This week, CCR celebrated the inaugural Changemakers Awards, bringing together activists, lawyers, storytellers, and our CCR community for an evening of conversation, music, and celebration of our work to transform the power structures that oppress vulnerable communities and build the power of social justice movements. At CCR, we believe that if you have an activist, a lawyer, and a storyteller, you can change the world — and the event highlighted the transformative possibilities of these collaborations. 

[caption caption="The night began with sounds from The ABRAZOS Orchestra, a \"genre-bending/blending, salsoulful funk infused revolu rhythm machine.\""][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Guests mingled before the program kicked off (on the right, CCR Board Member Elizabeth Castelli). "][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Bertha Justice Fellow Stephanie Llanes opened up the evening calling for justice and the decolonization of Puerto Rico, and shared CCR's storied history of supporting the Puerto Rican liberation movement."][/caption]

 

[caption caption="CCR Board Chair Katherine Franke followed, reflecting on the one-year anniversary of the presidential election, and the powerful resistance that has followed."][/caption]

 

[caption caption="The main event was a lively discussion between Executive Director Vince Warren and the Changemakers we were grateful to honor: multimedia artist Mariam Ghani; strategist, writer and community organizer Opal Tometi; and lawyer Robert LoBue of Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler."][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Robert LoBue discussed Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler's long collaboration with CCR, from the Bush years to the challenges the Trump era brings."][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Mariam Ghani explained how her work can only be understood as a collaborative, community effort. \"I want to push back on widening divisions and violence through new ways of being in common.\""][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Opal Tometi discussed her principles for organizing, which must be rooted in changing the material conditions of marginalized people, and must \"address root causes as well as current effects.\""][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Ani Cordero gave a spirited performance of Latin American resistance songs from her new album, \"Recordar.\" "][/caption]

 

[caption caption="Vince Warren closed out the evening with gratitude for the Changemakers, the CCR family, and the collaborations for justice to come."][/caption]

We are very grateful to our generous event sponsors who helped make the evening possible.