HomeMy WebLinkAboutTom Oye Human Rights Award Winners
Contact: Jennifer Bennerotte, Communications & Marketing Director
Phone 952-833-9520 • Fax 952-826-0390 • Web www.CityofEdina.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Six receive 2010 Tom Oye Human Rights Award
Edina, Minn., June 7, 2010 – The Edina Human Rights & Relations Commission recently presented
the 2010 Tom Oye Human Rights Awards.
Criteria for selection of the Tom Oye Human Rights Award include fostering respect and dignity for
others, modeling courage and compassion in the advancement of human rights, and demonstrating
leadership by example for improving and advancing human rights. This year, the Human Rights &
Relations Commission selected six individuals for the prestigious honor. Winners were Karen Hazel,
Rachel Pream Grenier, Kelly Fitzgerald, Sandy Schley, Shara Mohtadi and Emma Weisberg.
In 2007, Hazel founded the Child Advocacy Coalition (CAC), a children’s rights organization that seeks to
expand and protect children’s legal rights. Today, she continues to press for reform where Minnesota’s
criminal statutes fall short in punishing and preventing child abuse. She has created training manuals for
practitioners on the plight of abused children and is now in the process of establishing CAC’s non-profit
status.
Pream Grenier, Edina Public Schools’ Youth Development Supervisor, serves as the high school’s Youth
Serving Youth adviser. She oversees and supports dozens of youth groups and makes it easier for youth
wanting to make a difference in the world, particularly those who advocate for human rights.
Fitzgerald organized and implemented several employee networks at her place of employment, Dow
Water & Process Solutions. The networks include Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow; Women Innovation
Network; African American Network; Asian Diversity Network; Disability Employee Network;
Hispanic/Latin Network; and Middle East Intercultural Network. She has also been involved with the
business’ community outreach efforts, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity and United Way projects.
Overseeing 67 Rotary clubs in southwestern Minnesota as District Governor, Schley was instrumental in
the development of sanitation and clean water projects in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Sierra Leone in
order to reduce child mortality and disease and improve the quality of life for thousands. Through her
leadership, significant funds have been raised to be used for the final stages of polio eradication in Africa
and India.
Students Mohtadi and Weisberg, who have served as student representatives of the Human Rights &
Relations Commission for two years, formed the anti-genocide coalition STAND at Edina High School to
raise awareness, money and advocacy to combat genocide in crisis-stricken areas around the world.
For more information, contact Human Services Coordinator Susan Howl, 952-826-0403.
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