b'COMMUNITYMLK Tribute from the Colorado Symphony OrchestraWe the disinherited of this land, we who have beenconcertashercharismaticpersonalityfurtherservices to the Asian community that was followed oppressed so long, are tired of going through the longenlightened the crowd once again after two decadesbyfinancialservicesdesignedtoassisttheLatino night of captivity. And now we are reaching out forof hosting the event.and African American communities. thedaybreakoffreedomandjusticeandequality.The bank remains focused on those communities May I say to you my friends as I come to a close, andofcolorandthriveswithhavingadiversestaff giving some idea of why we are assembled here, thatLocal recipients who received the Rev. Dr. Jamesofmultilanguageskillsthatincludes,Spanish, we must keepand I want to stress this, in all of ourPeters Humanitarian Award included: Mandarin,Cantonese,Vietnamese,Koreanand doings, in all of our deliberations here this eveningEthiopian.and all of the week and while, whatever we do, weReneeCousinsKing,M.D.ispartofastrongThe work we do is about being passionate about must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian infamily legacy in the black community in Denver. Shethecommunityandtocontinueworkingwith all of our actions. wasapediatricianatKaiserPermanenteMedicalthecommunity,saidTonyOum,executivevice-Somebody said, if a man doesnt have somethingCenterandtheninheritedherfamilystrustandpresident of FirstBank.that hell die for, he isnt fit to live. head of the Charles Cousins Trust. She continuesOumwasveryhonoredtoreceivedsucha to be a humanitarian in every sense of the word inprestigious award as the Trailblazer Award during By Sheila Smith giving back through philanthropic donations. theceremony,alongwithfirstbankofficersGreg I was delighted to receive this award.I do comeShields and Rashon Manning.fromoneofDenversfoundationfamilies.MyAlthough multicultural banking started with the T hosewordswerespokenbyDr.MartinLutherpaternal grandfather, Charles L. Cousins, started theAsian communityits been a grass roots efforts to King Jr. while addressing a crowd of 5,000 at Holtphilanthropic initiative by helping to house peoplein educating the community.Street Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. back induring the Depression.He was born in Virginia.HeOum continued, We our positioning ourselves for December, 1955. came to Denver as a young husband and father tothe future by staying in tune with the community. It was just four days after Mrs. Rosa Parks waswork on the railroad. When you are out of tune, you dont know whats arrestedforrefusingtorelinquishherseatonaButmymotheristheonewhoembodiedthegoing on.Montgomery city bus and sparked the Montgomeryservice aspects of humanitarism.Dorothy Caldwell Bus Boycott changing history forever. Cousins.ShevolunteeredwiththeAmericanRedJoyce Marie Davis Youth Award: However, Rev. Dr. James Peters, emeritus of NewCross and was first woman of color to do so. SheTayliannaChambersLopez,17-yearoldhigh Hope Baptist Church was there in person to hear Dr.transportedchildrenandadultswithdisabilitiesschool senior who is active at her church and several Kings momentous first speech at Lincoln Memorialtomedicalappointmentsandschoolslongbeforecommunity organizations.in Washington D.C. in 1957. American Disabilities act, long before the Civil RightsI have seen a lot growing up on how the system is. PeoplealwaysrememberthefamousIHaveamovement. She embodied efficiency and kindness. IAnd I want to do something in social justice because DreamSpeechbuthisfirstbiggestspeechwasmention that because everyone talks about my dadI have seen how those in my family didnt get help, at Lincoln Memorial in 1957 when Dr. King spoke(Charles R. Cousins) and grandfather, and they weresaid Taylianna. I want to help kids who didnt get to advocating voting rights in his Give Us the Ballotgreat. But the whole family has an interest in beingbe with their parents.speech,explainedRev.Peterswhoservedasonepart of the community and giving of themselves toThat is why Taylianna plans to pursue a career ofDr.KingslieutenantsduringtheCivilRightsthe community. in social work after college. She expressed what she Movement.tookawayfromDr.Kingdidduringhislifespan That first speech at Lincoln Memorial drew a crowdRenee Cousins King believes she personifies Dr.was getting civil rights for his people and making a of around 25,000 as people lined the mall to hearKings ideology that everyone deserves an opportunitychange in this country. She hopes to do the same in Dr. King. In 1963, a crowd of 250,000 arrived againto thrive, not just in this country but around themaking a difference.at Lincoln Memorial to hear this poetic leader of theworld. Millions of people are suffering. We need to Civil Rights talk about his I Have a Dream. wake up and realize this is global issue, look out for Rev.Petersexpressedthathisgreatestone another as we are facing a global climate crisis accomplishment was being able to work with suchandhealthcrisis.Wereallyhavetostartseeing an icon and man of honor as Dr. King. ourselves as citizens of the world. Wilma J. Webb Founders Award: Throughout the years, Rev. Peters has made hisClaudia Ella Abernathy-Felicianna for her pursuit own contributions to the Denver community. And forJanetR.Damon,libraryservicespecialistforof justice for tenants legal rights and dedication to the first time on Jan. 11, at Boettcher Concert Hall,Denver Public Schools was recognized for promotinglegal services to the poor.an award was renamed the Rev. Dr. James Petersdiversity and cultural awareness through literacy.Humanitarian Award during the Colorado Symphony Orchestras Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute. ChartashiaMillerhasbeenactivemakingan Rev. Peters was present at the concert event andimpact in the community. She is part of a NursingMenola Upshaw Lifetime Achievement Award: it was mentioned that he would be turning 90 yearsHome Ministry and Womens Empowerment Ministry young on his birthday within a few days. at her church, For His Glory Christian FellowshipClementineWashingtonPigford,aresearcher, The nation celebrated the Rev. Dr. Martin LutherChurch in Aurora. An officer with the local NAACPstorytellerandhistorianforDenversblack King Jr holiday in honor of his legacy on January 17.(National Association for the Advancement of Coloredcommunity.ShedocumentedthehistoryofZion Dr. King was born Jan. 15, 1929 and had he beenPeople), she has worked tirelessly in getting peopleBaptist Church from 1863 to 1999 in a nine-volume alive today would have turned 93 years old. registered to vote. book.ColoradoSymphonyOrchestrasconductorScott ONeilledanarrayofselectionsfromtheStarMarilyn Chipman PhD, an educational sociologist Spangled Banner, Come Sunday, Hymn to Freedom,The Trailblazer Award:who helped improve public education. She has been a WeShallOvercome,ThisLittleLightofMineandTonyOum:FirstBankthatlauncheditsfirstsocial worker, public school teacher, tenured college some jazzy notes sung by songstress Myra Warren. multicultural banking center in Lakewood in 2020.professoranduniversityadministrator.Shealso Tamara Banks, Emmy award winning journalist,TonyOumfollowedinthefootstepsofformerhas written three Christian books and been actively freelanceTVcorrespondent/producerandFirstBank president Ken Chee in providing bankinginvolvedintheInternationalInterdenominational documentaryfilmmaker,hostedasMCfortheMinisters Wives and Ministers Widows.4 FEBRUARY 2022 BOCNEWS.com'