Nurturing Intercultural Mental Health | 12th Spring Intercultural Champion Awards

Join us for the 12th Spring Intercultural Champion Awards Ceremony & Luncheon on June 25th! 

Since 1979, Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning has provided programs and services promoting social integration and economic success for Coloradans across languages and cultures. We proudly pursue our mission to build a thriving intercultural community through learning, language access, and advocacy by offering educational and civic engagement opportunities that welcome international newcomers and amplify the perspectives and contributions of immigrant and refugee Coloradans of all ages and backgrounds. We established the Spring Intercultural Champion Awards in 2015 to honor outstanding community leadership promoting intercultural communication and understanding. Since then, we have joyfully recognized 30+ individuals and organizations as Spring Intercultural Champions.

The theme of our 2026 luncheon is “Nurturing Intercultural Mental Health.” Featuring food, fellowship, and entertainment, this 150+ person gathering will celebrate how awardees and other partners in Spring Institute’s network are promoting mental wellbeing and more inclusive behavioral healthcare across our intercultural community.

Our 2026 awardees are:

• Place Bridge Academy of Denver Public Schools, which is proud to be Denver’s most culturally and linguistically diverse school! PBA is home to the city’s elementary Newcomer Center, and has over 50 languages spoken.

• Deborah Seymour, PsyD, mentor to international medical graduates in Spring Institute's Colorado Welcome Back program.

• WellPower, Colorado’s largest community mental health center, known locally and nationally as a model for innovative and effective behavioral health care and partners in Spring Institute's Coalition on Refugee and Immigrant Mental Health (CRIMH).

View the list of all previous event themes and awardees: Spring Intercultural Champions - 2015 to present

Emcee:
Michael Abeyta, Multimedia Journalist with CBS News
Read Michael's Bio

Keynote Speaker:
Karina Urrego R. of the Colorado Refugee Speakers Bureau
Read Karina's Bio

Music by Sara Van Hecke

Can't make it on June 25th but still want to show your support? Donate to Spring Institute anytime at coloradogives.org/SpringInstitute

Gold Level
The Colorado Health Foundation
UCHealth

Silver Level
Alexander & Associates LLC

Table Sponsors
The Colorado Trust
FirstBank, now part of PNC
Dr. Abraham Nussbaum
Huntington Bank
The Raju Family
WellPower
Spring Institute Board Member Table Hosts: Gabrielle Cardwell | Victor Chen | Natalia Devlin | Nick Gonzalez | Margaret Kirkpatrick | Gergana Kostadinova Law | Sonia Novotny | Elizabeth Pemberton | Jothi Ravindran | Mathieu Seton | Maria Soto

Partners
Fitzsimons Credit Union
Kelly Burns, State Farm Insurance
Kolko & Casey, P.C.
Simplify Language
Stanley British Primary School

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The event will be documented by David Lynn Photography

Crowd photography/filming notice

Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.

By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.

You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.

Contact us in advance with any concerns about being photographed or filmed at the event: Amanda Bent, Dir. of Communications & Advocacy - abent@springinstitute.org