2024 Liff Spirit Awardees

Byron Rushing
Former Member, Massachusetts House of Representatives 

For over six decades, Byron Rushing has been a revered champion for social justice in Massachusetts and across the country. Beginning with his groundbreaking work in the 1960s, he has dedicated his entire adult life to expanding civil rights and advocating for social equity. Rushing’s dedication to his community ultimately led to him serving as a Massachusetts Representative for over thirty years, advocating for progressive policies on issues ranging from housing and healthcare to LGBTQ rights and addiction treatment. Alongside his partner, fellow community activist Frieda Garcia, Rushing’s legacy serves as a testament to the power of community-centered leadership.

Frieda Garcia
Activist/Community Organizer

Frieda Garcia has dedicated her life to serving and empowering her community. Throughout decades of tireless advocacy, she has been at the forefront of numerous grassroots initiatives, advocating for immigrant rights, education reform, mental health care, affordable housing and many more causes. Garcia led the campaign to create a statue of Harriet Tubman in the South End’s Harriet Tubman Park—Boston’s first statue dedicated to a woman on public property. Elsewhere in the South End, Garcia’s own lifetime of achievement was honored with the creation of Frieda Garcia Park in 2013, a public playground with art and equipment for youth of all ages. Alongside her partner, fellow community activist Byron Rushing, Garcia embodies the dedication and spirit of Justine Mee Liff.