By Rebecca Sun
The Doris Duke Foundation is making sizable gifts to promote peace and understanding through the power of narrative.
Noting that Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and hate against Asians and other communities of color are all on the rise, the Foundation is committing a total of $6 million in grants to three initiatives that support U.S. Muslims in arts and entertainment:
- The largest grant, $4.5 million, will establish the U.S. Muslim Documentary Fund through the Center for Asian American Media.
- The Muslim Public Affairs Council’s Hollywood Bureau will receive $1.425 million over three years to host events and activations such as its Muslim House at the Sundance, SXSW and Tribeca film festivals.
- And The Islamic Scholarship Fund will receive $100,000 to start a new fellowship program for entry-level Muslim American creatives in the entertainment industry.
The grants were announced by Doris Duke Foundation president and CEO Sam Gill and Zeyba Rahman, director of the Foundation’s Building Bridges program, Sunday evening at the Muslim House at the Sundance Film Festival. The one-night-only gathering at The Park included discussions on the use of comedy to combat hate, how to push for social justice amid a climate of “cancel culture” and the power of documentaries.
