ANNOUNCING THE 2024 AGLET AWARD NOMINEES

ANNOUNCING THE 2024 AGLET AWARD NOMINEES 

It’s our favorite part of the annual Aglet Awards: sharing all of the nominees! Look at this stunning list of the more than fifty 2024 nominees.

Aglets are not very well known. They are the plastic thingies at the end of our shoelaces. Even though most people don’t think about them much, it would be a lot harder to tie our shoes without them. Aglet Awards are for someone you know who provided critical support, leadership, insight, capacity, creativity, morale, or anything else that comes to mind to help an important cause. 

Every person listed below was nominated for this award because someone wanted them to know that their work is appreciated.

Right now, a panel of judges from the larger Aglet network are taking on the herculean task of selecting a top ten, each of whom will receive a $100 cash prize. We'll announce the winners by the end of June.

Now, sit back and let the judges take on the impossible task of attempting to pick between this amazing group of humans. 

Arwa Ahmed - Community healthcare (Dallas, Texas)

“Arwa is continuously embarking on new projects to help better the lives of others. Her passion for research and healthcare is her driving force in achieving her goal of making life easier for countless individuals. She has led a team in an HIV-1 drug research and development project and conducted a public health study to find a potential county-level correlation between early-onset colorectal cancer and arsenic in surface waters across Texas. She has already impacted countless lives throughout her rigorous research, volunteer work, and service within her school and community. Not only does Arwa impact lives in her endeavors, but she also impacts lives with her welcoming presence. Her openness to conversing, advising, and supporting is what makes her a pivotal factor in both her success and my life.” 

Emily Austin - Military teens for military teens (Lisbon, Portugal)

“Emily is one of the three leaders and the dedicated director of HR at Bloom, an organization made by military teens for military teens in order to empower, advocate and connect them. She has made countless people in this underrepresented community feel seen and works tirelessly to ensure that military kids have equal education opportunities and access to mental health support. She is always willing to jump onto any projects and naturally takes the lead, helping to carry the weight of the organization as leadership is split between only three people. She has a lovely, hardworking spirit and has only the best to say about everyone. She deserves this award more than anything for all she gives to her military community.”

Illyana Bocanegra - Transgender equality (Colorado)

“I'm nominating my partner Illyana who works at The National Center for Transgender Equality for their dedication and hard work within the branding, creative visioning, and video work they've produced and directed. They are inspiring and are helping to shape conversations around visibility for transgender people in America with the designing of the US Transgender Survey and campaigns for trans youth and sports, and showcasing how joyful it is to be trans. Illyana spends 3-5 hrs a week researching, studying, and learning about how to be a better storyteller and advocate for the trans community while vulnerably sharing their own lived experiences that make their way into the work.”

Lilith Breazeale - Youth advocacy

“I deeply admired the way she tackled youth health from multiple different perspectives. Speaking to her state senators about nutrition and physical fitness policies in schools, fighting against big tobacco at Capitol Hill to protect young minorities from their predatory practices, discussing global policy for the inclusion of rural youth in policy, and her most recent work to develop inclusive and trauma informed health resources for teens. I want her to know this work inspired me and proved that when it comes to making a change the important part is to just start.”

Barbara Cambria - Making baby quilts for local pediatric practice (Heathsville, VA)

"Barbara has always given time and money and volunteered for those who are, as they say, less fortunate. Barbara is a quilter and when she moved to rural Virginia to be near me (her daughter) in her old age, she wanted to keep up her giving. She, and then we, started making quilts for children seen at the local pediatric practice. A nurse told my mom that she gave a new dad a quilt in the days before Christmas. He cried, grateful that someone did something for him and his new son. A mom asked how long she could use the quilt and when told it was the baby's to keep, mom cried. The latest cause is making quilts for six kids in a family burned out of their home. Barbara has RA and some very bad pain days. She keeps quilting. She keeps doing for others. It's who she is. I think we're up to 147 over the past couple years. Barbara is all about the doing and not talking about it. Humble through and through.

