FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The Fresno County District Attorney’s office, with the Fresno Rotary Club, hosted the 10th annual Courageous Citizens Award Ceremony on Monday.

The event recognizes those who demonstrate courage in the pursuit of justice.

This year, five individuals will be honored for their actions, including:

A domestic violence survivor who testified multiple times to secure justice and protect her familyA survivor who overcame extreme violence, language barriers, and community pressure to testify against her abuser and rebuild her life independentlyA hospitality employee who intervened to stop a sexual assault and ensured the victim’s safetyA survivor who reported her assault at the time, whose case later helped solve the decades-old Fresno County homicide of Debbie Dorian – a case that remained unsolved for years until advances in DNA technology allowed investigators to make the connectionA family member who, through grief, helped investigators, testified in court, and gave voice to her sister in a landmark fentanyl-related murder case in Fresno County

[RELATED] ‘She’s not gone’: Fresno mother killed in DUI crash saves 4 through organ donation

During the ceremony, the prosecutors assigned to these cases shared the stories behind each recipient’s courage and the impact on their cases and our community.