Giraffe Heroes Database
Letter "H"
Entries beginning with "H"
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Steve Haberman and Lisa Radelet of Milwaukee WI left well-paying jobs to work without salaries for the abolition of capital punishment. Despite threats against their own lives, the couple founded the Justice and Mercy Project, using drama, lectures and workshops to advocate against the death sentence in Texas, the state with the most prisoners on Death Row.
Home when commended: North America, US, Wisconsin Home now: North America, US, Wisconsin Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Randi Hacker and Jackie Kaufman of Montgomery VT left their lives as writers in New York City to start an environmental-activism magazine for kids. Kaufman and Hacker maxed out their personal credit cards, and went three years without salaries, supporting themselves with other freelance work.
Home when commended: North America, US, Vermont Home now: North America, US, Vermont Gender: C (couple) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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When opponents of campaign finance reform told Doris Haddock to take a hike, she took them up on it. A staunch supporter of reform, Haddock took her message across the country, walking from L.A. to D.C. in 13 months, speaking out all the way on the dangers of a corporate takeover of democracy—and celebrating her 90th birthday on the way.
Home when commended: North America, US, New Hampshire Home now: North America, US, New Hampshire Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Louis Hall championed the rights of his fellow wheelchair users in Palatine IL by crusading for access to public transportation. When officials refused to install wheelchair lifts on buses, Hall sued the city for discrimination and won his case before the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Hall has continued to be a strong spokesperson for people with disabilities.
Home when commended: North America, US, Illinois Home now: North America, US, Oregon Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Congressman Tony Hall of Dayton OH didn't follow the beaten path for new Representatives—getting on powerful committees, bringing home the bacon for his district, and working for his party. Instead Representative Hall chose to chair the House Select Committee on Hunger, a committee with lousy funding and no pork barrel potential. Refusing to play partisan politics, Hall shared the credit—across party lines—for the committee's highly praised work on addressing the root causes of hunger.
Home when commended: North America, US, Ohio Home now: Europe, Italy Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Nordia Hamilton of Miami FL was born in Jamaica where schooling must be paid for. Grateful for the free education she is getting in the US, she devotes all her lunch hours, evenings and weekends to helping other kids learn.
Home when commended: North America, US, Florida Home now: North America, US, Florida Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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When FDA veterinarian Victoria Hampshire discovered that a canine medication had caused illnesses and the deaths of more than 500 pet dogs, she did her job and reported her findings. The international corporation that made the product mounted an assault on her integrity and tried to get her fired. Hampshire stood her ground and the product was recalled.
Home when commended: North America, US, Maryland Home now: North America, US, Maryland Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Thich Nhat Hahn of Duras, France, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, was exiled from his country for advocating peace during the Vietnam War. He has worked continuously developing programs and raising funds for victims of war.
Home when commended: Europe, France Home now: Europe, France Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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New York City Police officer George Hankins and his partner, Officer George Pearson, pooled their savings and hocked their pensions to start a youth center for troubled teens in the Bronx. Hankins worked at the center every day for many years.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Erica Hansen of Flagstaff AZ supported a foster child not much younger than herself, raising the $20-a-month cost by collecting and recycling bottles, walking dogs and doing other chores.
Home when commended: North America, US, Arizona Home now: North America, US, Arizona Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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NASA physicist James Hansen has been under attack since he first coined the phrase “the greenhouse effect” in the 1980s to describe the impacts of global warming on planet earth. But despite decades of professional and political pressure – including the alteration of his testimony by the Bush administration – Hansen continues to speak out about the urgent and unprecedented need to reduce greenhouse gases and protect the planet.
Home when commended: North America, US, New York Home now: North America, US, New York Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Kory Hansen of Salt Lake City UT was a leader of a class of fifth-graders who alerted their neighborhood to a toxic-waste dump, lobbied the city to have it cleaned up, and then pushed for state legislation to help pay for future clean-ups.
Home when commended: North America, US, Utah Home now: North America, US, Utah Gender: M (male) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Kathy Harders of Plover WI created a support base for the families of long distance truckers with LOADS (Loved Ones and Drivers Support). At her own expense, she printed flyers, set up a crisis phone line, opened her home to meetings and visited truck stops day and night. Harders has devoted her life to truckers’ families, helping start LOADS chapters in 27 states.
Home when commended: North America, US, Wisconsin Home now: North America, US, Wisconsin Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Ruth Hardwick of South Toms River NJ used a small inheritance to open a free restaurant for the poor and homeless. The 75-year-old former nurse works at the restaurant day and night, sleeping there so that she can help if one of her homeless guests needs her during the night, despite warnings that it's not a safe place to be.
Home when commended: North America, US, New Jersey Home now: North America, US, New Jersey Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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Consuello Harper of Montgomery AL was harrassed and even spit on for speaking out against government support of the poor, advocating instead the unpopular message of self-help. Founder and Executive Director of the Central Alabama Opportunity Industrial Center, Harper and her staff teach 16- to 21-year-old drop-outs the job skills they need to stay out of the welfare system.
Home when commended: North America, US, Alabama Home now: North America, US, Alabama Gender: F (female) For more information, click on the Giraffe's name.
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YOU & THE FOUNDER
From time to time, Ann Medlock, this Project's founder, does a brief but inspiring email called Heads Up. You can check out past copies here. They're so good (and so free) we bet you'll join the Heads Up circle and send them on to friends & family.
For further wit & wisdom from Ann, check out her speeches, radio commentaries and OpEds.
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