The Bayard Rustin Residency is a year-long program (September 2025 – September 2026) at Penington Friends House (PFH) in New York City. The residency is designed to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) working to end systemic racism and promote anti-racism and intersectional equality. The selected resident will receive room and board for up to a year while working on a project related to activism, the arts, policy change, community organizing, or other related fields.

 

Information & Application Details:

  • Application Deadline: March 15, 2025 (midnight)
  • Residency Duration: September 2025 – September 2026
  • Location: Penington Friends House, Lower East Side, Manhattan, NYC
  • Eligibility: BIPOC individuals working on anti-racism and social justice projects who require a presence in NYC.

 

Eligibility:

  • Open to BIPOC applicants.
  • The applicant does not need to be a Quaker, but their work should align with Quaker values: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.
  • Must be willing to live full-time at Penington Friends House and participate in communal activities (including shared dinners and light chores).

 

Theme & Areas of Focus:

The residency is open to individuals in various fields of activism and the arts who focus on ending racism and promoting social justice. Examples of eligible applicants include:

  • Artists creating visual or performing arts addressing racism.
  • Writers working on books, plays, or other written works on intersectional issues.
  • Community-based artists developing projects that engage with anti-racism.
  • Activists organizing grassroots movements.
  • Social entrepreneurs starting nonprofits focused on systemic racism.
  • Graduate students with a well-defined anti-racism project needing time and support.

 

How to Apply:

  • Applications must be submitted online via the provided application link.
  • Contact Todd Drake at outreach@penington.org for inquiries about project fit.

 

Submission Requirements:

Applicants should provide:

  1. A detailed proposal of their anti-racism project.
  2. A statement demonstrating why they need to be in NYC.
  3. Evidence of previous work and activism.
  4. A commitment to community engagement through presentations or workshops.

 

Selection Process:

  • Applications will be reviewed by a BIPOC committee of both Quakers and non-Quakers.
  • The final selection will be approved by Penington Friends House residents and staff through an interview process.

 

Program Benefits/Awards:

  • Fully covered room and board at Penington Friends House.
  • Food provided (five nights per week).
  • Utilities included (internet, cable, heating/AC).
  • Access to a shared studio space (limited hours, starting at 3:30 PM on weekdays).
  • Community and networking opportunities.
  • No stipend is currently provided.

 

Additional Considerations:

  • The resident’s room is on the 4th floor of a historic brownstone (no elevator).
  • Shared bathrooms with other residents.
  • The Penington Friends House is an LGBTQ-affirming, anti-racist community.

 

Contact & Resources:

  • Contact Person: Todd Drake
  • Email: outreach@penington.org
  • Website & Social Media:
    • Website
    • Instagram: @Penington_friends_house
  • Supporting Organizations:
    • Society of Friends (Quakers)
    • New York Yearly Meeting
    • New York Quarterly Meeting
    • Brooklyn Monthly Meeting
    • Mertz-Gilmore Foundation
    • Board of Penington Friends House

This residency honors Bayard Rustin, a Quaker, civil rights activist, LGBTQ advocate, and key strategist in the 1963 March on Washington. It continues his legacy by supporting anti-racism work and activism.

 

Website link:

Bayard Rustin Residency