On Friday, May 1, 57 individuals and organizations from around the nation were recognized by Director James Comey at FBI Headquarters, for making extraordinary contributions to education and to the prevention of crime and violence.
The Bureau has been presenting its Director’s Community Leadership Awards (DCLA) for more than two decades to ordinary citizens and organizations striving to build stronger, safer, and more cohesive communities, and this latest group of honorees continues to set the bar exceedingly high.
This year’s DCLA honorees, as in past years, were selected by FBI field offices and represent many different sectors—non-profits, business, military, academia, the clergy, behavioral sciences, the media, sports, and civic groups. But while their backgrounds may differ, they all have the same overarching goal: Change their communities for the better and make a positive difference in the lives of other people.
Comey said that there are two reasons for presenting these awards every year. First, it’s an acknowledgement of the fact that part of the FBI’s work of contributing to the protection of communities around the country is to “build partnerships with other people who are all about the protection of the community.” And second, the awards enable the Bureau to hold the recipients up as role models of “what being a citizen really looks like, what being part of a community really looks like.”
Among those we honor for their selfless actions:
Lisette Guillen, a marketing professional in Indiana who uses her expertise to help law enforcement solve cold cases, bringing justice for victims and ensuring closure for families;
Ms. Guillen is the owner of the northwest Indiana marketing and advertising firm, Latin Media. She co-produces “Crime Stoppers Case Files – Chicago,” with Hale Media LLC of which Ms. Guillen is executive producer and host. Her passion is to assist law enforcement in solving cold cases and bringing justice to deserving families. Ms. Guillen utilizes her stature in the community and her Latin Media business practices to tackle a multitude of issues within the Latino community. She is being recognized with the Director’s Community Leadership Award for her incredible efforts to educate and empower the Latino community regarding public safety, crime prevention and violence reduction.
Comey noted the diversity of the Director’s Community Leadership Awards recipients—the “diversity of good in America,” he called it. He added, “I was struck by how many different people from different backgrounds, with different heritages and different traditions, were all doing good but in so many different ways.”