Who on Cape Cod was recognized for human rights work? ‘We rise by lifting each other.’
By Rachael Devaney
Cape Cod Times
Harriet Jerusha Korim’s voice radiated across the room as she led a chorus of “This Little Light of Mine” during the Barnstable County Human Rights Advisory Commission 2025 Human Rights Day Celebration Breakfast.
The song, said Korim, reminds her that everyone must join forces to achieve human rights for all people.
“Even though the sun is up and the lights are on, these are dark times. The darker it gets, the harder I look for sparks of joy. Of courage. Of kindness. Of solidarity,” said Korim, who won the Tim McCarthy award during the event.
“I can see that this room is filled with sparks. I can feel it,” she said.
There were roughly 100 attendees at the breakfast, which began at 8:30 a.m. at the Cape Cod Conference Center on Wednesday.
The breakfast was held in tandem with the Advisory Commission’s 20th anniversary and with national Human Rights Day 2025, according to Advisory Commission Coordinator Leslie Dominguez-Santos. International Human Rights Day is observed annually on Dec. 10 to commemorate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was adopted in 1938.
The breakfast honored roughly 21 people with a series of awards including two Cape librarians – Cyndy Cotton of Osterville Village Library and Antonia Stephens of the Hyannis Public Library, who won the annual Rosenthal award.
Karen Boujoukos of the MLK Action Team of the Nauset Interfaith Association won the Cornerstone Award.
The Cornerstone award was also presented posthumously to Janice Hank in honor of her years of work to prevent human trafficking on the Cape. Hank died in May.
Hank’s partner Lois Hirschberg accepted the award on Hank’s behalf and said Hank was mindful of the ongoing strength of the Cape community.
“She always said that this is what we were put on this earth to do – to help fellow citizens in any way we can,” said Hirschberg. “Janice always listened deeply and wanted to work towards a more caring and equitable world.”