Possible and i would note it is under attack today and has been under attack since the enactment by the Supreme Court as well as by individuals who do not favor the advancement of African Americans and other people of color in the country. So, it is good to be here tonight to acknowledge the 50 anniversary and commemorate and acknowledge people in the community who day in and hout u out outsides of the glare of the spotlite work to the advance civil rights and move forward and claim tire rights in our society. So move toog the presentations, as a human rightss commission 2015 hero awards i would like to note all tonight recipient will receive [inaudible] from nancy pulosea and mark [inaudible] and the student receiving awards tonight are receiving financial awards through caryn chi so congratulations in advns to all of you and well move to the presentations themselves. First well deal with award for individual leadership in Voting Rights. The first award is given to faith petric and it is a post postmisaward. Faith lived a mem rbl life before passing away in 2013. She advocateed for labor unions peace, womens equality and [inaudible] folk music. She was the prime mover within the San FranciscoFolk Music Club which in 1965 helds a benefit to raise money for her and a group in San Francisco to go to selma and march with doctor king. To say she identified surge is a understatement. Faith remained in Montgomery Alabama to [inaudible] being murdered. We have the privilege of having [inaudible] to receiver the award on behalf of faiths family. Thank you so much to all of you. It is really a great honor to accept this award for faith petric on behalf of her family. Her daughter [inaudible] and craig and nob nab who live in ireland and could not be here tonight. I have to say when i heard about this award 2 days ago, i was moved to tears and i realized i was crying because i so wished faith could be here her self to accept it. She so deserves it. I knew faith for about 25 yearathize last quarter of her life largely through the San FranciscoFolk Music Club but also because im a historian and teach about the history of women and social reform. When she was in her late 70s i thought someone need today do a oral history of this woman knowing nothing what i would find out that she had lived a life of civic engagement. That she had been speaking out for social justice since at least the 1930s. She was a student peace activist in the 1930s. She was a rosy the riveter in ww 2. She was a Racial Justice advocate for much of her life demonstrating and protesting against lynching in the 40s and 50s and segregation. Because she held integrated parties in San Francisco in the 40s and 50s she put her self at rist. Risk. She marched in selma. She managed to get people there and not only did she march with doctor cung but stayed on to provide support services for the clergy and collect the song thofz Civl Rights Movement and shared them with others. She said it was the one time in my life i was afraid but anyhow i had to do it. Faith petric was a proud union worker of the waublies and also was a Founding Member of the traveling musicians local of the [inaudible] she kept demonstrating marching protesting and singing into 80 and 90s. In those decades she was a member of women in black speaking out against war as a member of the raging grannies singing about peace and war and injustice. She sang at [inaudible] there is so much more i can tell you about faith petric, there is no much i am engaged in making a documentary film and if you want to know about her go to face book and look for faith petric. We call her the [inaudible] of song squz honor her decades of singing for justice. Faith petric has been a hero for many in San Francisco for many year jz it is so fitting and rewarding the San FranciscoHuman Rights Commission has honored her postiously with that official title tonight. Thank you. Our next awardee is maxine anderson. Maxine is a long time Voting Rights advoicate who made impact in San Francisco. For over 10 years maxines served on the board of directors on the league of women voters of sichb vavariety och roles. Maxine sunchs as the cochair for the league and spear heads local ballot measures and [inaudible] have there best interest of all san franciscans at heart. I know first hand the work that the league of women voters has done in the Western Addition where they hold wegural forums and give opportunity for neighborhood folk tooz really understand the Ballot Initiatives and who is running and what their views are so i know within the knhunty community i work in we are appreciative and thank you for maxine andertion so we thank maxine for her work in educating and supporting community and making sure everyone knows what their Voting Rights are and keep offering those opportunities, so, maxine. I just want to saw say thank you so much. Im all most speechless, which for me is very unusual. I was sitting there listening to everything that faith has done, had done in her life and im like, why am i up here . I can just tell you what i believe. I didnt spend as many years as faith within the movement, but what i did learn was that at some point in time in your life you have to stop complaining about a situation and do something about a situation and i came to that realization and one of the things i realized is the more information people have about what is in a ballot measure and what is going on in a election, the more they can make a informed decision about everything