Three distinguished honorees and one grassroots movement – Marisol Barajas, Emily Grijalva, Hieu Nguyen, and Rida Hamida on behalf of Latino Muslim Unity – were recognized with the 30th Annual Gene Lentzner Human Relations Award for the significant contribution they have made in improving human relations at a grassroots level in Southern California. Click here to learn more about this year’s honorees.
[Marisol Barajas, Rida Hamida, Gene Lentzner, Hieu Nguyen, and Emily Grijalva]
The always popular awards celebration began with entertainment by local saxophonist Brian Grace during cocktails and appetizers. The room was decorated in CCEJ’s colors- red, orange, purple and blue.
Kimmy Maniquis, CCEJ’s Executive Director, led the awards ceremony and opened the evening by welcoming guests and sharing news and updates from CCEJ’s programs. CCEJ’s Board Chair, Rosecarrie Brooks, welcomed the elected officers and dignitaries in the room and held a moment of silence to remember the victims of the mass shooting in Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 27. She was followed by a short audience participation exercise led by CCEJ Board member Rashida Crutchfield and CCEJ team members, emphasizing CCEJ’s core values of Respect, Community, Justice and Transformation.
Gene Lentzner inspired the audience with his thoughts about the current state of human relations. The honorees were given heartfelt introductions by Sunny Zia, Regina Zamarripa Aguilar, Mieko Failey and Jessy Needham.
Nica Rumion was presented with the City of Long Beach Human Dignity Award by Teresa Gomez from the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services and Amy Eriksen, Chair of the City’s Human Relations Commission.
CCEJ’s team closed the evening with a poem, “In Lak’ech.”
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You can watch speeches from Gene Lentzner and all of the honorees below: