Plot Synopsis

Each year since 2007, CNN has honored everyday people changing the world in this annual tribute show, with celebrity presenters introducing nominees and performances by world-class musicians and comedians. Since its inception, CNN HEROES had received at least 50,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 200 heroes. Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes receives a $10,000 grant, and one of the honorees, as voted by fans around the globe, is named the CNN Hero of the Year, receiving an additional $50,000 grant to further aid their cause. As part of the prize package, the Annenberg Foundation provides free organizational training, offering practical guidance for nonprofit leaders in fundraising, communications, management of volunteers and strategies to build and keep a strong board of directors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Sunday, December 10, 2023 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, CNN debuts the 17th annual CNN HEROES, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Laura Coates from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Aloe Blacc performs his inspirational anthem, "My Way" live. Jason Momoa and Kelly Ripa make special pre-taped appearances during the program. Plus, notable guests join the broadcast to present honors commemorating the 2023 CNN Heroes including Amanda Seyfried, Brooke Shields, Rachel Zegler, Sharon Stone, Iman Vellani, Jeffrey Wright, Joe Manganiello, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Alexa Swinton, and Danielle Brooks

Each Top 10 CNN Hero is awarded $10,000 and the CNN Hero of the Year receives an additional $100,000. For the second year, to provide additional programmatic and funding support, CNN Heroes is collaborating with the Elevate Prize Foundation. All 10 honorees receive a grant, organizational capacity-building, and ongoing support from the foundation, whose mission is to amplify changemakers, drive meaningful impact and build a fanbase for good. Additionally, the CNN Hero of the Year is named an Elevate Prize Winner and is awarded with a significant unrestricted grant and supportive services. They all participate in the foundation's annual Make Good Famous Summit in Miami, FL.

The 2023 Top 10 CNN Heroes are (in alphabetical order):

Yasmine Arrington (ScholarCHIPS; Washington DC): Growing up, Arrington's father was in and out of prison. Today, her nonprofit provides funding and a network of support to make college more accessible to students with incarcerated parents.

Osei Boateng (OBK Hope Foundation; Somerset, NJ and Ghana): Boateng lost his aunt and grandmother to preventable diseases in his native Ghana. Now, having converted a van into a mobile doctor's office, he delivers essential health care to remote communities where hospitals are often hours away.

Stacey Buckner (Off-Road Outreach; Fayetteville, North Carolina): After suffering a stroke, Buckner found her purpose by helping homeless veterans around her hometown. Driving a Jeep loaded with a shower, laundry, and kitchen, she is serving the men and women who sacrificed so much for their country.

Mike Goldberg (I.CARE; Islamorada, Florida): After seeing the extensive loss of coral reefs during his 20 years living in the Florida Keys, Goldberg co-founded an organization to build them back. He recruits and educates recreational divers to help transplant nursery-grown coral.

Tescha Hawley (Day Eagle Hope Project; Fort Belknap Reservation, Montana): Hawley was a single mom fighting cancer when she had to make regular 400-mile roundtrip journeys from her reservation to the hospital for treatment. Today, she is a lifeline, helping her Native American community access medical care and organic food.

Alvin Irby (Barbershop Books; New York, New York): This former first grade teacher is helping young Black boys strengthen their literacy while waiting for their haircuts. Irby has built little libraries in barbershops across the country, encouraging kids to read for fun and engage with barbers about stories.

Adam Pearce (Love Your Brain; Norwich, Vermont): After his brother suffered a traumatic brain injury that ended his Olympic snowboarding dreams, Pearce witnessed the transformative power of yoga and meditation in his recovery. Today, he's built a community that brings hope and healing to others with a TBI and their caregivers.

Estefania Rebellon (Yes We Can World Foundation; Burbank, California and Mexico): After a volunteer trip to Tijuana where the conditions shocked her, Rebellon and her boyfriend transformed a bus into a mobile classroom to offer crucial education to migrant kids ages 3 to 15 living in limbo at the US-Mexico border.

Mama Shu (Avalon Village; Highland Park, Michigan): Mourning the hit-and-run death of her 2-year-old son, she turned her pain into power by transforming her blighted Detroit neighborhood. Her eco-village offers education for kids, business opportunities for women, and beauty the entire community can enjoy.

Dr. Kwane Stewart (Project Street Vet; San Diego, California): Dr. Stewart helps people experiencing homelessness care for their beloved pets, offering judgement-free veterinary treatment on the streets to animals in need.