Cory Booker, when Booker was mayor of Newark, to be an urban designer and director of planning for the city. “My first thought was that he deserves this because he is passionate about his work and he’s dedicated to helping humanity - that is his primary motivation,” said Nelson, who explained Damon was recruited by U.S. Like his wife, Nelson Rich couldn’t be more delighted for his son. The selection committee consists of approximately 12 people who serve confidentially and are chosen for their “breadth of experience, excellent judgment, and curiosity.” Because the committee works as a group, the decision on each nomination represents a collective judgment drawn from a wide range of perspectives.

Applications or unsolicited nominations are not accepted. He was awarded the grant, according to the foundation, for “creating vivid and witty strategies to design and build places that are more democratic and accountable to their residents.” (You can read more about his work at .)īoth the nomination and selection process are kept secret an independent committee identified for their expertise and familiarity with exceptionally creative people in their respective areas of focus decide whom to nominate. Today he works at Hector, an urban planning firm he co-founded with his longtime collaborator, Jae Shin. He celebrated his bar mitzvah at B’nai El Congregation. MacArthur Foundation, which awards these grants annually, “each of the recipients has been selected for having ‘shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction’ - and each will receive a $625,000 award from the foundation ‘as an investment in their potential,’ paid out over five years with no strings attached.”ĭamon graduated from Parkway Central High School in 1993 where he was valedictorian of his class.

11), Damon Rich was among 24 innovators living in the United States, from all fields and professions, to receive a 2017 MacArthur “Genius” Grant. He then says, ‘I’ve been awarded this grant and they are going to give me $125,000 each year for the next five years.’ I asked him what he has to do. But you’re not going to believe this.’ Then he starts to giggle and he never giggles. “I said, ‘Oh my goodness, what’s going on?’ He said, ‘Nothing. “He never calls early in the morning, so of course, being a mom, you think something is wrong,” said Sherrie, a retired teacher. When Sherrie and Nelson Rich of University City received an early morning call last week from their 42-year-old son Damon, who lives in Newark, N.J., their first reaction was concern.

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