Sister Attracta Kelly, a nun from Ireland, received the award for advocacy. She came to North Carolina in 1999 to head the Immigrants Legal Assistance Project of the North Carolina Justice Center. By the time she left to lead her international congregation of nuns, the Adrian Dominican Order in Michigan, Kelly had helped thousands of immigrants who were in desperate straits.

The focus of her work was on immigrants who fled their countries due to persecution because of their political views, race, religion, gender, nationality and other grounds. For many of them, she helped gain legal status in the United States so that they would not have to return to their native country and face death or persecution. She also provided legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, families seeking to remain together who would face extreme hardship if they were separated, and victims of violent crimes, natural disasters, and human trafficking.

Kelly also has mentored and provided support and training to hundreds of lawyers, lay advocates, students and service providers who work with immigrants and their families throughout North Carolina. Recognizing that the needs of low-income immigrants could not be met by a single agency, she helped found and support a network of immigrant advocates, grassroots groups, and faith organizations to meet the overwhelming demand.