This year, the OH Foundation will provide summer study scholarships abroad for Greatest MINDS high school students and general operating support for the organization's programs.
Open Horizon (OH) is dedicated to championing Black and BIPOC leaders, fully recognizing the historical exclusion they have faced. Our commitment to fostering intentional spaces empowers these leaders and drives vital conversations about equity and inclusion. In February 2025, OH continues to honor Black leaders who exemplify community, integrity, equity, and innovation. OH is inspired by their transformative impact on our sector and society. Through its grantmaking and community partnerships, OH continues its ongoing efforts to support Black leaders and how intentional investments in their well-being and leadership can dismantle systemic barriers. OH believes that together, they can create a future where opportunities are accessible, power is equitably distributed, and every marginalized community can thrive. With that acknowledgment, Greatest MINDS continues to be a grantee and partner of the OH Foundation.
Supporting High School Youth Through Summer Abroad Opportunities
With OH's focus on the value of experiential learning and our commitment to education justice, it was a natural fit to support young people of color studying abroad and having life-changing intercultural experiences in other countries. Last month, OH shared enthusiasm for implementing OH's Richard S. and Doris M. Cohen Scholarship Program in partnership with AFS Intercultural Programs USA. OH sent 5 students on AFS summer programs to Spain, France, and Egypt in 2024. This year, they have expanded the Richard S. and Doris M. Cohen Scholarship Program to several partner non-profit organizations to send students abroad to any summer program offered by AFS. In 2025, Greatest MINDS will send several scholars abroad on international summer study experiential learning opportunities with AFS. OH is funding high school scholars to travel with the belief that exposure and access to different communities will increase the pipeline of underrepresented youth in global careers or leadership roles in international development. Students will choose to visit the following countries: Argentina, Spain, Kenya, Egypt, France, Denmark, Costa Rica, China, or Malaysia for two weeks.
"We are excited to extend our reach to our young people in Boston from visiting local colleges and universities, HBCUs and now adding to our program - international study abroad travel. It is an exciting time for us and we thank Open Horizon and AFS as our program partners to do so." --- George "Chip" Greenidge, Jr., Founder and Executive Director of Greatest MINDS
"AFS-USA, a nonprofit leader in international high school exchange, is excited and proud to collaborate with Greatest MINDS through the generous sponsorship and support of Open Horizon. Through AFS-USA’s Faces of America (FoA) scholarship program, the organizations will work together to provide a global education to high school students from underserved communities, empowering students to become engaged and informed global citizens. We are grateful to Open Horizons and Greatest MINDS who share in our commitment to providing access to life-changing and transformative summer study abroad programs that will enable more students to receive the kind of knowledge and skills needed to help create a more just and peaceful world.” --- Tara Hofmann, President and CEO of AFS-USA
Supporting Black & BIPOC Non-Profits & Non-Profit Leaders
In addition, Greatest MINDS has met and convened with other non-profits across the country at the forefront of social justice from an invitation from OH. D'Lynn Jacobs, Executive Director of Open Horizon was happy to announce that:
“Open Horizon invited leaders from all social justice partner organizations to attend their annual retreat where they are nurtured to reflect, connect, and renew in the community. As a leader, George "Chip" Greenidge, Jr. Executive and Director and Founder of Greatest MINDS, was invited to participate and contribute while communing with peers leading similar education justice programming. In addition to engaging with colleagues who facilitate youth work, leaders will also connect about their work in economic justice and health justice. We realize identity is often what drives social justice leaders to passionately co-create the future they want to see in the community and, validated by a groundswell of reports documenting the experiences of BIPOC leaders. Open Horizon is delighted that 30 partner organizations attended their 2025 Retreat in Alexandria, Virginia last month (January 2025) and that Greatest MINDS was one of them." --- D'Lynn Jacobs, Executive Director of Open Horizon
About Greatest MINDS:
Greatest MINDS is a non-profit organization that works with high school students, college students, and young professionals to become the next generation of civic leaders through mentoring, volunteering, and participating. https://www.gminds.org
About AFS-USA
AFS-USA empowers people to become globally engaged citizens by delivering meaningful intercultural experiences that provide the knowledge and skills needed to help create a more just and peaceful world. https://www.afsusa.org/about-afs/
About Open Horizon:
Open Horizon collaborates with nonprofit partners to co-create opportunities to advance racial and social justice through organizational support in the areas of Economic Justice, Education Justice, and Health Justice. https://open-horizon.org/
For more information - please contact:
George "Chip" Greenidge, Jr.
Founder and Executive Director, Greatest MINDS Boston
Visiting Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation
857.312.6340: cell phone
george.greenidge@gmail.com : email
www.gminds.org - website
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