Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards

The Amherst Human Rights Commission's prime purpose is to promote a community of mutual respect and to honor our diversity. To this end, we offer annual Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards, celebrating Amherst-area youth. These awards celebrate local youth who demonstrate acts of kindness, unselfishness, social courage and/or community service within their families, schools or community. We recognize youth who live in or attend any school in town.

2017 Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards


Nominations for the 2017 Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards are now open! Please nominate a young person or group you have observed displaying acts of kindness, unselfishness, social courage, and/or community service within their families, schools or community. Nominations may be submitted through May 24, 2017 to humanrights@amherstma.gov or to the Human Rights Commission c/o Deborah Radway, Amherst Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Ave., Amherst MA 01002. The form can be found here.

The Human Rights Commission will celebbrate this year's Heroes at its annual community picnic on June 17 at Mill River Recreation Area. Please join us!

2016 Human Rights Youth Heroism Awards

The Commission presented the 12th annual Human Rights Heroes awards at a luncheon on Saturday, June 18th,  2016.  Recognized were Amherst area youth who have shown an ability to love and care for one another through demonstrated acts of kindness, unselfishness, social courage or community service.

Nominators included teachers, advisors, students and community members. The 2016 recipients are  4 Wildwood Elementary 6th grade students: Keidy Cardoso, Phoenix Ferreira Ford, Bryson Raines and Zayd Sadiq; 18 Amherst Regional Middle School 8th grade students representing Student Advocates for Change: and ARHS graduating senior Lanre Thomas. A special Hero award was  given to outgoing Commissioner Gregory Bascomb to recognize his six years of human rights leadership.
Akeme Mallory (9th grade) dedicated his poem "What does it mean to be a Hero?" to the 2016 Human Rights Hero Awards recipients.
 
             What does it mean to be a Hero?

There are a lot of hero’s in my life:  coaches, teachers, my mother, people who do what’s right;
Someone who can change lives for the better 
Someone who can bring a community together
Does great things people can remember forever
Not afraid to believe in something
Not afraid to show how they feel;
Not afraid to speak on what’s real
A hero feeds people with hopes and dreams, no matter how bad things might seem
 
A hero has the courage to stand up for what’s right
A hero fought for equality among Black and White.
A hero gives people a voice
Makes the right choice
A hero has a positive influence that surrounds them
Motivation and dedication – to be a hero is an inspiration.

A hero is someone who can speak their mind; doesn’t want to see anybody fall behind
A hero is someone who stays strong; someone who proves their doubters wrong.
You can be a hero by showing passion in what you do. You can be a hero by just being you. 
2016
The 2016 recipients are:
(Top) 18 Amherst Regional Middle School 8th grade students representing Student Advocates for Change
(Bottom Left) 4 Wildwood Elementary 6th grade students: Keidy Cardoso, Phoenix Ferreira Ford, Bryson Raines, Zayd Sadiq
(Bottom Right) ARHS graduating senior Lanre Thomas

A special Hero award was given to outgoing Commissioner Gregory Bascomb to recognize his six years of human rights leadership.