Rita Acosta, Monterey Bahai' and United Nations Association Human Rights Award 2024

Baha'I Human Rights Award Recipient
Rita Acosta
Rita Acosta, a resident of Salinas, has committed her life to
the service of others.
Rita has been a voice for those who suffer in silence. While
advocating for the families who are system-impacted, she
continues to be there for those who have no support. She has
been there for others when they wanted to give up.
In
addition, she has helped many people to sign up for services. She has also been there to
support people who had lost everything in city sanitation sweeps.
Rita is one of Salinas' greatest unsung champions! She has
provided many years of exemplary service to humanity in
Monterey County, especially members of the Salinas
Unhoused community.
Her personal experience in the local
housing crisis of the early 2000s ignited her commitment to
advocate for her neighbors, the unhoused of Salinas. Since
then, she has demonstrated time and time again that she is a fighter our community needs today.
Rita is
unafraid, unapologetic, and unwavering in the struggle to
make housing a human right for all residents.
Rita and a group of other homeless activists organized Tents
by the Garden and the PHLUSH, Public-Hygiene-Let's-UStay-
Human.
In 2020 Rita collaborated with Salinas Living Poetry and
Prose Project to write and publish "Make a Difference - Haz un Diferencia", a
narrative and photo documentary of the 'Tents by the Garden'
experience, featuring photos by professional and community
journalists.
Once the area was cleared, leaving the
participants back on the streets, Rita's observation was that it
wasn't a failure, but proof people can organize for better lives.
Rita has been a community mental health Ambassador for
several years, visiting tents in Sherwood Park, Salinas during
COVID in 2022, reminding the tented community to follow
hygiene rules. Rita saves lives.