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The Andrew Goodman Foundation (AGF) announced it will be awarding Bishop William J. Barber II, architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement, its prestigious Hidden Hero Award on October 3rd, 2017 in New York City.  The 9th annual Hidden Heroes Awards Ceremony will be co-hosted by the Honorable David Dinkins, 106th Mayor of New York City, David and Sylvia Goodman of The Andrew Goodman Foundation, President of Greater NYC for Change Kate Linker, and Dr. Tom Roush. Other members of the host committee include Openbox founder Marquise Stillwell and his spouse Randi Zinn, founder of BeyondMom. The evening will feature special guests Danny Glover, critically acclaimed film director, and host of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman.

Members of The Andrew Goodman Foundation rally and march with members of the Democracy Awakening movement, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Sunday, April 17, 2016.

The Hidden Hero Award highlights excellence in social change leadership. Awardees exhibit extraordinary commitment to increasing community engagement, promoting a participatory democracy, coalition building, or social justice advocacy. Previous recipients include activist and President of GlobalGrind.com, Michael Skolnik, as well as Steve McQueen, director of Oscar-winning film 12 Years a Slave. The award commends individuals who have made a significant impact on the nation’s social and political landscape.

Bishop William J. Barber II will be honored, for, “courageously defending the moral values of American democracy.” A highly sought after speaker, Barber has keynoted hundreds of national and state conferences, including the 2016 Democratic National Convention. He has inspired a conversation about the role of morality in policymaking. Previously, Bishop William J. Barber II served as president of the North Carolina NAACP, the largest state conference in the South. His two most recent books “Forward Together” (Chalice Press) and “The Third Reconstruction” (Beacon Press) capture his hopeful message of healing our nation’s wounds through community and collaboration.

“Bishop Barber’s ability to build bridges between people across race, class, political party, religion, and sexual orientation is a gift,” said David Goodman, president of The Andrew Goodman Foundation. “We want to celebrate his courage to speak out against bigotry and his capacity to unite others who want to speak out alongside him.”

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation
Established to continue the legacy of Andrew Goodman, a civil rights worker murdered during Freedom Summer 1964, The Andrew Goodman Foundation partners with America’s colleges and universities through its Vote Everywhere program which provides student leaders with a platform to register and mobilize voters, organize campuses, and collaborate with their peers. To learn more, visit www.andrewgoodman.org.