CHICAGO – Peoria activist Dave Weiman, a former leader of the ACLU of Illinois Peoria Chapter, will receive the 2007 Annetta Dieckmann Award for volunteer activism by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.
The award is presented each year to an individual who has worked tirelessly to advance the goals of the ACLU, the nation’s largest and most active civil rights and civil liberties organization. Weiman will receive the award during a presentation ceremony as part of the 2007 ACLU of Illinois Bill of Rights Celebration, to be held in Chicago on October 20, 2007.
“We are honored to recognize Dave’s hard work, his tireless commitment to constitutional values and his personal courage,” said Colleen K. Connell, Executive Director of the ACLU of Illinois in announcing the award.
“Time and again, Dave has been a leader – from working diligently to protect lesbian, gay, transgender and questioning students in our public schools to speaking out against the abuses of the Bush Administration. Dave is courageous and fearless in speaking out about the critically important constitutional issues.”
Weiman organized the Peoria-based Heartland Safe School Initiative. HSSI is committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, transgender and questioning students are protected in public schools.
He worked with individuals and organizations across the Peoria area to draw attention to this crucial problem and develop new ways to bring tolerance and understanding into public schools.
In January 2007 an audience of more than 200 Peoria-area residents turned out on a cold night to hear a panel of youth and experts speak about the problem of bullying in public schools and discuss solutions for moving forward. As a result of the program, at least a half dozen Peoria-area public schools and youth serving agencies have launched new training programs for staff and administrators.
-- From an ACLU news release.
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