Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Krystoff Kissoon receives Joy Morrison Award 2021 for Navigating Diversity

Host of KISU's Navigating Diversity, Krystoff Kissoon, has been chosen by the Portneuf Valley Interfaith Fellowship (PVIF) as the Joy Morrison 2021 award recipient. The award was announced at the interfaith MLK commemorative service hosted by PVIF via virtual stream on Sunday, 17th January 2021.

The award was created by PVIF in 2004 in honor of long-time community and faith reporter for the Idaho State Journal, Joy Morrison, the first recipient. This year, Rev. Jennifer Peek, Consulting Minister of Pocatello Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, nominated Kissoon for the award. At a PVIF meeting in January, PVIF voted unanimously to select Kissoon to be this year's recipient. 

Jenny Peek shared with Kissoon her reason for nominating him: "I nominated you because of your program Navigating Diversity. The dedication to bringing people together is so beautifully expressed in your work, where you share your gifts of presence, talent, and heartfilled commitment to community."

In her nomination letter to PVIF, Peek wrote:

Krystoff’s mission for Navigating Diversity reflects our own, in that he strives to find common ground from which to explore differences and bridge the gaps that would divide people.
In a recent favorite episode, he interviewed James Pascali, whom I have met at PPOCU (Pocatello People of Color United) meetings. James is Hard of Hearing, and Krystoff’s interview with him allowed the audience to deepen understanding of the everyday concerns of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community—especially as their lives are currently impacted by the pandemic.
Other remarkable episodes have covered interracial adoption, family systems and religious & political ideologies, mental health among minority groups, and in his only solo program this October, Krystoff urged US citizens to vote, from his clear perspective as one who lives in the United States but as an immigrant cannot vote.
Krystoff Kissoon’s personality, of deep caring concern for everyone, shines through in all his programs. I think especially in this climate of great divide among people, the message he brings of unity through building relationships makes him a uniquely qualified candidate for the Joy Morrison Award.

Navigating Diversity airs on KISU on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm. You can access all episodes here, or follow the Facebook Page to stay connected (@diversityradio).