Francisco Ruiz Receives 2022 Affirmation Mortensen Award
Within every organization, there are individuals, or couples, whose leadership, skills, commitment, and service make a real difference in the lives of others and further the mission of the organization. This is especially true in Affirmation.
Each year, members of the Affirmation community have the opportunity to nominate Affirmation members who have significantly and positively impacted the lives of those within the Affirmation to receive the Mortensen Award during the Affirmation International Conference.
This award is named in honor of Paul Mortensen, who was the first to receive it. Paul was one of the founders of Affirmation. He passed away in late 2021. He was a staunch supporter of Affirmation until the end.
Francisco Ruiz is the recipient of the 2022 Affirmation Mortensen Award. When making the announcement, Olin Thomas, Chairperson of the Mortensen Award Committee, shared:
Francisco is a leader who brings out the best in people, inviting them to shine with their own light so that they can achieve their goals and objectives.
He has been involved in the organization of multiple conferences of Affirmation Mexico and has participated abroad in Latin American countries including Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Argentina, Peru, and in Spain and the United States. He has trained their leaders, and served as an interpreter, building bridges with other communities, and alliances with other organizations.
He actively participates in weekly meetings both in person and online in Mexico and Latin America. He walks in the Pride marches making known Affirmation and the work that takes place here.
He has trained over 200 people in the QPR method for suicide prevention in the LGBTQ Mormon community. He has served as Vice President of Affirmation Mexico, Vice President of Affirmation International, and as a Member of the Board of Directors of Affirmation.
He has spoken to many who come to Affirmation seeking help, hoping to be heard without being judged, and he gives them the assurance that they have come to the place where they will be loved just as they are. His work establishing support and communication networks and the love, patience and compassion which he shows to all in Affirmation have been vital in creating communities of safety and love.
Francisco has shown outstanding leadership and service and worked hard to achieve the goals of Affirmation. He is making a difference in the lives of others. Thus it gives me great pleasure to announce that Francisco Javier Ruiz Mejia is the recipient of the 2022 Mortensen Award!
Also nominated for this year’s award were:
- Affirmation Senior Vice President Jairo Fernando González Díaz
- Affirmation Vice President Laurie Lee Hall
- Affirmation Board Member Melissa Malcolm King
- Affirmation Venezuela President Marcial Fuenmayor
- Affirmation Florida President David Doyle
- Affirmation President Nathan Kitchen
Nominators answer questions about their nominee’s service in Affirmation and impact, often providing letters with examples and stories supporting their nomination. These will be shared with the Affirmation community in a separate article.