PuLSE Institute names 2026 civil rights leadership dinner honorees

The PuLSE Institute has announced six honorees for its 2026 Civil Rights Leadership Dinner, set for July 29 at the Detroit Athletic Club. The event will recognize leaders in business, civil rights, entrepreneurship, community activism and democratic leadership as the institute spotlights justice and economic opportunity.

Why it matters: - The PuLSE Institute is using its annual dinner to spotlight leaders it says have expanded opportunity, strengthened democracy and advanced civil rights. - The 2026 honorees reflect work tied to economic justice, civic engagement, community transformation and bridge-building across communities. - The dinner is one of Michigan's premier leadership gatherings and brings together business, government, education, philanthropy, labor, faith and nonprofit leaders.

What happened: - The Detroit-based PuLSE Institute announced six honorees for its 2026 Civil Rights Leadership Dinner on June 26, 2026. - The dinner is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at the Detroit Athletic Club in downtown Detroit. - This year's theme is "The Promise of America: Advancing Justice, Expanding Opportunity, Sustaining Hope." - Gary Torgow, chairman of Huntington National Bank, will receive the Founder's Medal of Conscience and Justice. - Jim Vincent, former president of the Providence NAACP, will receive the Guardian of Democracy and Economic Justice Award. - Sarah Noet, a global entrepreneur based in Seattle, will receive the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Opportunity Award. - Robert Weiner, a former White House spokesman, will receive the Conscience of Democracy Award. - Gwen Swanigan, a Benton Harbor community activist, will receive the Community Transformation Award. - Samantha Woll, the late former president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue, will be honored posthumously with the Bridge Builder Award.

The details: - Torgow is being recognized for economic inclusion, civic responsibility and community investment, and he is also serving as chairman of the 2026 dinner. - Vincent is being honored for decades of work on voting rights, economic empowerment, racial justice and civic participation. - Noet is being recognized for using entrepreneurship and innovation to create opportunity across communities and industries. - Weiner is being honored for work centered on democratic values, public accountability and civic discourse. - Swanigan is being recognized for grassroots advocacy that elevated residents and strengthened neighborhoods in Benton Harbor and Southwest Michigan. - Woll is being honored for bringing people together across faith, culture and background. - The institute said last year's honoree was the late Rev. Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr., who received its Global Civil Rights Leadership Award. - The institute also said LaFayette, a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was among the first national leaders invited to serve on its National Advisory Board. - Drs. Douglas and Margo Woll will attend the dinner to accept the award on behalf of their daughter.

Between the lines: - The honoree list blends business, civic activism, faith leadership and media-adjacent public service, signaling a broad view of civil rights leadership. - The posthumous recognition of Samantha Woll underscores the institute's emphasis on bridge-building and interfaith work alongside traditional political and economic justice causes. - The event also serves as a platform for the PuLSE Institute to reinforce its identity as an anti-poverty and economic justice think tank.

What's next: - The PuLSE Institute will hold the dinner on July 29 in Detroit and present the awards to this year's recipients. - Organizers will use the event to continue conversations about justice, opportunity and the future of democratic society. - The institute's announcement suggests the dinner will again serve as a high-profile annual gathering for civic and community leaders.

The bottom line: - The PuLSE Institute is framing its 2026 dinner as both a celebration of individual achievement and a broader statement about the ongoing fight for economic fairness, civic trust and inclusion.