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🦸 Meet the people who are making the world a better place

By Kimberly Richardson

They converted a vehicle into a wash station for homeless veterans, provided books for kids waiting at the barbershop, and turned a passion for diving into a movement to save coral reefs.

The causes they support vary as much as their backgrounds, but they have all dedicated their lives to changing the world.

And now, they have more in common: They’re this year’s Top 10 CNN Heroes.

They were all nominated by you — our audience — and selected by CNN to each receive a $10,000 prize. And next week, one of them is set to become the CNN Hero of the Year, receiving an additional $100,000 and more for his or her cause.

The big reveal will happen live during “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” which airs at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 10, and will be hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates.

Ahead of the show, we caught up with executive producer Mark Doctrow to learn how it all comes together. 

Tell us what you and your team do.

We shine a light on everyday people making a difference in their communities, here in the US and around the world. 

While everything culminates with our annual “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” we're actually working year-round, sifting through thousands of viewer nominations, researching and vetting the strongest of them. We produce segments through most of the year focusing on new heroes, as well as updates on past heroes and how they've grown. Where possible, when there's big breaking news, we salute heroes on the ground in the middle of various crises and natural disasters. 

The main Heroes stories that make it through our extensive vetting process are then narrowed down to a Top 10, with the help of a CNN editorial board. Then, public voting for the Hero of the Year kicks off. Only then can we turn our full attention to producing the big event. With help from Special Events and Sales, Marketing, and many other departments throughout the company, our small team creates the big annual event honoring the Top 10, a few Young Wonders, and other special guests throughout the night.

How can someone nominate a CNN Hero?

Every year on show night, the official nomination form opens up at CNNHeroes.com, and nominations remain open through July of the following year. People don't have to know the person they are nominating, but they do need to share whatever they can to let us know why they think that person or their organization deserves this attention. Of course, the better the nomination — the more details, the more interesting information — the better chances a story has. Because of the prizing involved, Warner Bros. Discovery employees are not allowed to nominate, but they can certainly encourage others to do so.

What are some characteristics that make successful nominees stand out? 

Many factors are considered when reviewing nominations. We look at impact, we look at the uniqueness of the work and/or the problems they are tackling. We consider how replicable the work is. How well they manage their finances. How solid their long-term plans are. We consider diversity — of people, locations, causes. Sometimes it’s an incredible personality that catches our attention, or they’ve made such a significant impact they can’t be ignored. 

If you could pick just one thing, what is something you hope CNN’s audience takes away from the work your team does?

The world seems to have become such a dark and hateful place, particularly in the last decade. Or rather, the unfortunate ugliness that's probably always been there has been amplified. Sometimes it is so disheartening and truly exhausting to pay attention to the news cycle. Our stories year-round, and our big special at the end of the year, can really remind you that good people do still exist. All hope is not lost. 

The CNN Hero of the Year will be revealed live during “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.” What excites you most leading up to that moment?

Just knowing how the exposure and the prizing can make such a huge difference for the Heroes, their organizations and the causes they champion. And honestly, it's not just for the Hero of the Year. These organizations benefit so much from the donations, the donation match from The Elevate Prize Foundation, the opportunity to learn and grow from meeting each other. So many doors can open for them — and just think of how much they can inspire those watching.

Is there anything new that viewers can expect from this year’s show?

We always have surprises in store. This year, we have created a brand new special award that we're giving out for the first time — the CNN Heroes Legacy Award — a sort of lifetime achievement award. While the majority of our stories focus on everyday people making extraordinary impact, this is a way to recognize not-so-everyday people who are dedicated to a life of service.

💳   CNN insider rec of the week

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✍️ we want to hear from you

Got an idea for this newsletter? Let us know what you'd like to read about or what you've enjoyed so far. You can reach the team at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you. 

- Edited and produced by Kyle Almond, Tricia Escobedo and Kimberly Richardson