Each year, the Law Center honors and celebrates leaders who raise awareness about and advance solutions to homelessness and poverty. The prestigious awards are presented to innovative change-makers who are fighting for a future where everyone has a place to call home.
Last week, you heard about our first Stewart B. McKinney Honoree, the author of Nomadland Jessica Bruder. Joining Jessica in this honor is writer, director, editor, and producer who helped put the book's stories to the screen: Chloé Zhao. The film, released by Searchlight Pictures, was nominated for 6 Oscars and won in the categories of Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Actress.
Building upon the real tales shared through Bruder's book, Zhao included many of the people featured - cast as themselves - in the film. This brave and thoughtful choice ensured that the voices of people living in their vehicles were heard, loud and clear. In her film, Zhao weaves together the pain and loss that has led to houselessness with the resilience of the people experiencing it.
In Nomadland, Zhao is true to the people who live without a permanent home every day in America, and her collaboration with and honor to them is unmistakable. The connection created between the viewer and the "nomads" on screen is a connection often broken between housed and unhoused neighbors in real life, and that connection is the spark to real change. For her beautiful gracious creation of the film Nomadland, the Law Center is so proud to honor Chloé Zhao, along with Jessica Bruder, with the Stewart B. McKinney Award.
The 23rd Annual McKinney-Vento Awards will be held virtually Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 3 PT / 6 ET.
Tickets are free, and you can register today!
Stewart B. McKinney Award
Jessica Bruder, author of Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, and
Chloé Zhao, director of Nomadland
Bruce F. Vento Award
Rep. Maxine Waters
Pro Bono Counsel Award
Sullivan & Cromwell
Featuring the LA CAN Freedom Singers
Thank you to our sponsors!
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National Homelessness Law Center
2000 M Street, N.W., Suite 750-E
Washington, DC 20036
Washington, DC 20036