Beerman Foundation Fellows
for Peace and Justice

Each year, the Beerman Foundation supports the work of powerful young change-makers who walk in the path of Leonard Beerman through fellowship awards. Beerman Fellows are social justice and political activists who believe in the imperative of lifting up the marginalized, dispossessed, and afflicted. All share Leonard's sense of prophetic urgency to bring change to the world now.

2025 Foundation Fellows

Carlos Alarcón
Advocate for immigrant rights and health equity in California, leading the statewide Health4All campaign

Jonathan Butler
Faith leader, medical sociologist and community activist advancing health equity and social justice. President of the San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition, President & Health Committee Chair of the San Francisco National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Chair of the San Francisco Homelessness Oversight Commission, Associate Director of the Black Health Initiative at UCSF and Senior Pastor-elect of Jerusalem Baptist Church in Palo Alto

Nadav David
Multiethnic Arab/Mizrahi and Ashkenazi Jewish organizer working for safety and dignity beyond racial capitalism, policing, prisons, and violence. Capital Strategies Manager at the Center for Economic Democracy, Co-Coordinator of the Community Safety Campaign, and Steering Committee Chair of the Jewish Liberation Fund

Alana Hassanein
Educator and activist of Ashkenazi Jewish and Egyptian Muslim heritage. Board member of NCJW | LA, NewGround Fellowship alum, former public school educator and union leader working to advance education justice

Mohsen Mahdawi
Palestinian-born activist, writer, and student of philosophy and international affairs at Columbia University. Co-founder of the Columbia Palestinian Student Union and Columbia Buddhist Association. Currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia SIPA, his work bridges faith, activism, and dialogue to advance nonviolence and dignity for all

Beerman Foundation Fellows

Hussayn Abdul-Qawi
Doctoral student researching the intersections between Islam and politics, with the intent of entering the fields of policy advising and collegiate teaching

Karely Amaya
First-generation Latina law student at CUNY School of Law and a dedicated immigrant rights advocate. Co-founder of the Immigrant Justice in Action Coalition and leader of California’s Opportunity for All Campaign

Pastor Edward (Eddie) Anderson
Senior Pastor of McCarty Memorial Christian Church, Los Angeles
Co-Chair, California Poor People’s Campaign 

Jeanelle Austin
Founder, Racial Agency Initiative
Lead Caretaker of George Floyd Memorial

Ju Hong
Social Activist in immigration reform and fighting anti-Asian hate 
Founder, ASPIRE, first undocumented youth organization for Asian-Americans

Adnan Jaber   
Community organizer of LA Supporters of Standing Together. Jerusalem-born and living in Los Angeles, engaged in bringing people together for peace in Israel-Palestine through technology and dialogue

Justin Jones
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for District 52, representing parts of Nashville

Shammas Malik
Mayor of Akron, Ohio

Marissa Montes
Founder, Professor and Director of Loyola Law School's Immigrant Justice Clinic and visiting professor at the ITESO in Guadalajara, where she teaches U.S. asylum law. Currently establishing Loyola’s Binational Migrant Advocacy Project (BMAP), the first binational immigration law school clinic in the nation

Svante Myrick
Executive Director, People for the American Way
Former Mayor of Ithaca, New York

Zahra Sakkejha
Palestinian-Canadian medical student at St. George’s University; supporter of coalition-building between Palestinians and Jews; board member of Tomorrow’s Women, dedicated to empowering young women leaders to create change

Sukhi Samra
Director, Mayors for a Guaranteed Income
Former Director, Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration

Rachel Sumekh
Founder & Former CEO, Swipe Out Hunger

Michael D. Tubbs
Special Advisor to California Governor Gavin Newsom for Economic Mobility
Founder of End Poverty in California (EPIC)
Former Mayor of Stockton, California

Yehudah Webster
Spiritual activist and community organizer working to integrate anti-racist behaviors and culture in communities

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz
Author and Social Activist 
Founder and President, Orthodox social justice movement Uri L’Tzedek and progressive Orthodox rabbinic association Torat Chayim; President & Dean of the Valley Beit Midrash; Founder and President of Shamayim; Founder and President of YATOM

Brittany Ferrell Young
Public health nurse, political activist, and researcher focusing on health equity and improving pregnancy outcomes for Black women and gender expansive people