The Harriet Tubman Fellowship
The Harriet Tubman Fellowship for Labor Trafficking Survivors is a two-year leadership-development fellowship run by the Human Trafficking Legal Center, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit legal advocacy organization for trafficking survivors. Each cohort of survivor-leaders receives a monthly living stipend, an annual tuition grant, and access to mentoring, career coaching, and in-person policy advocacy training in Washington, DC. The program is privately funded through donations and partner support (e.g., Humanity United, King & Spalding). Launched in February 2024, it has run an inaugural 2024-2026 cohort of 7 fellows and a second 2026-2028 cohort of 5 fellows.
Labor trafficking survivors, Survivor leadership fellowship, National, Anti-trafficking, Tuition grant, Legal advocacy
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- The Human Trafficking Legal Center
- City
- Washington
- State / Province
- District of Columbia
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Website
- https://htlegalcenter.org/
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Active
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 5
- Funding type
- Philanthropic
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 32,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 1,333.33 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 24 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct Deposit
- Benefit details
Each Fellow receives a $500 monthly living stipend for 24 months (up to $12,000 total) plus up to $10,000 per year (up to $20,000 total) in tuition support for a certificate, degree, or other formal training program of their choice. Fellows also get mentoring, coaching, and career-development access, and attend an annual in-person Communications and Policy Advocacy training week in Washington, DC, where they meet with members of Congress and federal agencies. The program has run two cohorts to date: an inaugural 2024-2026 class of 7 fellows and a second 2026-2028 class of 5 fellows.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Applicants must be survivors of labor trafficking living in the United States with authorization to work in the US, and must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a degree-granting or certificate-granting program. Fellows must be committed to leadership in the nonprofit, private, or public sector and willing to participate fully in the fellowship community, including retreats, mentor meetings, and an annual in-person advocacy week in Washington, DC. The fellowship targets survivors specifically of labor trafficking, distinct from sex-trafficking-focused programs.
Geography
- Countries covered
- United States
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Application Process
- How to apply
Applicants apply via the Human Trafficking Legal Center's Submittable portal (thehumantraffickinglegalcenter.submittable.com). For the 2026-2028 cohort, applications were due April 5, 2026, with fellows announced May 11, 2026, followed by finalist interviews. As of July 2026 there are no open calls for submissions; a new application window opens ahead of each future cohort.
- Selection process
A selection committee (which for the 2026-2028 class included Human Trafficking Legal Center staff and pro bono partners such as King & Spalding) reviews applications against published criteria: survivor of labor trafficking, US residency and work authorization, commitment to leadership development, willingness to participate in fellowship activities, and enrollment (or plans to enroll) in a degree-granting program. Finalists are contacted for an interview before final selection.
