Grace Griffin has been named the 2026 Jamala Rogers Young Visionary. She is a fifth-generation East St. Louisan who is committed to transformative change in her community. Griffin’s vision of social justice emerges at the crossroads of the injustices within her community: crumbling educational systems, environmental hazards, and limited access to healthy food.
Griffin intends to use her cash award to launch a campaign that engages the community in understanding the importance of food access. The campaign will encourage community members to explore various opportunities for involvement, such as growing their own food, purchasing from local growers, or preparing nutritious meals. Additionally, it will seek to organize support from other organizations and individuals to advocate for redress concerning the food and environmental injustices faced by East St. Louis.
The annual Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award honors young adults who are actively working for social justice and making a positive impact in their communities. This award is named after Jamala Rogers, a respected community leader who has inspired thousands of young people to use their time, talents, and skills to uplift their communities in meaningful ways. The award comes with a stipend of $3,000.
Contributions to the Jamala Rogers Young Visionary Award are tax-deductible and can be made at www.positiveyouthdev.org or mailed to P.O. Box 5277, St. Louis, MO 63115.
Grace Griffin’s commitment to addressing limited access to healthy food and advocating for redress concerning food and environmental injustices underscores the urgent need for community-driven insights. To build upon this vision, we encourage you to participate in the “At the Table: Food & Health in Our Community Survey.” This is a quick, five-minute reader survey designed to gain insight into the views of the Black community on food. By sharing your feelings, beliefs, and perceptions about food in America, detailing how your food choices and environment affect your health and wellbeing, and identifying what resources and strategies would actually help our community thrive, you provide vital information. Your input will directly support future advocacy efforts aimed at achieving transformative change in communities like East St. Louis.