On Sunday, the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights will induct three Bethesda/Chevy Chase residents into its Human Rights Hall of Fame.
Karen Britto, Susan Lee and Dr. Bernice Sandler will receive recognition for their work in promoting racial and gender equality.
The Office of Human Rights has inducted six classes of honorees into the Hall of Fame since it began in 2001. Residents can nominate candidates, to be reviewed and selected by a panel of community representatives.
Britto, a former District 16 Maryland State House Delegate, and Lee, a current District 16 Maryland State House Delegate, will both be recognized for the advances they made for minority women in politics. Sandler, “the Godmother of Title IX“, will be honored for her gender equality work in education.
The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.
Bios for Britto, Lee and Sandler, as presented by the Office of Human Rights, follow:
Karen Britto (Chevy Chase) – former and first African American Chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee and former District 16 Delegate. Britto was nominated for her dedication to promoting human rights and improving the quality of life for all Montgomery County residents, particularly women and minorities.
Susan C. Lee (Bethesda) – As a committed civil rights and women’s rights activist, Lee helped bring to the forefront important issues impacting minorities and women. She has played a critical role in bringing together diverse ethnic, faith and women’s organizations in Montgomery County to advance common civil rights efforts, eliminate discrimination and promote better understanding and cooperation between those communities. Lee was the first Asian American woman elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 2002 and has been a champion legislator of civil rights and women issues.
Dr. Bernice R. Sandler (Chevy Chase) – a visionary and pioneer for gender equality in education, Dr. Sandler has spent more than 50 years advocating for women’s rights. She has been a part of many “firsts” in the fight for gender equality. In 1970, she was the first person to testify before Congress about gender discrimination in education. She then became the first person appointed to staff a Congressional committee specifically on issues concerning women’s rights. In 1971, she wrote the first federal policy report regarding sex discrimination in education. As a result of these efforts, she was appointed to chair the first federal advisory committee on Women’s Educational Equity.
Other inductees include Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger and WUSA9 anchor JC Hayward.
Photo via Maryland State Assembly
