The Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP gave her an award
The Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP recently held its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Luncheon at which they give out awards to leaders in the civil rights arena and to members of law enforcement.
Jani Iwamoto was this year's recipient of the Rosa Parks Award. Iwamoto is a former Utah State Senator, who chose not to run for reelection in the last campaign of 2022. Rosa Parks was a Black woman who was a civil rights activist. She chose not to give up her seat on a public bus in 1955 when segregation was rampant.
Iwamoto was born and raised in Salt Lake County. After graduating from Highland High School, she earned a degree from the University of Utah in mass communications. She obtained a law degree from the University of California at Davis. She practiced law as a partner and litigator in northern California before moving back to Utah.
After returning to Utah, Iwamoto was appointed by Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. to serve on the Central Utah Water Conservancy District Board of Trustees and the Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Committee.
Iwamoto's first elected position was on the Salt Lake County Council where she served from 2009-2013. She ran for the Utah State 4th District Senate seat in 2014 and won. She served in the Utah State Senate until January 2023.
Jeanetta Williams, President of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch, presented the award to Iwamoto, who then gave a talk sharing some of her own personal history as an American of Japanese heritage growing up in Salt Lake City.
This was a very deserving honor for Jani Iwamoto, who has served her community and state well for years.
[Reference: Wikipedia]
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