January 2025

Welcome to the first Bellagio Bulletin of 2025! We hope your new year is off to an optimistic start. In this edition, we’re sharing stories of Bellagio residency alumni engaged in work that deepens our relationships with the planet, society and one another.

First, you will meet Warren Evans, a climate finance titan who created a framework for multilateral development banks to invest in sustainability. In the latest Because of Bellagio video, you will also meet Alice Hill and Karen Florini. These Bellagio collaborators have studied the impact that climate change can have on voting access and democracy.

We also feature other alums also working on issues related to democracy and civic engagement. Atsango Chesoni, the former executive director of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, helped draft Kenya’s new constitution in 2010 and secured essential provisions for women. Amitava Kumar, a novelist, dedicated his Bellagio residency to understanding the spread of misinformation, ultimately writing a meta-fiction novel inspired by his experience.

Finally, you will meet Vibha Galhotra and Elise Bernhardt, two residents who later collaborated to bring their Bellagio projects to life, exemplifying how art can bring people into productive dialogue.