New Open Horizon Civil and Criminal Justice Fellows to start in 2026

June 1, 2026 - The Council for Court Excellence (CCE) is proud to announce the selection and hiring of our two new Open Horizon Fellows for 2026: Rachel Hirsch and Dionejala Muhammad. In 2022, CCE became the first organization to partner with Open Horizon to expand the pipeline of attorneys and policy advocates from historically underrepresented communities who are well-prepared to assume future leadership roles. CCE is proud to continue this partnership and to bring on the fourth class of Fellows in 2026. The Fellows will contribute meaningfully to CCE’s work of bringing people together to research, educate, and advocate to make D.C.’s unique legal systems more just, equitable, and accountable to the community.

Ms. Hirsch, a recent graduate of the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, will join CCE as the Open Horizon Criminal Justice Fellow. While in law school, she served as a Certified Student Attorney at the Legislation and Post-Conviction Criminal Defense Clinics, as well as a Policy Law Clerk at the Children’s Law Center.

“I am thrilled to join CCE’s advocacy in improving outcomes in the District’s legal systems through evidence-based solutions, community education, and coalition building. I am ready to join in the fight to bring equitable systemic change to the District's criminal legal system by addressing institutional barriers, racial disparities, and mass incarceration,” said Hirsch.

Ms. Muhammad, who recently graduated from American University Washington College of Law, will serve as the Open Horizon Civil Justice Fellow. While in law school, she was a Student Attorney at the Gender Justice Clinic, served as an MLK Summer Legal Intern at Legal Aid of North Carolina, and worked as a Legal Intern at the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center in Washington, D.C.

“I am eager to join the Council for Court Excellence and continue my legal career helping the community that houses me. I hope to learn and share my expertise and knowledge for the betterment of the community and my workplace,” said Muhammad.

“We are grateful for our ongoing partnership with Open Horizon and are excited to begin working with our impressive new fellows,” said CCE’s Executive Director, Misty Thomas Zaleski. “All of us at CCE are committed to helping Rachel and Dionejala develop as early-career professionals, establish key relationships with public interest and policy leaders in D.C., and put them on the path towards future leadership.”

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About Open Horizon

Open Horizon is a family foundation based in Alexandria, VA, established in 2019. Open Horizon collaborates with nonprofit partners to co-create opportunities that advance racial and social justice through support in Economic Justice, Education Justice, and Health Justice. Serving the Greater Washington DC area, the US South, and beyond, Open Horizon is committed to catalyzing positive change by funding, building capacity, convening communities, and amplifying voices. Through relational and values-driven philanthropy, they invest in transformative leaders and community-rooted strategies for lasting impact.