2026 Next System Fellows
Reema Ali is a Sudanese American student at George Mason University pursuing a BA in International Politics and Government (pre-law), with a concentration in Public Policy and Administration and a minor in Business. Her interests are rooted in Afro-Arab liberation politics and in how critiques of political and economic systems can translate into alternatives that are actually reimagined and implemented. This spring, she will be interning with the Next Constitutions Research Lab, exploring democracy movements and constitutional change as real-world pathways from critique to implementation.
Ifran Mollah is a PhD student in Sociology whose research focuses on human rights, social justice, and constitutional studies. He has academic training and professional experience in law, having studied in Dhaka and at Oxford. Originally from Bangladesh, he is committed to transformative justice, structural reform, and social equality. As a Next System Fellow, he will work at the Next Constitution Research Lab in Spring 2026.
Abigail Naidoo is an undergraduate sociology major with a strong interest in empowering underserved communities and developing more equitable social systems. She currently interns with the Center for Economic Democracy, where her research aims to democratize budgeting power and expand public participation in economic decision-making. Her academic interests include understanding structural inequality and the various ways institutional systems shape access to resources. In the future, she hopes her endeavors will focus on bridging the gap between information and technology and people by making research, policy, and systems more accessible.
Fabian Palacios is an MA student in Sociology at George Mason University. His academic interests include economic inequality, labor and employment, immigration, and alternative economic organization. Originally from Peru, he currently researches how Latino and Hispanic immigrant communities in the United States organize and experience worker cooperatives. In Spring 2026, he is interning with SECOSOL (Semillero de Economía Solidaria), a local worker cooperative incubator and developer.
Malik Shafiq is a senior undergraduate pursuing a BA in Anthropology. His research interests include prisoner rights, liberation for Palestine, aid for queer and trans communities, and the utilization of writing and organizing to ensure equitable conditions for those most marginalized in today’s society. Malik's writing has been published in Brown History, Moth Eaten Mag, and Femme Dyke Zine. He runs a personal publication focused on queer Muslim recognition, lesbian feminism, and related issues relevant to contemporary organizing. He is working with the Movement Engaged research hub for his NS Fellowship internship.
Bella Villota is a graduate student at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, pursuing her Master of Public Policy. Her academic interests include justice reform, legal systems, and fighting for immigrant communities. She plans to work as a policy analyst and later attend law school to gain greater influence in understanding and shaping legislation, particularly in immigration law. This spring, she is interning with Democratizing NOVA, where she will oversee mapping, research, and outreach for childcare cooperatives across the DMV. Her work focuses on identifying regions with high-need childcare shortages and assisting immigrant and working populations with policy-driven solutions. Outside of class, she loves playing volleyball, weightlifting, baking, and playing Super Mario 3D World with her siblings.