Colorado Lt.Gov. Joe Garcia and pediatrician Dean Prina, along with four others, received the 2012 Civil Rights Award from the (NEWSED) at a dinner held at the Seawell Grand Ballroom.
Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña presented the award to Garcia, declaring: “There is no question about your level of dedication to the citizenry of Colorado and the movement for social change.” Prina, whose award was presented by his longtime friend Patricia Barela Rivera, was honored for his commitment to inclusiveness, especially as it involves the LGBT community. “You have demonstrated how a single individual can broaden the scope of representation for many communities,” Barela Rivera noted.
Rudolph “Rudy” Gonzales, chief executive officer at and son of the late Denver civil rights leader Corky Gonzales, was master of ceremonies for the event that also honored senior vice president Pat Cortez for her philanthropic efforts and Mission Yogurt president Rod Tafoya for “serving many missions and sharing your prosperity” with groups large and small.
President Steve Jordan and were hailed as “a game changer for undocumented students whose only desire is to contribute to the American dream” while appreciation for the support the Jewish community gave to the Civil Rights Movement was expressed in the award given to regional director Scott Levin and .
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, jdavidson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/getitwrite
