In a significant recognition of community contributors, the Peace and Justice Center has announced the recipients of its 2026 Peace Awards. These honors spotlight individuals and organizations making considerable strides in promoting peace and justice across various communities.
Carla McCabe Honored
WVIA President and CEO Carla McCabe has been awarded the Susan Merrill-Constance Kozel Award. This accolade is given to individuals whose societal contributions align with justice and peace principles. The Peace and Justice Center recognized McCabe for her leadership and dedication to serving the communities in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania, especially as local newsrooms dwindle.
Additional Awardees
This year, The Lands at Hillside Farms and Lillyan Mahmoud also join McCabe as honorees. The Lands at Hillside Farms received the David Frey Community Service for Peace Award. This recognition is due to its commitment to education, sustainability, and community service, thus fostering a better environment for future generations.
The nonprofit educational dairy farm located in Shavertown, Luzerne County, is recognized for its work in advancing peace and justice within the community.
Lillyan Mahmoud was honored with the Athena Smith Ford Student for Peace Award. Her efforts in the Crestwood School District aim to foster understanding and dismantle stereotypes concerning Muslim and immigrant communities. This award is dedicated to young individuals who embody peacemaking through academic and extracurricular initiatives.
A Shared Vision for Peace
Noreen O’Connor, Steering Committee Coordinator, stated, “Peace isn’t something we wait for — it’s something we build, together, one act of courage and care at a time.” She emphasized the impact of this year’s honorees, noting, “Carla McCabe, The Lands at Hillside Farms, and Lillyan Mahmoud show us what that looks like in practice: telling the truth our communities need to hear, tending the land and each other so that what we’ve been given only grows richer, and opening a hand to whoever needs welcome.”
The honorees will be celebrated at the Peace and Justice Center’s annual awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Appletree Terrace in Dallas.
The Lands at Hillside Farms Facebook page