Anderson Curtis - Raising awareness and mobilizing people to respond to the deficits of our criminal justice system (Hartford, CT) 

“Nearly five years ago, I sat next to Anderson at a dinner. Both he and I were joining the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness. We could not look more different- though our stories have so many parallels. He listened to my story that night, as I know he listens to everyone's story. He validated me, and I him. Since then, he has held me accountable to work towards the solutions - with empathy and compassion, he pushes me to be better, and connects me to people on the same journey. Anderson makes the world smaller, creating a community and a culture of change that is contagious. He is a community builder, unlike anyone I have ever met. Anderson's story of overcoming obstacles, to work towards justice for all, continues. He continues to fight for his basic needs, but never lets that stop him from showing up for the work and for others. He is an example to us all.”

Denise Denise - Curating nurturing spaces for trans + nonbinary folks to feel seen and valued (Virginia)

”Denise created the Trans Visionaries Collective, which includes free virtual meet-ups for BIPOC, queer, trans, non-binary, agender, and genderfluid folks to gather, imagine, and visualize together. Through the collective, they raise awareness of organizations supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ folks with funding, job opportunities, name changes, and other resources supporting our livelihood. Her consulting work also includes supporting BIPOC scholars navigating academic institutions. I hope Denise is aware of how valued she is to the community and collective.”

Marissa Ditkowsky - Support for disabled lawyers, judges, policy experts, legislators, academics, and other legal workers (Silver Spring, MD) 

“Marissa is a volunteer Executive Director for the National Disabled Legal Professionals Association, a national association of disabled lawyers, judges, policy experts, legislators, academics, and other legal workers, professionals, and organizers. NDLPA was formed to unify disabled legal professionals into a force for change and to advocate for and empower disabled legal professionals. Marissa has taken so much initiative in getting us organized. We are a new nonprofit, fully run by volunteers at this moment. Marissa has taken on the role of volunteer executive director. She has taken great strides to improve development and recruitment, in addition to putting together a vision for creating resources and hosting events. She also sends out a weekly newsletter with information about events, job opportunities, and other information to our members and runs our Twitter account. She has been a force in trying to get us organized and on the map. Marissa openly identifies as multiply disabled.” 

Jen Dolen - Showcasing how artists are engaged as problem solvers in the critical issues of our times (St. Paul, MN)

“Jen has been stewarding all the behind-the-scenes work in the beautiful publication FORWARD, and she does so with integrity of relationships and commitment to telling stories about justice work. Not only does she make each issue look beautiful and compelling to our audiences, but she also continues to hold us accountable in how we engage in relationships with writers, story tellers, partners and speakers. She has a keen eye and sensitivity towards making sure credit is given appropriately to photographers - an often overlooked part of publishing. (Photographers are artists, too!)”

Kevin Dua - Education, Civic Engagement, and Collaboration in Teaching (Massachusetts) 

“Kevin Dua has made exceptional contributions to education and civic engagement through his roles as an educator, mentor, and curriculum developer. From guiding students in evaluating political systems to pioneering programs for underrepresented teachers, Kevin's dedication to fostering critical thinking, cultural responsiveness, and social justice in education is unparalleled. His efforts have not only empowered students but have also inspired positive change on a systemic level. Kevin's tireless advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion has left an indelible mark on the communities he has served, and his impact continues to resonate far beyond the classroom. Kevin's extensive list of accolades and achievements speaks volumes about his commitment to advancing educational excellence and social equity. He is not only a teacher but also a mentor, leader, and catalyst for change. His passion for empowering others and creating inclusive learning environments is truly commendable, and he is incredibly deserving of recognition for his invaluable contributions to education and civic engagement.”

Michael Elizabeth - LGBTQ+ health equity (Houston, TX)

“Michael Elizabeth is the Public Health Policy Strategist at Equality Federation, a collection of state partner organizations throughout the United States that work collaboratively on critical issues impacting the LGBTQ+ community. In this role,  Mike has spent the last 10 years rooted in LGBTQ+ political and community organizing. We are living during times when it is more important than ever to celebrate and empower Black Trans lives - Michael does this daily, putting their entire being into this work. They grew up in the South as a nonbinary person, where they spent most of their life fighting for the ability to be truly them. When they found out they were living with HIV roughly 13 years ago, that motivated them to devote their time to helping create the changes to our systems needed to prevent other Black queer people from experiencing something that should have been defeated decades ago. They work harder than anyone I have ever seen, traveling all the time, never saying no to a request for their support.” 

