(l-r) Community Services Manager Paja Xiong, HRDC Chair Greg Leeper, Mayor Ron Case, Rachel Casper, Naim Umar and Kelsey Whitcomb (Mission Animal Hospital)

Members of Eden Prairie's Human Rights and Diversity Commission announced the 2024 Human Rights Award winners at the May 20 City Council meeting.

The award recognizes a local individual, youth, nonprofit organization and/or business who have worked to create an inclusive community spirit through actions, activities or programs.

The following Human Rights Award winners were recognized for upholding the values of the Eden Prairie Manifesto.

Individual Award — Rachel Casper

Rachel Casper upholds the values of the Eden Prairie Manifesto through her dedication to creating an inclusive and supportive environment to all, especially through her work as the director of Children and Family Ministries. Rachel has spearheaded the church’s Autism Ministry, resulting in a dedicated sensory-friendly space; adapted worship resources such as headphones, sensory walls and specialized toys; and most notably, a free, week-long adaptive Bible camp that attracts families statewide. Rachel’s proactive dedication to autism awareness extends to identifying and dismantling barriers to resource access for children with autism, allowing her to directly address individual disparities and ensure equitable participation in programming. Through her work, Rachel fosters genuine inclusiveness for individuals with diverse identities, especially those from marginalized communities, cultivating a safe and accepting space for those who often experience exclusion.

Nonprofit Award — Mission Animal Hospital

Since its founding in 2014 and establishment in Eden Prairie in 2015, Mission Animal Hospital stands as the nation's only non-profit, full-service animal hospital and one of Minnesota's largest. Serving nearly 25,000 pet visits and supporting over 6,500 families annually, Mission Animal Hospital embodies the Eden Prairie Manifesto by prioritizing care for low-income individuals and families who often face financial obstacles in providing for their pets. Its reduced-fee model ensures accessibility, and they have innovatively integrated on-site mental health care and referral services for clients. Demonstrating its commitment to inclusivity, Mission Animal Hospital is currently expanding translation services for non-English speaking clients through its "Compassion in Every Language" program.

Youth Award — Naim Umar

Naim Umar upholds the Eden Prairie Manifesto by stepping forward as a leader to champion safe and equitable spaces for all, particularly within youth sports. Recognizing financial barriers, Naim founded a non-profit soccer organization that provides underprivileged children the opportunity to play the sport they love, free of charge. What began as a grassroots initiative has blossomed into a thriving program serving over 30 kids. Naim actively identifies and dismantles obstacles preventing youth from accessing organized sports, including financial hardship, transportation, equipment and safe training environments. Driven by a commitment to equity, he established a donation-funded model that covers participation fees, uniforms, gear and coaching. As a dedicated leader, Naim engages deeply with families and the community to cultivate a culturally inclusive and supportive environment where every young person feels seen, valued and included, regardless of their background, identity or ability.

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Nominations for the Human Rights Award can be made by persons on behalf of themselves or others. Nomination materials are made available in January each year and award recipients are selected by the Human Rights and Diversity Commission in March.

Past Human Rights Award Recipients