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Rick
Cardenas
Charlie
Smith Award Winner
by Terri
Ricci
On November 5, 2004,
the Access Press board, staff, and about 100 friends gathered to
honor one of the pioneers in our disability community. Rick Cardenas,
co-director of Advocating Change Together was this year’s
recipient of the Charlie Smith Award.
Rick’s many years of political leadership include state-wide
and national work with the Democratic Party; community organizing
for Cesar Chavez on the Grape Boycott issue in support of seasonal
agricultural workers; Constituent Advocate for Senator Paul Wellstone;
and community organizing on various disability, accessibility, poverty,
and Latino issues in Minnesota. His work with the National Center
for Handicapped Transportation in the 1970s led to the creation of
greater accessible public transportation in Minnesota. Through his
consulting firm, Akcess Associates, Rick has fought for accessible
architecture throughout the Twin Cities. All of Rick’s accomplishments
would take the whole rest of this paper, so if you want to know more
about Rick you will have to meet with him and get the whole story.
Although I did not have the fortune to meet Charlie Smith, I do
believe that he is smiling knowing that the 2nd Annual Charlie Smith
Award went to such a deserving individual. Because what I do know
of Rick Cardenas, he is one of the driving forces for the disability
community and I am glad to call him a friend.
As part of the Award Banquet,
the owner and friends of Black Bear Crossing, who know Rick because
of his leadership role in the community offered a “Burning Sage” Prayer
for a healthy and prosperous future.
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Charlie Smith, 1990 - 2001, Editor-in-Chief
Rick
Cardenas accepting the Charlie Smith Award - pictured with his nephews
Bruce & Kenny
Tim Benjamin, Editor & Terri Ricci, Financial Manager
/ Editorial Assistant
Mike
Chevette, Board of Directors 
Charlie Smith Award Banquet
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