JOHN F. KENNEDY JR. ‘83 AWARD FOR INSPIRING YOUTH IN POLITICS
Started in 2005, when Rep. Seth Magaziner (RI-02) was in Brown Dems, the JFK Jr. Award is presented annually to people in politics and public service who we believe inspire the political involvement of young activists.
—THE RECIPIENTS—
REP. MAXWELL FROST (FL)
On April 19, 2023, Brown Dems presented Rep. Maxwell Frost with the Award! Frost is the first member of Gen-Z and the first Afro-Cuban representative elected to Congress. With his background in activism (including serving as the National Organizing Director for March for Our Lives), Frost brings a much-needed perspective to Capitol Hill.
REP. KATIE PORTER (CA)
On April 20, 2022, the Brown Dems welcomed Rep. Katie Porter. Known for using her whiteboard on the House floor, Rep. Porter is fearless in her resolve to call out injustice when she sees it. Pictured is the Zoom event with Rep. Porter. From 2020-2022, all events were online due to the pandemic.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (VT)
On April 19, 2022, the Brown Dems and the general Brown community packed the lecture hall in List and the zoom webinar to honor Bernie Sanders. The Senator has long been an inspiration to hundreds of people on our campus. Pictured are students lining up in List 140 to ask Senator Sanders a question live over Zoom.
REP. MALCOM KENYATTA (PA)
On June 1, 2021, the Brown Dems awarded State Rep. Kenyatta, a long-time community activist, particularly around issues such as poverty and queer rights. Due to the pandemic preventing the Awards in 2020, we honored more recipients the following year. The Zoom event with Rep. Kenyatta is pictured.
MAYOR KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS (GA)
On May 19, 2021, Mayor Bottoms of Atlanta accepted her Award. Bottoms fought GA Governor Kemp's anti-mask policies at the height of the pandemic. From June 2022 until February 2023, Bottoms served as the senior advisor and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Pictured is the Zoom event.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (NY)
On April 28, 2021, Rep. Jeffries spoke to the Brown Dems. A member of the House for ten years and counting, Rep. Jeffries became the House Minority Leader in 2023, succeeding Nancy Pelosi. Pictured is Rep. Jeffries accepting the Award over Zoom.
REP. MADELEINE DEAN (PA)
On April 27, 2021, Rep. Dean accepted the JFK Jr. Award. Involved in politics from a young age, Rep. Dean ran for and won her first elected office at age 18. She knows what it is to be a youth in politics! Pictured is Rep. Dean speaking to the Brown Dems.
REP. JAHANA HAYES (CT)
On May 13, 2019, the last in-person JFK Jr. Award before the pandemic was presented to Rep. Hayes. Prior to being the first Black woman to represent CT in Congress, Rep. Hayes was the JFK Teacher of the Year in 2015 and then, in 2016, the National Teacher of the Year. Pictured are Rep. Hayes and then-President Rose Lang-Maso.
SEC. JASON KANDER (MO)
On November 15, 2017, former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander received the Award. A veteran himself, Kander is now President of National Expansion at the Veterans Community Project, a non-profit serving homeless and at-risk veterans. Pictured are Kander and then-President Abi Sanft.
REP. SETH MOULTON (MA)
On November 9, 2015, Rep. Moulton came down to Providence to accept the JFK Jr. Award. Still in the House as of 2023, Rep. Moulton is a veteran and proponent of workers' rights. Pictured is Rep. Moulton with members of Brown Dems at the event.
SEN. MAGGIE HASSAN (NH)
On March 8, 2014, when Governor, now-Senator (and Brown alum!) Hassan accepted the Award. After witnessing the January 6th attack on the Capitol, she called for Trump to resign and spoke out against the differential treatment by police of BLM protestors and insurrectionists. She is pictured delivering her lecture at Brown.
FORMER SEN. AL FRANKEN (MN)
Well before the sexual assault allegations against Franken emerged in 2017, eventually leading to his resignation, the Brown Dems presented the award to him on March 11, 2012. We condemn his actions. In the interest of transparency, we still include the event here. Pictured is Al Franken delivering his lecture at Brown.
REP. PATRICK MURPHY (PA)
On April 26, 2011, the Brown Dems awarded Rep. Murphy. He was the first Iraq War veteran to serve in Congress and a leading opponent of Don't Ask Don't Tell. He served in the House before becoming the 32nd United States Under Secretary of the Army from 2016-2017. Pictured is Rep. Murphy with then-E-Board members.
REP. JOHN LEWIS (GA)
On Monday, May 10, 2010, the Brown Dems bestowed the JFK Jr. Award on one of its most deserving recipients: the late, great Congressman John Lewis. A lifelong Civil Rights activist and a former chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Rep. Lewis was a change-maker. His memory continues to motivate us.
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
In 2005, the inaugural JFK Jr. Award was presented to President Bill Clinton, who had then only been out of office for four years. Included in this picture are President Clinton, directly to the right of the podium with his head slightly bowed, and Rep. Seth Magaziner '06 (RI-02) on the far right.