Isabel Garcia Receives Cultural Freedom Award

¡Felicidades, Isabel!

The Lannan Cultural Freedom Awards and Fellowships were established in 2003 to honor individuals working on behalf of communities struggling to uphold and defend their right to cultural freedom and diversity. As defined by the Foundation, Cultural Freedom is a basic human right dependent on political, economic, and environmental justice.

According to Foundation President Patrick Lannan, “All of the individuals honored this year have tirelessly committed themselves to improving and protecting the lives of the most politically and economically marginalized segments of society, oftentimes making personal sacrifice and sometimes risking their own safety for the well-being of others. We are honored to recognize these five heroes as shining examples in the fight for Cultural Freedom.”

Here are this year’s recipient:

Bradley Angel
Environmental Justice
Co-founder, Greenaction, United States

Esther Chávez Cano
Prevention and Treatment of Violence Against Women and Children
Founder, Casa Amiga, Mexico

Isabel Garcia
Border Justice/Immigrants’ Rights
Co-founder, Derechos Humanos, United States

Malcolm Margolin
Native American Cultural Rights
Founder, Heyday Books, United States

Clive Stafford Smith
Prisoners’ Rights
Founder, Reprieve, United States/United Kingdom

sombrero tip to Censored News

 

Isabel Garcia’s First Amendment Rights Upheld

Good news regarding Pima County Administrator Chuckle Huckleberry’s decision whether or not to remove human rights promoter Isabel Garcia from her position as a county public defender.

You’ll recall that the nativist crowd, lead by the perverted and sexist Jon Justice of 104.1 The Truth (not!), were trying to get her fired after participating at a protest for a Sheriff Joe Arpaio book-signing event in Tucson.

Huckelberry’s memo, which was released Monday, states that “no disciplinary action is warranted in this matter.”

According to the memo, Garcia and Arpaio were both appearing at the event as private citizens.

Tucson Citizen

Here’s my favorite part of the article:

The county heard from 775 writers and callers in favor of Garcia’s actions, 229 against.

Well done, gente.