The Houston Peace & Justice 2024 Peacemaker Awards were posthumously awarded to three outstanding leaders in three different faiths who worked individually and collectively for more than 50 years to make major strides in social justice and more. The event occurred on November 10th, 2024.
Peacemaker Award Ceremony
Podcasts (Video — Audio)
The National Peacemaker Awardees are the “Three Amigos of Houston” — Rev. William A. Lawson, Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, and Rabbi Samuel E. Karff. Accepting the award on their behalf will be family members of Rev. Lawson and Rabbi Karff, as well as one of the Dominican Sisters for Archbishop Fiorenza. The local Peacemaker Awards were awarded to great activists in our community.
Dr. John J. Theis, Director of the Center for Civic Engagement for the Lone Star College System and professor of Political Science on the Kingwood Campus, introduced deliberative forums work to college campuses.
Death Row Angels of Houston is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization Dani Allen and Linda Snyder founded. Their mission is to provide outreach to offenders and their families and educate the public about the death penalty.
Barry Klein is a long-time Houston area activist. In 1969, he volunteered with the campaign to set up a Pacifica station in Houston and later became a board member. In 1972, he stood on a Houston esplanade in front of an office building holding a homemade sign that said, “Dow Shall Not Kill.”
Laisha Harris serves as an Assistant Public Defender at the Harris County Public Defender’s Office. She is the author of “A Tale of Two Americas” and “Qualified Immunity: The Court’s Brain Child and a License to Kill,” published by The Bridge. She is also the creator/organizer of “Legal Bootcamp,” an interactive community program that breaks down how the government and law work for kids and nonlawyers.