Gil Elliot - Dog rescue (Sacramento, CA)

“I nominate my partner Gil Elliot for being the best partner a crazy dog person can have. Last summer, we ended up fostering a dog because I fell in love with it and he was about to be euthanized. For two exhausting months Gil helped me care for this guy, and then when a rescue agreed to take him, Gil drove 11 hours in a single day in a rented minivan carrying 3 adult dogs and 7 puppies to Idaho. He has bottomless compassion for animals big and small.”

Sheena Foster - Stewardship of water loving plants, building inclusive, intergenerational education programming (Washington, D.C.)

“Sheena Foster is the Executive Director of Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a national park in DC devoted to the conservation and stewardship of water loving plants such as exotic water lilies and lotuses. She is the first ED of color and she has helped to transform the friends by engaging in work around sustainable infrastructure development and ensuring the park has the capacity to manage the impact of climate change. Through her thoughtful and adaptive leadership, she has also secured funding to support language accessibility barriers to those who are non native English speakers who visit the park and recently secured a grant to engage in an intergenerational conservation education program for seniors and youth with a focus on social interconnectedness and citizen science. Sheena has been able to transform the organization in less than a year, starting the role just days after burying her father who lost his battle with lung cancer. We appreciate Sheena for her enhanced resilience. She is a remarkable and transformative leader.” 

Alexandra Garita - Building global women's movements (Mexico)

“In addition to her day job of boldly leading a global network of women's funds from around the world (like herding a bunch of progressive cats!) Alex always makes time for thoughtful, candid 1:1s with peers, friends, and colleagues. She's one of the few people I trust and respect to check me, offer guidance through professional challenges, provide a different and more globally-grounded context to thorny questions, share nuggets of wisdom, and offer love, grace, and care to her colleagues. I am grateful for the way she has shown up for me in a new professional phase of work and offered patient, clear, consistent guidance.”

Heather Gilchrest - School administrator (York, ME)

“Heather is a dedicated and passionate member of the Village Elementary School community. In her work as an administrator, she oversees departments to ensure that they are adequately funded so that teachers can do important work of educating children. Recently, Heather helped brainstorm a list of playground equipment items for students to play with during kindergarten and first grade recess. This list of items includes: bubbles, chalk, dance ribbons, hula-hoops, and velcro catch. It's my hope that this nomination will provide much needed funds to purchase the playground recess items listed above which are not typically budgeted for in the school budget and often come out teachers own paycheck. These playground recess items are loved by the students and are used up quickly.”

Mags Goerig - Saving shelter dogs (Sacramento, CA)

"Mags is a volunteer dog walker at the Front Street Animal Shelter and focuses on dogs that are the highest risk for euthanasia. She creates amazing, hilarious narrated videos of the dogs and shares them on social media, where she's received tens of thousands of views and has gotten many dogs successfully adopted. One dog was even transported as far as Alabama, and Mags coordinated the entire adoption including transport. [See the story here: https://www.facebook.com/volunteer.mags/videos/812503400308222]

But most extraordinary is the time, care, and devotion Mags has for her foster dog, Majik. An older pit mix, Majik is highly reactive towards other dogs, so he barks and lunges when he sees other dogs. Mags has been doing nonstop training with Majik to overcome this. She also coordinated a much needed eye surgery for him, and has rehabilitated him since his painful, traumatic stint at the shelter. She pulled Majik right before he was to be euthanized. She's had him for four months, and he clearly loves her with all his heart."

Kaori Hirakawa - Language access and immigrant integration (Montgomery County, Maryland)

“Kaori Hirakawa has done tremendous work in immigrant integration, diversity and language access. She spent more than 16 years working locally to help immigrants to be a vibrant part of our community and fully access public services, improving diversity and understanding, and creating the county's language access program during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has been part of the Welcoming movement to ensure that our cities, counties, and nation are truly welcoming to immigrants, especially during these times when so many would demonize newcomers to our country. For the last year and a half she has taken her language access and immigrant integration skills national, helping communities across the country ensure that they are providing information and services in a way that is fully accessible to all residents, regardless of literacy level, disability, or limited English proficiency. I appreciate her incredible work to ensure that everyone in our communities can thrive. She's also a kind, supportive person who so many of us appreciate working with.”

