Announcing the 2024 Leeway Transformation Awardees
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PHILADELPHIA, PA — In December 2024, Leeway Foundation awarded $180,000 in unrestricted support to 12 women, trans*, and/or gender nonconforming artists and cultural producers in the Greater Philadelphia region, working at the intersection of art and social change for the past five years or more, demonstrating a long-term commitment to social change work.
Leeway received a record number of Transformation Award applications in 2024 – a 49% increase from the previous year and the second largest amount received since the award was introduced 20 years ago. Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, this year’s cohort includes artists who have showcased years of commitment to issues including but not limited to racial justice, cultural preservation, LGBQA social movements, immigrant justice, and transgender justice/gender self-determination. Through music, media, literary arts, performance, folk arts, visual arts, and multidisciplinary practices, the selected awardees – who range from their 20s through 60s – showcase a vision and intentional analysis for how art in community is a catalyst for social change.
The 2024 Transformation Award (LTA) Recipients are (in alphabetical order):
Azra Liaqat Khan of East Kensington, Literary Arts
candice iloh of West Philadelphia, Literary Arts/Performance
Detty Katsubi Aziz of East Goshen Township, Folk Arts/Performance
Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi of Brewerytown, Multidisciplinary
Hazel Edwards of University City, Performance/Folk Arts
Lane Timothy Speidel of West Philadelphia, Visual Arts/Literary Arts
Mateo Souada of Kingsessing, Literary Arts
Sam Rise of Southwest Philadelphia, Performance/Music
Selina Morales of West Philadelphia, Literary Arts/Media Arts
Talie of Cobbs Creek, Music/Media Arts
Ximena Violante of Royersford, Music/Folk Arts
Yvonne Lung of Frankford, Multidisciplinary