The Every Voice Coalition receives a National Crime Victims’ Service Award from the Office of Victim of Crimes, U.S. Department of Justice
Every Voice was recognized for its “leadership, innovation, and vision that lead to noteworthy changes in public policy on behalf of crime victims” at a celebration on Friday, April 29th
Washington, DC— The Every Voice Coalition was awarded the 2022 Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award which “honors leadership, innovation, and vision that lead to noteworthy changes in public policy on behalf of crime victims” at the 2022 National Crime Victims’ Service Award Ceremony on Friday, April 29th. Hosted annually by The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the National Crime Victims’ Service Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their advocacy on behalf of victims and survivors of crime.
On Friday, April 29th, co-Executive Directors Lily James and Nora Gallo accepted the award from OJP leaders, including US Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, on behalf of the hundreds of survivor and student leaders in Every Voice at a ceremony at the Constitutional Gardens in the National Mall. James and Gallo were joined by nearly a dozen Every Voice organizers including four founding members. The ceremony featured tribute videos of each award recipient highlighting their work and accomplishments — watch The Every Voice Coalition’s video below and read more about the award on the OVC website here. And read the press release from the DOJ here.
Statements from our co-Executive Directors
“This is a moment for immense celebration— we’re so grateful to OVC and DOJ for this honor and their clear commitment to supporting those more impacted,” said co-Executive Director Lily James. “Students, student survivors and young alums in Every Voice have worked tirelessly and passionately over the past six years to bring new rights to student survivors and make their campuses safer for future generations. Every Voice student leaders truly exemplify the “leadership, innovation, and vision” recognized by this award— their commitment to raising the bar for what legislation written by those most impacted can look like will undoubtedly have a lasting impact even beyond the impact of our individual Every Voice laws. This award will undoubtedly propel our work forward, and it needs to— there are still too many states without any state legislation addressing campus sexual violence and we can’t wait to bring our policy solutions to all 50 states someday— soon— in the future.”
“From the moment survivors experience sexual violence, we know what is best for us– however, our voices are too often left out of the conversations about what happens next. That’s our work– ensuring the voices of those most impacted are at the forefront of the decisions that will change their lives. Our survivor-centered laws are drafted by and centered on the needs of those most impacted: Student survivors and their peers,” said co-Executive Director Nora Gallo. “Receiving a 2022 National Crime Victims’ Service Award recognizes the outstanding and much-needed leadership of hundreds of survivor and student leaders across the country who are advocating for their rights– supports for survivors and campuses free from violence– to become law. We are grateful to the Office for Victims of Crime and the US Department of Justice for recognizing our much-needed work to address the epidemic of campus sexual violence.”
The Every Voice Coalition (www.everyvoicecoalition.org) is a student, young alum and survivor-led organization working to pass student and survivor-written, survivor-centered legislation on the state level to prevent campus sexual violence and support survivors. Every Voice bills have been passed in five states: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Illinois, Nevada and Connecticut. The Coalition is currently working in 12 states.
Media Contact: national@everyvoicecoalition.org
