{{brizy_dc_image_alt imageSrc=

2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Award: Pastor Sharon Buttry

This award is given to a member or organization of Faith that has stood up for justice, equality, inclusion, and righteousness. This awardee has stood with the oppressed, the forgotten, and the marginalized of society.

Rev. Sharon A. Buttry, MSW retired in 2019 as Associate Director of Training and Education at the International Hope Center based in Hamtramck, Michigan. She retired in 2018 as Global Consultant for Community Transformation with International Ministries, American Baptist Churches, USA. Rev. Buttry has extensive experience in urban community development in the United States and has led workshops in faith-based community development and trauma awareness/recovery in Poland, Belgium,

Switzerland, Italy, India, Myanmar, Nagaland, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, Thailand, and the Middle East.


She earned graduate degrees in ministry and social work in Philadelphia (U PENN) between 1992-1996 and was ordained in 1996 via the American Baptist Churches at Calvary Baptist Church of Norristown, PA. Rev. Buttry has been a leader in the Detroit area in interfaith relationships and serves as a voluntary police chaplain in Hamtramck. She was the founding leader in 2006 of the Hamtramck Community Initiative, which continues to focus on positive community & police relations.

She has volunteered with the Detroit Hamtramck Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environment since 2016,

advocating for environmental justice, especially improved public health outcomes by holding industry accountable for pollution. Rev. Sharon Buttry is married to Rev. Dr. Daniel Buttry, retired Global Consultant for Peace and Justice, International Ministries, American Baptist Churches. They live in a house they rescued from blight in Hamtramck, Michigan, known as Hopewell House, where they mentor ministry leaders, house asylum seekers, and are caregivers for their granddaughter Liliana. They are parents of three adult children and three grandchildren, residing in Michigan and Texas. Rev. Buttry’s interests include gardening, painting, and taking people on tours

Honor the legacy

Donate your money, time or both to Michigan United

Join the 3.5 percent moving Michigan forward. Become a member to build people power in your community. Donate to turn that power into real wins in housing, immigration, and economic dignity.

JOIN

DONATE

Recent News & Media

  • All
  • Michigan United in action
  • Movement Politics
  • News & Media
  • Northern Michigan
  • Michigan United in the news
  • Resistance
  • Statewide
  • Care Over Cost
  • Healthcare
  • News from Michigan United
  • East Lansing
  • Detroit
  • Eastern Michigan
  • End Gun Violence in Michigan
  • Flint
  • Election Protection
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
A Three-city Event Sunday Night at 7: Intro to Cryptomining and AI Data Centers
A community briefing on AI Data Centers and Cryptomining — What’s Coming, What It Could Cost, and How You Can Push Back
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
MU in the News: 2026 MLK Award Nominee Lexi Tater Stands Against the Oligarchy
Little did we know then that one of the leaders, Lexi Tater, would grow to become a nominee for our 2026 Michigan United MLK Award.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
Michigan United in Hancock: Standing for Lower Healthcare Costs
Our own Audrey Gerard discussed her experiences with the healthcare industry. Join us in the fight for lower healthcare costs.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
Dr. King’s Legacy in Our Time: Building Stronger Communities Through Civic Engagement
Given the fiery partisan trenches that now define not just our political climate, celebrating Dr. King’s legacy requires more than just observing an occasion.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
Protest Pro-tips
If you can’t turn over a soap box on a street corner, stand on it, and rail against the government, you don’t truly have free speech.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
Follow the Money: the Hall-Bolin Holiday Budget Cuts
Using an obscure power in state law, they moved to strip multi-year protection from $644.9 million in already-approved projects.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
What is the Impact of the Hall-Bolin Budget Cuts?
The Hall/Bolin cuts don’t just move numbers around a spreadsheet — they pull the floor out from under a lot of basic systems.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
MU in the News: The Fight for Gun Violence Prevention in Michigan
Learn more about the report and how Michigan United is making an impact in communities like Detroit and Flint.
{{brizy_dc_image_alt entityId=
The 2025 Michigan United Election Protection Report
Ensuring every eligible voter could cast a ballot safely, confidently, and without interference

Help us clean up Michigan politics by signing our MOPP petition!

Join Project 3.5

Help us create change that lasts

{{brizy_dc_image_alt imageSrc=

We want to organize 3.5% of Michigan, tear down the barriers of inequality and replace it with dignity and opportunity.

We use cookies to allow us to better understand how the site is used. By continuing to use this site, you consent to this policy. Click to learn more