Spokane NAACP president to speak at Cd'A banquet

The keynote speaker at the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations’ 20th annual Human Rights Banquet will be Phillip Tyler, the president of the Spokane Chapter of the NAACP.

The banquet will take place Friday, April 28, at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn, 506 W. Appleway Ave.

Tyler also sits on the board of the Spokane County Human Rights Task Force and serves on the Spokane City Mayor’s Advisory Council on Multicultural Affairs. He is president of Wisdom in Words, a management consulting firm offering communications skills and relationship-building training and strategies for organizations.

Tyler will address this year’s banquet theme “The Importance of Treating All Persons with Respect and Dignity.”

The KCTFHR 2016 Civil Rights Award will be presented to The Coeur d’Alene Tribe for its contributions to the region’s economic growth, financial support of area schools and its history of promoting human and civil rights for all people.

Since 1999, a portion of the banquet proceeds have gone to the Task Force’s sister organization, the Human Rights Education Institute. The funds allow the institute to partner with the North Idaho College Foundation to provide minority student scholarships. This year’s seven scholarship recipients will be introduced at the banquet. Through the years, the partnership has been able to provide 82 scholarships.

This year’s banquet will also include a variety of silent auction items from area businesses, as well as the live auction of a basketball autographed by all the players of the 2016-2017 Gonzaga University Men’s Runner-Up National NCAA Tournament Championship Game. The winner of the basketball will receive a plaque plus a photograph with the KCTFHR Board members.

“We are so excited about celebrating our 20th human rights banquet with all our friends and especially pleased to honor the Coeur d’Alene Tribe with this year’s civil rights award,” said KCTFHR president Christie Wood.

The reception will begin at 5 p.m. and dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program.

Tickets are $40 each and can be purchased by calling (208) 765-3932 or by mailing a check payable to HREI, P.O. Box 2725, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816.

Registration forms are available at idahohumanrights.org

All requests mailed in must include the menu choice for each individual: (1) Top sirloin steak, or (2) Fresh baked salmon, or (3) Eggplant.

For more information call 208-765-3932.