Judy Henderson, Kansas City Author, Honored with a 2026 Christopher Award

Kansas City-based author Judy Henderson has been honored with a Christopher Award for “When the Light Finds Us: From a Life Sentence to a Life Transformed,” (Worthy Books/Hachette Book Group), written with Jimmy Soni. It is one of 10 winning books for adults and young people as the Christopher Awards program marks its 77^th year. The Awards celebrate authors, illustrators, writers, producers and directors, whose work “affirms the highest values of the human spirit” and reflects the Christopher motto, “It’s better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.”

According to the website, “Judy Henderson was a single mother with a successful small business of her own when she was arrested and convicted of a crime she did not commit.Sentenced to life in prison, Henderson faced the untenable: leaving her young children as she entered the brutal prison system. Even as she faced violence and mistreatment, Henderson persevered with hope and determination. She never lost sight of her innocence—or her deeply held role as a mother. She also gained new purpose, fighting for her clemency and for the rights of incarcerated women, especially mothers. As the years passed, Henderson experienced hope through serendipitous events and calls, letters, and too infrequent visits with her children and other family. With the support of the prosecutor who once sought her conviction and the Missouri governor, Henderson was granted clemency and received a full pardon after nearly 35 years behind bars.

“‘When the Light Finds Us’ is a gripping narrative that explores the depths of human resilience and the transformative power of hope. Henderson’s story will inspire readers to persevere through their own struggles, reminding us of the strength of the human spirit and the unbreakable bond of a mother’s love. In a world often filled with darkness, Henderson’s journey is a beacon of light, illuminating the path to redemption and the triumph of justice.”

While incarcerated, she became a dedicated activist and fearless critic of systemic abuse. As a certified paralegal, she crafted clemency petitions for other women who were released by governors prior to her release. She also created pioneering programs helping incarcerated mothers maintain bonds with their children, earning broad respect among policy makers, attorneys, and fellow inmates.

Henderson continues her advocacy behind prison walls, speaking nationally, serving on panels, giving media interviews, and meeting with legislators to help pass the battered women’s syndrome law as a defense. She currently works as an administrative assistant at Catholic charities of Kansas City-Saint Joseph along with volunteering to support former inmates’ reentry into society. Though she lost decades of precious time, she maintains a powerful spirit and demonstrates daily the power of one courageous voice. Everyone who hears her story is inspired by her words and spirit of hope and love.

Soni is an award-winning writer whose latest book, “The Founders: The Story of PayPal and The Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley,” was a debut bestseller that earned praise from the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Economist, and many other review outlets. Described as “an intensely magnetic chronicle” (New York Times) and “engrossing,” the book includes hundreds of interviews Soni conducted, including exclusive sit-downs with Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and others. Soni’s previous book, “A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age,” won the 2017 Neumann Prize, awarded by the British Society for the History of Mathematics, and the Middleton Prize by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a book.

Tony Rossi, The Christophers’ Director of Communications, said, “Mother Teresa once observed, ‘If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.’ That sense of ‘belonging to each other’ is reflected in our award-winning stories of selflessness, sacrifice, faith, and kindness that can lead us to a better, more peaceful tomorrow.”

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The Christophers, a nonprofit founded in 1945 by Maryknoll Father James Keller, is rooted in the Judeo-Christian tradition of service to God and humanity.More information about The Christophers is available at www.christophers.org.Social media: #ChristopherAwards, Facebook: The Christophers / X: @ChristophersInc