Academy and Emmy Award-Winning Non-Profit Media Company, Shine Global, Will Honor Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Actress Sonia Manzano, and Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate Cydney Brown in LA on Oct. 20

We are pleased to announce the three esteemed honorees we will recognize at the upcoming awards show at Paramount Pictures Studios in LA on October 20, 2022. Shine Global will honor pioneering Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard for her commitment to advocating for children’s rights; actress and screenwriter, Sonia Manzano for her contributions to children’s entertainment and the impact it’s had on future generations; and 2020-21 Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate, Cydney Brown, for her work to inspire children and families alike to speak their truth and fight for change. Below we’ve provided information on each honoree and the award they will receive:

Purchase tickets for the awards ceremony here.

Titan Award – Recognizes a leader in the film and TV/media industry who has made a significant impact in advancing children’s causes and media for young audiences.

Sonia Manzano is an Emmy Award-winning actress, producer, screenwriter, author, and speaker, whose contributions to children’s media spans over five decades and multiple mediums. Best known as “Maria” on Sesame Street to multiple generations of viewers across the world, Sonia is a fifteen-time Emmy Award winning screenwriter, having written for iconic children’s TV shows including Sesame Street and Little Bill. She is also the author of numerous acclaimed children’s books, many of which shed much-needed light on Latino families and children’s resilience. Most recently, Manzano has returned to PBS as the creator of Alma’s Way, a new children’s show set in The Bronx. Photo by David Gonzalez courtesy of Fred Rogers Productions.

Champion for Children Award – Recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a deep commitment through generous support and engagement to youth and family causes.

Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress, has shown a deep commitment to advancing children’s rights throughout her thirty-year tenure on Capitol Hill. In Congress, she has pioneered protections for children’s health through the Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act and the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking (STOP) ACT. Roybal-Allard is also a leading advocate for immigrant families and children, having been an original co-author of the Dream Act and the sponsor of the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE) Act.

Youth Activist Award – Recognizes the advocacy of a young person who raises awareness on important topics facing the next generation and has positively affected policy or change in their communities.

Cydney Brown is the former Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate and the award-winning author of “Daydreaming.” She has recited her poetry at The Philadelphia Museum of Art, Benjamin Franklin Hall, Lincoln University, The Ideas We Should Steal Festival, and she wishes to inspire people to speak their truth and share her poetry with the world.

“There are countless individuals who have committed their lives to shining a light on the challenges youth face, but few have committed themselves to elevating their voices. Congresswoman Roybal-Allard, Sonia Manzano, and Cydney Brown are three such people, and I am grateful to honor each of them for their incredible work centering youth causes at the heart of politics, television and film, and poetry respectively,” said Susan MacLaury, executive director of Shine Global. “Despite their varied spheres of influence, each of our honorees has harnessed their power to highlight oft-forgotten issues, amplify youth voices, and make this world shine brighter for the next generation.”

In addition to honoring these three esteemed individuals, Shine Global will announce the inaugural winner of the Children’s Resilience in Film Award at the October 20th ceremony. The winner of the award will receive a $25,000 cash prize. The nominees for the award include the following films:

Gabi: Between Ages 8 and 13 (Sweden/Denmark/Norway), directed by Engeli Broberg

LIFT (USA), directed by David J. Petersen

Maika: The Girl From Another Galaxy (Vietnam), directed by Ham Tran

Scenes From the Glittering World (USA), directed by Jared Jakins

The winner will be selected by a jury panel, including Kay Wilson Stallings, Maria Perez Brown, Amy Kennedy, Scott Feinberg, and Jana Sue Memel.

A preview of the four nominated films can be viewed here:

The first-of-its-kind award will honor the preeminent filmmakers who masterfully highlight and celebrate the inspiring strength, creativity, and power of children across the world. Amidst an ongoing pandemic that has disrupted everyday life and social-emotional development for billions of children globally, and a humanitarian crisis that has forced hundreds of thousands of children and families to flee Ukraine, the Children’s Resilience in Film Award seeks to shed much-needed light on the uplifting, inspiring stories of children who offer global audiences hope and the talented filmmakers who tell them.

The inaugural 2022 Children’s Resilience in Film Award is sponsored in part by media partner The Hollywood Reporter who will uplift these powerful, culture-shifting films to receive the recognition they deserve; Paramount Pictures; Sunlight Entertainment, Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang; Mattel Inc; pocket.watch; Quest Pacifica; Jim and Kimberly Caccavo; Ellen and Wendell Maddrey; DreamWorks Animation; IMAX; A.JAFFE; and hospitality partner Sunset Marquis Hotel.

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About Shine Global

Shine Global is a non-profit media company that gives voice to children and their families by telling their stories of resilience to raise awareness, promote action, and inspire change. We produce inspiring films and compelling content about underserved children. Through tailored distribution and outreach, we connect with our audiences in communities, classrooms, museums, and on Capitol Hill as part of a powerful engagement campaign to encourage social change.

Since our founding in 2005, Shine Global films have won more than 100 major awards, including an Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short Subject for Inocente and an Academy Award®-nomination and two Emmys® for War/Dance. Recent films include the documentary-animation hybrid Liyana, the hit documentary The Eagle Huntress, Through Our Eyes: Homefront which is available on HBOMax, and Home Is Somewhere Else which is currently in festivals.