This year Eclipse Awards sponsored the BC Civil Liberties Association’s Liberty Awards for the second year in a row. The BCCLA is a vitally important organization because it defends the rights and freedoms of those who have been marginalized or are unable to defend themselves. As award sponsors, we enjoy working with organizations who share our values, and we also prefer to commit to a relationship over time. With the BCCLA we share a belief that all people should be treated with respect and dignity, and for that reason we are pleased to sponsor the BCCLA and their Liberty Awards.
This year’s Liberty Awards took place on June 19th with over 300 people in attendance. It was an energized gathering of people who are passionate about human rights and freedoms, and everyone was there to help celebrate some of the champions from their community. Several Liberty Awards were presented that night, recognizing an Unsung Hero, Excellence in Legal Advocacy, Excellence in the Arts, Excellence in Youth Activism, and Excellence in Journalism - for which Edward Snowden appeared via video to help celebrate the winners!
So in honor of our relationship with the BCCLA and their important work, here are 3 things that we love about the Liberty Awards:
- We love the fact that they are holding an awards ceremony in the first place! So many organizations never take the time to celebrate their champions and milestones, so kudos to the BCCLA for making it a tradition to recognize members of their community!
- The Liberty Awards empower and energize people who are doing important work. These awards will bestow confidence upon the recipients, will help raise the profile of their work, will create new opportunities and hopefully attract new resources and supporters. With luck, these awards will empower the recipients and amplify their efforts for years to come.
- The Liberty Awards are a great way to strengthen the social justice community and power up the tribe. Holding a ceremony where everyone can gather to reconnect and get inspired is an important part of building a resilient and engaged community, so it’s great to see the Liberty Awards gala play this role.