Thread: 11 win social justice awards AKA Pro Illegal Awards

Published: 02.21.2007
11 win social justice awards
CLAUDINE LoMONACO
Tucson Citizen
They arrive early and are the last to leave. They volunteer and often avoid the spotlight. On Friday, 11 such people will be recognized at the fourth annual Corazón de Justicia awards.
"It's kind of like the poor people's Oscars," said Kat Rodriguez, (one of the to activists)from the immigrant rights group Derechos Humanos, which created the "Heart of Justice" awards.
"It's the people you can count on and do it just out of what their heart says, not because they're getting a paycheck," Rodriguez said.
Tucson-area organizations nominate recipients in categories that include environment, indigenous issues and union rights.
Monica Davis will be recognized in the women's issues category for bringing the country's first Spanish version of Eve Ensler's "Vagina Monologues" to Tucson, said Regina Romero, chairwoman of Las Adelitas, a Latina advocacy group that nominated Davis.
Davis is a full-time drug and alcohol abuse prevention educator at the University of Arizona and has produced the show since 2001 as a volunteer.
Now an annual event in Tucson, the Spanish production has raised more than $20,000 for bilingual groups that serve sexually abused women.
The play has been performed in 81 countries and has helped Tucson's Hispanic community confront sexual abuse and domestic violence, Romero said.
Elizabeth Hernandez, 18, won the youth award for helping organize immigrant rights marches last spring.
A Tucson High Magnet School senior at the time, Hernandez and classmates organized a March 29 high school walkout to protest proposed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would have made illegal immigrants felons.
Hernandez said the legislation hit close to home.
"My sister got deported a couple of years ago," she said.
The student walkout and an April 10 Cesar Chavez march coincided with demonstrations across the country and made Hernandez understand that as a U.S. citizen, she had a responsibility to represent those around her who were too vulnerable to speak out, she said.
"I'm the voice of the immigrant and with this voice I'm planning to be active," she said.
Hernandez is studying political science at Pima Community College and plans to pursue a law degree at the University of Arizona.
The Corazón de Justicia ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Dunbar Cultural Center, 325 W. Second St. Tickets are $35 each. Proceeds go to Derechos Humanos.
Kent Burbank, executive director of Wingspan, Tucson's support center for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, said the event gives Tucson a chance to honor volunteers who drive social justice.
Wingspan has 20 full-time employees and 200 volunteers, many of who do crucial political advocacy work, Burbank said.
Wingspan nominated Les Pierce, who volunteered for a year to help defeat state Proposition 107.
The measure would have constitutionally limited marriage to a man and a woman and would have prohibited legal rights for couples outside marriage.
"Les was the bundle of energy that kept people engaged and active," Burbank said.
Pierce lived off her savings to volunteer on the campaign against the proposition.
"Now I need a real job," she said.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/42611.php

Corazón de Justicia

"It's kind of like the poor people's Oscars,"

...gag...

I don't understand how breaking the law has turned into something that gets rewarded. But I guest that what happens when you put globalies into power.