NEA announces 2024 recipients of Human and Civil Rights Awards

WASHINGTON – In recognition of their tireless efforts towards a more inclusive and just society, the NEA will honor nine deserving individuals with its highest and most prestigious awards, the NEA Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Awards, on July 3 at the Philadelphia Convention Center, in Philadelphia, Penn. This year’s theme for the 57^th Annual HCR Awards Dinner is Freedom Rings: Celebrating the Legacy of Inspiring Power, Dreams, and Activism.

“The recipients of NEA’s Human and Civil Rights Awards embody the highest commitment to ensuring that every student, regardless of their ZIP code, gender identity, or racial background, receives the educational opportunities they deserve. These social justice advocates work diligently, and often without much fanfare, to bend the arc of history toward a more just and equitable society. We proudly honor their contributions, sacrifices, and accomplishments. By embodying what is right and just, they motivate us to purposeful and principled action, and create long-standing impact in our communities and schools.”

Meet the exemplary, accomplished recipients of the 2024 HCR Awards:

Kate Okeson, recipient of the Virginia Uribe Memorial Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights

Recipient Kate Okeson has been an art teacher for over 20 years, and even more a steadfast champion for inclusive LGBTQIA+ education across the state of New Jersey. Her advocacy has involved developing model curricula, founding her school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance club, and facilitating a world of supportive programming for LGBTQIA+ youth at the legal, social, and academic levels.

Sreenidi (Sree) Bala, recipient of the SuAnne Big Crow Memorial Award

Described by counselors that “everything she touches turns to gold,” passionate Farmington High School, in Connecticut, junior Sreenidi Bala is the only junior chosen to sit on the senior class-led Social Justice Council of the high school’s Multicultural Student Union. An advocate for racial equity and as President of the Multicultural Student Union, Sree currently organizes students to speak at the Farmington Public Schools Board of Education to help implement Land Acknowledgements across the Farmington school district. Sree is very passionate about uplifting marginalized voices and acknowledging the important contributions of the Indigenous people that lived in Farmington for many generations.

United Teachers Los Angeles, recipient of the Rosena J. Willis Memorial Award

With a diversity index of over 65% and a strong, power-sharing leadership culture, United Teachers Los Angeles has gone above and beyond to empower and platform the voices of marginalized groups through its dedicated standing committees, community activism efforts, and collective bargaining record. The union's commitment to racial justice is unwavering, with UTLA actively participating in movements like Black Lives Matter and advocating for the divestment of funds from school police to support Black students. UTLA's partnership with organizations like Students Deserve and Reclaim Our Schools Los Angeles demonstrates their dedication to working alongside the community to create meaningful change.

Cia Siab, Inc., recipient of the Rosa Parks Memorial Award

Since its inception in 2016, Cia Siab Inc. provides bilingual and bicultural programming to not only preserve and celebrate Hmoob culture in La Crosse County, Wis., but also centers on addressing the unique needs of Hmoob survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Cia Siab, Inc.'s commitment to inclusivity is evident in their Queer Program, which provides a supportive space for Queer Hmong individuals to address the intersections of patriarchy, gender equity, and identity within the Hmoob community. By creating spaces for healing and dialogue, Cia Siab, Inc. is breaking the cycle of violence and empowering all members of the community to live authentically and with pride.

Eddie McAllister, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Award

Celebrating racial diversity and working towards a more just, equitable, and respectful society is paramount no matter how monolithic a community’s demographics may be. This rings true for recipient Eddie McAllister, a passionate community organizer and advocate whose efforts in mentorship programs, multicultural events and social advocacy have helped foster greater harmony and inclusivity in Shasta County’s Redding, California. He is a shining example of the positive change that one individual can bring to a community. His dedication to fostering understanding, acceptance, and unity is a testament to the enduring legacy of Dr. King's dream.

Fred “Peleke” Flores, recipient of the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award

The Field Operations and Resource Manager for Mālama Hūel’ia, Mr. Flores has worked tirelessly to revitalize Kaua’i’s Alakoko Fishpond from the threat of invasive plants. His efforts to share his knowledge of their shared ecosystem, land and culture with the next generation of Native Hawaiian students, leaders and volunteers at all levels make him a pillar of community empowerment in the islands. Flores’s work to revitalize the fishpond has allowed endangered indigenous species, which are critically important to Native Hawaiian culture, to repopulate and thrive. But it is his work to pass his knowledge to the next generation that has been noted by the community.

B.L.A.C.K. LAX, recipient of the Reg Weaver Human and Civil Rights Award

B.L.A.C.K. LAX’s programs aim to bridge the poverty gap and provide essential, transformative services for historically marginalized youth in La Crosse, Wis. Supplemented by their partnerships with local non-profit organizations, their impact in delivering mental health, workforce, and educational resources to help students achieve financial stability makes them a shining beacon in addressing their community’s needs. They also work to support youth who face marginalization due to the intersections of their identities, by providing services such as a crisis hotline and basic services to address immediate needs.

Alejandro De La Peña Jr., recipient of the George I. Sánchez Memorial Award

A special education teacher from El Paso, Texas who celebrates social-emotional learning and creating equitable educational opportunities for all students, Alejandro De La Peña’s work in securing grants and donations for low-income students has made him a beloved community leader well beyond his classroom walls. The first person in his family to graduate from high school, Mr. De La Peña’s work with at-risk students, Special Olympians, underprivileged youth and homeless families, has transformed the lives of countless Hispanic children in his community.

Al Alexander, recipient of the H. Councill Trenholm Memorial Award (Black)

Al Alexander is the Chairman of the New Chesapeake Men for Progress Education Foundation. Mr. Alexander is a creative, passionate educator who emphasizes forging strong relationships with his students and maintains significant partnerships with several non-academic youth organizations such as Ground Zero Youth Development, the Boys and Girls Club, and the Commonwealth challenge. He is a coalition-builder whose work has provided over $197,000 in scholarships, grants, and mentoring services to students in need in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia.

About the NEA HCR Awards

The merger of the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Teachers Association (ATA) in 1966 produced the annual NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards. ATA, which represented Black teachers in segregated schools, traditionally honored leaders in the justice and civil rights movement annually. Since the merger, NEA has recognized and honored educators, individuals, community partners, and organizations that are advancing the mantle for human and civil rights.

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