Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC) is pleased to announce our 2015 Bishop Herbert Thompson Award honoree, Alphonse Gerhardstein

The Bishop Herbert Thompson Award was created to honor the life and legacy of the late Bishop Herbert Thompson Jr. — the first African American elected to serve as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. Bishop Thompson lived by the personal motto, "To reconcile, to liberate, to heal, to serve.” He labored to resolve racial injus...tice and worked to strengthen relationships among diverse groups.

Alphonse Gerhardstein has focused his law practice on civil rights issues for the last 38 years. As a partner of Gerhardstein & Branch Co., LPA, he has represented the Cincinnati African American Firefighters and the Sentinel Police Association on affirmative action and employment issues. He was also lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit that resulted in the Collaborative Agreement, a national model for police reform. The agreement resulted in more officer accountability, less use of force, elimination of systemic factors related to racially-based policing, and increased engagement of the African American community through problem solving. He is currently working with African-American clients through litigation and policy advocacy to reform Taser use policies in law enforcement agencies across the region. He also is lead counsel in the Ohio cases that will be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on April 28th on Marriage Equality. Gerhardstein is the Founder of the Ohio Justice and Policy Center and a Board Member of the Ohio Association for Justice.

CHRC’s Annual Luncheon, Silent Auction and Awards Ceremony will be held on June 26th, 2015 at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza, 35 W. Fifth Street at 12:00 pm. This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., theologian and activist.

For more information on CHRC or the Annual Luncheon, please visit our website at http://www.chrc.us or call 513-352-3237.