HPJC’s Peacemaker Awards Dinner is an annual celebration honoring local Houston leaders and national voices for peace and justice.
These are the outstanding national and local recipients HPJC has honored:
2021 Peacemaker Award (given jointly with My Brother’s Keeper-Houston):
George Floyd Foundation and James Byrd Jr Family
Local Honorees: (none in 2021 due to pandemic)
2020 National Peacemaker Award: Sharon Watts
Local Honorees: Martina Grifaldo, Meals on Wheels Houston, Moms Demand Action
2019 National Peacemaker Award: Roxanne Dunbar-Otiz
Local Honorees: Undies for Everyone, Judge Lina Hidalgo and Egberto Willies
2018 National Peacemaker Award: Chuck Collins
Local Honorees: Dr. Gerald Horne, United We Dream (HTX Chapter) and the Children’s Prison Arts Project
2017 National Peacemaker Award: Chief Arvol Looking Horse
Local Honorees: Diane Wilson, Jacquelyn Battise, and the Texas Organizing Project (TOP)
2016 National Peacemaker Award: Sonia Nazario
Local Honorees: Ashton Woods, Jackie Young, and Bren Hardt
2015 National Peacemaker Award: Chris Hedges
Local Honorees: Benjamin Craft-Rendon, Yudith Nieto, and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition
2014 National Peacemaker Award: Medea Benjamin
Local Honorees: Dr. Robert Bullard, the Station Museum of Contemporary Art and “5 Dynamic Young Latinas” Jannell Robles, Maria Xiquin-Espinosa, Dayana Gomez Mendoza, Acuña-Arreaza & Silvia Chicas
2013 National Peacemaker Award: Dennis Kucinich
Local Honorees: Francisco (Pancho) Arguelles, Christine Kovic, Lisa Falkenberg, and Mustafaa Carroll
2012 National Peacemaker Award: Bryan Stevenson
Local Honorees: Margaret Nosek, PhD., Ovide Duncantell, and “Justice for Janitors” (Alice McGee/Adriana Vasquez)
2011 National Peacemaker Award: Jim Hightower
Local Honorees: Johnny Mata, Center for the Healing Racism, and Food Not Bombs
2010 National Peacemaker Award: Dr. Helen Caldicott
Local Honorees: Texans Together, Richard Shaw, Sylvia Gonzales, and Awanda Whitworth (special posthumous award)
2009 National Peacemaker Award: Helen Thomas
Local Honorees: Ester King, Col. Ann Wright, Houston Peace News, and the Progressive Forum Radio Show
2008 National Peacemaker Award: Center for Constitutional Rights
Local Honorees: MECA, Rothko Chapel, UH Students Against Sweatshops
2007 National Peacemaker Award: Cindy Sheehan
Local Honorees: Rodney Ellis, Houston Area Women’s Center, Bob Randall
2006 National Peacemaker Award: Roy Bourgeois
Local Honorees: Amy Branham, Ray Hill, Omawale Luthuli
2005 National Peacemaker Award: Bob Jensen
Local Honorees: Garnet Coleman, Sissy Farenthold, Maria Jimenez
2004 National Peacemaker Award: Kathy Kelley
Local Honorees: SHAPE Community Center, Texans Against Gun Violence, Marilyn White
2003 National Peacemaker Award: Rep. Barbara Lee
Local Honorees: Ada Edwards, KPFT, Gordon Quan