Happy Hour - Inclusive Communities

HUMANITARIAN AWARDS 2024

Our Honorary Event Chairs for 2024 are:

Andrea Kathol & Misty Homen

Ryan Ellis & Jon Taylor

Esther Mejia & Jeneen Sagon

Friday, August 2, 2024 | 4-6 p.m. | The Diamond Room, 605 N 13th St, Omaha, NE 68102

A Note From Event Chairs

We are honored and excited to serve as Event Chairs for the 2024 Inclusive Communities Humanitarian Awards on August 2, 2024. This is the third year Inclusive Communities is hosting their event in the popular Happy Hour format. We are so excited to share that the in-person celebration has moved to a larger venue in Downtown, The Diamond Room. We are proud to chair this celebration and continue our support for Inclusive Communities and ask you to join us in donating towards the success of the organization. Enclosed is a list of all donor levels and benefits.

Inclusive Communities has been an equity leader in the Midwest confronting prejudice, bigotry, and discrimination for over 85 years. This year we will honor Shakur Abdullah as our Humanitarian of the Year. His work as an advocate for the incarcerated and champion of criminal justice reform made him the clear choice for this year’s award. Melanie Peltz is our Otto Swanson Spirit of Service Partner of the Year for her dedication to ensuring the students of Ralston High School are able to attend our Youth Leadership Development program, IncluCity, as an Advisor and mentor to her students she is helping shape tomorrows leaders. We are privileged to have so many amazing volunteers that this year we decided to recognize two outstanding individuals that have been integral to the success of our IncluCity and Omaha Table Talk programs. Our honorees for Volunteer of the Year are Mia Kennedy and Suzanne King. Lastly, our Mart Sedky Corporate Leadership Award, which was created to recognize champions within business who are instrumental in driving Diversity and Inclusion work, will be honoring the late David Scott. David was an Advocate in our inaugural LeadDIVERSITY cohort and was a relentless champion for access to work for people with disabilities and neurodivergence. We are privileged to celebrate his legacy and the legacy of the awards namesake this year.  Please join us in elevating our wonderful awardees and their impactful efforts to promote equity, diversity, inclusion, respect, and justice for all.

We hope you will support Inclusive Communities and its critical mission by joining us as a donor for this 2024 Humanitarian Awards. We look forward to seeing you in August!

Sincerely,

Andrea Kathol & Misty Homen

Ryan Ellis & Jon Taylor

Esther Mejia & Jeneen Sagon

2023 AWARD HONOREES

Video Credit: Digital Moxie Studio

PAST HONOREES

Humanitarian of the Year

This award recognizes individuals for their outstanding service, contributions of time, effort and resources to the community and dedication to the goals, values and mission of Inclusive Communities.

1955 W.O. Swanson
1956 John Rosenblatt
1960 Gerald T. Bergan
1961 Morris E. Jacobs
1962 Milton S. Livingston
1963 Ralph Svoboda
V.J. Skutt
1964 Richard Walker
Gen. Thomas Power
1965 Dr. Abe Greenberg
1966 Leo A. Daly
1967 Peter Kiewit
1968 W.A. Strauss
Einer Juel
1969 Fr. H.W. Linn
Rev. Carl Reinert
1970 A.F. Jacobson
1971 Morris F. Miller
1972 Dr. A.B. Pittman
1973 J.D. Anderson & Eugene Leahy
1974 General John Meyer
1975 Sam Greenberg
Helen Cherniack
1976 Ben Morris
Archbishop Daniel Sheehan
1977 Milton R. Abrahams
Dr. Ronald Roskens
1978 Dale Te Kolste
William Hinckley
1979 John D. Diesing
Eugene Skinner
1980 Fr. Robert P. Hupp
James Paxson
1981 Rabbi Sidney Brooks
Dr. Claude Organ
1982 John Kenefick
Tom Osborne
1983 Charles A. Monasee
Thomas Nurnberger
1984 Robert Daugherty
Lloyd Skinner
1985 General Bennie Davis
Mike Harper
1986 Walter Scott, Jr.
Dr. D.B. “Woody” Varner
1987 Marge & Charles Durham
1988 Bernie Simon
Dr. Del Weber
1989 General John T. Chain
Rev. Michael G. Morrison, SJ
1990 Eugene A. Conley
Ike Friedman
1991 Thomas R. Burke
Robert M. Spire
1992 Thomas J. Skutt
Roy A. Smith
1993 Marian & Harold Andersen
1994 Herman Cain
1995 Carmen & John Gottschalk
Howard J. Kaslow
1996 Barbara & Bill Fitzgerald
Donald A. Yale
1997 Liz & Dave Karnes
Alan Simon, Fred Simon, &
Steve Simon
1998 Kimball & Bruce Lauritzen
Stanley Slosburg
1999 Phillip G. Schrager
Harley D. Schrager
Ann & Ken Stinson
2000 Jean & Bob Bell
Cookie & Jerry Hoberman
2001 Cindy & Mogens Bay
Nancy & Harlan Noddle
2002 Judy & Bob Bates
Debbie & Lew Trowbridge
2003 Mary & Dick Holland
Susie Buffett
2004 Judy & Jack Baker
Carol & G. Richard Russell
2005 Ann & John Nelson
Maxine & Joseph Kirschenbaum
2006 Rhonda & Howard Hawks
Gail & Michael Yanney
2007 Lin & Michael Simmonds
The Late Karen & George
Rozmarin
2008 Ivel & John Reed
Cindy & Wayne Sensor
2009 Henry A. Davis
Shirley & Dr. Michael Sorrell
2010 Mary Joy & Tal Anderson
Sharon & Dick Davis
2011 The Late Dr. Rubens Pamies
Martha & David Slosburg
2012 Susan & Michael Lebens
Dorothy & Dr. Stanley Truhlsen
2013 Stephanie & Jack Koraleski
Betiana & Todd Simon
Stacy & Bruce Simon
2014 Ramona & Deryl Hamann
Annette & Paul Smith
2016 Marian Ivers (in memoriam)
2017 Tri Faith Initiative
2018 Urban League Nebraska
Young Professionals
2019 Marta Nieves
2020 Bobby Brumfield
2021 Essential Workers
2022 Nancy Williams

