Memphis, TN, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Civil Rights Museum proudly reveals the exceptional recipients of the 2024 Keeper of the Dream Award. The deserving winners are Adaria Crutcher, Corey Mitchell Irby II, and Maria Fernanda Machado, remarkable young individuals whose efforts have left an indelible mark on their community.

Adaria Crutcher, a senior at White Station High School, provides a safe environment for students struggling with their mental health.  Adaria and two peers created StoryUnfinished. to support students who experience suicidal thoughts, helping almost 500 students learn ways to cope with mental and emotional challenges. As a social media manager for with the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) Youth Council, she promotes advocacy through youth voices, garnering an audience of almost 600 youth voices.

Corey Mitchell Irby II, a senior at East T-STEM Academy High School, planned and led an East Campus Cleanup with two classmates, Memphis City Beautiful, and East High's PTO that garnered over 150 student volunteers. This effort won his school's DECA chapter a national Community Service Award. He is a member of Project STAND and is a Memphis Ambassador who advocates for wellness in underserved neighborhoods and leading to students receiving more services and resources they need.

Maria Fernanda Machado, a senior at Central High School who serves as a student attorney for Youth Court Services since 2022 fighting for civil rights and social justice. She founded Soy Mia, a nonprofit providing free menstrual products across Memphis, focusing on the Hispanic community. Maria has held Spanish-language workshops and distributed hundreds of "period starter kits." She also volunteers with Cazateatro, a bilingual theater organization, where she assists with event coordination, community outreach, and productions.

In her personal statement, Machado sums up the award winners' shared ambitions, "I believe true leadership is about listening, learning, and acting with compassion, and through these initiatives, I've seen how small steps toward equality can ripple out into larger waves of social change.”

"Through the brilliance and compassion of these young leaders, Dr. King's dream is still alive,” said Dr. Russ Wigginton. "It's not about age, where we live, or go to school. It's about recognizing a need that needs filling or an injustice to fight, or doing your part in improving our world better, and making it more just!”

The Keeper of the Dream Award will be presented to the winners during the hybrid Freedom Award Student Forum on Thursday, October 17, at FedEx Forum at 10:30 am Central. Each recipient will be honored with a $500 prize, a trophy, and complimentary family admission to the National Civil Rights Museum.

The Student Forum serves as the opening event for the Museum's Freedom Award celebration, an occasion that recognizes global trailblazers dedicated to the advancement of civil and human rights. Through this program, students and educators have the invaluable opportunity to learn from and be inspired by individuals leading the charge for civil and human rights worldwide.

About the National Civil Rights Museum

The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights.  It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. 

A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries.  It is a TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.

- civilrightsmuseum.org -

CONTACT: Connie Dyson

National Civil Rights Museum

901-527-1225

cdyson@civilrightsmuseum.org