In a surprise finish Saturday, three organizations won Global Collaborative Social Justice Leadership awards from Kalamazoo College. The College's Arcus Center had originally planned to give one $25,000 global prize, plus a $5,000 regional award. But jurors considering the entries asked that the college award three $10,000 global prizes. One went to the Dalia Association that helps Palestinians create their own businesses through "micro loans", raising the money within their communities. Another went to Language Partners, an Illinois-based organization that helps prison inmates improve their language, leadership, and job skills. The third global prize was awarded to Building Power for Restaurant Workers, a group started by restaurant employees at the World Trade Center in New York who lost their jobs after the terrorist attacks in September 2011.
The regional prize was awarded to to Welcoming Michigan based in Kalamazoo. It works on immigration reform and immigrant rights issues.
The competition for a second round of awards will be held in 2016
