The Gonzaga University Institute for Hate Studies will honor the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations (KCTFHR) of Coeur d’Alene and the Rev. Percy “Happy” Watkins, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church of Spokane, at its fourth annual Take Action Against Hate Banquet.
The banquet is scheduled for Oct. 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Cataldo Hall at Gonzaga.
Each year, the Institute for Hate Studies presents the Eva Lassman Take Action Against Hate Awards to an individual and an organization in the Inland Northwest, according to a press release.The awards recognize those who have committed themselves to challenging hatred wherever and however it manifests.
This year’s Banquet theme, “Transformations,” echoes Gonzaga University’s 125th Anniversary theme “Tradition and Transformation,” and the 2012 Awardees are longtime leaders in the effort to transform the Inland Northwest as a community committed to human rights and justice for all.
“When I first met Happy (Rev. Watkins), he shared a favorite phrase about social justice leadership,” said Institute for Hate Studies Director John Shuford. “‘You have to work to make a difference, wherever a difference can be made, until ‘making a difference’ doesn’t make a difference anymore.’ Both Rev. Watkins and the Kootenai County Task Force have been making a difference for decades, and continue to do so not just in our region but anywhere a difference can be made.”
Perhaps known best for delivering his own stirring renditions of the “I Have a Dream” speech at the Spokane Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade and elsewhere, Watkins lives the “make a difference” mantra in many other ways. After the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March bombing attempt, he addressed regional and national media outlets, civic and political leaders, educators and children, and others on the message that Spokane takes action against hate and strives to fulfill King’s vision community. Watkins and collaborator Ivan Bush led efforts for the naming and dedication of Spokane’s Martin Luther King Jr. Way, for which Spokane Mayor David Condon presented them in May 2012 with the keys to the city.
Formed in 1981 as an all-volunteer organization, the KCTFHR also has a long, diverse history of “making a difference” by combating hateful activities and messages, promoting human and civil rights, and building communities dedicated to safety, welcome, inclusion, and peace. More than a decade ago, the Task Force worked effectively to oppose the now-defunct Aryan Nations organization and operations in Northern Idaho. Since then, the Task Force has propelled many enduring transformations, especially in the areas of civic and educational resources, community improvements, and celebratory events. The Task Force helped create the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d’Alene and a public peace park where the Aryan Nations Compound once stood, and it organizes and hosts an Annual Gala and a Human Rights Banquet. The KCTFHR also continues to lead in other ways, such as providing advocacy and support against hate crimes and lending technical consulting services to schools and communities on human rights issues, according to a press release.
The featured speaker is Ven. Geshe Thupten Phelgye, the University’s visiting scholar and global peace activist. Geshe la, as he is affectionately known, is the founder of the Universal Compassion Movement. He was a student of the 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) and he served for many years as a member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile.
Banquet reservations for individuals and groups are available now. Pricing begins at $50 for individuals and $400 for a table of eight. All proceeds from support the activities of the Institute for Hate Studies.
For more information visit this site, call (509) 313-3665 or e-mail at hatestudies@gonzaga.edu.
