DETROIT — On Tuesday June 7, The Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) and the NAACP branch of Detroit awarded federal judge Terrance Berg of the Eastern District of Michigan and Dr. M. Roy Wilson, president of Wayne State University, for their commitment to social justice and equality.

Wilson created the Office of Multicultural Student Engagement at WSU in 2014 to promote an inclusive environment in a campus that has enrolled a multitude of minority students.

Berg has presided over hundreds of cases in more than three years in his position and last year found himself on the witness stand after having been the victim of a robbery and shooting.

Both men were honored at the second annual Justice Awards Tribute at the Music Hall in Detroit.

Nasser Beydoun, chair of the ACRL, said the significance of the award is that it is the first and only of its kind, combining the efforts of two civil rights organizations to honor community leaders, chosen by an independent committee of 15 judges that was led by Judge Linda Parker.

“The beauty and stature of this award is that these individuals are getting an award from their community,” Beydoun said. “We just wanted to recognize those individuals who work to protect civil rights and civil liberties of Americans and recognize them for their efforts.”

He said they awarded Wilson because he is a strong proponent of diversity at Wayne State. Berg was awarded because of his leading voice for civil rights on the bench.

Nabih Ayad, former chair of the ACRL, said he helped form the award last year as a joint effort of the Arab American and African American communities to recognize champions of civil rights of minorities in the region.

Roy Wilson has been responsive, created positions to employ more diverse teachers, a diverse student attendance and diverse classes, Ayad said.

“People need a voice and someone to look out for them,” Wilson said at the Music Hall.