USA Network Monday announced this year’s 10 Characters Unite Award recipients.
The winners, chosen from hundreds of nominees for their extraordinary efforts in combining hate, intolerance and discrimination, will be acknowledged during hometown award ceremonies and will receive $5,000 grants from USA Network and participating distributors to support their projects or related nonprofit organizations.
Additionally, honorees will be featured on-air in a public service announcement, online at charactersunite.com and in social media, said network officials.
The Character Unite Awards are part of the larger, award-winning Characters Unite campaign that includes on-air programming and public service announcements, digital content and community events across the country, according to USA.
“We congratulate this year’s Characters Unite Award winners for the incredible work they do in their communities to fight discrimination while championing tolerance and acceptance,” said Mac Budill, President, NBCUniversal TV Networks Distribution. “We are proud to partner with our distributors in recognizing these remarkable leaders and their efforts.”
The Characters United Award recipients are as follows:
Ray Kelley, Daytona Beach, FL (Bright House Networks)
Co-Founder, Daytona Outreach Center
Mathylde Frontus, Brooklyn, NY (Cablevision)
Founder and Executive Director, Urban Neighborhood Services, Inc.
Scott Garman, MN (Charter)
Director and Co-Founder, UnityND
Carla Kelley, Salt Lake City, UT (Comcast)
Executive Director and Founder, Human Rights Education Center
Jerald L. White, New Orleans, LA (Cox Communications)
Community Advocate and Founder, Charitable Film Network
Jasmine Babers, Rock Island, IL (Mediacom)
Founder, Love, GIRLS Magazine
Debby Weinstein, Charleston, WV (Suddenlink)
Executive Director, YWCA
Sofia Shield, Los Angeles, CA (Time Warner Cable)
Human Rights Advocate, SURVIVORS SPEAK
Richard Boeshore, Roslyn Heights, NY
Founder, Pine Crest Farm Camp
Tashmica Torok, Lansing, MI
Founder and Executive Director, The Firecracker Foundation
