Academy Award-winning actress and filmmaker Jodie Foster will receive the Radcliffe Medal on May 9, the Harvard Radcliffe Institute announced Thursday.
Each year, the institute awards the medal to an individual who embodies Radcliffe’s commitment to excellence and impact. The medal was first awarded to Lena Horne in 1987; recent honorees include Sonia Sotomayor, Ophelia Dahl, Sherrilyn Ifill, Melinda French Gates, and Dolores Huerta.
In making its announcement, Radcliffe noted that Foster will be honored for her barrier-breaking career, which has contributed to important progress in an industry that has long been male dominated, inspiring countless individuals in and beyond her field. In addition to her work in front of and behind the camera, she has advanced efforts to improve the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ young people.
The afternoon program will begin with a panel on the representation of women in film, featuring industry and scholarly perspectives on gender and age stereotypes, role modeling, the role of cinema in illuminating social issues and creating change, and future opportunities for progress and creativity. Following a testimonial, Foster will engage in a keynote conversation with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. The program will conclude with the formal award presentation by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean of Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and a community reception for all registered in-person attendees.