going on and how it effects them. I decided to get up and not complain, but get up and do something and one of the things i have been able to do with the league of women voter squz work on the ballot measures the come through in the city of San Francisco and explain to people what it is they are about. That is what i do. And im so very proud and so very happy to have had you acknowledge me for doing it. I would have done it regardless, but it does feel good. To have somebody sayi have to tell you one thing, i was having a conversation with the white coats for black lives and other young people i met and heard along the way and i believe what keeps us all going on, keeps us going and keeps us striving to make things better and make people understand what the power of vote is, is the fact that there are younger people who are out here doing the same things and thank you very much to the commission for letting us see that are younger people out here doing things because if you list toon the media you think they were all at home on some Electronic Device texting each other about something that they wore or something that they ate. Thank you so much. Thank you for honoring me and thank you to all the haun orees you are all fantastic, i read about you and you are fantastic. Thank you very much. The San FranciscoHuman Rights Commission appreciates these 2 individuals for their countless contribution to the community and promoting Voting Rights. Thank you so much. Next we have the hrc hero award for organizations advancing Voting Rights. First, i would like to say this year 2 organizations were chosen to receive the Human Rights Commission hero awards for organization as vancing human right. First is white coats for black lives and league of women voteroffs voters of San Francisco. First, the white coats for black lives. White coats for black live saz coalition of medical students underrepresented in higher lechbls of education. The impact of their work is immeasureable in the profession of health cairb professionals and [inaudible] especially in the San Francisco bay area. These students were deeply hurt by unarmed black men and took action against police brutality. Like the people that participated in the selma to montgomery march, the [inaudible] involved 80 medical school said cross the nation and in the spirit of making a statement against institutionalized oppression. [inaudible] medical curriculum to be changed to change the disproportioninate on people of cod have done a spectacular job of bringing their careers and social justice together. Congratulations. Good evening everybody. Thank you for the lovely introduction [inaudible] im a second Year Medical Student at ucsf and joined by an dria [inaudible] to my right and [inaudible] which is also to my right. On behalf of white coats for black lives we thank you for this award. Last december the mike brown and eric [inaudible] decision triggered rage shame [inaudible] but we heard no outreach or call said for chaij. As member thofz medical communities and members of community threatened by racism and violence, we had a responsibility to stand in sal darety of Police Violence and families. Inspired by protest, december 10 more than 250 ucsf [inaudible] in demonstration of white coats. What started as a local protest became a National Movement with participation from 80 medical schools around the country. [inaudible] it sparked new energy and enthusiasm for [inaudible] racism threatened the health of our communities and nation but it isnt in places [inaudible] racial bias and effect on health are woven into San Francisco challenges with dace placement racism in the police force and [inaudible] it is our mission to bring the Health Implications to the for front. We know as future physicians and healers can not solve this on our own. We rely on the policy makers [inaudible] woo would be remiss if we didnt acknowledge those who helped. We would like to thank white coats for black lives in the audience and at home for their hard work and what they do for the mission of the organization. I would ask those that are here in the audience to please stand so they can get acknowledged. We want to also thank the ucsf Multicultural Resource Center and office of diversity and out reach for their support and last but not least we want to thank the city of San Francisco for this honor. We look for the continued leadership and health of bettering our communities. Thank you. Thank you so much for the work that you do and the issues that you identified and have spoken about tonight are so critical and so important to acknowledge and to do something about. The effects of racism and sexism and home phobia, the physical and psychological effects it has on people is tremendous and the fact that you are identifying that publicly and connecting it to the work you are doing in your careers now and Going Forward is fantastic, so thank you so much. Next we move to the league of women voters of San Francisco. The league has fought since 19220 to improve the system of government. [inaudible] provides non parttion information so voters make informed decision on election day. The league is a Grassroots Organization working at the National State and local level and founded on integrity, transparency and non partnership that guide their work today. Special congrat ylshzulations on the scott versus boen case. [inaudible] please come forward. My name is ashly [inaudible] and president of the league of women votes of San Francisco. To