Harrisburg, PA, April 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) announced today 37 recipients of its 2019 Visionary Voice Awards — a diverse group of honorees representing a wide range of disciplines from across the nation who have been selected for their outstanding work toward ending sexual harassment, misconduct and abuse. This year’s recipients include Mariame Kaba, a New York-based organizer, educator and curator whose work focuses on transformative justice and ending violence; Colorado Senator Faith Winter, the prime sponsor of a bill to create a fair and consistent response to sexual misconduct in higher education; Kristen Gibbons Feden, the prosecutor in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial; and Jennifer Bjorhus, Brandon Stahl, MaryJo Webster and Renée Jones Schneider, the reporters of an eight-part series in the Star Tribune detailing Minnesota’s failed rape investigations.
“We are proud to recognize this year’s Visionary Voice awardees whose unwavering commitment to supporting survivors of sexual violence is driving positive changes in communities across the country,” said NSVRC Executive Director Yolanda Edrington. “Their hard work brings us closer to a world free of sexual assault and abuse and inspires each of us to do our part to protect survivors and prevent sexual violence.”
The Visionary Voice Awards are presented annually by NSVRC, the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence, in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). SAAM is a national campaign held each April to raise awareness about preventing sexual violence. This year’s SAAM theme, “I Ask,” highlights the importance of consent by championing the message that asking for consent is a healthy, normal and necessary part of everyday interactions.
Nominated by state, territory and tribal sexual violence coalitions across the U.S, the following is a complete list of this year's Visionary Voice Award recipients:
- Kesha Boen (nominated by Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Mily Treviño-Sauceda (nominated by California Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Senator Faith Winter (nominated by Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Melinda L. Johnson (nominated by Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence)
- Angela L. Taylor (nominated by D. C. Rape Crisis Center)
- Angela DiNunzio Seguin (nominated by Sexual Assault Network of Delaware)
- Jennifer Heard (nominated by Florida Council Against Sexual Violence)
- Robert A. Underwood (nominated by Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence)
- Kathy Williams (nominated by Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence)
- Faith Fountain (nominated by Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs)
- Meredith M. Smith (nominated by Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault)
- Mary E. Shine (nominated by Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Hema Sarang-Sieminski (nominated by Jane Doe Inc.)
- Sue Snyder (nominated by Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Jennifer Bjorhus, Brandon Stahl, MaryJo Webster, Renée Jones Schneider (nominated by Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Matthew L. Huffman (nominated by Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Nichole Griffith (nominated by Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Christine Torres (nominated by Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence)
- Clarice Charlie-Hubbard (nominated by Nevada Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Liza Draper (nominated by New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Maggie-lou Mari (nominated by New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Julianna D. Koob (nominated by New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc.)
- Mariame Kaba (New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault)
- Kristen Gibbons Feden (nominated by Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape)
- Iris Beth Rodriguez Quiñones (nominated by Coordinadora Paz para la mujer)
- Erica J. Hardy (nominated by Day One)
- Gayle Thom (nominated by South Dakota Network Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault)
- Angela Benefield (nominated by Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- Monica Urbaniak (nominated by Texas Association Against Sexual Assault)
- Dahlia Stridiron-Felix (nominated by V.I. Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Council)
- Rebecca Weybright (nominated by Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance)
- Collin Veenstra (nominated by Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs)
- Terence C. Ahern, Ph.D. (nominated by West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services)
- L’Dawn Olsen (nominated by Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault)
To learn more about the 2019 Visionary Voice Award recipients, please visit: https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/visionary-voice-awards.
ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH
Sexual Assault Awareness Month is an awareness and prevention campaign observed every April. This year’s theme is “I Ask” and highlights the importance of consent. Join the campaign by accessing free resources at nsvrc.org/saam. Resources are available in Spanish at nsvrc.org/es/saam.
ABOUT NSVRC
NSVRC is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities and service providers achieve real and lasting change. The center also works with the media to promote informed reporting. Every April, NSVRC leads Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a campaign to educate and engage the public in addressing this widespread issue. NSVRC is also one of the three founding organizations of RALIANCE, a national, collaborative initiative dedicated to ending sexual violence in one generation.