WASHINGTON—On Saturday, Nov. 1, community members from around Washington assembled for the annual Paul Robeson Peace and Justice Awards Gala hosted by the D.C. Friends of People’s World.
The night was filled with food, music, and uplift as it celebrated several community leaders and organizations who have fought for peace and justice over the past years and decades.
Joslyn (Jos) Williams was the 2025 Paul Robeson Award honoree. The retired labor leader led the Washington Metropolitan Council of the AFL-CIO for over 20 years. He was the council’s first and longest-serving African American president and also served as regional director for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU).
Williams was unable to attend the event in person but was able to record a video that was displayed showing him being presented the award by 2024 honoree, Rev. Graylan Hagler. He told the crowd that the award was not just an honor for one individual but a reminder to continue the fight.
“A philosopher once said that service is the price we pay, the rent we owe, for the space we occupy on this planet,” Williams said. “D.C. People’s World and the people associated with it are an example of that saying, and I am honored to be in their company.
“Paul Robeson was the epitome of public service. He sacrificed his career for his fight for peace and justice, and this award will be a constant reminder to me, and should be for all of us, of what this giant meant and the legacy he left us.”
Williams said receiving the Robeson Award is not a signal that he’s retiring from the struggle but rather “a reminder that come tomorrow, I will still be in the trenches with you.”
He concluded his acceptance speech with a staunch call of “Free D.C.!”—which happens also to be the name of one of the 2025 organizational awardees.
Free D.C. won the Local Justice Award for the coalition’s tireless advocacy against federal interference in local political and for D.C. Statehood.
Also honored were D.C. for Palestine, which received the Global Peace Award for its advocacy in the District for ending the genocide in Gaza, and WPFW-Pacifica Radio, given the Building a Better World 24/7 Media Award for the station’s tireless work around independent and grassroots media in D.C.
This year’s Movement Journalism Award went to two local African American photojournalists, Shedrick Pelt and Rev. Bill Lee, who also had an art gallery display at the Gala. They were recognized for their ability to capture all of D.C.’s social and people’s movements for the public to see.
Tom Porter, longtime programming director for WPFW-Pacifica Radio, was the evening’s keynote speaker. He spoke to Robeson’s politics, arguing that his contributions were not just past history but rather inspiration for how to react to the political situation the country finds itself in today.
Porter said that activists today have “a responsibility in the fight against fascism” and that the “political left needs to set aside their sectarianism and unite in against the fascist threat.”
Robeson’s politics as well as his contributions to culture were a common thread running through the entire event, and the evening included immersive cultural acts by Warriors Drumline, DJ Mezkla, Free BenJamin, Veronique, and WAYTA.
Veronique performed a cover of Robeson’s classic song, “Ol’ Man River,” which garnered a burst of cheers from the diverse audience.
Also featured were tributes to fallen D.C. activists and community leaders like Arturo Griffiths, Jr., Jaime Cruz, Jr., and David Schwartzman, all of whom passed away in 2025.
The Paul Robeson Award was first bestowed in 2007, given to music stalwart Luci Murphy by Griffiths and Acie Byrd. After a nearly 20-year hiatus, the award returned in 2024 and was presented to local faith leader and activist Rev. Graylan Hagler. D.C. People’s World organizers plan to make the Paul Robeson Awards Gala an annual affair, as it was originally intended.
The 2026 edition promises to be bigger and better with plenty of potential honorees on the rise, especially with elections coming up in D.C. and the continued fight against the Trump occupation of the District.
We hope you appreciated this article. At People’s World, we believe news and information should be free and accessible to all, but we need your help. Our journalism is free of corporate influence and paywalls because we are totally reader-supported. Only you, our readers and supporters, make this possible. If you enjoy reading People’s World and the stories we bring you, please support our work by donating or becoming a monthly sustainer today. Thank you!
CONTRIBUTOR