Kimberly Ho - Mental health support and services for the Pan-Asian community (Los Angeles, CA)

"Kim is a remarkable community leader with a profound passion for supporting new nonprofits, providing steadfast guidance to organizations during their early growth phases. For the past three years, Kim has been volunteering with the Asian Mental Health Project, undertaking significant roles such as leading the development of both virtual and in-person community care initiatives and building out a mental health assistance grant program. In addition to her work with the Asian Mental Health Project, Kim is deeply involved with fund development and fundraising efforts at Entwine Community, which provides mental health and support services for Asian, Asian American, and multicultural communities in the Greater Los Angeles area. Her professional career (in something completely different - accounting!) in higher education has positioned her to mentor many students, especially international students experiencing acculturative stress. She is a beacon of inspiration, tirelessly working to support and uplift communities in both her professional and volunteer capacities."

Brit Holmes - Equity, Anti-Racism, Gender Equity, LGBTQ+ Justice, Disability Justice, Accessibility (Lansing, MI)

“Brit has been such a key player in our community of progressive communicators. As a disabled, queer, nonbinary small business, they have taken their time to create narrative work, brands, graphics, and training for movement folx. They keep accessibility as a requirement for their work and their clients. They also started a free learning series this year called Set Yourself Up. Every month, they host a Zoom with Sam Chavez to help provide professional development and free advice about a range of topics that have benefited organizations focused on equity across the country. They also have taken in multiple mentees under their wing. Brit always gives back and goes above and beyond in their work despite so many of their challenges they face in their life, I appreciate that they put intersectional feminism into practice and truly care about accessibility and anti-racism.” 

Kayhan Irani - Immigration justice (New York, NY)

“Kayhan has turned her own immigration and dislocation trauma into a healing tool for others. Her project, There is a Portal, offers a theatrical production and participatory workshops that offer a portal to healing, wholeness, and cultural power.”

Jennifer Jobe - Saving shelter dogs (Sacramento, CA)

“Jen is a longtime volunteer at the Front Street Animal Shelter. Despite having a demanding full-time job that requires a lot of travel, she devotes all of her free time as a volunteer dog walker for the shelter and taking video and promoting dogs at risk of euthanasia on social media. She is currently fostering a dog, Tully, who was so scared in the shelter that she was frozen to her bed and wouldn't move. Jen spent hours with Tully just to get her to trust her enough to get her out of her kennel to take her home to foster. Once in a home, Tully has blossomed. Jen is still working on separation anxiety, but Tully is now fully integrated into Jen's home and Jen is now carefully screening potential adopters. Jen's devotion to saving dogs is extraordinary. The number of dogs that are being euthanized in shelters across the country is at an all-time high due to post-COVID back to the office rules, skyrocketing costs of living, the high cost of veterinary care, and other factors. We need the love, devotion, and compassion of more people like Jen to save them all.”

M Jade Kaiser - Racial, gender, economic, decolonial justice with a faith perspective (Iowa City, IA, but their work is national)

“M was the first openly trans ordained minister in the United Methodist Church (they have since left the church). They have fought their whole adult life for racial and gender justice, especially the centering of those divine individuals historically most marginalized and harmed by the church. They help others see and create a world where everyone's preciousness is honored. They helped to create enfleshed (www.enfleshed.com) to resource allies and co-conspirators. Their work is unique, deep, and life saving.”

Christopher Kawaguchi - Building friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (Fresno, CA )

“Christopher Kawaguchi should win the Aglet Award for his invaluable contributions to improving inclusion and enhancing lives through the Best Buddies program in the Central Valley area of California. Since starting as a program manager last year, his unwavering support, leadership, and creativity have been instrumental in advancing the cause of inclusion and friendship for individuals of all abilities. He is modest and says he is just supporting and providing guidance to incredible individuals. Still, like an aglet, his presence had made a mission of inclusion so much easier and accessible to everyone. Through his dedication, Christopher has uplifted morale, provided critical insight, and significantly enhanced the program's capacity to impact countless lives positively.”

Mechelle Lassiter - Renters’ rights, (Queens, NY)

“They work with an organization that fights for renters’ rights. They work so hard and go the extra mile at work. Not only that, this person coaches actors at various levels in their careers. I want them to know that their work doesn't go unnoticed and that they are appreciated.”

