Christine Blasey Ford Accepts 'Courage Award' from ACLU for Kavanaugh Allegations
'I was simply doing my duty as a citizen'
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Brett Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford has accepted the Rodger Baldwin Courage Award from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Ford was honored with the award at the ACLU of Southern California’s Bill of Rights dinner on Sunday.
Ford, last year, accused Justice Kavanaugh of sexual assault before he was finally confirmed to the Supreme Court.
“When I came forward last September, I did not feel courageous,” Ford said Sunday.
“I was simply doing my duty as a citizen, providing information to the Senate that I believed would be relevant to the Supreme Court nomination process,” she added.
“I thought anyone in my position would, of course, do the same thing.”
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Ford said she was inspired by Anita Hill and 'values' her parents instilled in her growing up in Washington, D.C
“I had a responsibility to my country, to my fellow citizens, to my students, to my children, to live the values that I try to teach them,” Ford told the audience.
She also said her testimony against Kavanaugh 'inspired' 20,000 women across the country to send her messages about their sexual assault experiences.
“That’s why it means so much to me to be recognized by you tonight,” Ford told the Bill of Rights dinner’s audience.
“Because I know you will continue the work of protecting sexual assault survivors and preventing sexual assault," she added.
"You will continue the work to protect personal privacy and the rights of citizens.”
The ACLU of Southern California is proud to present the Roger Baldwin Courage award to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford for her brave testimony before Congress last year, a shining act of courage. #ACLUhonors #WeBelieveSurvivors pic.twitter.com/8MmUXpdmrB
— ACLU SoCal (@ACLU_SoCal) November 18, 2019
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Earlier this month, Ford accepted an 'empowerment award' from the YWCA Silicon Valley for her testimony.
Ford, who last year collected her $650,000 from a GoFundMe account before releasing a statement, said she was 'humbled' to receive the award.
“I’m deeply humbled to receive this award,” Blasey Ford said, The Hill reported.
“It’s funny. I was inspired by Anita Hill when I was deciding whether to testify, but it didn’t occur to me at the time that I would be inspiring anyone else.”
“I simply thought that it was my duty as a citizen,” she added, referring to testifying against Kavanaugh.
“Anyone in my position would do the same thing.”
“When my family was forced out of our home last year, we had resources, and we had friends who made sure that we had safe places to go and stay,” Blasey Ford claimed.
“So many women do not. So many women do not have the privilege that my professional position afforded me. It is much harder for them to speak up. But women in Silicon Valley have you.”
