‘Onye Ozi’ (‘Messenger’) is a 9-month fellowship that allows Oakland artists of diverse African ancestry across disciplines to create work that uses their personal experiences and artistic practice as a virile catalyst for social change. During weekly studio sessions fellows will reflect on the embodiment of the term 'Onye Ozi' along with the phrase ‘ọnụ ụzọ’ meaning portal. Fellows will think through how their work creates pathways of discourse among and between new Black immigrants and existing Black communities.

Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend to create work addressing these issues independently or in collaboration with other fellows. Personal reflection, historical and contextual inquiry, artistic rigor, and collaboration are essential facets of the fellowship.

‘Onye Ozi’ aims to acknowledge and name the layers of complexity of African/Black Identity. Artists are positioned to investigate a pathway for new visions of our future. Futures that have to begin with personal reconstruction and face-to-face dialogue.

Fellows must be able to produce a final artistic presentation for the public, as well as complete an evaluation of their experience. We will only be accepting a limited number of fellows.