Kara Latiolais - Advocate for sexual assault survivors (Midland, Texas)

“A former prosecutor, Kara volunteers as a SANE victim advocate. This means that when she's on call, if a person goes into the ER for a sexual assault exam, she goes to the ER and helps them through the process. I know that every time she goes out for one of these calls, it's an emotionally difficult experience, but that the victim really needs to have someone there to be a calm and informed advocate for them. She's also just a really great friend.” 

AshleyCae Lee - Health care reform for cancer patients and other patients with chronic illnesses (Flint, Michigan) 

“AshleyCae is battling terminal cancer yet she still shows up and beyond for other people. I had a speaking engagement where we needed someone with insight in the battle with cancer and she showed up. Right after chemo, walking cane in hand, and smile on her face. She spoke with such power and compassion. She stayed around after to speak and give resources to other people who needed it. AshleyCae is a wonderful young woman who is only 28 years old. She has made such an impact on the cancer awareness community. She brings light and life into every room she crosses.” 

“I saw her speaking event in March where she looked visibly tired. She walked with a cane but had a smile lit up the room. She spoke about advocating for your health not allowing your doctor to speak over you. She did this with such pose and confidence. When she was done speaking she walked around the room shaking hands and hugging people. When she reached me she was red in the face, but smiling… She is a beautiful spirit and I’m just grateful to have met her.”

Note AshleyCae was nominated twice by two separate people. 

Emma Lembke - Youth mental health and social media (St. Louis) 

“Emma Lembke is a 20-year-old youth digital advocate at Washington University in St. Louis working to address social media’s impact on younger generations. As a senior in high school, Emma founded LOG OFF, a youth movement dedicated to uplifting and empowering youth to tackle the complexities of social media and its impact on their privacy, safety, and mental health. As a student and an activist, Emma is a thoughtful leader who has brought young people together from around the world to tackle the challenging issue of how social media impacts the generation that grew up online. I'm proud to have worked with her, and I'm excited to see where her leadership takes her.” 

Olivia Marant - Youth political engagement/ indigenous peoples advocacy (Louisiana)

“They work very hard to spread awareness about the importance of the #LandBack movement and reformation of the federal recognition process for Native American tribes. They raise awareness for other indigenous groups like those in Central and South America because they are often excluded in discussions about indigenous people. They’ve done this through writing articles and being a founding member/leader of their school’s Indigenous Students of the Americas club. They also serve as the state chair for the Louisiana High School Democrats. They manage to advocate for the queer community as well, serving on the High School Democrats of America’s LGBTQ+ caucus’ executive board while also being the rising vice president of their schools Gender and Sexuality Alliance club.” 

Shanai Matteson - Environmental justice (Northern Minnesota)

“Shanai has been a passionate and dedicated organizer, first working on the efforts to stop the Line 3 pipeline, then on the effort now to stop the Talon Mine. She is an artist and mother, and does the real kind of community organizing on the ground. Her artistic abilities allow her to do work against environmental injustice in a way that makes people hopeful and engaged. Now she's founding a new organization that does arts-based community organizing with an amazing Indigenous woman, and I feel like any recognition would help inspire her to know folks support her vision.”

Rachel Moon - Digital strategist for civil rights, mentor to young BIPOC leaders (Connecticut) 

“Rachel (she/they) is the Digital Strategist for the ACLU of Connecticut. They also do pro bono leadership work for BIPOC young people and mentor a group of young leaders. Rachel’s first job out of college was at ACLU Connecticut, and just a month after she was hired, her supervisor/department head left the organization. For five months, Rachel stepped in and led the communications team, including during a public corruption scandal in the state government on which the ACLU needed to take the messaging lead. With care, precision, and follow through, Rachel kept her department and the organization above water — all the while taking care of her family and doing significant volunteer work to help mentor young BIPOC leaders in her personal capacity. I have been impressed with Rachel’s poise, tenacity, and adaptability. Their formidable skill set has accomplished much in their professional life and beyond, and I look forward to the impact Rachel will continue to have on the world.”

