Vincentian Carlene Hunte-Nelson Named 2026–27 Eisner Prize Fellow to Launch Intergenerational Initiative
Vincentian public policy scholar Carlene Hunte-Nelson has been named one of six 2026–2027 Eisner Prize Fellows, receiving $50,000 in fellowship support to launch an initiative connecting older, long-settled immigrants with younger, recently arrived immigrants in New York City.
Hunte-Nelson, a Dean’s Distinguished Fellow and Master of Public Administration candidate in Urban and Social Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), was selected from a highly competitive national applicant pool for the year-long fellowship.
The fellowship, awarded by The Eisner Foundation, provides funding to support each intergenerational project, along with leadership development and access to a national network of leaders working to strengthen connections across generations. The foundation was established by former Walt Disney Company Chairman and CEO Michael Eisner and his wife, Jane Eisner.
As part of the fellowship, Hunte-Nelson will launch Bridge Builders, an initiative pairing older, long-settled immigrant New Yorkers with younger, recently arrived immigrants who share similar cultural backgrounds. Through monthly workshops, mentorship, storytelling, neighborhood activities, and community events, participants will exchange experiences, navigate life in a new country, preserve cultural knowledge, and build relationships across generations.
Hunte-Nelson is also a 2026 Fellow with the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, where her work focuses on policies that strengthen the civic, social, and economic integration of immigrants. She serves as president of the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs Student Association (SIPASA).
For Hunte-Nelson, the idea has deep roots in her Vincentian upbringing.
“Growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I learned that some of life’s most important lessons come from our elders, through stories and time spent together,” Hunte-Nelson said. “Across the Caribbean, these traditions have long helped us pass on our history, culture, and values.”
She believes migration, technology, and changing lifestyles have made some of those connections harder to maintain.
“Bridge Builders is about intentionally creating those spaces again—where generations can connect, share knowledge, and celebrate cultural heritage. Intergenerational connection is about carrying the wisdom and resilience of one generation forward to strengthen the next.
