Rev. Dr. Mary Brown and Erica Podrazik, Silence Broken, New Orleans, Lousiana

Silence Broken is a faith-based organization dedicated to the mental and spiritual healing of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and to equipping faith leaders to build communities that are inclusive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centered. Rooted in the conviction that silence protects systems of harm, the organization works to transform how faith communities respond to survivors of abuse. Through pastoral formation and educational workshops, Silence Broken helps religious leaders across traditions develop ministries grounded in truth, compassion, accountability, and established trauma-care practices.

Autumn Wiggins-Merrill: Faith & Recovery Network, Richmond, Virginia

For Rev. Autumn Wiggins-Merrill, healing happens when people are met with compassion instead of judgment. As co-founder of Faith & Recovery Network (FRN), she works at the intersection of faith, mental health, and addiction recovery — equipping faith leaders and community organizations with practical tools to better support individuals and families facing substance use and mental health challenges. Rooted in both pastoral care and lived community experience, FRN helps bridge the gap between faith communities and recovery resources through evidence-based training, coaching, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

Ryan Jones: goodlync, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Ryan Jones is the founder of goodlync, a digital ecosystem platform created to help entrepreneurs in underserved communities access the networks, mentorship, and opportunities often concentrated in major startup hubs. Built from Ryan’s experience working in community and economic development across Appalachia, goodlync connects founders, investors, mentors, incubators, accelerators, and universities into one collaborative platform designed to sustain relationships beyond one-time events or local programs. Through white-label community spaces, event management tools, analytics dashboards, peer support networks, and founder resource hubs, goodlync helps entrepreneurs build meaningful connections, discover services and funding opportunities, and gain visibility far beyond their local ecosystems.

Jacqueline Jackson: Mattie’s Garden, Birmingham, Alabama

Mattie’s Garden is a small-scale urban farm serving the Birmingham, Alabama area, led by owner Jacqueline Jackson and rooted in a commitment to fresh, sustainable food. Specializing in microgreens, seasonal produce, and farm eggs, the farm is a regular presence at the Birdsong Farmers Market, where it connects directly with the community each week. Beyond the market, Mattie’s Garden extends its impact by sharing practical knowledge on urban farming and seed saving, helping cultivate both healthy food and local growing expertise.

Donna Loo: Laulima No Na ‘Ohana, Lihue, Kauai, Hawai’i

Donna Loo is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Laulima No Na ʻOhana, a a faith-rooted, community-centered initiative dedicated to removing social, economic, and systemic barriers that prevent kūpuna (seniors) and their caregivers, particularly those who are socially and economically disadvantaged, from aging in place with dignity, connection, and hope. Grounded in the Hawaiian value of laulima (“many hands working together”), the project supports seniors through transportation access, caregiver support, navigation of essential services, and community-based resource connection. By addressing isolation, limited mobility, financial vulnerability, and gaps in access to care, Laulima No Na ʻOhana works to restore wholeness, strengthen ʻohana, and reshape unjust systems that leave elders behind.