2024 Free Expression Awards
Celebrating Champions of Free Expression
Thank you to our sponsors and everyone who joined us June 13, 2024, in Washington, D.C. to honor these First Amendment heroes!
This year, we honored:
- A pastor who built a powerful movement against poverty, inequality and racism.
- A country music superstar who uses his voice to spur dialogue, not division, on tough issues confronting America.
- Sixteen Montana youth who sued their government over laws that contributed to the climate crisis – and won.
- A global impact nonprofit that revolutionized television with its dedication to educating children through the groundbreaking program “Sesame Street.”
Hosted by Laura Barrón-López
White House correspondent, “PBS NewsHour”
Event Chairs: Judy Woodruff and Al Hunt
Honorees
The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II
Founding president, Repairers of the Breach, and founding director, Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School
Eric Church
Singer-songwriter
Montana Youth Climate Advocates
Sesame Workshop
Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media
Accepted by Sherrie Rollins Westin, president and interim CEO
Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Anonymous
Cynthia and John Lee
Jan Neuharth and Joseph Keusch
Barbara and Christopher Wall
Silver Sponsors
James Abbott and Deborah Vander Woude
Mary Louise and Mike Coleman
Jack and Diane Kirschenbaum
Malcolm and Jane Kirschenbaum
Christopher and Sherry Minear
Charles and Andrea Overby
Ann and Peter Prichard
Judy Woodruff and Al Hunt
Bronze Sponsors
CBS News
R. David and Joanne Ke Edelman
National Constitution Center
News/Media Alliance
Rogers Yogodzinski LLP
Dessert Sponsor
Valet Sponsors
Baker Donelson
Marcum LLP
Additional support provided by McKee Wallwork
To support the Free Expression Awards, contact Emily Simcox at 703/980-9830, or [email protected].
Steering Committee
Kristina Arriaga
Manish Bapna
Robin L. Bronk
Marcia Bullard and Tom McNamara
Joie Chen
Connie Chung and Maury Povich
R. David and Joanne Ke Edelman
Meg Goldthwaite
Clark Hoyt and Linda Kauss
Alberto Ibargüen
Brent W. Jones
Cynthia and John Lee
Loren Mayor
Susan Page and Carl Leubsdorf
Orage Quarles III
Joe Reef and Peter Nguyen
Catherine Robb
Sharon Rockefeller
Liz Schrayer
Charles D. Tobin
Eric Treene
Maribel Pérez Wadsworth
Barbara and Christopher Wall
Hosted by Laura Barrón-López
White House correspondent, “PBS NewsHour”
Event Chairs: Judy Woodruff and
Al Hunt
Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Anonymous
Cynthia and John Lee
Jan Neuharth and Joseph Keusch
Barbara and Christopher Wall
Silver Sponsors
James Abbott and Deborah Vander Woude
Mary Louise and Mike Coleman
Jack and Diane Kirschenbaum
Malcolm and Jane Kirschenbaum
Christopher and Sherry Minear
Charles and Andrea Overby
Ann and Peter Prichard
Judy Woodruff and Al Hunt
Bronze Sponsors
CBS News
R. David and Joanne Ke Edelman
National Constitution Center
News/Media Alliance
Rogers Yogodzinski LLP
Dessert Sponsor
Valet Sponsors
Baker Donelson
Marcum LLP
Additional support provided by McKee Wallwork
To support the Free Expression Awards, contact Emily Simcox at 703/980-9830, or [email protected].
The Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms for all.
Questions? Contact [email protected].