd Project to accelerate the ideas and impact of new and necessary thought leaders working at the intersection of aging, longevity, intergenerational connection and social justice.
Sixty-two Encore Public Voices Fellows gained access to support, community and mentoring to ensure their ideas shape the greater public conversation taking place in the media. Fellows have been featured at South by Southwest, on Good Morning America, and in publications including The New York Times, USA Today, Fast Company, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and more.
All Encore Public Voices Fellows continue to speak out. See “In the Media” below for updates on their work.
The Fellows
Director, Program Development and Technical Assistance, Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, Rutgers University
Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Founder, New Mexico Women of Color Nonprofit Leadership Initiative
Principal Consultant at M Smith Consulting and Executive Director at Black/Land Project
Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Director, Aging Brain Center, Hebrew SeniorLife
Principal, Stadler & Architecture and Executive Director & Co-Founder, At Home With Growing Older
Click here to see a list of all Encore Public Voices Fellows.
“There’s a difference between having something to say and saying something that moves communities to action. This program didn’t just teach me the difference, it surrounded me with a village of thinkers, doers and believers who were committed to carrying my voice to the masses.”
Sian-Pierre Regis, Filmmaker
media hits
billion in potential reach*
*Based on circulation numbers for publications featuring articles that Fellows authored, were interviewed for, or mentioned in.
The Headlines
Why this fellowship?
Many parts of the world are rapidly aging. In the U.S., we’ve added more than 30 years to life expectancy in the past century, but not across the board. Whites live longer than people of color. Women live longer than men. And the richest Americans live 10-15 years longer than the poorest.
Today, for the first time ever, there are more people over the age of 60 than under the age of 18. The ripple effects of these shifts will affect every aspect of society. We need better and faster ideas from a more diverse set of people of all ages, including those who are most impacted by the uneven implications of these realities, and thus most likely to see new solutions and envision a more just future.
The Encore Public Voices Fellowship was part of The OpEd Project’s national Public Voices Fellowship initiative to change who writes history. It was created in partnership with Encore.org Senior Advisor Ann MacDougall. Members of the fellowship’s Advisory Council included Ellen Goodman (Chair), Sylvia Brown, Mary C. Curtis, Ken Dychtwald, Raymond Jetson, Katie Orenstein, Trabian Shorters and Lester Strong.
“My new active voice has been spurred by the encouragement, skill-sharing and support of the fellowship, which locates and nourishes its leaders’ bravery, hones their voices and curates platforms for their stories. I’m so grateful for the support.”
Alex Smith, Founder and CEO, The Cares Family
Fellows in the Media
The Fellowship Experience
Watch this short video to hear how the first 20 Encore Public Voices Fellows describe their experiences.
Resources for Thought Leaders
“What does it mean to have a society with more older people than younger ones?” by 2018-19 Fellow Cal Halvorsen.
Research & Resources: This document includes useful research, data and reports related to aging, longevity and intergenerational issues.
Up your game in thought leadership: Whether you’re just establishing your voice or looking for new ways to reach more people, these resources will get you started.
From The OpEd Project:
- “Write to Change the World”: These workshops are based on time-tested models of transformational learning, and are designed to unlock knowledge in powerful and unexpected ways (scholarships are available here).
- “Ask a Journalist”: This webinar takes place every Thursday at 5 pm ET. Think of it as office hours with a journalist who is rooting for you. They rotate topics, but all webinars have live discussion and Q&A.
- The OpEd Project posts free resources on their website, including submission and contact info for hundreds of outlets, scripts and sample language for pitching, and an FAQ.