Larissa FastHorse, Ralph Lemon and More Announced as MacArthur 'Genius' Grant Winners

The MacArthur Foundation has announced the 21 'Genius' Grant winners for 2020, who are recognized for their contributions with a grant of $625,000. Among the winners is playwright Larissa Fasthorse, who is focused on bringing Native American perspectives to theater, and is perhaps best known for "The Thanksgiving Play," dancer and choreographer Ralph Lemon, and more.

FastHorse shared: "We're still just trying to grapple with the fact that everything won't be a struggle."

The 21 winners are:

Isaiah Andrews, Econometrician; Tressie McMillan, Sociologist, writer and public scholar; Paul Dauenhauer, Chemical engineer; Nels Elde, Evolutionary geneticist; Damien Fair, Cognitive neuroscientist; Larissa Fasthorse, Playwright; Catherine Coleman Flowers, Environmental health advocate; Mary L. Gray, Anthropologist and media scholar; N. K. Jemisin, Speculative-fiction writer; Ralph Lemon, Artist; Polina V. Lishko, Cellular and developmental biologist; Thomas Wilson Mitchell, Property law scholar; Natalia Molina, American historian; Fred Moten, Cultural theorist and poet; Cristina Rivera Garza, Fiction writer; Cécile McLorin Salvant, Singer and composer; Monika Schleier-Smith, Experimental physicist; Mohammad R. Seyedsayamdost, Biological chemist; Forrest Stuart, Sociologist; Nanfu Wang, Documentary filmmaker; Jacqueline Woodson, Writer.

Check out the video, introducing the 21 winners!