NC Justice Center to Honor the 2023 Defenders of Justice at Sold-Out Ceremony in Durham

by Kathy Grear 09/11/2023

RALEIGH – The North Carolina Justice Center will recognize five of the state’s outstanding leaders at the Defenders of Justice Awards Gala on Sunday, September 17, from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, at Durham’s Washington Duke Inn.

The annual awards ceremony celebrates the inspirational work of North Carolinians dedicated to social justice. These leaders exemplify the critical mission of the NC Justice Center— they are working to eliminate poverty in North Carolina and advance progressive and inclusive policies.

This year’s awardees are:

Grassroots Empowerment—Angus Thompson, Robeson County’s first public defender and an original plaintiff in the groundbreaking 1994 Leandro v. State of North Carolina lawsuit

Litigation—Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, North Carolina law firm that litigates civil rights, employment, personal injury, family, and criminal law cases

Policy Research and Advocacy—Chanelle “C.C.” Croxton, Director of State Strategies and Organizing, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and advocate for the rights and dignity of domestic and child care workers

Lifetime Champion of Justice—Bob Hall, retired founding Executive Director, Democracy NC and voting rights advocate

Lifetime Champion of Justice—Deborah Dicks Maxwell, President of the North Carolina NAACP and public health social worker

The sold-out event will also feature music by the Tim Smith Band.