The National Education Association will honor eleven individuals and organizations with its highest and most prestigious award, the NEA Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Awards, during a virtual ceremony scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MST on Tuesday, June 29. The theme of this year’s 2021 NEA HCR Awards ceremony is “Out of Struggle Comes Progress: Grounded in our History; Igniting our Future” — and will include an inaugural award dedicated to the lasting legacy of Wilma Mankiller, the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
“In the middle of a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and racial and social upheaval, across race and space, native and newcomer, in schools and neighborhoods across America, there are unsung heroes who continually bend the arc of the moral universe more closely towards justice every day,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “No matter what we look like or where we come from, they hold politicians accountable for their actions, call out efforts to divide us, and rewrite the rules so the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share. They help us come together around shared challenges and develop collective solutions to ensure our schools, neighborhoods, and communities are strong, healthy, and safe. These champions of noble actions and righteous causes are inspirational examples of the courage enshrined in the NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards.”
For a complete list and bios of the eleven outstanding recipients of the NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards click here.
