Who Is Lenny Zakim?

Leonard P. Zakim, was the Executive Director of the New England Region of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). He was a leader in civil rights advocacy, diversity education, and creating youth programs. Lenny died of bone marrow cancer in 1999 at the age of 46.

Mr. Zakim built political alliances and personal connections with Black ministers, Roman Catholic leaders, elected officials, and sports celebrities to establish community organizations and public-service events, including the 12,000-person Team Harmony antiracism rally for teenagers and the nation's largest multicultural Passover seder.

In his last years, Lenny had turned his personal struggle with multiple myeloma into a public one, speaking about health, grief, and suffering, creating the Lenny Zakim Fund, which continues to support organizations fighting poverty and bigotry throughout Massachusetts.

The “Zakim” will be awarded to a high school student or students that have demonstrated their commitment to promoting racial and social justice and combating hate. This commitment can be in the form of an impactful action or a campaign that they developed in their school or community. The action or campaign must have been conducted over the course of the present or past year.  

Team Harmony will select up to three winners of this prestigious national award. The winners will be recognized at the Team Harmony “WE Have A Dream” Rally.

Team Harmony has created this award to recognize youth activists committed to bringing about positive change through the promotion of equality and civil rights for all.  The Award bears the name of one of the Co-Founders of Team Harmony and a civil rights leader, Lenny Zakim.

Who is Eligible?

All middle and high school students from public, private, charter, collaborative or parochial schools are eligible.

What is the criteria?

We are interested in all of the activities, programs, events, projects and curriculum that you have developed and implemented in your school or organization, as well as everything you have planned through May 2023. The activities that will be considered for this award should incorporate the following:
• Commitment to promoting racial and social justice and combating hate;
• This commitment can be in the form of an impactful action or a campaign that they developed in their school or community;
• The action or campaign must have been conducted over the course of the present or past year.  

Interested parties should submit their nomination here.