Announcing the 2023 Peace Builder Award Recipients

The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center (WDRC) invites the community to join us in honoring seven remarkable individuals, projects, and organizations who have helped build peace in Whatcom County. Each of this year’s award winners represent unique and important efforts to build trust, promote healing, resolve conflicts, and contribute to a more peaceful community. Please join us in congratulating these amazing community members, and uplifting their work!

The recipients of the 2023 Peace Builder Awards are:

Youth Award: Jasmin Bautista
For her collaborative efforts to bring people together across difference, creating a sense of belonging

Community Award: Jessyca Murphy, Make.Shift
For her ongoing efforts to promote justice, inspire collaboration, and intertwine art and healing

Resilience Award: Lorelei Bowers, Bridge2Services
For her tireless efforts to meet houseless community members’ basic needs

Healing and Reconciliation Award: Salmon People Research Team - Young and Indigenous Podcast, Children of the Setting Sun Productions
For their work to gather and share stories, building trust and connection among Salmon People

Collaboration Award: Tina McKim and the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters
For her efforts to bring people together to improve community health and food access

Inclusion Award: Michelle Harmeier and the Bellingham Queer Collective
For their dedication to build a welcoming LGTBQ+ community, creating a sense of inclusion and safety

Arts Education Award: Jason LaClair
For his efforts to increase understanding of and connection to the Coast Salish People through art

The 2023 Peace Builder Award winners will be recognized at the 20^th Annual Peace Builder Awards Gala, presented by Peoples Bank, on October 27^th, at Four Points by Sheraton.

At the Peace Builder Awards Gala, in addition to the awards ceremony, guests will enjoy dinner, a virtual silent auction and dessert dash, live music, and poetry readings by the winners of the 2023 Youth Peace Poetry Contest. Tickets are $90 and may be purchased online at whatcomdrc.org/peace-builder-awards.

We acknowledge that Whatcom County is located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. They cared for the lands that included what we’d call the Puget Sound region, Vancouver Island and British Columbia since time immemorial. This gives us the great obligation and opportunity to learn how to care for our surrounding areas and all the natural and human resources we require to live. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.