Melissa Nystrom, No Title, No Phone Number Available
Friday, December 13, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.
North Central High School student Purnima Karkia and Francis Adewale, an assistant City public defender, joined the Spokane NAACP as the inaugural winners of the Spokane Human Rights Award.
Karki, who won in the youth category, donates her time to the Nepalese community in Spokane acting as an interpreter and volunteering to read to children every week. Adewale was recognized at the individual winner for volunteering his time to help put on a training symposium for immigrants to learn the basics of Washington law, participating in the street law program and working with a team that implemented a community court in Spokane.
The Spokane NAACP was honored as the organizational winner for its great work to further human rights for all people in Spokane through events like the annual Martin Luther King Jr. march.
The City of Spokane Human Rights Commission and the Mayor's Office hosted the first Human Rights Award ceremony this morning in City Hall. Lisa Rosier, chair of the Human Rights Commission, kicked off the event and was joined by Mayor David Condon, City Council President Ben Stuckart and Tony Stewart from the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Rights. Transitions New Leaf Bakery provided coffee and breakfast treats.
In addition to these very inspiring winners, many impressive individuals and organizations were nominated for the first City of Spokane Human Rights award. These included Austin Johnson, Ancilla and Knights of the Leash, Neil Kempen, Lorelei Kalua, John “Chef Gus” Olsen, Rick Bocook, Randy Shaw, the NATIVE Project and Pace Services/Seer Program.
Congratulations to all of the award winners and nominees and a big thank you for all that you do in Spokane to promote human rights.
