2008 Humphrey Award Recipients
> View photos from the 2008 dinner on our Flickr page.
John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI)
Representative John Conyers has served in the House since 1964, representing Michigan’s 14th District.
A leader throughout our nation’s civil rights struggles and a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative Conyers has been a relentless voice for equality and equal opportunity. He has fought to protect working families, ensure equal pay for women and minorities, increase the minimum wage, address hate crimes and violence against women, and promote meaningful enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.
A champion of health care reform, he is leading the fight to ensure that every American, regardless of income, employment status, or race, has access to quality, affordable health care.
Patricia Rouse
Patricia Rouse, as the co-founder of Enterprise Community Partners, has been a tireless advocate for fair and affordable housing, paving the way for countless low-income families to move from poverty to the mainstream of American life.
She was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to serve on the Commission on National and Community Service, has been a board member of the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing and served on many Maryland and national boards of organizations dedicated to equality and opportunity in housing.
In the spirit of the Leadership Conference, she is a coalition builder, forging strong partnerships with diverse stakeholders to protect the poor, working class families, the homeless, the elderly and those displaced by natural disasters.
Soledad O'Brien
Soledad O’Brien is an anchor and special correspondent for CNN's Special Investigations Unit, delivering in-depth reports on current events and showing the human face of those affected by critical social and economic developments. Her highly acclaimed documentary of Martin Luther King offered fresh investigative insights regarding his writings and his life's work.
Ms. O'Brien has been lauded for sharing with America the personal stories of people caught up in the aftermath of the Katrina hurricane and the related housing shortage; the Southeast Asia tsunami; and the contested vote counts of 2004.
As CNN point-person during President George W. Bush's visit to Mexico, she delivered a series of eye-opening reports on conditions that are fueling the immigration crisis. Her objective and far-reaching coverage of topical issues has contributed to the dialogue over countless civil and human rights issues.
