Twenty-three creative people have been named as the 2016 MacArthur Fellows.
Careers of people on the list range from a human rights lawyer to bioengineer and jewelry maker. Graphic novelist Gene Luen Yang, journalist Sarah Stillman, artist/writer Lauren Redniss, poet Claudia Rankine, writer Maggie Nelson, playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, and linguist Daryl Baldwin were among the winners.
Fellows will each receive “a no-strings-attached” stipend of $625,000.
“While our communities, our nation, and our world face both historic and emerging challenges, these 23 extraordinary individuals give us ample reason for hope,” stated MacArthur President Julia Stasch. “They are breaking new ground in areas of public concern, in the arts, and in the sciences, often in unexpected ways. Their creativity, dedication, and impact inspire us all.”