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“REMEMBERING WILMA J. WEBB” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Senate section on pages S563-S564 on Feb. 13, 2012.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING WILMA J. WEBB
Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I want to recognize a friend and a great Coloradan the Honorable Wilma J. Webb. Wilma is a transformative leader who has left her indelible mark on the State of Colorado and the character of our country.
On February 16, 2012, the Anti-Defamation League's Mountain States Office will present Wilma with the prestigious 2012 Civil Rights Award. Given all of her work on behalf of the African-American community, it is especially appropriate that Wilma will receive her award during Black History Month. I congratulate her on being the recipient of such an esteemed honor and I applaud her for her remarkable achievements in the struggle for civil rights. Wilma's award presents me with an opportunity to tell the U.S. Senate about her remarkable life and work.
Wilma is a native of the Centennial State, born in Denver and raised in the city's Five Points Neighborhood. She later attended the University of Colorado at Denver, and is an alumna of Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. As a testament to her dedication to public service in Colorado, Wilma also has received honorary doctoral degrees from the University of Northern Colorado and the Art Institute of Colorado.
By 1980, Wilma had become a state representative in the Colorado General Assembly, where she served for 13 years, distinguishing herself as a trailblazing leader in the State Capitol. Among her achievements, Wilma spearheaded legislation to prevent discrimination in its many forms. For example, Wilma successfully secured the ability of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission and Division to use the power of subpoena in cases of discrimination. The first woman to represent House District 8, she was also a champion for the rights of women and led legislation to make it unlawful to discriminate against women in the workplace or in the pursuit of an education. Wilma fought to help women and minority professionals lead successful businesses in Colorado. Additionally, Wilma served as an advocate to end discrimination on the basis of a person's sexual orientation or physical disability.
In the 1980s, the United States was considering a policy of divestment in South Africa because of its abhorrent system known as apartheid. At this time, early in her career as a State Representative, Wilma had the foresight and determination to lead the divestment effort in Colorado. To do so, she carried bills to discourage investment in South Africa until Nelson Mandela was freed from imprisonment on Robben Island and justice was restored to the country's political system. It's a stance that many of us think is common sense now, but we must remember that it took brave leaders like Wilma to be on the forefront of the fight several decades ago.
Wilma's leadership to expand civil rights is laudable, and includes many successful initiatives that make Coloradans proud. She is perhaps most widely known and celebrated for her effort to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a State holiday in Colorado. Founding the Martin Luther King, Jr. Colorado Holiday Commission along with Mrs. Coretta Scott King and Governor Richard D. Lamm, Wilma committed 18 years to serving as its President and Chairman. The commission, helmed by Wilma, was responsible for organizing the annual ``Marade'' in the heart of Denver and has served to unite and educate communities across Colorado on the spirit and contributions of Dr. King. The Marade, uniquely named for being both a march and a parade, is one of the largest celebrations of its kind across the country. I have had the distinct privilege of participating in it over the years. In fact, just last month I was in Denver to mark the occasion, and it is among the most important ways we have to celebrate our diverse communities and honor the values to which Dr. King devoted his life. To me, Wilma's visionary leadership in honoring Dr. King's legacy symbolizes our nation's inexorable march toward greater equality and justice for all Americans.
There are many other notable achievements of Wilma Webb. I would like to discuss a few more.
She has been a pioneer on education issues, fighting for a level playing field and full-day kindergarten so that Colorado's children are able to get a quality education. I will note that in President Obama's most recent State of the Union address, he called for a nationwide effort to establish a mechanism to keep students in school until they are 18 years old or graduate high school. It did not surprise me to learn that Wilma, in her days as a state legislator, carried measures to do the same for Colorado's youth over 20 years ago.
Wilma served as a voice for the community's poor by carrying legislation that supported Colorado's most vulnerable populations, and she successfully advanced provisions that improved the living conditions of both the elderly and troubled youth.
Wilma also developed a prowess tackling thorny budgetary issues. As she rose to become an influential member of the State legislature, she was the first minority woman to earn a prestigious spot on the Joint Budget Committee responsible for guiding Colorado's budget priorities.
Yet Wilma's achievements go beyond what I have mentioned here and are not limited to her time in the General Assembly. Those of us who know Wilma know that her life extends far beyond that.
Wilma was the first African-American woman to be the First Lady of Denver. She stood by her husband, former Mayor Wellington Webb, as an active leader in the affairs of the city and a respected figure within its diverse communities. I know how proud my friend Wellington is of his wife, and vice versa. They are the epitome of a ``power couple,'' but more importantly, a couple devoted to public service.
As First Lady, Wilma was unyielding in her efforts to end drug abuse and consequently devoted much of her time and energy to strengthening Colorado's comprehensive anti-drug abuse programs. These programs, the first of their kind, were enacted as a result of a bill she carried during her days in the Colorado State House.
Wilma was also devoted to resolving the unique issues facing families and youth throughout Denver. As if that did not keep her busy enough, Wilma took on the responsibility of hosting local, national and foreign dignitaries in Denver, and also traveling abroad to over 23 countries to represent Denver and build relationships with worldwide partners. She was instrumental in creating and implementing the Mayor's vision for the arts and played a key role in revitalizing the cultural and artistic vitality of Denver. In one notable example, Wilma founded the Denver Art, Culture and Film Foundation to raise money for public art projects.
And she certainly did not stop after her First Lady of Denver duties were done. Colorado and the Mountain West were fortunate to have Wilma's leadership extend to a new position: she became the U.S. Secretary of Labor's Representative for the Department of Labor's Region VIII. To no one's surprise, Wilma yet again blazed a new trail as the first woman to fill this role, where she had significant budgetary oversight and directed special projects to resolve labor and workforce issues in the West. Her commitment to public service on the Federal level was just as productive as her time working at the State level.
It is clear Wilma has had an extraordinary career. She is warm, she is a visionary leader, she is exceptionally skilled, and she is driven by the desire to do what is right for Coloradans. Yet throughout her years as a leader, she has maintained a strong sense of the importance of family. As a daughter, a wife, a mother and a grandmother, she has been a cornerstone for all those around her. As someone who values the importance of balancing work life with family life, I respect the example that Wilma sets in that regard.
As I conclude, let me say to my colleagues that I am proud--and Coloradans are proud to count Wilma among our numbers. She has earned the 2012 Civil Rights Award through her years of dedication, innovation and persistence in making Colorado a better place. She is a pioneer for civil rights and a forward-thinking public servant who has etched her mark on the lives of Colorado's families, youth and marginalized communities. I commend Wilma for advancing the rights of every Coloradan and for a lifetime of service to others. On behalf of all Coloradans, I extend hearty congratulations on Wilma's well-earned honor, with full confidence that she will continue her groundbreaking work.
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