News

The Moorhead Human Rights Commission is pleased to award the 2021 Human Rights Awards to recognize significant contributions to human rights in our community.  Recipients are:                                         

Allison Pillar in the Civic/Community category. Allison works for the YWCA Cass Clay and supports social justice. 

Delores Gabbard in the Education category.  Delores works for Moorhead Public Schools as a Native American liaison and works to meet the needs of Native youth in the community.

Hukun Dabar the Civic/Community category.  Hukun leads for the Afro American Development Association and works with the New American community. He is especially being recognized for his outreach to educate and prevent the spread of COVID-19.   

Rory Beil in the Civic/Community category.  Rory works for Clay County Public Health and with the New American community. He is also being recognized for his work to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Here are excerpts from the winners’ nominations:

• Rory Beil “was instrumental in helping to provide resources to the New American community during the pandemic.  Rory worked to increase COVID awareness, helped to bridge language barriers by providing resources in New American languages, and assisted with programs that helped children successfully navigate their online schooling.  Rory also helped with training peer specialists, raised vaccination awareness, and also increased mental health awareness for the New American community.”

• Hukun Dabar “has been an advocate for New Americans in Fargo/Moorhead for the last six years and leads an immigrant-owned nonprofit organization.  When the pandemic hit, Hukun brought together the New American organizations and their leaders and spearheaded the efforts to find resources. COVID has disproportionally impacted the most vulnerable groups in our community, including immigrants and refugees. Because of Hukun’s leadership, New American organizations’ staff and volunteers were able to get resources, distribute masks, deliver food, and raise prevention awareness to prevent the spread of COVID.”

• Delores Gabbard “has worked as a Native American Liaison for Moorhead Public Schools for many years and as a volunteer in the community for Indigenous events.  Delores has devoted her life to meeting the needs of Native youth in the community.  This includes anything from educational programming to making sure our youth have warm coats, shoes, and school supplies.  She connects with entire families, because students’ needs are best met if the entire family’s needs are met.  She provides cultural opportunities for kids in the community and school district.  She has spent hours personally sewing regalia for students and connecting kids to resources in the community.  Her heart is huge and she does not turn anyone away who needs help.” 

• Allison Pillar “led the development and launch of the YWCA Cass Clay’s first 14-day Equity Challenge, which is an educational program designed to help community members easily and conveniently build more effective social justice habits, particularly around issues of race, privilege, power, and domestic violence.  She also facilitates the YWCA Cassy Clay’s Racial Justice Committee.  Allison exemplifies values including integrity, creativity, and perseverance in the area of equity and human rights in both her personal and professional practices.”

The awards will be presented by the Moorhead Human Rights Commission at the Moorhead City Council Meeting on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 5:30 pm at the Hjemkomst Center. The art for the Human Rights awards was created by local artist Brad Bachmeier.

Congratulations and thank you to the award recipients.

Rory Beil                       Hukun Dabar                  Delores Gabbard           Allison Pillar