The Palm Springs Human Rights Commission handed out 10 awards on Monday to individuals and organizations that the group deemed to have done their part to create a welcoming place for all and help make a difference in the community.
“Human Rights impacts everyone. Everyone is entitled to be treated as a human being” said Dee Dee Wilson Barton, chair of the commission.
She touted Palm Springs for being the only city in the valley with a Human Rights Commission charged with promoting and protecting the rights of its residents.
Councilman Paul Lewin was there to hand out the awards and said he was “blown away” by the caliber of recipients.
“Each of you make this community fantastic,” he said.
The awards recipients are as follows:
Roy’s Desert Resource Center:A comprehensive homeless shelter operated by Jewish Family Service of the Desert.
Denise Chappell: Despite her extreme stuttering disability, the former special education teacher has served the community for 25 years and is currently the principal for the Riverside County Office of Education. She gave her acceptance speech via computer generated recording she held up to the microphone.
Veterans for Peace: Part of a national non-profit organization dedicated to the abolishment of war. It provides educational scholarships and has donated peace poles to sites across the Coachella Valley.
After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program: The program between the Palm Springs Unified School District and The Family YMCA of the Desert serves almost 2,000 students across the Coachella Valley.
Trina Parks: The first African American Bond (as in James Bond) girl and a former Palm Springs Follies dancer works with and inspires local youth through entertainment and education.
David Tallman and United Methodist Church of Palm Springs: They provide a Sunday breakfast program for the homeless and hungry.
Ophelia Project:A mentoring program for young girls that promotes self esteem, education and social skills.
Congressman Raul Ruiz (D-Palm Desert):For starting a pre-med mentorship program for aspiring doctors as part of the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine.
The Desert Sun:For working with the Tolerance Education Center to profile 30 families of all backgrounds and for Desert Outlook magazine, which provides a local voice to the LGBT community.
Sid Craig:The former chair of the Palm Springs Human Rights Commission for his leadership over the past six years on the commission and pushing the organization to fulfill its mission.
Veterans For Peace: Part of a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the abolishment of war, that provides educational scholarships and has donated peace poles that are placed outside the Cathedral City Library and Desert Mirage High School in Thermal.
The city formed the Human Rights Commission in 1992
*******
