Provided by Prince William County
The Board Chambers in the McCoart Government Center was filled to capacity for the Universal Human Rights Day celebration this past weekend. The crowd was there to recognize those who have contributed to human rights in Prince William County.
Chair of the Board of County Supervisors Ann Wheeler spoke at the event. This was part of a national celebration that takes place on the Saturday before Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.
Wheeler said the people who were being recognized stood for helping others and represented the broad diversity in Prince William County. “The people we’re honoring today come from every walk of life … and they’re persistent. They aid in the creation of an environment that maximizes the potential of others. They recognize unique contributions of individuals.”
Diversity
Wheeler said the event, with the theme of ‘All Human Beings are Born Free and Equal,’ brought diverse perspectives together to celebrate different cultures and ideas. “It’s really all about human relations and how we communicate with each other. Each and every day, we encounter people who are different than us in race and ethnic origin, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, age and ability… They all bring that diversity. I want us to continue in the revolution of fostering inclusion and belonging for us all, celebrating the accomplishments of the recent past… We will do [that]here with people who are actually out in the community working and making a difference.”
Wheeler also said the acceptance of diversity must be nurtured. “We must engage community members. We must affirm our sense of purpose and belonging as we try to inspire those around us as we can be inspired by the people we’re honoring today.”
U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly also spoke at the event. He said that while the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were written while slavery still cursed the nation, the lofty ideas and principles contained in the documents are “the fundamental building blocks of our country and our society.”
“Thank God that we at least say, ‘That’s what we’re striving toward and we hold ourselves to that high standard.’ That’s what we celebrate today. There are people among us that we want to recognize for their individual efforts because that’s how human rights prevail… Small community-based efforts that build. It doesn’t start necessarily at the top. It starts in our local community,” Connolly said.
Connolly went on to say that all of the Prince William County’s honorees’ accomplishments had been included in the Congressional record. “Thank you for celebrating human rights in Prince William County. Thank you, Human Rights Commission, for all of the work you do, and congratulations to all of our honorees.
The Honorees
According to the Human Rights Commission, those recognized at the event were honored for their following efforts:
Dr. Renee Chinn – Renee Chinn, who holds a Ph.D. in educational studies and policies from Virginia Tech, serves her community through several nonprofit organizations. As a member of Women In Community Action, she prepares young ladies for their debut into society and helps them learn the soft skills needed to be successful in the 21st century.
Emmitt & Vera Fletcher – The Fletchers are community activists. They were instrumental in the renaming of Godwin Middle School to George Hampton Middle School. The name was changed by the Prince William County School Board on March 3, 2016.
Old Dominion (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated – The mission of the Old Dominion (VA) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated is to empower Prince William County students and their families through their Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program to affect the achievement gap at Minnieville Elementary School.
Yukiko Dove – Yukiko Dove is a community advocate who identifies gaps in services for the special needs community in Prince William County. As the founder and administrator of PWC Autism, she serves as a resource for parents in their day to day lives. Within this group, parents discuss waivers, special education needs, share their challenges, find service providers and other services.
Evelyn BruMar – Evelyn BruMar is dedicated to advancing equality in Prince William County through her activism for the rights of our LGBTIQ+ residents. She works with numerous community organizations, including Equality Prince William. Her successful efforts led the Board of County Supervisors to recognize the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride month for the first time in the county’s history.
Taalibah Hassan – Taalibah Hassan chairs the grassroots organization Unity in the Community. The organization works for cross-cultural understanding, builds interfaith relationships, and educates the public about the consequences of discrimination, bullying and hate.
