Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award Recipients Announced
The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Awards Committee has released the recipients of the 2008 Humanitarian Awards. The recipients, joining a distinguished group of past honorees, will be presented with their awards and honored at a private reception and free concert performed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. This concert will be held Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at Boettcher Concert Hall. The late Wilma Taylor will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The 2008 Award Recipients are: Sen. Peter Groff, Randle Loeb, Haven Moses, Lt. Les Perry, Project Angel Heart, Elisa Marie Sagehorn and Volunteers of America, Colorado Branch.
A free community reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Boettcher Concert Hall lobby area will be held prior to the Awards Ceremony and Concert. Tickets for the reception, awards ceremony, and concert are now available at no cost from the Blair Caldwell African American Research Library, the Central Denver Library, and the Colorado Civil Rights Division.

HealthONE Appoints Reginald Washington As First Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Washington, a national force in fighting cardiovascular disease and obesity in children, has been appointed the first Chief Medical Officer for HCA-HealthONE LLC’s new Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. Washington starts January 1, 2008, overseeing clinical operations for the new pediatric hospital, which will be on the campus of Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center (P/SL) in Denver.
A Colorado Springs native, Dr. Washington, 57, has practiced pediatric cardiology in Denver for more than 25 years. He serves on several national committees, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children was formally unveiled in June and construction planning is under way for the $113 million complex on the P/SL campus.
 

John Robert Holland, Cleo Parker Robinson To Receive ADL’s 2008 Civil Rights Awards On Feb. 4
ADL’s 2008 Civil Rights award luncheon on Monday, Feb. 4, will honor Denver lawyer John Robert Holland and cultural icon Cleo Parker Robinson. Holland and Robinson will join a list of 42 distinguished Colorado leaders who have received ADL’s Civil Rights Award since 1982. At the event, ADL also will present its Distinguished Community Service Award to U.S. District Court Judge and former ADL Board Chair the Honorable Philip S. Figa for his commitment to human rights and dignity, and his dedicated service to his community, state and nation.
Holland has spent his entire legal career working for civil rights. He has fought for wheelchair accessibility on public buses, nursing home reform, and justice for victims of racial, sexual and religious discrimination. 
Robinson is the founder, executive artistic director and choreographer of the 37-year old internationally renowned artistic institution, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.  
The Anti-Defamation League is the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry and hatred, defending democratic ideals and protecting civil rights for all.
Tickets are $42. For more information about ADL’s Civil Rights Award luncheon, call 303-830-7177 ext. 210 or e-mail Denver@adl.org.

Colorado Springs Publisher Receives Human Rights Hero Award
James Tucker, founder and publisher of the African-American Voice, received the “Know Your Human Rights Hero Award” at the 2nd Annual Colorado Human Rights Hero Awards. The award ceremony was held at the Tivoli Center on the Auraria Campus in Denver following a human rights conference on gang violence.
Tucker has been a crusader for civil and human rights in Colorado Springs for many years. His publication, the African-American Voice, is a regional monthly newspaper that emphasizes civil and human rights issues. Tucker also publishes “Colorado’s Guide to Diversity” which keeps the public informed on diversity subjects, events and issues.  He was co-sponsor of Colorado Springs ’ 2007 Black History Celebration honoring Black Heritage Month and sponsored the 2007 Juneteenth celebration in Colorado Springs . 
Also awarded as a Colorado Human Rights Hero was Reverend Heidi McGinness, Outreach Director of Christian Solidarity International, U.S.A.
Pastor McGinness’ work has taken her to war-torn Sudan, Africa for the past four years where she has succeeded in liberating over 700 men, women and children from slavery.  She has also delivered thousands of tons of grain and basic living supplies and hundreds of pounds of medicine as well as spiritual support and hope.

The Spirituals Project Gets New Executive Director
The Spirituals Project announced new Executive Director, Dr. Carolyn Ash, who began in November, 2007. Carolyn was hired following an extensive search process that began in mid-September.
Ash's interests, skills and experience in administration, education and music are perfectly matched with the strategic goals of TSP. TSP is currently working on plans to expand its educational programs while also building its national presence as the only organization in the country with a comprehensive, multi-faceted focus on the preservation and revitalization of the music and teaching of the spirituals.
Ash comes to TSP following three years as Director of Research and Program Development for the Pacific Educational Group, Inc. (PEG), an educational consulting firm based in San Francisco, California. PEG is concerned with addressing systemic issues of educational inequity by providing guidance to school districts on how to meet the needs of underserved student of color populations.

Carmen Carrillo Appointed as Denver Human Services Deputy Manager
Carmen Carrillo has been appointed as Denver Human Services (DHS) deputy manager.  Carrillo brings over 30 years of management, provider and volunteerism expertise to the DHS team.  
Prior to joining DHS, Carrillo served as the CEO of Mi Casa Resource Center for Women.  She has also worked at the C. Henry Kempe Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund. 
Her volunteerism includes being a committee member on Denver Human Services Infrastructure Task Force and Chair of the Mayor’s Latino Advisory Board.  She also serves on the board of directors for Mile High United Way, Denver Public Schools Alterative Education Task Force, and the Rocky Mountain News Hispanic Advisory Committee.  She earned her master’s in nonprofit management from Regis University and received her bachelor’s in community development from Metropolitan State College of Denver. Carrillo will oversee the DHS Family and Adult Division which includes: Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Food Stamps, Low-income Energy Assistance Program, Veterans Service Office, Aid to the Blind and Disabled, Burial Assistance, Child Care Assistance Program, Housing and Eviction Assistance, Medicaid Eligibility and Old Age Pension.

Escuela de Guadalupe Raises Funds To Continue Operations 
After concluding a very successful fundraising campaign in December, Escuela de Guadalupe Catholic Dual Language K-5 private school remains open. The school in Northwest Denver announced its financial struggles in October 2007, and went to work on an emergency funding campaign to raise $200,000 for student scholarships. The campaign was a huge success, thanks to the commitments of four major donors, the success of four different fundraising activities sponsored by the school's parents, and the contributions of more than 120 new donors.  In just eight weeks, the campaign generated over $320,000.   
Though the school had considered closing, the nonprofit school's board of trustees enthusiastically voted to march on after achieving its outstanding fundraising success. The influx of funds will ensure that the school can fully fund its students' financial aid needs this year, and give it a great start on its scholarship budget for next year. The school will continue to focus on serving families with limited economic resources, but in a more practical way. 

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