On Sept. 5, 2012, Grinnell College announced the winners of the second Grinnell College Young Innovator for Social Justice Prize. The Grinnell Prize honors individuals under the age of 40 who have demonstrated leadership in their fields and show creativity, commitment, and extraordinary accomplishment in effecting positive social change.
The 2012 winners were selected from more than 300 nominations from around the globe. Each winning entry received $100,000, half going to the individuals and half to organizations the winners designated, for a total of $300,000 awarded this year in prize monies.
During the week of November 12, winners visited the campus to participate in the Grinnell Prize Symposium and awards ceremony. Through public lectures and interactions with students and the campus community, they shared their experiences and perspectives in effecting positive and innovative social change. Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream, an organization committed to "a sustainable corporate concept of linked prosperity" and an overall mission to "meet human needs and eliminate injustice," delivered the keynote address.
These are the winners of the 2012 Grinnell Prize:
Cristi Hegranes and Global Press Institute have two major goals: to empower women by providing comprehensive journalism training which leads to employment with GPI, and using high-quality, locally produced journalism to address issues of large-scale, structural social justice.
Jacob Wood and William McNulty's Team Rubicon uses the special skills of military veterans to rapidly respond to disasters across the world. Team Rubicon's model aids veterans with the process of reintegrating into civilian life, as well as providing effective and rapid disaster relief.
Jane Chen and Linus Liang's Embrace distributes an innovative low-cost infant warmer to low-income communities around the world, and is now working to develop new health-care products specially tailored for the developing world.