Rachel Myslivy - Faith-based climate justice (Wisconsin)

“Rachel does climate justice organizing in a faith-based context and works tirelessly to help congregations understand their role in their community beyond solar panels and recycling bins. She creates opportunities for individuals and communities to wrestle with the complicated pain of this work and ways to celebrate our resilience. Rachel sees the promise of liberation in everything she does, and works tirelessly to bring it about, using a variety of tools and tactics so that anyone can find their way into this work. Her commitment to accountable, liberatory climate justice work is inspiring too - it's not an either/or with her, but a yes, and Rachel is a delightful colleague and friend.”

Nikki Nesbary -  Vocal group supporting progressive causes (Washington, D.C.)

“Nikki has served for years as an integral member of the SongRise leadership team. She has served as the Chair role, Member Growth/Marketing and Comms/Community Engagement Director, and has shepherded the group through a lot of changes, a pandemic, fiscal sponsorship, and more. Additionally, Nikki is a musical activist, friend, singer, and songwriter (just to name a few). SongRise has supported many causes over the years by raising money and awareness through vocal performances, such as the Women's March 2018, galas for progressive organizations, fair housing, climate change, reproductive rights, a fair justice system, and more. We have performed for the Sierra Club and other climate change activists as we sang about mountaintop removal; we have sung South African songs of freedom and resistance with Democracy Awakening protesters; and we performed at the MomsRising 10th anniversary celebration, where we called Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Tom Perez, Rep. Schakowski, Rep. Del Bene, and Tina Tchen to join their voices with ours and let their lights shine.”

Shedrick Pelt - Photography for Black Lives Matter and other causes (Washington, D.C.) 

“Shedrick is an incredible photographer. I appreciate his artistry, his heart, and the sincerity he brings to the work. He's motivated by a deep sense of purpose, not performative nor virtue signaling. He's loving and kind and expresses gratitude with total sincerity.”

Katie Petitt - Lead organizer for Black Lives Matter (D.C./Baltimore)

“Katie led a delegation of Black organizers to Standing Rock, co-founded a grassroots funding group called Money Pot through Movement for Black Lives-DC, and is the founder of Current Movements, an initiative that curates spaces for arts, culture and movement to intersect. Not only does Katie show up with her phenomenal organizing skills, she's always pointing people to the importance of the "what if" questions for building our imaginations for things to be different, and rooting us in the lessons and strength of our ancestors. Katie has worked with countless local and national groups to strategically build the strength and effectiveness of our movements from the bottom up. She brings an intersectional and an internationalist lens, understanding how issues that impact Black folks in the U.S. relate to non-Black folks here and and people all over the world.”

Adriana Quinones - Volunteer work as an ESL teacher for immigrants, mentor for Latinx youth and pro-bono services as a therapist (Minneapolis, MN)

“Adriana undertook double shifts to qualify as a sponsor and provide financial support for her family in Puerto Rico. Consequently, she decided to sponsor a Venezuelan immigrant to come to the United States and provided shelter. In the meantime, Adriana dedicated her time to empowering the BIPOC community, with a particular focus on the Latinx community. In addition, she is currently a full-time student in a Psychology program and also works as a committed mental health therapist, particularly for individuals from the BIPOC community. Adriana's kindness is truly exceptional and deserves to be acknowledged and rewarded. I truly hope she is aware of how immensely proud her younger self feels about her.”

Maura Quint - Tax fairness policy (Central Pennsylvania)

“Maura is a brilliant humorist and policy advocate. Her writing, speaking, and expressiveness when appearing on camera are exceptional tools she wields to push for tax justice and other progressive causes. She's a national treasure.”

“Maura has helped educate countless Americans on tax policy and how existing tax laws only benefit the upper class and she campaigns for fairer tax laws that benefit lower and middle class individuals and families. I admire this because so much of modern America is focused on self-importance and Maura’s work is about helping others and not being selfish because it’s exactly how the 1% act and that’s why what she does is so important and inspiring.”

Note Maura was nominated twice by two separate people. 

Richard Rothstein - Just Action and Color of Law, two books about housing segregation (San Francisco Bay Area) 

“Rothstein has been a civil rights and race warrior forever. SNCC, registering voters in the South, writing these two books about housing segregation (The Color of Law and Just Action.) He is 80 years old and he is basically a full-time volunteer to work to end racism. He gets up every day and writes and does Zoom and some in-person appearances. He is a remarkable guy.” 

