The California Wellness Foundation is proud to present its 2006 California Peace Prize honorees. Each received a cash award of $25,000 as an acknowledgment of their commitment to prevent violence and promote peace in their communities.

Sahra Abdi

Sahra Abdi is a community activist in San Diego. A respected advocate for refugees from Somalia—wracked by civil war since 1991—and for other African immigrants, she serves as a violence prevention liaison for families accustomed to an environment where fighting is a way of life.

Margaret Diaz

A passionate advocate for victims of domestic violence in San Bernardino County, Margaret Diaz is founder and executive director of Victor Valley Domestic Violence Inc. (VVDV), which provides professional counseling, legal assistance, parenting classes and childcare for victims. VVDV also operates a 24-hour hotline, A Better Way shelter and Y.O.U.T.H L.I.F.E, which provides classes in local middle and high schools that teach at-risk youth about domestic violence, relationship abuse and anger management.

Anthony Thigpenn

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Anthony Thigpenn has been involved in neighborhood organizing, public policy advocacy and community-organizing training for more than 30 years. In 1992, Thigpenn founded Strategic Concepts in Organizing & Policy Education (SCOPE), a multifaceted social justice organization based in South Los Angeles. He serves as SCOPE’s president.