The Anti-Defamation League – Mountain States Region is pleased to announce that it will honor two Colorado lawmakers at its 33rd annual Civil Rights Awards Reception on Wednesday, January 28. This year’s honorees are former Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Terrance Carroll and Senator Pat Steadman.

Terrance Carroll, a lawyer and ordained minister, was the 54th Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, and the first African-American to serve in this capacity. Carroll served in the legislature from 2003-2011, where he supported education reform, the expansion of hate crimes laws and anti-discrimination laws, and a host of criminal justice reforms and civil rights issues. Carroll is a graduate of the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, Morehouse College in Atlanta, and he holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Iliff School of Theology in Denver. Carroll is a long-time supporter of ADL’s education programs and spoke at ADL’s most recent No Place for Hate® celebration breakfast.

Senator Pat Steadman has served in the Colorado State Senate since 2009. Steadman, an attorney, got his start in politics by working to oppose Colorado’s Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment that prohibited local governments from recognizing gays and lesbians as a protected class. He co-founded the non-profit organization that led the successful lawsuit challenging its constitutionality all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. As a proud ally, ADL has joined Steadman in fighting for rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Coloradans. In addition to championing civil rights, Steadman has worked extensively on criminal justice reform, reproductive rights, government accountability and school funding.

The annual Civil Rights Award Reception is an important event that supports the critical work we do every day fighting bigotry, racism and anti-Semitism; combating bias, bullying and hate through our No Place for Hate® initiative in Colorado schools; advocating for civil rights and religious freedom; training law enforcement and researching extremist groups; and responding to hate crimes and discrimination complaints.

This year’s reception will take place from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28 in Ponti Hall at the Denver Art Museum. To purchase a ticket, or to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please visit:  www.adl.org/civilrights2015.