If someone had arrived at NEWSED’s 20th annual Civil Rights Awards dinner not knowing who the recipients would be, trying to guess would have been an exercise in futility — because almost to a person, everyone there could have been a contender.
Denver’s first lady, Mary Louise Lee, for example. Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia. Denver City Council members Paul Lopez and Albus Brooks. State Rep. Angela Williams. Anthony Aragon, director of the Mayor’s Office of Boards and Commissions. Former Denver City Council President Elbra Wedgeworth. You get the picture.
None of them would be taking home an engraved plaque, though. They were among the 400 applauding as awards were presented to state Sen. Lucia Guzman; attorney Manuel Martinez; state Rep. Mark Ferrandino; former mayors Guillermo “Bill” Vidal and Federico Peña; and Michelle Marsh Garcia, representing the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The honorees embody the mission of NEWSED Community Development Corp.: to promote and develop economic and community programs to raise the income, educational and political levels of Denver residents.
The dinner event also included a salute, led by NEWSED’s executive director Veronica Barela and Escuela Tlatelolco president Nita Gonzales, to the late Pierre Jimenez, who died March 28 following a lengthy illness. Jimenez had been one of the first to receive a NEWSED Civil Rights Award and, like the other 2011 honorees, had devoted his life to breaking barriers, dispelling stereotypes and creating opportunities for those in need.
Other guests were Jan Campbell, chair of the NEWSED board; Rogelio Rodriguez, president of the Santa Fe Drive Redevelopment Corp. board; Robert Alvarado; Sharon Vigil; Juanita Chacon; filmmaker Richard Perez; Girl Scouts vice president Greg Movesian; KBNO Radio owner Zee Ferrufino; and KBNO personality Fernando Sergio, who was master of ceremonies.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com