Amy Saidman - Inspires, connects, and builds a community of diverse voices (Washington, D.C.) 

“Amy Saidman is the Director of Story District, a local arts organization that teaches and showcases the art of true, first-person storytelling to inspire, connect, and build a community of diverse voices within the Washington, D.C. region and beyond. Amy has done something extraordinary.  She’s not merely created a space where existing diverse voices can be heard and celebrated. She proactively sought to expand that definition by seeking partnerships in an expanded community so that even more people are empowered to tell their stories. Amy’s work has made Story District a place where many storytellers take to the stage for the very first time after receiving extensive support. She helps people understand that they have a powerful voice and that their stories are worth hearing. Her work also allows people to see themselves in others–expanding their understanding of what is their community.”

Natalie Santoro - (Palestine, San Francisco, CA)

“Natalie is a social media manager who works with small businesses/influencers with liberal values behind the scenes to help them promote their work AND show their support for causes they believe in. Outside of that, she is an advocate for the genocide happening in Palestine. She's been advocating on TikTok, attending protests, and messaging with dozens of Palestinian families to help them connect with resources. She does not get paid for any of that work, but still dedicates a ton of time and energy to it. Even knowing that she might repel potential clients with her advocacy, she remains committed to the cause. Because Natalie is a friend, I know that she has sometimes struggled to land clients due to her dedication to advocating for Palestine. $100 is a small amount, but I think it would actually make a real impact for her.” 

Noel Schroeder - Youth arts and activism -- building strong community through young people and music (Washington, D.C.)

“Noel has kept Girls Rock! DC afloat during a tumultuous time. As executive director, they've overseen a huge staffing change, board turnover, rebuilding our camp programming post-COVID-19, and have closed the gap on a huge budget shortfall. They are a rock star and are beloved by youth musicians, youth leaders, and adult volunteers and parents alike. Noel is a true community leader -- their day job is primarily youth arts and activism, but they are also a point person for their neighborhood mutual aid network and in many other local causes. They are known as a problem solver with a kind heart. I deeply admire them!”

Joseph Senyonjo - The struggle to end the East African Crude Oil Pipeline in Uganda and Tanzania  (NYC)

“Joseph is a Ugandan diaspora organizer who has been critical in moving the Ugandan community around trying to end the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) that cuts through his country and into Tanzania. Not only is it a carbon bomb, but it is displacing thousands and contributes to the continued exploitation of Africa. Joseph has tirelessly brought his community together with climate orgs and other diaspora groups to raise the issue, and keeps bringing people out to protest. He's a hard worker and does all this in his free time!” 

Cinthya Silverstein - Arts and racial/gender/class/disability justice (Los Angeles, CA)

“Cinthya pours her amazing talents–which include not only visual, photographic, design and writing skills, but also financial stewardship and fundraising–into building communities and institutions that bring art of every kind to people in every walk of life. She speaks for equity in many contexts, including birthing support; arts education; enrichment of Jewish communities through full participation by Jews of color such as herself; and raising children with a ‘village’ mentality that values each person's unique strengths while providing the supports and accommodations that can allow them to thrive. Cinthya is clever, funny, devoted and generous. And she usually cedes the limelight to others, while throwing massive amounts of energy and effort into setting the scene for artistic excellence and community connection. Cinthya has a rare gift of making people feel seen, embraced and connected.”

Kate Snyder - Medical volunteer in rural communities (Bethesda, MD)

“Kate is a PhD nurse educator by training, but it's her dedication to community service that prompted this nomination. She volunteers several times a year through Remote Area Medical (https://www.ramusa.org/) doing pop up medical clinics in rural communities. She also volunteers at the medical tent of local community events, such as the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler or Marine Corp Marathon. In addition to her full-time work at Montgomery College and extensive volunteer experience, Kate is also an amazing mom to twin teenage boys (no small feat!). I also admire her dedication to lifelong learning - she is always seeking to hone a skill or learn something new, as evidenced by the recent completion of her PhD from Marymount University...and her Spanish classes, which she continued to take while pursuing her PhD! She is an incredible human being who always makes time to support family and friends.”

