2012 Most Inspiring Person of the Year

Jordan Crawford

Beliefnet is proud to announce that Jordan Crawford is Beliefnet's 2012 Most Inspiring Person of the Year.

Jordan Crawford is a special ed teacher and track coach for an urban public school in Norfolk, VA. In what some consider a challenging educational environment, Crawford stands out for his kindness and his belief that nobody gets left behind. Jordan and his wife Tiffany have an open door policy at their home that’s just a few minutes from the school. Students and athletes in troubled situations have found the Crawford house to be a refuge during rough times. He has many stories of students that he’s offered help to, even when they are no longer in his care at school. “My role is bigger than teaching and track,” Jordan says. “[It's about] making an impact on their next step and for them to see what a husband’s supposed to be, what a father’s supposed to be or just a contributing member of society.”

Captain Pratima Dharm

Forty-five year old Chaplain Pratima Dharm earned her commission in the United States Army in 2006 and in 2008 was selected for the Army's Clinical Pastoral Education Program (CPE) while serving in Iraq. Her awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Chaplain Dharm is also the first female chaplain of Indian descent in the United States Army. She does not carry a gun and admits she has never fired a shot. Chaplain Dharm firmly believes that her defense is God. She goes where the soldiers go, offering spiritual guidance and strength to all, regardless of their individual faith or beliefs. Chaplain Dharm is currently posted at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D. C., working with wounded soldiers. Her dedication to those she serves is an inspiration to the members of our military and individuals around the world.

Clayton and Ellen Kershaw

Left-handed LA Dodgers pitcher, Clayton Kershaw and his wife Ellen are actively involved in helping impoverished African children through the nonprofit organization Arise Africa. Earlier this year, the couple announced the release of their co-authored book, “Arise: Live Out Your Faith and Dreams on Whatever Field You Find Yourself”. The book chronicles their 2010 trip to Zambia where Clayton and Ellen along with the organization, Arise Africa worked on an orphanage. The couple returned for another mission to Zambia in January, a 13-day journey to further plans of building and furnishing another orphanage they've called Hope's House after Hope, a 9 year-old HIV positive orphan that Ellen met during a visit to Africa before marrying Clayton. Now nearly 13 years old, Hope is also the inspiration for the Kershaw Challenge, a promise by the pitcher to donate $100 for every strike he pitches to Arise Africa.

Gabby Douglas

Sixteen year old Gabrielle Christina Victoria "Gabby" Douglas is an American artistic gymnast. As a member of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, she won gold medals in both the individual and team all-around competitions. Douglas is the first woman of color and the first African-American gymnast in Olympic history to become the individual all-around champion, and the first American gymnast to win gold in both the individual all-around and team competitions at the same Olympics. She was a member of the gold-winning U.S. team at the 2011 World Championships and a Bronze Medalist on Uneven Bars that same year earning a spot on the 2011-2012 Senior National Team. Douglas is currently writing a book titled, Grace, Gold and Glory, My Leap of Faith to be published in December 2012. The book outlines this inspirational young woman’s journey to the Olympics and the ups and downs she experienced along the way.

Barack Obama

Born August 4, 1961 in Hawaii, Barack Obama was a civil rights lawyer before pursuing a political career, first as Illinois State Senator, and finally as the first African-American president in American history. Taking office in 2009 as the 44th president, Obama inherited a global economic recession; two on-going foreign wars; and the lowest international favorability rating for the United States ever. He stepped into office full speed, standing by his campaign motto, “Yes we can.” Under his guidance, the Obama administration is most credited with passing the Health Care Reform Act, locating and eliminating the FBI’s Most Wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, and ending the war in Iraq. Obama is also the fourth president to be awarded The Nobel Peace Prize (2009) for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people.

Samantha Poon

In 2005 at 24 years old, Samantha Poon was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes. Requiring three shots of insulin every day, Samantha chose to follow her doctor’s advice by managing her blood glucose, starting yoga training and attaining a qualification in professional yoga tutorship. In 2007 she joined the Bayer Dream Fund and was selected to take a senior yoga tutorship program in Bangalore, India. During her 2 months in India, Samantha learned the language and culture and experienced the significance of good blood glucose management. Four years later, Samantha continues to practice yoga every day and is managing her illness by following the advice of her doctor and her yoga tutor and closely monitoring her blood glucose. Her story is an inspiration to diabetics around the world who are struggling with managing this disease.

Alanna Wall

At the young age of 10, Alanna Wall started the nonprofit, PolishedGirlz.org. Through the organization she is able to combine her love of drawing and nail design with her compassion for young ladies with special needs that are hospitalized or just not feeling quite “polished”. Wall’s organization gives peer to peer support by having youth volunteers polish the nails of these very special young ladies. She has a dual mission, to help develop increased self-esteem and improve quality of life by promoting hygiene and self-perception in girls. The organization also seeks to empower its volunteers by offering them opportunities to improve their quality of life and build leadership skills through community service. A true inspiration to others, Wall’s organization has over 75 active youth volunteers and has served hundreds of children through organizations including The Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, Children’s Medical Center and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Eli Williamson

Eli Williamson, a native of Chicago, Illinois, received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Linguistics from Luther College in Decorah, IA. After college he transitioned form being a U.S. Army reservist to serving Active Duty as a Psychological Operations Specialist under the United States Army Special Operations Command. During Williamson’s military career he deployed both to Iraq and Afghanistan, was an airborne paratrooper, and graduated from the Defense Language Institute basic Arabic linguists' course. Williamson is the Co‐Founder and Executive Director of Leave No Veteran Behind, a nonprofit that works to relieve the educational debt of veterans who are serving and have served in the U.S. military. The organization addresses this issue by taking private donations and applying them directly to veterans' student loan accounts. In return, Leave No Veteran Behind requires that all veterans helped through the program give back 100 hours of community service. Williamson’s efforts continue to inspire veterans to use their skills and lack of indebtedness to improve the lives of people in their communities and country.

Sharista Shourie

In August of 2009, 25 year-old Sharista Shourie found a lump in her right breast during a self-exam. Less than a month later she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. She began researching and visiting doctors to determine her best treatment options, what she could expect from treatment and life after cancer. At the recommendation of a friend she joined a breast cancer support group through the Cancer Support Community (CSC) and its affiliate the Wellness Community, West Los Angeles. In 2012 she had her first round of checkups and had no evidence of the disease. She is now committed to raising awareness about breast cancer. She continues to attend the CSC support group and has become a vocal advocate for patient empowerment, encouraging all women to become active participants in their health so they can take the right action for themselves.