Democrats Honor Huerta and Weinstein

The Pacific Palisades Democratic Club honored three individuals at its expanded Froehlich/Berke Awards luncheon on Sunday at the Sheraton Delfina Hotel in Santa Monica.   Presented annually since 2006 (except for 2009), the Anne Froehlich Award for Political Courage went to Mikey Weinstein for his ‘unflagging and selfless work as founder and head of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize-nominated Military Religious Freedom Foundation.’ His organization’s work is reflected by the title of his 2006 book: ‘With God on Our Side: One Man’s War Against an Evangelical Coup in America’s Military.’   Weinstein was introduced by his friend, former Ambassador Joe Wilson, who received the Froehlich award in 2007 with his wife, Valerie Plame. The movie about Wilson and Plame’s battle with the Bush Administration, entitled ‘Fair Game’ and starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn, will be released November 5.   Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, was the first recipient of the Democratic Club’s Bob Berke Human Rights Award. The award was created in honor of Berke’s ‘groundbreaking legal advocacy on behalf of the dispossessed and [his] inspirational leadership’ of the club for two years, before his sudden passing last November.   Huerta, an unflagging 80-year-old, has been traveling across the country, speaking at college campuses and organizational forums and campaigning for various Democratic candidates. She received her Berke award from Gloria Molina, who in 1991 became the first Latina ever elected to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. Prefacing a tribute video about Bob Berke, actor and human rights activist Mike Farrell spoke eloquently about his late friend.   Max Busselle, a jet aircraft broker, is the new Democratic Club president. The luncheon co-chairs were advertising executive Gary Bettman, real estate agent Josie Tong and Adam Wolman, who provides creative consulting services to companies and individuals developing content for broadcast, cable and digital media outlets.