The MacArthur Fellows Program gives out genius awards each year to 20 to 40 individuals who demonstrate extensive promise for their line of work. This year, there were 23 recipients.

Among this year's recipients were two Rhode Island residents, both of whom graduated from Brown University, according to Providence Business News.

Nick Benson, who is a third-generation stone letter carver and calligrapher is currently working on a new memorial for Martin Luther King Jr. in Washington, D.C. Sebastian Ruth, who is a music educator and founded Community MusicWorks, also received the $500,000 prize.

"They are explorers and risk takers, contributing to their fields and to society in innovative, impactful ways," MacArthur Foundation president Robert Gallucci said in a statement. "They provide us all with inspiration and hope for the future."

In a Hollywood twist, the creator of the TV show "The Wire," David Simon, was also one of the recipients of the award, according to Reuters. The foundation stated that Simon's writing was able to portray some of the problems that plague the country, such as poverty and corruption.

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