John Paar was unable to join us for the ceremony, but sent an acceptance letter which was excerpted during the ceremony. Read John's acceptance letter (full text)
Lib HutchbyLib Hutchby is a teacher of conflict resolution and nonviolent resistance. Whether she is singing with the Raging Grannies at movement gatherings around the state, being arrested for justice (four times so far), or telling stories, she prepares us and leads us in the work at hand.
Lib worked alongside Carolyn King in the integration of the state's parks in the 1960s through the United Church Camp held at Umstead Park. She was the first white teacher at Jefferys Grove Elementary School, teaching fourth grade as Wake County's public schools integrated. Her thesis for her master's degree on conflict resolution was on nonviolence in children's literature. Lib put that training to use when she was called on to help counsel and mediate following the killings of the Greensboro Five. Lib and Carolyn again connected as overnight volunteers in the early days of the Ark Shelter for men (now the Helen Wright Center serving homeless women). In 1989 she began volunteering to resettle refugees and eventually worked for ten years on staff with Lutheran Family Services.
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| Before Lib knew she would be receiving the Award, she created this gratitude artwork which we passed around during the ceremony. |
You can support Lib by sitting in the gallery during her April 24 hearing. She was arrested at a sit-in outside Governor Cooper's office protesting the Atlantic Coast Pipeline (see Lib holding the sign in the video of the Raging Grannies).
Lib Hutchby's justice bio
John and Adrienne Little
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| John and Adrienne Little |
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| John Paar |
Dr. John Paar, longtime Raleigh resident, cardiologist and person of faith, has been a key figure in the Raleigh peace and justice network since the 1980’s.
John’s life-long commitment has been to use his expertise as a cardiologist to improve medical care for those who lack access.
And his work is characterized by the personal connections he makes with colleagues and with patients, working with compassion and respect.
In Raleigh John has been an advocate for affordable medical care for the poor of Wake County, and in his roles at Wake Med. Recognizing that family members of those from out of town being treated for severe heart ailments incurred great expense while staying with their loved ones, John was an early supporter of Samaritan Inn, a Lutheran project to provide free lodging for those family members. He was a charter doctor at the Urban Ministries Open Door Clinic. His medical work with those living on low incomes led him to be a key figure in starting Raleigh’s first shelter for homeless families at what is now called Families Together. During the 1980s Overground Railroad effort to assist Central American refugees in moving through the US to asylum in Canada, John provided
shelter and support, including medical aid when needed, for refugees coming through Raleigh.
In Nicaragua John went to Nicaragua in the 80’s as part of Witness for Peace to stand between the
Contras and the Nicaraguan army to prevent killing. Viewing the experience through the eyes of a physician, he started Project Health for Leon (PHL) with Dr. John Rose. This organization seeks to improve the options for cardiac care at the hospital in Leon by sending experts from the US to teach and treat and by bringing Nicaraguan medical practitioners to the US to further their studies.
Throughout his life, John’s work has been nourished by his deep faith and the call it places on him to act for justice.
Award Namesakes Carolyn and Cy King
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Carolyn and Cy King
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The award was created in their honor in 2012 and celebrates people who exemplify a similar gracious spirit in their work for justice. You can read about past recipients here.
