For the past 31 years, the Board of Directors at United Campus Ministry has been recognizing individuals in the Athens community for their efforts to promote peace and justice.
Wednesday night, they will honor the latest group with the most recent Social Justice Awards.
“What I hope comes from this award is enhanced visibility for the important work that is being done on diversity and social justice by so many groups and organizations and by so many individuals in our communities and across our region,” said David Descutner, a Social Justice Award recipient who is the dean of University College.
UCM Executive Director Melissa Wales said in a news release that this award helps to recognize those whose deeds might otherwise go underappreciated.
“Activism, advocacy and peace and justice work is not generally publicly acknowledged and celebrated in our culture, and often requires great personal sacrifice,” Wales said in the news release. “UCM feels it’s important to recognize and honor individuals and organizations dedicated to social change and justice.”
UCM works to engage the Athens and Ohio University communities in spiritual growth, work for social justice and community service guided by socially progressive and interfaith values, according to the release.
This year’s event will include the presentation of the Kuhre Griesinger Lifetime Award to Peggy Faw Gish. Gish has been the leader on many social justice topics and won a Social Justice Award in 2005.
For 11 years she was the co-director of the Appalachian Peace and Justice Network. During that time she helped support regional peace and justice groups and efforts, helped establish conflict management programs in schools in the region and provided peace and justice resources.
OU’s Hillel received an award for its “Got Swabbed?” bone marrow drive, which has led to 25 matches throughout the campaign, said Lauren Goldberg, the engagement associate at Hillel.
“We just made a match last week for a 1-year-old child, so a Bobcat now has the opportunity to save her life,” Goldberg said. “It’s a powerful and transformative gift for the donor and the recipient.”
The program, in its fifth year, aims to get 10,000 people swabbed by the end of the year, she added.
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This article originally appeared in print under the headline "UCM holds Social Justice Awards."
