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Photo Credit: MOHAI

Everyday Heroes

Every year MOHAI recognizes Everyday Heroes, the people and organizations who make our community stronger.

The program began in 2020 as our region—and the rest of the world—struggled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The honorees are individuals and organizations that have impacted our city, our nation, or our collective quality of life. They created positive change through their innovative ways of thinking and taking action in our community.

Seen here are some of our 2020 Everyday Heroes from Harborview Medical Center, working on the Mobile Testing Program during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MOHAI is a proud contributor to the Pacific Northwest, and we are stronger because of all the amazing people who support our community, every day. In gratitude and recognition, we honor our region’s Everyday Heroes at our annual History Makers Gala

Nominate an Everyday Hero

Everyday Heroes are people or organizations who:

  • Make our community stronger and improve our collective quality of life
  • Bring innovative ways of thinking and taking action to their work
  • Focus on the Pacific Northwest
  • Everyone is invited to nominate an Everyday Hero during the annual spring nomination period

The nomination period for 2023 is now open through June 15, 2023. Begin the nomination process for your Everyday Hero candidate.

A selection committee including community members, MOHAI staff and members of the MOHAI Board of Trustees reviews and selects the award winner.

Everyday Heroes receive a special honorarium and recognition at the annual MOHAI History Makers Gala.

2022 Everyday Heroes

Alimentando al Pueblo

The only Latinx food bank in the country, Alimentando al Pueblo shares music, community and joy along with culturally relevant food.

Video Credit: Mighty Media Studios

JM Wong

JM Wong has been a long-time advocate, and change-maker. They are dedicated to liberation movements , particularly in creating cultures of learning, compassion, and healing within Seattle’s Asian American community. Through their work with the Massage Parlor Outreach Project, JM has created spaces for cross-community care and international solidarity.

Video Credit: Mighty Media Studios

Past Everyday Heroes

To learn more about past Everyday Heroes, see details below.

Below are images from our very first Everyday Heroes, in 2020.

Photo Credit: MOHAI

UW Medicine COVID-19 Equity Champions

Photo Credit: MOHAI

UW Medicine COVID-19 Equity Champions

Photo Credit: MOHAI

UW Medicine COVID-19 Equity Champions

Photo Credit: MOHAI

Feed the People with Seattle Community Kitchen Collective

Photo Credit: MOHAI

Feed the People with Seattle Community Kitchen Collective

Photo Credit: MOHAI

Feed the People with Seattle Community Kitchen Collective

2021 Everyday Heroes

Learn more about the individuals and organizations recognized by MOHAI in 2021.

Katherine Kehrli – Community Loaves

Community Loaves started when Katherine Kehrli wanted to bake bread for her local food bank. It then expanded to an all-volunteer network of over 500 bakers, flour packers, drivers, and baker mentors. In 2020, they delivered over 8000 loaves of bread to local food pantries.

Video Credit: Mighty Media Studios

Rita Zawaideh – Salaam Cultural Museum

Rita Zawaideh founded the Salaam Cultural Museum (SCM) to raise awareness of Arab American cultures and provide support to refugees and immigrants, both locally and internationally. She is a one-person community information center for the Arab community. Zawaideh has used her travel agency network to organize volunteer trips and donation drives for refugees in the Middle East and North Africa since the 1980s.

Video Credit: Mighty Media Studios

2020 Everyday Heroes

Learn more about the individuals and organizations recognized by MOHAI in 2020.

Feed the People with Seattle Community Kitchen Collective

These chefs organized themselves very early on in the COVID-19 pandemic to provide free meals to all people in need of a hot meal. They combined resources to prepare hundreds of meals nearly every day.

Seattle Community Kitchen Collective consists of:

  • Damon Bomar and Chef Kristi Brown of That Brown Girl Cooks and Communion
  • Chef Tarik Abdullah, founder Feed the People
  • Melissa Miranda of Musang
  • Chera Amlag of Hood Famous Bakeshop
  • Cam Hanin of Guerrilla Pizza Kitchen
  • Guitar Srisuthiamorn of Sugar Hill

Omari Salisbury and Converge Media

As co-founder of Converge Media, a multifaceted production platform created to uplift Black media, Omari Salisbury is fully committed, driven, and open with his opinions. His passion is evident in his long-standing coverage of Seattle’s Central District and reporting on Black Lives Matter, the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) following George Floyd’s murder, and more.

UW Medicine COVID-19 Equity Champions

Dr. Lisa Chew, Martine Pierre-Louis, and Paula Houston rose to the challenge of suppressing the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak with inventive, real-time solutions. They realized that serving everyone required a fully concerted effort between medical personnel and community outreach.

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