CAIR-Ohio’s Trailblazer Award

CAIR-Ohio’s Columbus and Cincinnati Office honored OIA’s Executive Director, Lynn Tramonte, with the Trailblazer Award at its 2025 banquet, “American Voices, Muslim Values.” The Honorable Cori Bush gave a keynote speech at the banquet. View photos, Tramonte’s award video, and statement below.

Learn about the other inspiring awardees: Ajmeri Hoque, a lawyer who is running to be a judge in Franklin County, and Amjad Alumuti, Naba Jassim, and Layla Mobin-Uddin, who ran for student government at The Ohio State University on a pro-Palestine platform.

Statement from Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance

I was overcome with emotion when I found out I had been chosen for CAIR-Ohio’s Trailblazer Award. It means so much because CAIR-Ohio means so much to me. The work they do spreads dignity, love, and justice. They educate and empower people. Their work is hard, but essential. It saves lives.

Islam is a beautiful religion that is about peace, love, and caring for others. There is so much misinformation spread about it, in the media and by people who know nothing about the religion. CAIR-Ohio not only confronts and overcomes those lies, but also the policies and actions built on them. And they do so with love, calling people in and welcoming them. It has truly been a highlight of my career to work with Muslims in Ohio who love this state, are raising their children here, and are only asking for the chance to continue living their lives here in dignity and safety.

My gratitude goes out to to Khalid, Faten, Tala, Omar, and everyone else at CAIR-Ohio for the work they do. The Ohio Immigrant Alliance considers CAIR-Ohio family. We continue to believe in this country and know we can be a better, safer, more equitable and just community for all.