Living the Dream Awards

“Living the Dream” Award Nominations

Click here for 2027 printable nomination form.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. State Holiday Commission is now accepting names of persons and organizations in consideration for the “Living the Dream” awards. The awards will be presented on Monday, January 18, 2027 as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance.

Five individual awards, and up to three Service Organization awards will be given to those who best exemplify, through action, and/or personal traits, the principles and ideals characterizing Dr. King in his pursuit of social change. The six categories and criteria are:

Advocate of Peace: A person who has been an advocate of social change in a non-violent way.
Sharing of Self: A person who has rendered to others in the public or private sector.
Human and Civil Rights: A person who has been actively involved in the pursuit of equality for others; an advocate for social change.
Scholarship: A person who has made signiﬁcant contributions in education.
Governor’s Living the Dream Award: A person who best exempliﬁes all the characteristics of justice, scholarship, sharing of self, human and civil rights, and advocacy of peace; with a recognizable sense of civic awareness and public service.
Service Organization Honor Roll: Qualifying organizations must have demonstrated one or more of the principles for which Dr. King stood: the promotion of human and civil rights, providing assistance to underserved communities, promotion of tolerance, and resolving conﬂict in a nonviolent manner.
Complete nomination packets must include:

A brief typewritten statement (no more than one page) that discusses the qualities of the nominee that best meets the standard of a speciﬁc award category.
A one-page biography with a color picture of the candidate or mission statement/activities of the organization.
Materials (e.g., newspaper articles) that describe the nominee’s community involvement.
The category in which your nominee is nominated.
Submissions by USPS mail, e-mail and/or fax must have a postmark or date stamp no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 30, 2026.
Submit Complete Nomination Packet via USPS, Email or Fax to:

MLK, Jr. State Holiday Commission
Chairperson Jill Upson
State Capitol, Building 1, Room 9R
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E.
Charleston, WV 25305

Fax: 304.558.1201
Email: Jill.S.Upson@wv.gov
Web: https://minorityaffairs.wv.gov/MLKCommission/

Click here for a printable nomination form.