Alina Simone (MPA-PNP 2005) Named Guggenheim Fellow in Foundation’s Historic 100th Class

In a landmark year celebrating the 100th anniversary of the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, Alina Simone (MPA-PNP 2005) has been honored as a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in the Film-Video category. 

The Guggenheim Fellowship, awarded annually by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, is one of the most esteemed honors in the creative and scholarly fields. Fellows are selected based on their demonstrated creative ability or scholarly achievement, and they receive financial support to pursue their work with maximum freedom. Over the past century, more than 19,000 individuals from diverse fields, including the arts, sciences, and humanities, have been named Guggenheim Fellows.

Alina Simone’s selection as a Fellow is a testament to her significant body of work as an award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and author. Known for her investigative and thought-provoking documentaries, Simone’s recent debut film, Black Snow (2024), has already garnered widespread acclaim. Executive produced by Erin Brockovich, Black Snow won the Cinema Eye Spotlight Award and the FACT Award for Best Investigative Documentary at CPH:DOX, among other accolades. Her work explores pressing global issues, merging art with activism and storytelling with social change.

Simone’s career also spans acclaimed writing for leading publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Guardian. In addition, she is the author of three books, including Madonnaland, which Rolling Stone named one of the top ten music books of the year. Her distinctive voice and dedication to telling compelling, real-world stories have made her a sought-after figure in both journalism and filmmaking.