my left i have past president chief judge caryn clapten. I want to commission for this honor. It is blessing, it is nerveracking, it is putting the spot light on our organization and forcing us to dig in deep during election season and come out fighting and hopefully get thesis disinfranenfranchised communities their non partisan, non biased and Accurate Information for voting. Thank you. Commission president , commissioners and the committee, the league of women voters has for all most 100 years stood for access, fairness and franzchisement and empowerment, not just of women, but of all citizens of our country. We also support human rights throughout the world. Voting is a international right in democries. It is so important for all of us to remember to never forget. Democracy is not a specktator support. To remember to never forget that women lost their lives to get the vote. To remember to never forget that African Americans that the former enslaved lost their lives to be free to vote. The league of women voters of california not only supported the infranzchisement of the previously incarcerated, which if you know that statistic that 34 percent of all black men between the ages of 18 and 64 had been incarcerated. Currently 6 percent of all black men the working ages between the working ages of 18 and 64 are currently incarcerated. When we look at what is going on every day, the importance of the vote, of the franchise becomes ever more important. When we review the situation in ferguson, we are clear that the disinfranzchisement of the population there, had a direct impact on the elected leadership, on the composition of the Police Department as well as the District Attorneys Office and of course the judiciary. Yes, there are many opportunities available to many americans, but those of us who the the descendants of the african diaspruand formally enslaved still bare the brunt of oppression, exploitation and disnenfranchisement. The legal of women voters and all of you must continue to be resolved in making sure that the franchise is protected. That the vote is protected. As maxine came up with this great sloge frn the league and for all we do, i use it whether im with jack and jill or at the league of women voters or at the California Public utilities commission, i use the same slogan maxine developed and that is, be bold, educate, advocate and act. Most importantly, vote. Thank you. The comments you have given you show clearly why you were chosen tonight and cant say more deeply than this b that the work you do is vital to our ability to exercise the franzchise in a intelligent and informed way is is therefore vital to our democracy so thank you so much for everything. The commission appreciates these 2 organizations for their countless contribution s to the community and promoting public rights and public helths it is a wonderful transtigez go from league of women voter tooz talking about the young people who will be helping vote and make impact and change in the coming years. I wrote down to remember the fight and the struggle. We were frchinate earlier this year to have john lewis in San Francisco and be able to get copies of his book and get those to young people. I think that it is easy to sometimes forget the struggle because we are so far removed from it sometimes in our moinds and especially in San Francisco where we dont always realize what the realty is outsides och what i sometimes call the bubble. I think we are excited to have these young people here and hope there is connection between white coats for black lives and league of women voters that will be recognized here tonight. This is truly a partnership between the agencies that do the work and silty departments and did want to take time to acknowledge and recognize Paul Henderson from the Mayors Office who is the deputy chief of staff with focus on public safety. We talk about the struggle and fight that is going on for Voting Rights today and we are grateful the mayor and his staff committed to making sure everyone has the right to vote and recognized in San Francisco. I would like to invite Paul Henderson up before we introduce our youth and recognize them thank you guys. I heat speaking after caryn. She gets all worked up and gives a good speech, but i dont turn down a microphone. Really i just want to thank you you all for being here and appreciate on behamp of inmayor of San Francisco all the time and dedication you all put in and recognize thg hard work that takes place in the community. When i hear and listen to the people that have won the awars tonight, i know for me i feel inspired as a Public Servant and it makes me feel like not just im not wasting my time but not working alone. The outside of indoors, outside of this hall way on the streets and in the community that other people care about the same things that i care about and that is what the inspuration mean tooz me when i see the people that have won the awards tonight so i want to thank them for their hard work. It isnt lost on me and the reason i wanted to speak tonight is on behalf of looking out into the the audience and im so glad all of this is going to be televised toochbt tonight and what audiences will see not in the building and not in this room right now is a audience that is filled with young people and the reason that is such a inspuration is many people filling this room today kw right now that are not even 18 yet are the next wave and next generation of heroes that are evolving and seeing the hard w