During its 45-year-plus history, Annunciation House has hosted over 500,000 migrants, refugees, and immigrants from over 40 countries. The vast majority of these have been refugees who have fled the violence of political upheaval, civil wars, death squads, human rights abuses, and especially, stifling poverty. Common to all of these people has been the almost categorical absence of a viable way to find protection, redress their grievances, exert their human rights or respond to the forces that threaten their lives and those of their families.

This reality gives rise to courageous people who recognize the vulnerability of the countless voiceless and accept the call to work, struggle, and witness on behalf of the oppressed poor. Through their work and actions, these individuals give voice to the poor and their profound yearning to be heard and freed.

Annunciation House’s annual Voice of the Voiceless Award recognizes the value of these voices that offer a guiding path of light in times of darkness. The Award honors the prophetic voices among us, affirms advocacy on behalf of the poor, and recognizes that such witness often comes at personal risk. Recipients live in solidarity with the poor-they advocate with those whose voices are ignored or overshadowed.