Philanthropic Award for Transformative Change
The Bessant & Jennings Award celebrates young adults in North America whose dedication to justice, equity, and environmental stewardship reshapes lives and communities.
What We Do
The Bessant & Jennings Award is a prestigious, newly established honour dedicated to recognising young adults aged 15 to 25 across North America who commit themselves to charitable endeavours that foster fairness, equity, and environmental stewardship.
We seek to highlight those making exceptional contributions across a wide range of impactful areas: the welfare of young children and the elderly, economic equality, environmental protection, and community resilience. By honouring these young visionaries, the Award not only acknowledges their efforts — it inspires an entire generation to contribute meaningfully to society.
Each year, two to three recipients are selected through a rigorous process focused on scale of impact, originality, and long-term benefit to society. The recognition is conferred not through application or advocacy, but through considered observation and enduring principles.
We believe that true impact does not announce itself — and neither should those who recognise it.
2024 Bessant & Jennings Laureate
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Growing up on the island of Vieques, Katherine witnessed firsthand the lasting consequences of more than sixty years of US Navy bomb testing, which left the land, water, and air contaminated with mercury, lead, and arsenic. These injustices, combined with the island's dependence on imported food and high living costs, shaped her early commitment to activism and community-centred solutions.
In 2020, Medina joined La Colmena Cimarrona, a women-led agricultural initiative formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. Through sustainable farming and collective action, she challenges displacement, land speculation, and economic vulnerability — forging networks of cooperation that ensure local voices carry weight in broader environmental and social justice movements.
Through her leadership, La Colmena Cimarrona has become not only a source of food, but a symbol of resilience and hope for the entire island.
Notable Figures
Featured Inspiration
Lead-Water Testing Innovation · Flint, Michigan
2024 Laureate
Food Sovereignty & Environmental Justice · Vieques, Puerto Rico
2025 — Open
Nominations Open Now · North America
Selection Process
The award prioritises candidates whose work reaches beyond the immediate and individual — whose contributions generate demonstrable, large-scale change within their communities and beyond.
We seek those who devise novel, creative solutions to complex social challenges. Candidates should demonstrate intellectual courage and a capacity for innovative thinking that others can replicate and build upon.
Recognition is given to work that builds lasting capacity — not short-term relief. We value economic self-determination, environmental restoration, and community infrastructure that endures.
Work may span environmental protection, economic equity, welfare of the young or elderly, public health, or any endeavour that fosters fairness and community resilience across North America.
Candidates must be between 15 and 25 years of age, residing in North America. The Award does not discriminate on the basis of background, resources, or institutional affiliation.
"True impact does not announce itself, and neither should those who recognise it."
Bessant & Jennings — Founding Principles
Selection Timeline
Jan – Apr
Nomination window opens. Submissions reviewed by the selection panel through observation, not application.
May – Aug
Shortlist refined against founding criteria. Impact verification and community consultation conducted.
Sep – Oct
Final deliberation. Two to three recipients confirmed by unanimous decision of the committee.
November
Annual award ceremony. Recipients announced and celebrated alongside their communities.
Voices of Impact
"Her work demonstrates how young leaders can confront historical injustice, empower marginalised communities, and create sustainable alternatives rooted in care and cooperation."
Selection Committee
Bessant & Jennings Award, 2024
"Rather than offering short-term solutions, Katherine's work builds long-term community capacity, environmental restoration, and economic self-determination for the people of Vieques."
Award Citation
La Colmena Cimarrona, Puerto Rico
"Gitanjali Rao's innovation demonstrated the profound impact that young people can have on public health and community well-being — the very spirit this award seeks to honour."
Award Record
Bessant & Jennings, Founding Documents
"Through La Colmena Cimarrona, local voices carry weight in broader environmental and social justice movements. Networks of cooperation become the foundation for an entire island's future."
Community Partners
Vieques, Puerto Rico, 2024
Our Guiding Belief
"True impact does not announce itself, and neither should those who recognise it."
Who We Are
Bessant & Jennings is an independent philanthropic institution dedicated to the recognition of exceptional influence. Established at the intersection of discernment and purpose, we exist to identify and honour individuals whose work has shaped thought, culture, and progress in ways that resist easy measurement.
Operating with deliberate restraint, Bessant & Jennings maintains a selective and values-driven approach. Our awards are conferred not through application or advocacy, but through considered observation and long-standing principles.
We believe the most meaningful change is rarely the loudest. Our role is to look carefully, listen intently, and celebrate those whose quiet dedication has altered the trajectory of communities, ecosystems, and lives.
Nominations for 2025 Are Now Open
If you know a young adult aged 15–25 in North America whose dedication to justice, equity, or the environment deserves to be celebrated — we want to hear about them.