Azim Khamisa and Plez Felix win Giraffe Award for sticking their necks out

Who are Giraffe heroes?

They're men, women and kids, and they're from many races, religions and backgrounds—all sticking their necks our for the common good. They're truck drivers, students, retirees, artists, waitresses, doctors, homemakers, business people and teachers.

Since 1982 the Giraffe Project has found over 900 of them, then told their stories in national and local media, and in schools — inspiring others to take on the challenges they see.

Giraffes are working on many different issues, from poverty to gang violence to environmental pollution. One element that's common to all of them is that they lead meaningful lives. Win, lose or draw they're living fully, giving their all. They know why they get up in the morning, why they do things that may be scary and difficult but must be done if their cause is to be served.

The criteria for choosing Giraffes focus mainly on two questions: “Is there significant risk involved in what this person has done? And is it for the common good? In particular, the “sticking their necks out” factor means there’s an ongoing edge to what Giraffes do—something’s at risk for them. People who are fulfilling their job descriptions don’t make it through the Giraffe choosing process—the person has to be going above and beyond. People who are just famous, talented or gorgeous don’t make the cut either. Giraffes also tend to be involved in long-term efforts they’ve initiated, not one-time actions.

The impressive story of Azim Khamisa and Plez Felix

The bare facts of the story are these: Azim Khamisa’s 20-year-old son, Tariq, was making a delivery for a San Diego pizza parlor when he was shot and killed in a failed robbery attempt by a gang. The killer was Ples Felix’s 14-year-old grandson and ward, Tony Hicks, who was sentenced as an adult for the murder and is now imprisoned.

That could have been the end of the story. But it was only the beginning, as you might guess from the photo above. That’s Khamisa on the left, Felix on the right.

Khamisa established a foundation in his son’s memory; and he and Felix formed an alliance that transforms their losses into a resolve to see that other families do not suffer such tragedies.

Both Felix and Khamisa are speaking out for “restorative justice,” a way of dealing with criminals that helps lawbreakers understand what they have done and make restitution to those they have harmed, rather than just sending them to prisons. “The way we deal now with lawbreakers does nothing for those they have injured, for reforming the criminal or for repairing society,” says Ples Felix. Further information on their work can be found at http://www.tkf.org

Find more information about the TKF, Azim Khamisa and Plez Felix in our post ""I saw victims on both ends of the gun...." of May 16th!