Join Just City for our inaugural Courage to Care Awards, a celebration of the work we’ve accomplished, a reflection on where we’re headed, and an opportunity to honor the people making a difference in the lives of those impacted by the criminal justice system. The evening will feature a conversation with Sabrina Butler-Smith, whose powerful testimony reminds us of the human stories at the heart of our work, and an intimate look inside the Shelby County Jail, exploring how humanity persists within its walls.

The program will culminate in the Courage to Care Awards, celebrating the people who refuse to look away, who speak the truth, and who build a Memphis where freedom is a promise, not a privilege.

The 2026 honorees are:

Radley Balko
American journalist, author, blogger, and speaker who writes about criminal justice, the drug war, and civil liberties.

Liliana Segura
Award-winning investigative journalist covering the U.S. criminal justice system.

Brittany Brown
Public safety and justice reporter at MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, a Memphis nonprofit newsroom focused on poverty, power and policy.

Mauricio Calvo
Longtime CEO of Latino Memphis, connecting the city’s Latino families to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

A C Wharton, Jr.
The first African American Mayor of Shelby County, elected in 2002, former Mayor of Memphis, former Chief Public Defender and founding member of the Wharton Law Firm.

Heavy appetizers and a selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages will be served throughout the evening, followed by a reception after the program. We would be honored to have you join us for this moment of celebration, hope, and shared humanity.