Hi everybody. Thank you so much for being here and joining us tonight. A few days ago, we celebrated Memorial Day and my father's birthday. It gave us a chance to honor those who have sacrificed their lives to defend our Constitution and the ideals we so often take for granted. Before we begin tonight's ceremony, I'd like to offer a prayer for our men and women in uniform serving overseas right now. May they come home safely. I'd also like to recognize Admiral Kirby and library board member, Navy SEAL, NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, and any other military and former military who are here tonight with us.
In his inaugural address, President Kennedy challenged all Americans to give back to this country that has given us so much. My father inspired a generation and now as their children and grandchildren, it's our turn to serve, to be active citizens and courageous leaders in any way we can. Thank you for supporting his legacy by being here tonight or by watching at home. And especially to everyone watching in the Twin Cities, we are so happy to share this night with you.
My father believed that politics is a noble profession and the best way to solve our most difficult problems. He understood the sacrifices it requires and admired those who are willing to serve. Tonight's a chance to celebrate the best in our elected officials and we're fortunate to have many distinguished public servants here. I'd like to thank Senator Klobuchar, Mayor Frey, Senator Reid, Congressman Amo, and all those who hold or have held elective office and ask them to stand.
We couldn't do this work without the many people who sustained this institution throughout the year. The staff of the foundation, National Archives led by Rachel Flor and Alan Price and their teams. Bob Rivers, our chair and our board chair. Thank you, Bob. Thank you, Alan and Rachel. We're fortunate to have some of our most generous supporters stand with us this year. I want to thank Eastern Bank, WilmerHale, the MacArthur Foundation, and the entire Donoghue family for being here every year and supporting the library in this award.
The Library Foundation has been successful thanks to its extraordinary leaders and we've been honored to have Senator Paul Kirk, Ken Feinberg, Ron Sergeant, John Shadish, and we remember our friend and former director Chuck Daly who we lost this past year. Politics is a family endeavor and I'm so grateful to the members of my family who are here tonight and whose support over many years has kept my father's spirit alive and made this institution a living memorial. Thank you Vicki and Stephen and Cheryl for your service to the library. You were always there when we need you. This year we even have new family members here. I'm so happy to welcome Emma Schreiver and Garrett and Mary Moran.
Most of all, we remember Tatiana who served on the board of this library and represented everything my parents stood for in her beautiful, amazing, and too short life.
It's hard to be a profile in courage, but sometimes it's even harder to be their family member. I know they couldn't do it without you. And I'd like to ask the family members of our elected officials and our honorees to stand so we can give you all a round of applause.
Most of all, I'd like to thank my husband, Ed, who has dedicated the past 40 years to making sure this library is best-in-class. He designed this award based on the lantern of the USS Constitution, the oldest ship in the Navy, which is just down the harbor, and reminds us that we each have a responsibility to shine a light in the darkness and protect our democracy.
And I want to thank my partner in the work of this award, my son Jack, who has spent more than 12 years working to bring his grandfather's legacy to new generations and who is running a fantastic campaign for New York 12. I'm so proud of him for empowering thousands of people to believe in politics again, and I know my father would be too.
This award was founded to honor the quality in public life that my father thought most essential: courage. Inspired by his book, this award is usually given to elected officials who risk their careers to do what is right for our country. Over the past 37 years, we have honored men and women, Republicans and Democrats, serving in local, state, and national office.
This year, we honor Americans who risk their careers, their safety, and even their lives to hold politicians to account and keep America true to her promises. Governor Pawlenty never wavered in his duty to the public interest. He showed that public service is a privilege and comes with great responsibility. With dignity and resolve, he demonstrated his commitment to the American people and America's leadership role in the global economy. Despite years of personal attacks, baseless prosecution, and efforts to undermine him, the people of the Twin Cities reminded all Americans that we cannot take our democracy for granted. We each need to stand against injustice when it really matters. They mobilized, organized, and refused to be terrorized by an overwhelming federal crackdown, which sent 3,000 heavily armed ICE agents into their communities to arrest and deport citizens and non-citizens alike.
Across racial, religious, and political lines, and across business and labor, volunteers mobilized to protest peacefully, document violent overreach, build rapid response networks, provide food and clothing to immigrant neighbors, and so much more. Joining Chicago, Portland, and other communities, their compassion and unwavering commitment to the ideals that sustain our democracy inspired communities across this country and forced the federal government to back down.
We especially remember the courage of Renee Good and Alex Prey who gave their lives for their community and our country. We are honored to have with us here tonight Renee's father Tim Ganganger, her brother Brent, and her sister Anna.
As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, their courage and the integrity and courage of all our honorees sets an example for all of us. We are sorry we couldn't have everyone from the Twin Cities here tonight, but we're lucky to have so many people hosting watch parties at home and have with us four remarkable people to represent you.
Imam Yusuf Abdullah, executive director of the Islamic Association of North America and co-founder of the Somali-American Leadership Table and graduate of UMass Boston, who helped the Somali community withstand rising hate crimes and political attacks, and joined other religious leaders to help lead peaceful protests. Natalie Eritt, a veteran whose son inspired her to start Haven Watch. After he met people who have been released from the Whipple detention center warehouse at night in the freezing cold with no clothes, food, phones, or transportation. When I spoke with her a few weeks ago, she was trying to stop an 11-year-old girl from being taken to Louisiana for deportation by two armed male federal agents with no information as to their name, flight number, accommodation, or plan.
Carolina Ortiz, associate director of COPAL, which helped a coalition of over 100 immigrant, labor, legal, and community organizations organize rapid response efforts and train more than 30,000 constitutional observers to document rights violations. Columbia Heights School Superintendent Zana Stenbick, who forcefully spoke out after her students were harassed and detained on the way to and from school. She has exposed brutal ICE tactics, set up neighborhood watches around the schools as ICE patrolled the streets so that students would be safe, and she galvanized educators across the Twin Cities to make schools protected spaces. We will now take a moment to hear from them in a short video.