Ahsan Suhail - Created the Masjid Fresno's Feed the Hungry Initiative (Fresno, California) 

“Masjid Fresno is located in the heart of Fresno. However, with its urban location, there is a burgeoning problem: homelessness. Understanding this issue, Ahsan admirably created the Feed the Hungry initiative. Starting in Ramadan of last year, he organized food and clothing drives for the financially insecure population. Initially, the initiative was restricted to Masjid Fresno’s surrounding areas; however, at Ahsan’s behest, other masjids became involved, namely Masjid My Deen. Due to his efforts, our house of worship has become a safe haven for the grossly neglected homeless population. History books may not necessarily mention individual actions like his, but I believe that he is a deserving candidate to be remembered for this award.”

Tracey Thompson - Long COVID public education  

“After being forced to leave her work as a chef due to severe long COVID, Tracey founded BIRCH, providing infographics and amplifying the stories of Black, Indigenous, Racialized Peoples experience with Covid-19, Post-Covid, Long Covid & Post-Viral Illness. As she puts it: ‘The BIRCH mandate is to take Covid, post-Covid & Long Covid info offline. The goal is to get posters on bus stops, telephone polls and in community hubs and libraries where folks who might not be following info online can see them. She's a dedicated and strategic communicator who has produced clear public education materials filling the void left in public health messaging.” 

Pooja Tilvawala, Human and environmental health (Bensalem, PA)

“I have known Pooja for nearly a decade. She has tremendous energy and is an inspiration to all she meets. In college, she served as a student leader at my tropical nature reserve in Nicaragua. Later, I volunteered to help her with virtual Climate Courage workshops for youth leaders around the world to strengthen their emotional resilience to climate change. Pooja is extremely knowledgeable about climate issues, youth leadership, and activism. She is innovative, creative, and a great team player. I love hearing about her many creative projects and leadership initiatives. I highly recommend Pooja for all aspects of climate work and youth leadership, and this award. I experienced her as a reliable, consistent and solution-oriented thought partner with solid execution skills. She has the capacity to convene leaders and build strong communities of changemakers on top of her thought leadership in the climate and impact spaces. I highly recommend Pooja for this award; she is a great community builder.”

Mo Viviane - Support BIPOC disabled, queer, trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive people in accessing a variety of gender-affirming resources (Kentucky)

“Mo has assisted BIPOC 2TIGE+ and disabled folks requesting career support with resumes/CV, and cover letters, emergency financial assistance, housing support, gender affirming care, access to basic needs, and various other forms of support for folks navigating survival mode. Their support to others in their time of need continues to impact folks in our communities and it hasn't gone unnoticed!”

Linh-Phuong Vu - Vietnamese community empowerment (Dorchester, Boston, MA)

“I am nominating Linh-Phuong Vu for her exceptional contributions to the Boston Little Saigon community. Linh-Phuong's work has been crucial in amplifying the Vietnamese community, enhancing engagement, and fostering cultural ties. Her efforts have strengthened community bonds and elevated the visibility of the Vietnamese community across Boston. Linh-Phuong's unwavering dedication to community empowerment makes her an outstanding candidate for this recognition. Her leadership in organizing cultural events and educational programs has not only enriched our community but also bridged generational gaps and built stronger connections. Her work has created a more inclusive and vibrant environment, which has not only preserved our culture but has also empowered our community members to thrive. Her dedication is a north star of hope and an inspiration!”

Darren Whetstone - Community outreach and education around COVID-19 (Washington, D.C.)

“Darren employed her considerable skills in copywriting and design as well as her knowledge of the DC community to leverage multiple channels and maximize the initiatives DC Health built around the COVID-19 pandemic. Darren is caring, thoughtful, an active partner in her spouse and children's lives, a co-worker I learn from daily, and someone I'm honored to call a friend.”

Chelsea Higgs Wise - Drug policy reform and racial equity (Richmond Virginia)  

“Chelsea started an organization to end the war on drugs and help Virginia be the first in the south to decriminalize cannabis. She is working to hold space for other southern states to create reform. She is also a mother, social worker and supports federal work for ending the harms of drug enforcement. Her commitment is to the cause of this legacy work of ending the war on drugs. We are grateful for what she’s doing for the Commonwealth and for the nation. Her leadership as a Black Queer mother is inspiring as she fights for not just equity but for our survivors. She also created a winning podcast for Richmond, VA that has won community voted awards! Race Capitol is her podcast.”