City of Columbia, MO
01/28/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/28/2026 10:17
Diversity Award winners announced at 2026 Columbia Values Diversity Celebration
P.O. BOX 6015 COLUMBIA, MO 65205
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2026
CONTACT: Kristin Gadsden
Program Specialist
Office of Cultural Affairs
City of Columbia
573.874.6387
[email protected]
Diversity Award winners announced at 2026 Columbia Values Diversity Celebration
(COLUMBIA, MO)- The 33rd annual Columbia Values Diversity Awards were presented at the Columbia Values Diversity Celebration Wednesday, Jan. 28. The awards are given to an individual/family and an organization/group who have made a significant impact in promoting appreciation for diversity and cultural understanding in Columbia.
Kenneth Freeman was awarded the individual/family 2026 Diversity Award. Kenneth has contributed to community life across many different spaces in Columbia. His dedication as an election worker since 2009 honors those who came before him and fought for the voting rights of all Americans.
As a distinguished member of Toastmaster International, he has promoted effective leadership and communication skills for more than 20 years by conducting free quarterly workshops at the Columbia Public Library. For 20 years, he has provided leadership to Columbia's annual Black History Month Gospel Explosion and Soul Food Dinner, which brings the community together with music, food and fellowship.
In addition, as the president of the Fairway Meadows Homeowners' Association, he helped establish Hogan House, which provides resources and services to over 150 families in an underserved part of the city. Kenneth has labored to ensure that every person's voice is heard through the ballot box; equipped others to confidently advocate for themselves or others, and supported neighborhoods in need, contributing to making Dr. King's vision a reality in our community.
Missouri Jobs with Justice was awarded the organization/group 2026 Diversity Award. The organization is committed to promoting power and progress for all working people. As a part of a multi-racial working class movement, their work recognizes that the self-interests of people of color and white individuals are intertwined, concluding that the only path to true change is rooted in powerful relationships within and across our communities. They foster collective action in order to break corporate power and build the Missouri we want to see.
Their work toward a ballot initiative that would provide workers with paid sick time and raise the minimum wage included gathering over 210,000 signatures. These efforts helped lead to the passage of Proposition A in November 2024, greatly benefitting marginalized and disenfranchised populations of our state. In July, this campaign won the NAACP Human Rights award.
They also assisted the Laborers' International Union of North America Local 955 in successfully negotiating greater benefits, such as higher wages, with the City of Columbia. Their work exemplifies the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a committed supporter of working people and economic equality in his quest for civil rights, which he believed were inextricably linked.
For more information, visit CoMoDiversityCelebration.com.
Kenneth Freeman was awarded the individual/family 2026 Diversity Award. Kenneth has contributed to community life across many different spaces in Columbia. His dedication as an election worker since 2009 honors those who came before him and fought for the voting rights of all Americans.
As a distinguished member of Toastmaster International, he has promoted effective leadership and communication skills for more than 20 years by conducting free quarterly workshops at the Columbia Public Library. For 20 years, he has provided leadership to Columbia's annual Black History Month Gospel Explosion and Soul Food Dinner, which brings the community together with music, food and fellowship.
In addition, as the president of the Fairway Meadows Homeowners' Association, he helped establish Hogan House, which provides resources and services to over 150 families in an underserved part of the city. Kenneth has labored to ensure that every person's voice is heard through the ballot box; equipped others to confidently advocate for themselves or others, and supported neighborhoods in need, contributing to making Dr. King's vision a reality in our community.
Missouri Jobs with Justice was awarded the organization/group 2026 Diversity Award. The organization is committed to promoting power and progress for all working people. As a part of a multi-racial working class movement, their work recognizes that the self-interests of people of color and white individuals are intertwined, concluding that the only path to true change is rooted in powerful relationships within and across our communities. They foster collective action in order to break corporate power and build the Missouri we want to see.
Their work toward a ballot initiative that would provide workers with paid sick time and raise the minimum wage included gathering over 210,000 signatures. These efforts helped lead to the passage of Proposition A in November 2024, greatly benefitting marginalized and disenfranchised populations of our state. In July, this campaign won the NAACP Human Rights award.
They also assisted the Laborers' International Union of North America Local 955 in successfully negotiating greater benefits, such as higher wages, with the City of Columbia. Their work exemplifies the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a committed supporter of working people and economic equality in his quest for civil rights, which he believed were inextricably linked.
For more information, visit CoMoDiversityCelebration.com.
City of Columbia Vision
Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play.
City of Columbia Mission
To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.
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City of Columbia, MO published this content on January 28, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 28, 2026 at 16:17 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]