Four months ago, we joined the Pop Culture Collaborative as its original leadership team. We were immediately charged with the incredible challenge and opportunity to design and implement a broad vision and strategy for this multi-million dollar philanthropic resource and learning community.

Since then, we have worked with leaders across social movements, philanthropy, and entertainment to create an innovative hub with the capacity to spark dynamic partnerships, make impact grants, and serve as a home base for learning and strategy sharing. Our mission: to create and catalyze authentic narratives about people of color, immigrants, Muslims and refugees through pop culture and mass media.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have just awarded over $700,000 in grants to seven initiatives.

From social movement visionaries, to groundbreaking artists, storytellers and entertainment industry producers, to cutting edge research initiatives with potential to set off ripple effects in culture change movements for years to come. We are so excited about these partnerships and the great work that lies ahead. Read about our first cohort of 2017 GRANTEES.

We’ve also launched our fresh new website ‚Äì with background on the Collaborative, details on grantmaking, instructions on how to submit your ideas for our bi-annual MAJOR GRANTS and our rolling ‚ÄòPop Up’ RAPID RESPONSE GRANTS, and a blog page to lift up insights, strategies and developments at the intersection of entertainment and social change.

We want to offer deep appreciation to our founding partners whose vision and leadership are profoundly transforming the pop culture for social change field. Thank you to Unbound Philanthropy, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Ford Foundation, The JPB Foundation, General Service Foundation, an anonymous donor, and our newest partner, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

We are also pleased to welcome famed entertainment PR firm Schure Media Group to the Pop Culture Collaborative’s network of partners. Needless to say, we couldn’t be more thrilled that this award-winning team — whose leadership and staff have deep roots in immigrant communities and a passion for social justice — will now be representing and uplifting the work of our partners, grantees, and the broader field.

The urgency of this work is clear – because when we fail to challenge and shape pop culture narratives, real people in communities across the country and around the world suffer the consequences.

We have an opportunity–and responsibility–to popularize authentic, just narratives to reshape mass audience’s understanding of our nation’s true history, today’s realities, and new imaginings of America’s bold and inclusive future.

Our vision is clear. Our mandate is critical. We welcome your wild ideas, bold solutions and breakthrough strategies. Be sure to sign up for email updates, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We look forward to your partnership.

Let’s begin.

* The Pop Culture Collaborative is fiscally sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $200 million in annual giving by individuals, families, corporations, and major foundations.