Signs of change: Natalia Dmytruk, the official sign language interpreter for the Ukrainian government, would attend protests last year with supporters of candidate Viktor Yuschenko before returning to work to sign the government's very different version of the demonstrations on national TV. "I felt dirty. I wanted to wash my hands," she said. The opposition was excluded from national TV, so, in disgust, Dmytruk took matters into her own hands. On November 25, she went into the studio intent on telling the truth:

Under her long silk sleeve, she had tied an orange ribbon to her wrist, the color of the opposition and a powerful symbol in what would become known as the Orange Revolution. She knew that when she raised her arm, the ribbon would show.

The newscaster was reading the officially scripted text about the results of the election, and Dmytruk was signing along. But then, "I was not listening anymore," she said.

In her own daring protest, she signed: "I am addressing everybody who is deaf in the Ukraine. Our president is Victor Yushchenko. Do not trust the results of the central election committee. They are all lies. . . . And I am very ashamed to translate such lies to you. Maybe you will see me again -- " she concluded, hinting at what fate might await her. She then continued signing the rest of officially scripted news.

"My legs became so heavy. I was terribly scared," she said.

Dmytruk's live silent signal helped spread the news, and more people began spilling into the streets to contest the vote. She returned to work to give the 3 p.m. news, but was not admonished by her superiors. When she finished, she went into the technicians' studio and told them what she had done. They hugged her all at once. "You are terrific, Natalia," she said they told her.

On Tuesday night, Dmytruk and three other Ukrainian women received the Fern Holland Award on at the Vital Voices Global Partnership's fifth annual ceremony honoring women from around the world who have made a difference. Her "courageous actions sparked the public outreach and ultimately new and fair elections on Dec. 26, 2004," said Melanne Verveer , chair of the board of Vital Voices.