Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, ambassador and General Superintendent Emerita of The Wesleyan Church, is being honored at the National Immigration Forum and National Immigration Forum Action Fund in recognition of her service within the faith community as a champion for immigrants and immigration reform.
The event will take place October 5 in Washington, D.C., where she will receive the Keepers of the American Dream Award.
Each year, the Forum celebrates the heroes who embody the spirit of immigrant achievement and the American dream, contribute significantly to the well-being of immigrants in America and enhance appreciation of immigrants and the immigrant tradition. Because of Dr. Lyon’s work on behalf of immigrants and immigration, the Forum believes she deserves special recognition.
Previous recipients of Forum awards include Wendy Young, Kids in Need of Defense; Mr. J.W. “Bill” Marriott, Jr., chairman of the Marriott Corporation; Mr. Jonathan Plutzik, chairman and principal owner of the Betsy South Beach; Mr. Hikmet Ersek, president and CEO of Western Union; José Andrés, president/chef at ThinkFoodGroup; and Ms. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.
This is the Forum’s premier annual event, and it regularly gathers 300 policymakers, media and advocates from across the Washington, D.C. area.
Founded in 1982, the National Immigration Forum advocates for the value of immigrants and immigration to the United States. For over 30 years, the Forum has worked to advance sound federal immigration solutions through a robust combination of policy expertise, communications outreach and forging powerful alliances of diverse constituencies across the country.
