Social Justice in Action Awards

Steve Kerr is the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, leading the team to the most wins in franchise history. Kerr coached the USA Basketball Men’s National Team, guiding them to gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Prior to coaching, he had a 15-year NBA playing career, winning five championships, and later serving as president of basketball operations and general manager of the Phoenix Suns. A dedicated advocate for social justice, gun safety, education, and academic freedom, Steve Kerr brings courage and leadership both on and off the court.

Nancy Pelosi is an American legislator who served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Representing California’s 11th congressional district since 1987, she has played a central role in advancing legislation on healthcare, climate policy, economic recovery, and democratic governance. As Speaker, Pelosi led the House through historic moments, including two presidential impeachments and the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Her career reflects a commitment to civil rights, women’s equality, and the protection of democratic institutions.

James Morris Lawson, Jr. (in memoriam, September 22, 1928–July 9, 2024) was an ordained minister, activist, university professor, and founding board member of the Beerman Foundation. A leading theoretician and tactician of nonviolence in the Civil Rights Movement, he trained many future leaders, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Diane Nash, James Bevel, Bernard Lafayette, Marion Barry, and John Lewis. In the 1960s, he mentored the Nashville Student Movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Expelled from Vanderbilt University for his activism, he later served for twenty- five years as pastor  of Holman Church in Los Angeles.

John Lewis was a civil rights leader and longtime member of the United States House of Representatives. He chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, was an original Freedom Rider, and helped lead the Selma to Montgomery marches. Representing Georgia’s 5th district for more than three decades, he remained a moral voice on voting rights and equality and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for urging Americans to make “good trouble” in the pursuit of a more just and inclusive society.

Maria Ressa is a journalist and author known for defending press freedom and democracy. She co-founded and leads Rappler, a digital news platform in the Philippines recognized for investigative reporting. In 2021, Ressa became the first Filipina to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for safeguarding freedom of expression. A former CNN bureau chief and author on disinformation and authoritarianism, her courageous work highlights the essential role of a free press in protecting democratic institutions.

Dolores Huerta is a labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers alongside Cesar Chavez. She organized farmworkers for fair wages and safe conditions, playing a key role in the Delano grape strike. Huerta founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation to train community leaders and advance civic engagement and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 for her lifelong commitment to social justice. Her enduring work continues to inspire movements for labor rights, gender equality, and racial justice.

Norman Lear was a television writer and producer whose work reshaped American culture. Through series such as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Good Times, he brought issues of race, class, gender, and politics into mainstream entertainment. As a committed political activist, Lear founded People For the American Way to defend constitutional freedoms and and promote civic participation. He received numerous honors, including multiple Emmy Awards and a National Medal of Arts.