Name: Claire Downing

Recipient Year: 2018

Major: Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Description: In her nonprofit and philanthropy-oriented work, Claire helps maintain a diverse portfolio of grants, technical assistance efforts, and programming initiatives to support the Black/African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian field in its work to address profiling, discrimination, hate crimes, anti-Muslim bigotry, and xenophobia, and build a more just, equitable, and inclusive multiracial and feminist democracy. Claire was also the 2019 Young Professionals in Foreign Policy Human Rights Fellow. Prior to joining RTF, Claire was the Finance and Administration Officer at Namati. Claire has a Bachelor of Arts in Global Affairs (summa cum laude) from George Mason University, and a Master of Arts in International Affairs, from the George Washington University. Claire is a current PhD candidate at George Mason University. Claire’s research explores community perceptions of and experiences with countering violent extremism (CVE) programming.

School Name: George Mason University

Sponsor: Aisha Yaqoob Courage & Leadership Scholarship