MY Project USA Annual Awards

MY Project USA Founder & Executive Director Zerqa Abid has been a family friend to the Barakat family since Deah was a child. His loss is very personal to her and to the MY Project USA family.

We have named our first thrift store “MY Deah’s” per the request of Deah Barakat’s father, Namee Barakat. From day one, we have been committed to further the legacies of Our Three Winners.

During the last several years, we have had the privilege to work with several young people from different backgrounds. We have proudly fostered them and have seen them turn into awesome community leaders.

We recognize that there are many Muslim young people across central Ohio that might also be investing their time in helping other communities through other organizations. We would like to recognize their leadership and community service by presenting them with different awards honoring the legacy of Deah, Yusor and Razan.

Deah’s Awards General Criteria

These awards honor exceptional individuals who embody volunteerism and community service as a way of life. Recipients exemplify compassion, responsibility, and a commitment to solving community challenges. Each award winner demonstrates selfless and extraordinary contributions—beyond the expectations of their regular duties—for the betterment of their local community and beyond.

1. Deah's Change Maker of the Year Award

This award recognizes a young individual (25 years old or younger) who:

Lives in an underserved, immigrant, or refugee community and works tirelessly to uplift and support their people.
Freely and selflessly dedicates time to community activities.
Inspires others to serve and serves as a positive role model.
Has founded or made significant contributions to an initiative that meaningfully improves lives within their community.

2. Deah's Excellence in Community Service & Leadership Award

This award recognizes an individual who:

Extends their service beyond their own community to support underserved, immigrant, and refugee populations.
Has taken on a leadership role in managing a community service initiative or a key part of a larger project for at least six months.
Has successfully built and sustained a team of volunteers.
Receives positive feedback from team members and peers.
Freely and selflessly dedicates time to community service.
Inspires others to serve and acts as a role model.
Has made a measurable, positive impact on other community projects, programs, or individuals.

Note: Two versions of this award will be presented — one to a young person and one to an adult.

3. Deah's Community Service Award

This award recognizes young individuals (25 years old or younger) who:

Have shown consistent dedication throughout the year to supporting a community initiative within an underserved, immigrant, or refugee community.
Freely and selflessly contribute their time to community service.
Inspire others to serve and lead by example.

Note: Multiple recipients will be honored in this category.

The Chrys Gee Activist Award:

Chrys Gee was a devoted wife and mother from Columbus, Ohio, who emerged as a passionate activist in the aftermath of the 2016 elections. Although she had always worked to make the world a better place, following that pivotal year, Chrys became a constant and inspiring presence in her community.

Together with her husband and children, she attended nearly every rally, march, and vigil. She showed up for hearings and testimonies, visited legislators’ offices, voiced her concerns, and advocated tirelessly for a better future. Chrys never sought leadership or recognition — she simply showed up, selflessly and consistently, whenever and wherever she was needed.

When she wasn’t at the forefront fighting for justice, Chrys was behind the scenes, doing the hard, often unseen work that keeps grassroots movements alive.

Chrys deeply cared about her community. She volunteered at the MY Project USA warehouse, helped at her children’s school, and supported immigrant and refugee neighbors in this sanctuary city with her laughter, love, time, and resources. She was a doer with an incredible heart — giving selflessly in every way she could.

Her sudden passing in December 2018 was a heartbreaking loss and left an irreplaceable void in our community. The Chrys Gee Activist Award honors her remarkable spirit and continues her legacy, inspiring others to carry forward the work and values she so passionately embodied.

Chrys Gee Award Nomination Criteria

Specifically, the recipient of this award will be an individual who:

Is over the age of 18
Has worked diligently throughout the year to support initiatives in underserved communities
Actively participates in political campaigns or grassroots organizations that advance positive social change
Freely and selflessly contributes time and energy to community activism
Inspires others to engage in service and acts as a role model
Extends their efforts beyond their immediate circle to serve as an active ally to marginalized communities

Nominate A Winner

In honor of Deah Barakat and Chrys Gee, MY Project USA presents a series of awards recognizing individuals at all levels who embody their dedication to service, justice, and community empowerment. These awards celebrate individuals who embody compassion, leadership, and service to their communities.

Recipients are nominated by community members, and we are thrilled to announce that the nomination form for this year’s awards is now live! Please review the information below to learn more about the awards, eligibility criteria, and the nomination process.

Nomination Process

Family members, friends, employers, teachers, and community members are welcome to submit nominations.
Employees may not nominate their employers.
A separate MY Project USA Awards 2025 Nomination Form must be completed for each nominee.
All nomination forms must be submitted online by 8:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25th.

The Deah Barakat Annual Awards

The Deah Barakat Awards are presented in honor of Deah Shaddy Barakat, a 23-year-old Syrian American who devoted his life to humanitarian service.

Deah graduated from North Carolina State University in 2013 with a degree in Business Administration. By 2015, he was a second-year student at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.

He and ten other dental students had planned to travel to Turkey to provide dental care for Syrian refugees through a joint initiative between UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry and the Syrian American Medical Society. In addition to his academic and humanitarian commitments, Deah regularly volunteered to distribute free dental supplies and food to those experiencing homelessness.

Tragically, on February 10, 2015, Deah, his 21-year-old wife Yusor Abu-Salha, and her 19-year-old sister Razan Abu-Salha were murdered by a neighbor in what became known as the Chapel Hill Shooting. Together, they are remembered and celebrated worldwide as “Our Three Winners.”

All three were extraordinary young Americans — compassionate, driven, and selfless — who dedicated their lives to easing the suffering of others and improving the world around them. Though their time was short, their impact was profound and enduring. Their lives remain a timeless reminder of the power of service, love, and faith.

May they rest in peace and receive the highest reward in Heaven. Indeed, they were winners in this world — and will continue to be in the Hereafter.