Tennessee Human Rights Commission
Beverly L. Watts, Executive Director

Click here to read Commissioner Spencer Wiggins’ recent article in the Tennessean on the MLK Civil Rights Heritage Tour. Commissioner Wiggins reminds us to remember those individuals who sacrificed for civil rights.

Beverly Watts, Executive Director of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, has been selected to serve on the National Neighbors Advisory Council, a program of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). National Neighbors is dedicated to building public- -private sector partnerships and programs that promote racial and cultural equality, opportunity and diversity. National Neighbors also advances fair lending and fair housing through multifaceted programs, including private enforcement; education and outreach; fair housing planning; comprehensive voluntary compliance services; and testing and building partnership among communities, real estate providers, and financial institutions. National Neighbors serves in an advisory role to NCRC’s Board and staff by providing advice, counsel, direction and resources related to fair housing enforcement, education, partnerships, and best practice initiatives.

Click here to read Commissioner Pierce's recent article calling attention to the pay gap between genders following April 17, "Equal Pay Day". Commissioner Pierce is a national delegate to Vision 2020, which project aims to achieve pay equity by the year 2020.

Chair Stacey Garrett receives the Tennessee State University Women of Legend and Merit Award

The Women of Legend and Merit Awards is held annually during March, Women’s History Month, and seeks to bring awareness and salute dynamic women leaders in diverse fields. The program plays a significant role in exposing the university’s female student population to positive role models, networking opportunities and resources to assist in their academic, personal and professional growth as women. It is sponsored by the Tennessee State University Women’s Center. This year the Women of Legend and Merit Award honored seven women in various categories. They were

• Athletics: Catana Starks, Ed.D., the first African-American woman to coach a men’s NCAA Division I golf team and retired university professor;
  
• Business: Mignon Francois, owner, The Cupcake Collection;
  
• Community Service: Mary Carver-Patrick, entrepreneur, retired educator and active volunteer;
  
• Education: Karen Brown Dunlap, Ph.D., president Poynter Institute;
  
• Leadership: Sharon Gentry, Ed.D., Metropolitan Nashville Public School Board Member, District 1 and health care IT Manager, HCA;
  
• Legal: Stacey Garrett, founding member and board chair of Bone McAllester Norton and Chair of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission;
  
• Media: Paula Lovell, president, Lovell Communications.

(Pictured from left to right)Sharon Gentry, Paula Lovell, Stacey Garrett, Portia Shields, Catana R. Starks, and Mignon Francois.

Commissioner Jocelyn Dan Wurzburg of Memphis received the 2012 Grayfred Gray Public Service in Mediation Award at a luncheon jointly sponsored by the Coalition for Mediation Awareness in Tennessee and the Tennessee Association for Professional Mediators. She was presented with the award at a luncheon at the Lipscomb University Ezell Center in Nashville.

Pictured are (r-l) Steve Shields, incoming president of the Coalition who presented her with the award, Commissioner Wurzburg, and Grayfred Gray.

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