Who are the 2021 Myra Woflgang Honorees?
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Julie Hurwitz, Civil Rights Attorney
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Julie Hurwitz, of Detroit, Michigan, is a partner in the firm of Goodman Hurwitz & James, P.C., where she specializes in civil rights and government misconduct litigation. She is the founding Executive Director of the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice [Sugar Law Center] in Detroit, from 1990-1993 and 1998-2006. She is currently Vice President of the Michigan/Detroit Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and is on the Boards of Directors of the Sugar Law Center, and the Michigan Coalition for Human Rights. She has successfully tried several civil rights cases to verdict, including police misconduct, prisoner rights, malicious prosecution, wrongful conviction, failure to protect and sexual harassment cases. She has represented political activists who engage in civil disobedience since the early 1980’s, including several members of DJJ more recently.
Julie Hurwitz is recognized as a 2021 Myra Wolfgang Honoree for her work representing victims of the Flint MI water crisis and Detroit Black Lives Matter organization, Detroit Will Breathe.
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Detroit Disability Power, Disability Rights Organization
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Detroit Disability Power is a membership organization that works to build the political power of the disability community. DDP organizes people with disabilities and allies to end disparities people with disabilities face in regards to housing, employment, education, transportation, and healthcare.
DDP is recognized as a 2021 Myra Wolfgang Honoree for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure access to care, testing and vaccines for the disability community in Detroit and across the state of Michigan.
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Rudy Simons, Peace and Human Rights Activist
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Rudy (Ruthven) Simons was a vice president of the Cranbrook Peace Foundation, a former co-chair and longtime board member of the MI Coalition for Human Rights, deeply involved with the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University for decades, and a member of over 20 delegations to foreign countries. He has rallied for causes such as opposition to the Vietnam War, anti-South African apartheid, ending U.S. intervention in Central America, Haiti, Iraq, and Iran, human rights and civil rights.
Rudy Simons is recognized as a 2021 Myra Wolfgang Honoree for his life long impact to enable peace and human rights in Detroit and the world.
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We're incredibly excited to host the 2021 Myra Woflgang Awards, a virtual gala on Tuesday, May 4th at 7:30pm and provide our community with the the opportunity to celebrate our amazing partners in organizing, as well as each other! While this year has been hard and the future is uncertain, we know that joy and safety today and tomorrow is found with this community of DJJ leaders. DJJ leaders, like you, who actively choose each and every day to show up and step into the arduous work of making it just a little bit better the next day and the next, for all. Will you join us for this celebration and appreciation?
The evening will include a cultural program with contributions from Detroit artists, including:
- visual art by Olivia Guterson
- a musical performance by pianist Ian Fink
- a poetry reading by the TETRA Art Collective
The event will be hosted by Zak Rosen, creator of famed podcast the Best Advice Show. ASL interpretation will be provided throughout the evening's program.
With warm regards and . . . onward!
Your 2021 MWA Planning Committee
Roslyn Abt Schindler, Host Committee Co-Chair
Lora Frankel, Host Committee Co-Chair
Jane Miller, Host Committee Co-Chair
Merrill Alpert, Host Committee Co-Chair
Syma Echeandia, Auction Committee Co-Chair
Emiko Hayashi, Auction Committee Co-Chair
Miriam Chesterman, DJJ Intern and Auction Committee Co-Chair
