Awards

Human Rights Award

The Olmsted County Human Rights Commission/Diversity Council Human Rights Award is given to individuals or organizations based on the following criteria: 1) commitment to teamwork, 2) originality of efforts, 3) positive influence on community, 4) number of people affected by the nominee's work in promoting diversity in the human rights realm, 5) broad community involvement, 6) long-term impact, and 7) cross-cultural involvement.

Champion of Diversity Award

Champion of Diversity Volunteer Awards are given to individuals that have demonstrated an outstanding level of dedication to the Diversity Council mission of creating an inclusive and welcoming community.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Champion of Diversity Awards. Nominations are due Friday, December 14, 2007. Nomination Form

2006 Champions of Diversity

Abdirahim Nur was honored for his work as a minority liaison at the Rochester Public Schools who goes “above and beyond” again and again. Nur was endorsed by multiple people at Kellogg middle school. One person described an example of Nur’s skill in working with parents, students, and school staff to resolve a problem on the buses. After several after-school bus rides, meetings with students, meetings with parents, and meetings with school staff, Nur proposed a collaborative solution. “This is just one example of how Mr. Nur goes the extra mile to provide students, families and staff with effective support and assistance.”

TRIO Programs. TRIO is a series of programs to help low-income Americans overcome class, social and cultural barriers to higher education. RCTC currently has two TRIO programs: 1) Upward Bound, which serves 50 high school students who come from a first generation, low income experience and 2) Student Support Services, which serves students who have a disability or come from a first generation, low income experience. The programs have demonstrated success in helping students stay and succeed in school. One student shared her experience with the TRIO programs, “They didn’t have any magic answers – for there aren’t magic answers to poverty, chemical dependency, or despair. The “answers” they had were those of perseverance, affirmation, and belief that I could get through the day – the day with its tests in and outside of the classroom; the day that otherwise contained so many messages that told me I would not be able to achieve my goals.”

2006 Human Rights Award Winners

Abdiaziz Gaal has been an advocate for refugee and immigrant communities since he moved to Rochester in 1997. He works as an advocate helping other immigrants protect their rights and utilize self-sufficiency services. As part of his work at Zumbro Valley Mental Health Services, Gaal has become passionate about mental health issues as well as helping immigrants succeed. Gaal has been a volunteer Board member at NAMI and IMAA.

Frank Hawthorne has lived in Rochester for 25 years and has made it his mission to help others feel welcomed in this community. He has been active on numerous boards and committees, including the Human Rights Commission, Mayor's International Affairs Committee, DFL Affirmative Action, and Rochester International Association. He personally helped to settle 2 refugee families, eventually becoming a godfather to two Sudanese Americans. He has been involved with the Rochester International Festival for 25 years, helped organize MLK activities, and worked with the NAACP in getting a community task force on racial profiling together. His interest in helping other people extends to his work as a reference librarian where he is skilled at relating to others with respect and kindness.

Previous Human Rights Award Winners

2005

Tara Kotagal

Elizabeth Newman

Greg Parker

Abdul Noor

2004

Michael Garner

Delores Banks

Lily Buchhalter

2003

Alan & Judy Hoffman

The Post-Bulletin

2002

Americorp

IBM

IMAA

Previous Champions of Diversity

2005

Mary Callier

Robin Taylor

2004

Joan Bachman

Mechelle Severson

Jackie Trotter

2003

Phyllis Layton

Mike Podulke

Kim Sin

2002

Paul Barton

Kathy Brutinel

Kay Hocker

Bob Nowicki

Joyce Talen

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