Volunteer of the Year

This award is presented to one of Inclusive Communities’ committed volunteers who dedicate their time, energy, sweat, and passion to support our programming, advocacy, and mission.

2008 Mike Honeyman
2009 Hillary Nather-Detisch
2010 Christine French
2011 Emilio Herrera
2012 Ronald Moore
2013 Ebony Banks
2014 Kevin Custard
2016 Carrie Healy
2017 Nate Johnson
2018 Cornelius Rhone
2019 Emily Schirmbeck
2020 Haji Weliyo
2021 Alexis Sherman
2022 Bradley Ekwerekwu

Otto Swanson Spirit of Service Award for Partner of the Year

This award is named after Otto Swanson, one of Inclusive Communities’ early founders, and honors individuals and groups whose lives or chosen field of work exemplifies the mission of Inclusive Communities.

1987 Kathleen Serverens
1988 Project Homeless
1989 Bob Armstrong
1990 Rev. James P. Scholz
1991 Shirley Goldstein
1992 Mary Dean Harvey
1993 Rabbi Aryeh Azriel
1994 Denny Holland
1995 Joe Edmonson
1996 William E. Ramsey
1997 Truman Care
1998 Frank Hayes
1999 Brenda J. Council
2000 Alcurtis Robinson
2001 Ben Gray
2002 Alberto Gonzalez
Steve Hogan
Bob Wolfson
2003 Rev. John P. Schlegel, S.J.
2004 James A. “Jim” Swoopes
2005 Cecil L. Hicks, Jr.
Omaha Community Foundation
2006 Fr. Thomas M. Fangman, Jr.
Dr. Magda Peck
Rev. L.C. Menyweather-Woods
2007 Brad Ashford
Rabbi Myer Kripke
Retired Sergeant Teresa B. Negron
2008 Carol Woods
Charles Drew Health Center
Fred Schott
2009 Empowerment Network
Institute for Holocaust Education
2010 Katherine Fletcher
2011 Evelyn “Evie” Zysman
2012 Susan & Michael Lebens
Dorothy & Dr. Stanley Truhlsen
2013 OneWorld Community Health Center
2014 Maricia Bredar
2016 Carol Joy Holling Center
2017 Gene Haynes
2018 Lakeisha Bonam
2019 Barbara Weitz Community
Engagement Center
2020 Omaha Public Power District
2021 OutNebraska
2022 Joyce Cooper

Necessary Trouble

2021Frederick Franklin
2022 Maddi Intravartolo

Humanitarian Awards Event Chairs

Humanitarian Awards Event Chairs have long been selected for their generosity to Inclusive Communities and leadership in the community. Many have been (or go on to be) honored at the same event with the Humanitarian Award. *Indicates they have already been honored.