Denise Stanley for The Power to the People Award who has served as a longtime tenant association president of the Kenilworth Courts Resident Council. Ms. Stanley’s organizing has resulted in Kenilworth Courts receiving one of the strongest agreements in any public housing redevelopment with actual repercussions for developers who violate the terms.

Julia Flores for The Speak Truth to Power Award for her work with Comite de Apoyo Laboral y Poder Obrero, Many Languages One Voice (MLOV). Julia was fired from Whole Foods after working there for 15 years in retaliation for defending her coworker who was also unjustly fired. Julia has led hundreds of people in picket lines and street shut downs in front of Whole Foods regional corporate headquarters.

Jessica Raven for The Helga Herz Be The Change Award  and serves as the Executive Director of Collective Action For Safe Spaces.  Jessica has made the District safer by fighting against harassment through an intersectional lens and being present across movements. She is responsible for spearheading a campaign with WMATA that included an awareness campaign on street harassment, and is best known for her work on the Safe Bars program that equips bar staff with the tools to recognize and respond to harassment.   

Tracye Redd for The Another World is Possible Award for being a full time activist with Black Youth Project 100 (BYP100) and The Movement for Black Lives. Tracye has led countless NVDA trainings, participated in multiple actions, been on the frontlines for racial justice, and serves as an important liaison between SURJ/white accomplices and the Movement for Black Lives. 

Emmelia Augusta Talarico and Dylan Petrohilos for The People United Award

Emmelia Augusta Talarico is a brilliant long-time labor organizer who became involved when she was approached by a union organizer outside of her job at a sheet metal factory. From there, she became involved in Occupy Wall Street and went on to organize with Change to Win (CTW). Within a year at CTW, Emmelia organized fast food and service workers’ councils, mobilizations & several strikes, pushing President Obama to sign an executive order granting workers higher wages. Emmelia recently became involved in the mobilizations that took place on inauguration and can be found these days working on Resist This Spokes Council.

Dylan Petrohilos is an organizer based in DC and is dedicated to building stronger local social movements. Coming from a working-class family, he first got involved with activism through the local Do It Yourself (DIY) community and later through Students For A Democratic Soceity (SDS). He’s organized with Energy Action Coalition for a clean planet, WGAE (as a member) for a strong union contract in the digital media world, and has designed countless graphics for the inauguration protests and community spokes council for Resist This!  

Common Ground for The Empowering the Future Youth Award, a powerful youth organization formed by Wilson students who organized the student walkouts at DCPS. They witnessed various racial injustices within their high school communities and have created a space where students who don’t take the same classes or live in the same neighborhoods can meet, along with other community building initiatives to support diversity, eradicate self-segregation, and promote social activism.

We hope you’ll join us in honoring them and our collective resistance as a community at the 2017 Activist Awards: Keep Fighting DC on May 17th from 6:30-9pm in the St. Stephens Church in the Sanctuary at 1525 Newton St NW.  

Buy your tickets now! Tickets are $25-200 sliding scale.  Purchase a ticket at $100 and receive a free gift

You can also volunteer to get in free or ask for a discounted rate by emailing Darakshan@washingtonpeacecenter.org by April 21st.  

Interested in supporting awardees by buying an AD?  Once again, we’ll be accepting ads to congratulate the winners or highlight upcoming campaigns and events!

RSVP on Facebook here and spread the word.  See you at the activist party of the year!