Baha’i Human Rights Awards December 9

December 07, 2001
Santa Paula News

Santa Paulan Meg Beach Phelps will introduce one of the recipients of the 11th Annual Human Rights Awards luncheon at Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort in Oxnard on Sunday, December 9. Mrs. Phelps will present Cherie Moraga of the Community Literacy Project, who is being honored along with Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star and nine other honorees from Ventura County.

Santa Paulan Meg Beach Phelps will introduce one of the recipients of the 11th Annual Human Rights Awards luncheon at Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach Resort in Oxnard on Sunday, December 9. Mrs. Phelps will present Cherie Moraga of the Community Literacy Project, who is being honored along with Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star and nine other honorees from Ventura County.“I nominated Cherie because I was so moved by the work she does,” said Phelps. “Her bookmobile travels to neighborhoods and children who would otherwise have no access to books. Many of them have never borrowed a book before. To put a book in the hands of a child is such a profound way to influence their lives positively.”Roberto Juarez, founder and executive director of Las Clinicas del Camino Real, Inc. was nominated by Santa Paulan Dr. Karen Parker Anderson, psychologist with Las Clinicas. Las Clinicas is a nonprofit organization which provides comprehensive medical services for traditionally under-served residents of Ventura County.Other honorees are: Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County; Ron Lucio, Valley View Middle School; Soraya Mire, women’s rights filmmaker and activist; Marina Pisklakova, president of Russia Association of Crisis Centers for Women; Molly Rockey, volunteer coordinator, ALS Association; Arline La Porte, volunteer for shelter and food programs; Arnold Bresky, MD, Phyllis Bresky, MFT, Evergreen Generation; Scott Helegeson and Greg Godfrey, music directors, Fillmore High and Middle School. Award recipients are nominated by members of the Baha’i Communities of Ventura County, based on outstanding service and humanitarian effort.Layli Miller, MA, JD, a nationally recognized leader in protecting women from human rights abuses, will be the keynote speaker at this presentation, announced Larry Anderson of the Santa Paula Baha’i community, a spokesman for the event. “Ms Miller epitomizes the goal of our event, taking individual and collective action to ensure basic human rights for all,” said Anderson.Keynote speaker Layli Miller came to national attention when, as a law student, she argued before a federal judge and assisted in the appeal of a high-profile case involving a woman’s right to receive refugee status in the United States after fleeing from a tribal practice called female genital mutilation. “This case, which involved a young woman from Togo named Fauziya Kassindja, was the first in which the Board of Immigration Appeals recognized female genital mutilation as a basis for asylum,” said Ms. Miller from her home in Washington, D.C. The case set national binding legal precedent and made legal history.
Ms. Miller assisted Kassindja in writing a book about her life, flight from Togo, and fight for freedom in the United States, entitled “Do You Hear Us When We Cry?” which was published in the U.S. by Bantam Doubleday Dell in March 1998. Miller’s entire portion of the proceeds was donated to enable the creation of the Tahirih Justice Center.The Tahirih Justice Center seeks to bring justice to the lives of women facing human rights abuses by providing direct services, outreach, and advocacy. Specializing in gender-based claims resulting from practices such as forced female genital mutilation, rape, torture, forced marriage, domestic violence, sexual slavery, and other abuses, the Center’s legal services cater to the unique needs and concerns of women fleeing human rights abuses. Many of the Center’s clients come from Africa, the Middle East and Asia, including women targeted by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Center helps these women to receive refugee status in the United States, as well as assisting battered immigrant women with legal and educational services.Several former recipients of the Human Rights Awards from Santa Paula are invited to the December 9 luncheon, including representatives of Santa Clara Valley Hospice, Blanchard Community Librarian Dan Robles, and Elsa Campbell, MFCC.For tickets or more information contact Mark Eaton at 525-5455.



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