This hasn’t gotten much attention, but I think this is notable:
President Joe Biden on Friday will name 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including several political allies such as former Vice President Al Gore, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Other recipients include Olympics swimming champion Katie Ledecky, former Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., journalist and television talk show host Phil Donahue, former Secretary of State John Kerry, and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the “prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors.”
The awards will be presented a White House ceremony Friday.
Three Americans are receiving the medal posthumously: civil rights activist Medgar Evers, athlete Jim Thorpe and former U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J.
“President Biden often says there is nothing beyond our capacity when we act together,” the White House said in a statement. “These 19 Americans built teams, coalitions, movements, organizations and businesses that shaped America for the better. They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields. They consistently demonstrated over their careers the power of community, hard work and service.”
The USA TODAY story goes on to list all the honorees and notes:
Father Greg Boyle is a Jesuit Catholic priest who is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world’s largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program.
A longer biography on the White House website gives more context:
Father Boyle is the founder and Executive Director of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the United States, now in its 25th year. His dedication to finding a place for all in our society brought him to the Boyle Heights community of East Los Angeles, where he served as pastor of Dolores Mission Church, from 1986 through 1992. It was there that Father Greg started what would become Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit organization that employs and trains more than 300 former gang-members every year in seven social enterprises. Homeboy Industries also provides critical services to the 12,000 people who walk through the doors every year seeking a better life. Father Greg is the author of the NY Times bestselling book, Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion.
Nobody is more deserving. Kudos! Now when will they get around to giving him the Nobel Peace Prize?
