In 2023, The Meteor Studio partnered with the Ford Foundation’s Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice program to launch Free Future: Preventing Gender Violence Around the World. This inaugural summit brought together global organizers, political leaders, poets, journalists, and academics around an issue of vital importance: The right of women, girls, and gender non-conforming people to live lives free of violence.
Accompanied by an editorial series featuring reported journalism, film and podcast content, visual illustration, and more, Free Future examines the often-neglected public health crisis of gender-based violence from multiple angles, and works towards imagining, and building, a freer future for all.
Tarana Burke on sexual violence
Cyrus Veyssi on recognizing the violence many folks experience in their families
Darren Walker on the anti-rights movement worldwide
Her Excellency The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone on risking losing an election to fight for gender equality
SPEAKERS
Martín Abregú
Vice President, International Programs, Ford Foundation
Monica Aleman
International Program Director, Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice International (GREJ-I), Ford Foundation
Dr. Sima Bahous
Executive Director, UN Women
Samantha Barry
Editor in Chief, Glamour
Charles Blow
OpEd Columnist, The New York Times
Mahogany L. Browne
Poet and Executive Director, JustMedia
Tarana Burke
Founder and Chief Vision Officer, me too. International
Rebecca Cokley
U.S. Disability Rights Program Officer, Ford Foundation
Catalina Devandas
Executive Director, Disability Rights Fund
Fatima Goss Graves
President, National Women’s Law Center
Roxane Gay
Author, Editor, Professor
Maryangel Garcia-Ramos
Executive Director, Women Enabled International
Sarita Gupta
Vice President, US Programs, Ford Foundation
Anita Hill
Professor
Aminata Kamara
Co-Lead, Resourcing Resistance, Purposeful
Elisa Lees Muñoz
Executive Director, International Women’s Media Foundation
Liliane Laborde-Edozien
Director
Tynesha McHarris
Co-founder, Black Feminist Fund
Mariam Mangera
Provincial Rep on the National Steering Committee, #TheTotalShutdown Movement
Geeta Misra
Executive Director, CREA
Kasha Nabagesera
Founder and Executive Director, Kuchu Times Media Group
Amanda Nguyen
Founder and CEO, Rise
Priya Parker
Facilitator, Strategic Advisor, and Author of The Art of Gathering
Hilary Pennington
Executive Vice President of Programs, Ford Foundation
Brittany Packnett Cunningham
Host and Executive Producer, UNDISTRACTED
Paola Ramos
Journalist and Author
Allison Russell
Performer
Beau Sia
Poet
Tarcila Rivera Zea
Indigenous Activist and President, CHIRAPAQ
Salamishah Tillet
Professor, Rutgers University and Co-Founder of A Long Walk Home
Amber Tamblyn
Author and Activist
Jessica Valenti
Founder, Abortion, Every Day
Cyrus Veyssi
Multimedia Creator and Creative Director
Connie Walker
Investigative Journalist and Host, Gimlet Media
Darren Walker
President, Ford Foundation
Kesa White
Researcher and Expert on Violent Extremism
Elaine Welteroth
Award-winning Journalist, NYT-Bestselling Author, and Television Host
Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta
Ambassador-at-Large, U.S. Department of State
Sara Ziff
Founder and Executive Director, Model Alliance
Resistance Revival Chorus
Performers
“Reproductive justice for all of us”
Rebecca Cokley on how to stop the violence disabled people experience
How common is gender-based violence?
Pulitzer-winning artist Mona Chalabi helps us understand.
