The Western New York Peace Center
57th Annual Dinner

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The theme of our 57th Annual Dinner is the Restoration of Our Mother Earth and will feature keynote speaker Elder Tom Porter. 

We will also honor four individuals with awards: Alberto O. Cappas will receive our Lifetime Achievement Award; Jerome R. Wright will receive our “Alt”-imate Activist Award; Craig Mokhiber will receive our Stellar Media award; and Gabriella Lynn Jamieson will receive our Emerging Leaders Award. 

You will have the opportunity to shop at various vendors and we encourage you to participate in one of our raffles or auctions! 

This year’s dinner will be catered by our friends at Sunshine Vegan Eats, so come enjoy some delicious plant based food!

Friday, November 15, 2024
McCoy Convention Center
653 Clinton Street, Buffalo

Catering by Sunshine Vegan Eats

Cash Bar provided by Mint Mojito 

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About Tom Porter

Thomas R. Porter (Sakokwenionkwas-“The One Who Wins”) has been the founder, spokesperson and spiritual leader of the Mohawk Community of Kanatsiohareke (Ga na jo ha lay gay) located in the Mohawk Valley near Fonda, New York since 1993. He is the author of And Grandma Said … Iroquois Teachings as Passed Down Through the Oral Tradition.

Read more about And Grandma Said …  

Learn more about the Kanatsiohareke Mohawk Community.

About Our Awardees

Lifetime Achievement Award: Alberto O. Cappas

Alberto Cappas is a publisher, poet, author, journalist, and community activist well known as the founder and publisher of The Buffalo Latino Village, a prominent publication in Buffalo, NY. The publication is highly regarded for its effective advertising and marketing within the Puerto Rican/Latino community. Among the three Latino publications in Buffalo and Western New York, it stands out as a progressive voice for the Latino population. Its positive reputation is reflected through strong social media engagement, especially on Facebook. The Buffalo Latino Village plays a key role in advocating for and representing the Latino community in the region. Alberto is also a writer and poet. His latest book Back to the Twilight Zone: A Puerto Rican Colony in Buffalo, NY is available now.

“Alt”imate Activist Award: Jerome R. Wright

Jerome Wright is the Co-Director of the #HALTsolitary Campaign and the Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. He was incarcerated for 30 years and has dedicated himself to advocacy and community service since his release. He worked with Back to Basics Outreach Ministries, advancing to Program Director of their Youth Intervention Program. At the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), he served as a Site Supervisor and Life Enrichment Class facilitator, providing job training, guidance, and supervision to people on parole and probation. In Buffalo and Rochester, Wright has mentored and trained at-risk youth, focusing on behavior modification. As an ordained Deacon at Elim Christian Fellowship, he continues his outreach and advocacy work, and is also a facilitator and trainer in the church’s Restorative Justice initiative. Jerome’s activism and advocacy has been key to the No New Jails Campaign, and he is the bold new Chair of the Erie County Corrections Specialist Advisory Board.

Stellar Media Award: Craig Mokhiber, Esq.

Craig Mokhiber is an international human rights lawyer and activist, as well as a former senior official at the United Nations. He began his career as a human rights activist in the 1980s and went on to serve at the UN for over 30 years, with assignments in Switzerland, Palestine, Afghanistan, and New York. During his tenure, he conducted numerous human rights missions across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. In October 2023, Mokhiber resigned from the UN, writing a widely circulated letter criticizing the organization’s human rights failures in the Middle East. He warned of an unfolding genocide in Gaza and called for a new approach to the Palestine-Israel conflict grounded in international law, human rights, and equality. He has appeared in many venues (in person and virtually) including the WNY Peace Center’s own Talking Peace radio/YouTube show. His guidance is vital to the movement.

Emerging Leaders Award: Gabriella Lynn Jamieson

Gabriella Jamieson is from Buffalo, New York and is a member of the Cayuga tribe. Since childhood, she has worked with her grandpa, Allan Jamieson, at his nonprofit organization Neto Hatinakwe Onkwehowe (Neto). Neto is the Cayuga word for location. Neto’s mission is to promote Native American culture through the arts and workshops. She has been making Native American jewelry for many years, and she performs Native American dances at pow-wows and other events. Gabriella enjoys educating others about her culture including those within her own community who may not have had much exposure to it. In addition to her work with Neto, she is also involved with other nonprofit organizations such as Youth Empowerment Leadership (YEL), 4-H, and Hype.

Visit our event website to purchase tickets!