The Four Freedoms Awards are presented each year to people whose achievements have demonstrated a commitment to those principles which President Roosevelt proclaimed in his historic speech to Congress on January 6, 1941, as essential to democracy: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear. This year, for the first time in our 39-year history, The Roosevelt Institute will center the Four Freedoms Awards on a theme of racial justice.
Freedom from Want:
Economic Justice Advocate Deepak Bhargava will be honored for his immense impact on grassroots and social movements through his work at Community Change, where he mentored and trained hundreds of activists who have become key leaders in progressive social movements.
Freedom from Fear:
Maria Isabel Sierra, Sonia Pérez, Sixta Leon Barrita, and Rubiela Correa, four powerful women leaders, will be honored for their work in fighting to secure the first ever $2.1 billion Excluded Worker Fund in New York, which established emergency income for undocumented workers—such as street vendors, domestic workers, and others who were excluded from unemployment benefits and federal COVID relief funds, despite contributing to these systems.
Deepak Bhargava
Immigrant Rights and Economic Justice AdvocateDeepak Bhargava has had an immense impact on grassroots and social movements through his work at Community Change where he mentored and trained hundreds of activists who became key leaders in progressive social movements. Deepak is a leading voice in the fight for immigration justice, and his policy and organizing work have brought about major changes to federal policies related to poverty.
Sixta Leon Barrita, Rubiela Correa, Sonia Pérez Garcia, and Maria Isabel Sierra
Worker Rights ActivistsSixta Leon Barrita, Rubiela Correa, Sonia Pérez Garcia, and Maria Isabel Sierra are four powerful women leaders who fought to secure the first ever $2.1 billion Excluded Worker Fund in New York, establishing emergency income for undocumented workers, such as street vendors, domestic workers and more excluded from unemployment benefits, despite contributing to these systems. Sonia Pérez Garcia, a long time street vendor served champurrado on the frontlines, led community meetings and mobilized vendors across New York City into this fight. Maria, Sixta and Rubiela led a 23 day hunger strike alongside dozens of community members to bring home the campaign.