Human Rights Commission approves Tonghai Quinn Award nominees

The Human Rights Commission on a unanimous vote approved two nominations for this year’s Tonghai Quinn Award and will forward the recommendations to the city council for ratification and scheduling of an awards reception in May.

The nominees are Sharon Shoemaker, an individual whose nomination packet cited more than three decades of civic volunteer work, and an organizational nominee referred to in the record as UN Capacito (the transcript contains several spellings for the organization). The subcommittee that vetted the nominations told the commission Shoemaker has spent many years in Rotary leadership, youth exchange hosting, and long-term service roles that have supported local child-abuse prevention and emergency food programs.

Commissioners emphasized the large volume of nominations they received and the difficulty of choosing only two. The subcommittee presentation summarized Shoemaker’s record: the packet said she has led major annual fundraising work that has cumulatively raised more than $1 million for local child-abuse prevention programs and has held leadership roles in the Rotary and international sister-city efforts.

Dimma, who presented the organizational nomination, described UN Capacito’s work in Spanish-language outreach and community-building. “At its core, I believe UN Capacito is what community looks like when it’s done right,” Dimma said, praising the group’s work providing translation, mutual support and ‘know your rights’ education for Latino mothers who face language and systemic barriers.

Several members of the public who identified themselves as program participants or community partners spoke in favor of the organizational nominee, thanking the commission and describing the nominee’s role in organizing parents, offering know-your-rights sessions and helping immigrants access services. One public commenter who gave her name urged the commission to consider ways to invite community members into committee work as a pathway to future service on the commission.

The commission discussed logistics for council ratification and the awards presentation dates; the record contains conflicting day references (May 19 and May 20 were both mentioned) and staff said the recommendation typically appears on council consent for ratification before an awards reception. The motion to approve the two nominations passed unanimously. The commission directed staff to forward the recommendation to the city council and to finalize the date and timing for the awards reception.

The commission’s next steps are procedural: forwarding the recommendation to the council for ratification and confirming details for the recognition event in May.