With a legacy of humanitarian impact, the University of Michigan continues to honor those who embody the values of courage and advocacy. Guerline Jozef, a prominent human rights advocate, is set to receive the 2026 Wallenberg Medal on September 29 at Rackham Auditorium.
During the Wallenberg Lecture, Jozef will delve into her personal experiences, highlighting how one person can make a difference in the world.
The Donia Human Rights Center at the University of Michigan bestows the Wallenberg Medal to honor individuals whose actions align with Raoul Wallenberg’s principles, emphasizing the power of the human spirit to champion the voiceless and vulnerable.
Guerline Jozef is renowned for her role as the executive director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting immigrants, focusing especially on Black immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Her leadership has been crucial in centering African descent voices in migration discourse.
As the creator of “Tales from the Borderlands and Beyond,” and co-founder of the Black Immigrants Bail Fund and the Cameroon Advocacy Network, Jozef continues to influence migration and justice conversations on a global scale.
Her work has earned her recognition, such as being listed among the Washingtonian’s 500 Most Influential People of 2025, Politico’s 40 Most Influential People on Race, Politics, and Policy of 2021, and the BBC’s Top 100 Women of 2024. Jozef’s accolades include the 2025 Afro-Caribbean Diaspora IMPACT Award, the 2021 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, and several others.
MORE INFORMATION
- Wallenberg Medalists 1990-2025
- About Raoul Wallenberg
- Tickets not required. The Wallenberg Medal and Lecture ceremony is free and open to the public. For event inquiries and requests for event accommodations, contact wallenberglecture@umich.edu or 734-936-3973.
Jozef’s contributions have been recognized by various organizations, including the Women’s Refugee Commission, The Haitian Times, the National Haitian-American Elected Officials Network, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Her advocacy has reached international platforms such as the United Nations, the U.S. Congress, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
“Guerline Jozef is a powerful advocate for the dignity and rights of migrants who has linked the experience of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border to global human rights movements. She works tirelessly to give voice to the marginalized and to shape a more just future for all,” stated Sioban Harlow, chair of the Wallenberg Medal Executive Committee and professor emerita at the University of Michigan.
Recent Wallenberg Medal recipients have included figures such as Vladimir Kara-Murza in 2025, environmental activist Nnimmo Bassey in 2024, and journalist Safa Al Ahmad in 2019.
The Wallenberg Medal has also honored notable figures over the decades, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Bryan Stevenson, Miep Gies, John Lewis, Elie Wiesel, Denis Mukwege, and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
