Voices for change: Amanda Gorman, Angélique Kidjo and others honored at the UN Foundation’s “We The Peoples” gala – Essence

In a yr marked by global challenges, United Nations Foundation 2024 Peoples Global Leadership Awards Gala in New York make clear the transformative power of leadership and collaboration.

The event, held in the heart of Manhattan on November 21, celebrated extraordinary individuals and organizations working to deal with a few of the world’s most pressing issues, from climate change to gender equality. This yr’s recipients include National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, Grammy Award-winning singer Angélique Kidjo and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Rt. She. Jacinda Ardern.

Elizabeth Cousens, president and CEO of the UN Foundation, emphasized the importance of the event: “These awards show us that leadership takes many forms – from humanitarian service, through social activism, to art, journalism and statecraft at the highest levels,” she said. “They show that progress is most possible when we unite our forces for a common cause.”

Rooted in the opening words of the United Nations Charter, “We the People,” the gala embodied the Foundation’s mission to attach innovation and partnership to create meaningful change. The story of every evening honored reflected a shared commitment to constructing a more just, sustainable and compassionate world – one motion, one voice and one community at a time.

Gorman received the inaugural Unite Our Strength Award. Her acceptance speech highlighted her commitment to education and equality, particularly through her groundbreaking Writing Change initiative. Launched in partnership with Estée Lauder, the program funds literacy efforts across the United States, empowering marginalized youth through the written word.

“Many of you may know me as Joe Biden’s inauguration poet,” Gorman said. “But one of my proudest achievements was founding Writing Change in 2021. It is an initiative to advance literacy as a pathway to equity, access and social change by amplifying young voices.” Since its inception, the initiative has supported ten organizations dedicated to promoting literacy as a tool for social progress.

Gorman dedicated her award to “the world’s young changemakers” and urged the audience to embrace compassion of their leadership. “When I think about uniting our forces,” she said, “I think about not just coalescing around what makes us strong, but having compassion for where we are vulnerable. Only then can we be the light, if only we are brave enough to be it.”

In a time of widespread division, her words served as each a rallying cry and a reminder that the next generation holds the key to lasting change.

Kidjo, winner of the SDG Vanguard Award, brought warmth and gravitas to the stage. The five-time Grammy winner has spent her profession advocating for kid’s rights, gender equality and the empowerment of African women. Her Batonga Foundation, which operates in Benin and Senegal, provides seed funding and mentorship to young women, supporting economic independence and leadership.

“When I need someone to bring a pair of new eyes and listen to help, I will always answer,” Kidjo said in her speech, before poignantly reminding: “Never come to help people with your ego. Come and help them with your humility.”

In an interview with ESSENCE after the ceremony, Kidjo spoke intimately about her mission. “What we are doing is empowering young women to take leadership in their own lives, to understand that no one – no tradition – can force them to marry early,” she said. “We provide them with seed funding to start businesses that make an impact in their communities. Women have solutions; we just have to invest in them.”

For Kidjo, the award is greater than just recognition – it is a call to motion. “This is a milestone, but additionally a reminder that we cannot stop fighting for human rights, women’s rights and the way forward for our planet. Black women are unstoppable. We are strong. We are powerful. And we must reclaim that power at every opportunity.

The evening also honored Louise Mabulo, founding father of the Cacao Project, which promotes sustainable agriculture in the Philippines, in addition to UN emergency services and TIME magazine for their integrity and courage in the face of world challenges.

The evening ended with an enchanting fireside chat with Rt. Hon. Jacinda Ardern, winner of the Champion for Global Change Award. Recognized for her pioneering and empathetic leadership, Ardern is an unwavering advocate for women’s rights and global unity.

Ardern reflected on the cyclical nature of progress and the persistence needed to bring about significant change. “I became deeply political. Then, at the age of 17, I entered politics and spent 10 of the 15 years of my life in the opposition. I spent a lot of time on the other side of change, waiting to do something good and hopeful,” she said. Stressing the importance of preparation and perseverance, she added: “In times when you wait, you prepare, you support others, you strengthen civil society and the media, and you make sure you are always ready when the opportunity arises.”

Her tenure as prime minister, characterised by transformational leadership, highlighted the ebb and flow of progress. “You do as much as you can with as many people as you can, and you hope it happens. And then another cycle happens,” she explained. Her resounding message to the audience was one in every of resilience and hope: “Don’t give up. Don’t give up.”

As the evening drew to an in depth, the gala was a profound reminder of what will be achieved when courage meets purpose.