Dr. Ray Perryman Receives Cesar E. Chavez Legacy Award | The Perryman Group

Dr. Ray Perryman Receives Cesar E. Chavez Legacy Award

Released on March 24, 2016

Dr. M. Ray Perryman has been named as the recipient of the 2016 Cesar E. Chavez Conscience Builder Award by the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Educational Foundation. The award was presented during the Foundation's Annual Scholarship Gala in San Antonio on March 24. The citation called Perryman "a champion and guardian of conscience and human dignity" and noted that "his life is a testimony centered on these core values."

Foundation President Jaime Martinez, a friend and contemporary of Chavez, said of Perryman that his life has been defined by "respect for human dignity, as was Cesar Chavez" and centered on the "unifying principles of God, family, and serving others."

The citation discussed Dr. Perryman's career and impact as a prominent and influential economist and communicator, with emphasis on his pro bono efforts related to hunger, child maltreatment, cultural awareness, indigent health care, immigration reform, educational opportunity, mental health, cancer, diabetes, drug abuse, homelessness, and other pressing social issues. It further noted that his work in these areas has improved the lives of millions of people. Perryman was also praised for his willingness to speak out on controversial issues based solely on his research without regard to political implications.

In accepting the award, Dr. Perryman noted that "Cesar Chavez was a giant in the civil rights movement, seeking to empower worthy people who did not have a voice. He did so in a manner that embodied non-violence and respect for others. The current political rhetoric and recent events around the world are compelling reminders of the value of his dignified and much more effective approach. The Foundation that bears his name has, for the past 20 years, continued a pattern of service that is in keeping with the achievements of his extraordinary life. I am grateful to the Foundation for this recognition, and humbled to be associated with the legacy of a true American icon."