Charles C. Irby Distinguished Service Award
The Charles C. Irby Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has achieved distinction through service to the community, has demonstrated strong leadership qualities, and has promoted the goals and ideals of AES.
2023
2022
2021
Outstanding Advocacy in Race & Ethnic Communities Award
Recognizes an individual whose activist spirit through voluntarism or employment embodies the values of AES and who supports justice, coalition-building, health, and wellness in the lived communities that embrace ethnic studies
2023
Motoko Aizawa, DC Human Rights Commission
Julia S. Jordan-Zachery, Wake Forest University
Joe Leonard, Howard University
Timothy Messer-Kruse, Bowling Green State University
Kelley Robinson, Human Rights Campaign
Gustavo Torrez, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Outstanding Book Award
The AES Outstanding Book Award is the highest scholarly award bestowed by AES and recognizes excellence in scholarly and creative works in/or related to the field of ethnic studies.
2023
Jacques Berlinerblau (Georgetown University) and Terrence L. Johnson (Harvard University): Blacks and Jews in America)
Marcus Board, Jr.: (Howard University, Invisible Weapons)
Marzia Milazzo (University of Johannesburg, Colorblind Tools)
Imani Perry (Harvard University, South to America)
Tatiana Reinoza (University of Notre Dame, Reclaiming the Americas)
Elizabeth Rule (Georgetown University, Indigenous DC)
Roberto “Dr. Cintli” Rodriguez (University of Arizona, Writing 50 Years (más o menos) Amongst the Gringos)
Kristy L. Ulibarri (University of Denver, Visible Borders, Invisible Economies)
2022
Juan Herrera – Cartographic Memory: Social Movement Activism and the Production of Space
2021
Natchee Barnd: Native Space: Geographic Strategies to Unsettle Settler Colonialism
Timothy Messer-Kruse: Ethnic Studies: Critical Fundamentals
Ron Scapp: A Question of Voice: Philosophy and the Search for Legitimacy
Dr. Christine Sleeter and Dr. Miguel Zavala: Transformative Ethnic Studies in Schools: Curriculum, Pedagogy and Research
Sabrina Vourvoulias: Nuestra América: 30 Inspiring Latinas/Latinos who have Shaped the United States
David Yoo, Pamela Grieman, Charlene Villaseñor Black, Danielle Dupy, and Arnold Ling-Chuang Pan:
Knowledge for Justice: An Ethnic Studies Reader
Outstanding Media Award
2021
Julia S. Jordan-Zachery: Healing Roots (documentary)
The Robert L. Perry Mentoring Award
Established by a separate endowment, the Award recognizes outstanding persons who demonstrate the same spirit of mentoring and commitment to students and faculty as Dr. Robert L. Perry, one of the earliest members of the Association for Ethnic Studies and one of the first African Americans to earn a Ph.D. in sociology from Wayne State University. The award honors the lifetime accomplishments of this extraordinary individual while supporting the development of talented professionals who mentor students and faculty, by going above and beyond the required professorial ‘call of duty’ in the college/university environment. This award recognizes mentoring and advising as one of the most under-appreciated, time‐consuming aspects of one’s career in higher education and is bestowed upon an individual who devotes significant, often under‐appreciated time, to promoting and supporting—beyond the classroom—future generations of scholars and activists.
2023
2022
2021
The Ernest M. Pon Award
Ernest M. Pon was an active and dedicated member of AES who succumbed to leukemia in 1985, after a long struggle against the disease. Ernie exemplified the kind of person who dedicates their life to serving the Asian/Asian American community. Whether working as the AES Conference photographer or in other roles, his calm and easy-going manner made remarkable strides and led to achievements in the areas of bilingual cross-‐cultural education, counseling and Southeast Asian education. To honor his dedication to the Asian American community, to life in general, and to recognize his determined battle against terminal illness, the AES Board of Directors established the Ernest M. Pon Memorial Fund. This fund recognizes and allocates monies to Asian and Asian American organizations dedicated to human rights, equal justice, and research concerning Asians in the region in the region of the annual conference site location
2023
2022
Mia Yamamoto
Fran Lujan
2021
Nina Corder
Phillips G Davies Graduate Student Paper/Presentation Award
The Graduate Student Paper/Presentation Award is given to a graduate student and conference attendee and presenter whose conference presentation and/or scholarly work are outstanding and make an impact in the field of ethnic studies.
2023
Jessica Tjiu, Ohio State University
Shannon Thompson, Howard University
Cortland P. Auser Undergraduate Student Paper/Presentation Award
The Undergraduate Student Paper/Presentation Award is given to an undergraduate student and conference attendee and presenter whose conference presentation and/or scholarly work are outstanding and make an impact in the field of ethnic studies.
2023
Isabella Ferrero, Northern Arizona University
Chardae Henderson, Howard University
Ashton W. Welch Memorial Student Travel Fund Award
The Student Travel Fund Award is given to currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students from any institution to assist their domestic or international travel to attend the AES Annual Conference.
2023
Ayotunde Giwa, Northern Arizona University
Jessica Tjiu, Ohio State University
2022
Stephanie M. Arguera
Bryan Cantero
manmit singh
Elizabeth Gaxiola
Outstanding Student Award
The Outstanding Student Award recognizes exceptional undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate a spirit of commitment to the field of Ethnic Studies through activism, mentoring, civic engagement, or teaching. It honors an extraordinary individual who supports and fights for equality by going above and beyond the expected involvement of a college student.
2023
Reina Ferrufino, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2022
Janneth Najera
Katherine E. Batanero
Annual Conference Local Region Special Commendations
Recognizing organizations and individuals in the local region of the annual conference whose body of creative work, activism, and spirit embodies the values and goals of AES.
2023
A Special Recognition for 55 Years: Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University
A Special Recognition for 70 Years: Department of African Studies at Howard University
A Special Recognition for Culture, Music, and Social Action in DC: Long Live Go Go
A Special Recognition for DC Statehood Advocacy: DC Vote
AES WELCOMES ALL NOMINATIONS
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS for 2024
- Submit nominations following the below guidelines:
- All submissions should be received by the First Monday of September preceding the annual conference in November.
- Nominations should be submitted alongside a brief bio and rationale for why the individual should be considered for the award, as needed.
- Travel grant awards should be submitted using this form and if awarded is distributed at the conference
- Book/Media award nominations should be submitted directly to naes@ethnicstudies.org. In the subject line, include Book Award Submission_year (of submission)
- For all other awards, use this form.
We encourage all members, friends, and supporters to consider donating to these vitally important awards for it honors the hard work of many and helps mentor and build the skills of students. If interested please click here for more details on how to donate to AES.