Georgetown and University of San Francisco Alums Named 2024 Emerging Leader for Justice Honorees

BY ISN STAFF | April 11, 2024

In partnership with the family of Moira Erin O’Donnell, the Ignatian Solidarity Network announces the 2024 recipients of the Moira Erin O’Donnell Emerging Leaders for Justice Award: Jordan Denari Duffner (Georgetown University ’13) and Miriam Uribe (University of San Francisco ‘17).

The O’Donnell Award honors young adults who have received an undergraduate degree from a U.S. Jesuit university and have demonstrated significant social justice leadership in their communities. The awards will be presented at Ignite: A Celebration of Justice, to be held in New York City on May 1, 2024.

Jordan Denari Duffner (Georgetown University ’13) is an author, educator, and public theologian whose scholarship and activism focus on Muslim-Christian relations, interreligious dialogue, and Islamophobia.

Her two award-winning books are Finding Jesus among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic, and Islamophobia: What Christians Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination.

Jordan is an alumna of Jesuit schools, attending Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She completed her Bachelor’s in international affairs from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and earned her Master’s and Ph.D. from Georgetown in Theological and Religious Studies.

Jordan currently serves on National Catholic-Muslim Dialogue, and is a member of the Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace. A former Fulbright scholar in Amman, Jordan, she is also an associate of the Bridge Initiative, where she previously worked as a researcher studying Islamophobia. Jordan has published dozens of articles and essays in both academic and lay publications. She serves as a frequent media commentator and consultant for non-profits, journalists, and church leaders, and gives lectures and webinars across North America. She has experience both facilitating and participating in interreligious dialogue, and teaches undergraduate courses on Islam.

Jordan lives with her husband and son outside Washington, D.C.

Miriam Uribe (University of San Francisco ’17) is a passionate mujerista and undocumented immigrant hailing from Mexico and currently thriving in Brooklyn after a California upbringing. Miriam is on a mission, championing the cause of immigrant workers’ rights while diving headfirst into the fascinating world where workers’ rights advocacy meets technology.

Miriam’s advocacy journey began at the University of San Francisco, where she earned her BA in politics and Latin American studies. From 2013 to 2017, Miriam carved her path, leaving an indelible mark—advocating for undocumented students, co-founding USF’s UndocuWeek, and contributing to the establishment of the Magis Fellowship.

Post undergrad, Miriam made waves in the non-profit sector, passionately advocating for workers’ rights, particularly in the realm of domestic workers. A force to be reckoned with, Miriam played pivotal roles in unionization efforts in two non-profit organizations, serving as a member of a bargaining team, union co-chair, and union mobilizer.

In 2022, Miriam embarked on an exciting journey into big tech as a policy specialist. Not one to blend into the background, she etched her name in history by organizing the first-ever UndocuWeek at a major tech company in April 2023. Miriam now proudly wears the hat of co-lead for a Latinx Employee Resource Group, bringing her advocacy flair to the tech realm. She remains an engaged member of No Tech for Apartheid and CWA Local 9009, pushing for ethical practices in the tech industry.

Despite her shift from the non-profit sector, Miriam stays connected to her roots, conducting digital literacy and resume workshops with organizations like the Carroll Gardens Nanny Association.

December 2023 marked a new chapter as Miriam proudly earned her masters of arts in labor studies from the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies where she was also the recipient of the Joseph S. Murphy Diversity in Labor Scholarship.

Outside the hustle and bustle of professional life, Miriam finds joy in the company of her two cats. A dedicated powerlifter, she channels her energy into physical strength, reflecting the resilience she brings to her advocacy work. She also loves to explore and support the vibrant BIPOC art and music scene in the heart of New York.

Moira Erin O’Donnell had only served as ISN’s executive director for less than a year when she passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 33.

While her time in service to the Ignatian family was brief, her exuberance and passion for the work of justice can serve as an inspiration for future decades of emerging leaders. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Moira’s passing, on October 9, 2005, the Ignatian Solidarity Network, in partnership with her family, established the annual award to recognize social justice leaders exemplifying a similar commitment to justice in the Ignatian tradition.

Previous recipients of the Moira Erin O’Donnell Emerging Leaders for Justice Award include Sara Beste (Boston College ‘05), Annie Boyd-Ramirez (Marquette University ‘11), Eric Clayton (Fairfield University ‘11), Meaghan Fanning (Rockhurst University ‘12), Elena Habersky (University of Scranton ‘13), James Havey (Marquette University ‘11), Andrew Lunetta (Le Moyne College ‘12), Michael Libunao-Macalintal, M.Div.(Fordham University ‘15), Amanda Montez (Loyola Marymount University ‘15), Teresa Marie Cariño Petersen, MTS (University of San Francisco ‘13), William Rutt (Creighton University ‘12), Danny Swan (Wheeling Jesuit University ‘09), and Kristen Trudo (Loyola Marymount University ‘14).