Diversity Awards 2026

The Columbia Values Diversity Celebration Planning Committee would like to once again recognize those in our community who have had significant impact in promoting appreciation for diversity and cultural understanding. Their work in our community exemplifies the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in fostering individual dignity, racial equality, understanding, peacemaking, and solving problems through non-violence.

For the 2026 Columbia Values Diversity Awards program, two awards will be presented:
· Individual/family award
· Organization/group award

These awards will be presented at the Columbia Values Diversity Celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. More information about the event can be found at CoMoDiversityCelebration.com.

The public is invited to give feedback during this year’s selection process. Your input on the nominees will be shared with the Diversity Award selection committee during their review. Use the comment box below to share any stories or testimonials about this year's nominees. Brief introductions are below, and full Nomination Packets may be found on the right side of the page.

Individual/Family Award Nominees

Dawn Zeterberg: From the very beginning, Dawn Zeterberg’s life was dedicated to not just making the world more accessible to her as a full-time wheelchair user due to her cerebral palsy, but making it a better place for everyone she met.

Elisa Glick: Elisa is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) consultant, speaker, researcher, author, and award-winning educator with over 20 years of experience in higher education. As someone who has experienced both the advantages of privilege and the challenges of bias, she is passionate about building cultures that fully welcome and value our differences.

Joanne Nelson: Joanne Nelson currently serves as the Director of the Boone County Community Services Department. Her extensive background in early childhood influences her passion to improve the lives of children, youth, and families.

Kenneth Freeman: Kenny has served this community since 2009 as a trainer, supervisor, and poll worker for the Boone County Clerk’s Office. He often says that his dedication as an election worker is to honor those who came before him and fought for the voting rights of all Americans.

Larisha Jones: Larisha has been involved in giving back to the community since she was a teenager, volunteering at an elementary school and the food bank. Currently she leads her own non-profit, the Youth Empowerment Collective, empowering middle school girls. She also serves with EQUIP Her Movement, equipping and elevating women.

Patricia Gerke: Pat is known to most of the immigrant and evacuee/refugee populations in Columbia as a friend, helper, and support. Her many work efforts to meet their practical and emotional needs mean that these new members of our community will adapt more quickly to their new home, allowing them to enrich the community with new diversity, talents, industry, and the many gifts they bring.

Rick Oberle: Rick has served as the pastor of the Columbia United Church of Christ since 2017. He not only employs appreciation for diversity and cultural understanding himself, but also through his congregation and community programs, such as Pridefest, Partnership in Education, Scouts, Voluntary Action Center, and The Food Bank.

Sunitha Bosecker: Sunitha is a counselor by trade and works with her clients of diverse backgrounds on a daily basis. She leads community discussions on DEI topics with the organization Journey to Inclusive Excellence, actively volunteers, helps to promote affordable housing for women and other minority groups, and gets the word out about community events through her efforts with The COMO 411.

Suzanne Bagby: Suzanne has dedicated her life to building a more just and compassionate Columbia. Through her leadership with the Boone County Community Bail Fund, she has worked to ensure that people are not kept behind bars simply because they lack money and to educate the community about how these policies disproportionately harm people of color. In addition, Suzanne and her husband founded Bagby Community Helping Hand, a nonprofit that responds directly to needs in the community.

Wiley Miller: Wiley Miller’s work in the Columbia community spans over five decades. His service includes involvement in the following organizations: Columbia City Ward Reapportionment Committee, treasurer of the Minority Men’s Network organization, board member for Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, chairperson of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia’s Social Action Committee/Team, and Columbia/Boone County Community Remembrance Project.

Organization/Group Award Nominees

CPS Scholar Clinic: The Scholar Clinic positively impacts the Columbia community by providing for the health care needs of many of our most vulnerable children. It opened in 2024 in response to student health care needs identified by CPS leadership and has served over 1500 children, most of whom are underinsured with insufficient access to health care. Any student who qualifies for free or reduced lunch is able to receive a range of health care, from school physicals, immunization, pediatric primary care and eyecare at no cost to the family.

Flourish Initiative: The Flourish Initiative was created in 2019 with support from Veterans United Home Loans and Veterans United Foundation, in an effort to provide educational opportunities to students struggling with economic inequality.

Missouri Jobs with Justice: The biggest project that Missouri Jobs with Justice has been involved in recently was a ballot initiative that would provide workers in this area with paid sick time and raise the minimum wage from $12 to $15 an hour.

Mizzou Young Democratic Socialists of America: Mizzou YDSA was started as a student group at the University of Missouri. Since their inception, they have been an active voice for good on campus and in the community, highlighting various social, economic, and racial justice issues.

NClusion Plus: Nclusion Plus produces queer art for the enjoyment of queer Missourians and their allies. It was founded by seven bar buddies and has grown to produce weekly drag events in Columbia & Kansas City. They believe that in a time of increasing marginalization and division, it is important to help the LGBTQ community feel seen and welcome in Columbia.

School of Service DBA Access Arts: Access Arts has enriched Columbia for over 50 years by promoting diversity and fostering cultural understanding through its inclusive arts programs.

Youth Empowerment Collective: The Youth Empowerment Collective is dedicated to building character and self-esteem in the youth of the community through education, mentorship and life skills application.