[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 23 (Monday, February 13, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S563-S564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       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

[[Page S564]]

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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