Nun From Long Beach To Be Awarded Presidential Medal Of Freedom

Long Beach’s own Sister Simone Campbell was named by President Biden as one of the seventeen recipients for the Presidential Medal of Freedom this morning.

Campbell was recognized for her work as a member of the Sister of Social Service and as the former executive director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. During her time as executive director, Campbell advocated to close the wage gap by lobbying on this issue in Washington, D.C., as well as helped organize the “Nuns on the Bus” tour in 2012.

Campbell has led six “Nuns on the Bus” tours across the country since the program began, focusing on issues such as tax justice, health care, mending the wage gap, immigration reform and economic justice, according to NETWORK.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor that can be awarded to an American civilian. 

This award is “presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors,” according to the White House press release.

“I am deeply honored by this unexpected recognition, which highlights the important work of lifting up the experiences of ordinary people in our nation in order to make policy for all,” Campbell wrote in a tweet.

Campbell will join the sixteen other recipients to receive this award at the White House on Thursday, July 7. Other recipients include Simone Biles, Denzel Washington, John McCain, and Steve Jobs.

By Hannah Shields

Photo Credit: Networklobby.org