Activist Artists Fellowship

Activist Artists Management (“Activist”) was founded on the simple notion that artists and management can positively change the world. As a company of passionate individuals who are driven to make an impact greater than themselves, Activist has launched a new facet of its business to further its mission – the Activist Artists Fellowship (the ”Fellowship”). The Fellowship is a two-year program that includes a $20,000 grant and full open source pro bono representation. Our intention of using an ‘open source activism’ approach is to: 1) encourage collaboration by initiating additional volunteer support of Activist Fellows; 2) create a forum for sharing best practices and partners; and 3) inspire others and provide tools for supporting activists in their own communities and around the world. The grant is funded by Activist Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established by Activist Artists Management. Additionally, Activist has partnered with Summit Series to further identify and evaluate future candidates for the Fellowship.

The Activist Artists Fellowship provides an A-level team of representatives, all of whom are strategically selected based on the needs of the Activist Fellow. In addition to the Fellow’s day-to-day team which includes management, publicity, legal, business management, agency representation, partnerships and strategic alliances, digital marketing, and content creation representatives, Activist will curate and appoint a Fellowship Advisory Council consisting of specialists in relevant areas to support the industry particular needs of each Activist Artists Fellow. All representatives and advisors are providing pro bono services at no cost to the Fellow.

2020 Activist Artists Fellow

We are honored and excited to announce that the 2020 Activist Artists Fellow is Nasreen Sheikh. Nasreen is a powerful voice and inspiring activist with a unique journey. A former child laborer in the textile industry who escaped the sweat shops of Kathmandu at a young age, Nasreen embarked on an impassioned mission to empower and sustain those women who share her plight. What started with a 1,000 Rupee (about $10 USD) microloan for her first sewing machine has become the Local Women’s Handicrafts (LWH), a fair trade sewing collective based in Nepal’s capital, just a short distance from the sweat shop where she spent her childhood. LWH is also an e-commerce store serving consumers worldwide.

Nasreen also founded Empowerment Collective a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that envisions a world where women are leaders in their communities — in control of their own lives, their own rights, and their own decisions. Empowerment Collective focuses on empowering women and girls in disadvantaged and vulnerable communities who are living in trauma and poverty by providing a safe space to learn and work, fostering education and skills training, offering health care and awareness, and helping to build environmental and disaster resilience – all with the purpose-driven mission of building twenty Women’s Empowerment Centers within twenty years. As Nasreen continues her work in Nepal, she strives to use her powerful story to shine a light on the devastating humanitarian and environmental costs of fast fashion. She will continue to empower and inspire others by speaking worldwide, writing her book, and creating a film that will showcase her life’s work.

Nasreen will be proudly supported by the entire Activist Artists Management team, led by Head of Activism and senior day-to-day artist manager Caitlin Stone. In addition, Nasreen will be represented by WME and the Harry Walker Agency; Reid Hunter, Esq. and Laxmi Vijaysankar at Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill, LLP; Rit Venerus and Dan Goscombe at Cal Financial Group; and Carla Sacks, Samantha Tillman, and Kate Rakvic of Sacks & Co. Publicity. Nasreen will also have access to a Fellowship Advisory Council which currently includes Paul Rice, Founder and CEO of Fair Trade USA; Lewis Perkins, President of Apparel Impact Institute; Jaime Murray, actor and activist; Domenica Leibowitz, a creative consultant in sustainable fashion; and Amber Valletta, fashion icon and activist.

WME	Reid Hunter | Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill, LLP	Laxmi Vijaysankar | Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill, LLP
Carla Sacks | Sacks & Co.	Samantha Tillman | Sacks & Co.	Kate Rakvic | Sacks & Co.
Harry Walker Agency	Rit Venerus | Cal Financial Group	Dan Goscombe | Cal Financial Group
Paul Rice | Fair Trade USA	Lewis Perkins | Apparel Impact Institute	Jaime Murray | Actor & Activist
Domenica Leibowitz | Creative Consultant	Amber Valletta | Fashion Icon & Activist	Caitlin Stone | Activist Artists Management