The Michael Latt Legacy Fund has announced its third cohort of grantees for the Leading With Love: Grants in Support of Courageous Creativity program. This initiative, established in memory of Michael Latt, aims to support rising creatives whose work aligns with Latt's values of culture, advocacy, storytelling, social impact, and community transformation. The fund has selected 16 recipients across various disciplines, including filmmakers, artists, activists, educators, and organizations, to receive funding for fellowships, advocacy projects, documentary films, and organizational support.
One of the notable recipients is SoLa Foundation / Art in Action, which will partner with the fund to empower young artists in South Los Angeles through workshops, guest speakers, and mentorship programs. Protect the Sacred, led by Allie Redhorse Young, will focus on youth programming centered around storytelling, sports, and cultural expression. Jon Boogz's Stories Are Living Things (SALT) will explore the intersection of movement, language, and narratives through an immersive storytelling performance and community exhibition.
In terms of artist fellowships, Leo Aguirre, a filmmaker whose project Verano explores the challenges faced by an unruly teen and an asylum seeker, will receive a Panavision package to support his debut film. The Friend's House is Here, a film directed by Maryam Ataei and Hossein Keshavarz, will receive a grant to uplift a bold new artist's work that premiered at Sundance. Kasey Elise Walker and Andrea Ellsworth, co-directors of Too Many Hoops, are the inaugural recipients of the Michael Latt Legacy / Further Adventures Fellowship, designed to support exceptional first-time directors whose work reflects Latt's belief in the power of storytelling.
The fund also supports short film and advocacy projects, such as a documentary short co-directed by Chiké Okonkwo and Chris Advansun, which will explore the human impulse to create and its impact on connection, healing, and transformation. Jarrett Harper's Better Days, an organization dedicated to amplifying and supporting foster youth, will be featured in a short film detailing Harper's own experiences in the foster care system.
Additionally, the fund emphasizes community and collaboration through initiatives like Represent Justice, which uses storytelling to engage audiences in reimagining the legal system, and the Sundance Collab/Michael Latt Artist Residency, which supports underrepresented storytellers early in their careers. The Harness Practitioner in Residency Program, co-founded by America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, and Ryan Piers Williams, provides a platform for activists and artists to strengthen their community advocacy work.
Looking ahead, the fund's Bold Futures initiatives include Get Lit's Creative Career Lab, which prepares young adults for dream jobs in the creative industry, and the Howard University's Michael Latt Legacy Fellowship, which supports a full scholarship for students committed to social justice and innovative storytelling. The Young Women's Freedom Center's Freedom Conversations will deliver gender-specific and trauma-informed services to support youth leadership development, while Venice Arts' Center for Creative Workforce Equity will provide free digital storytelling and media production training to underserved and marginalized groups.
The Michael Latt Legacy Fund's third cohort of grantees showcases a diverse range of projects that embody Latt's values and commitment to courageous creativity. By supporting these recipients, the fund continues to empower artists, activists, and organizations to create positive change and make a lasting impact on society.
