HomeMy WebLinkAbout031014_NLC Diversity Breakfast Release
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
For Immediate Release
EMBARGOED: March 10, 2014 @ 9 a.m. EST
Contact
Tom Martin
National League of Cities
202-626-3186
martin@nlc.org
National League of Cities and NBC-LEO Honor Eight City Programs
That Promote Cultural Diversity
Washington, D.C. – National League of Cities (NLC) today recognized eight cities for implementing
programs that enhance and promote cultural diversity in their communities at the “Celebrate Diversity
Breakfast” during NLC’s Congressional City Conference in Washington. The NBC-LEO City Cultural
Diversity Awards recognize municipal programs that encourage citizen involvement and honor cities that
develop creative and effective programs designed to improve and promote cultural diversity through a
collaborative process with city officials, community leaders and residents. Cities honored for 2014 are:
Seattle, Wash.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Fremont, Calif.; Winston Salem, N.C.; Renton, Wash.; Avondale, Ariz.;
Duarte, Calif.; and Carrboro, N.C.
The City Cultural Diversity Awards Program was established in 1995 the National Black Caucus of Local
Elected officials (NBC-LEO) to promote cultural diversity in community governance through citizen and
community participation. Winning cities are selected by guest judges NLC’s constituency groups and the
corporate sector from a pool of applicants and are grouped according to population.
In addition to NBC-LEO, the annual Celebrate Diversity Breakfast is co-sponsored by four other National
League of Cities’ (NLC) constituency groups: the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO); the
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Local Officials (GLBTLO); the Hispanic Elected Local Officials
(HELO); and Women in Municipal Government (WIMG).
Each city was recognized at the Celebrate Diversity Breakfast. Donna Brazile, political commentator,
strategist and author, addressed attendees at the breakfast about the importance of diversity in politics
and national campaigns.
Award-winning city programs:
In the population category over 400,001:
Winner: Public Outreach and Engagement Liaisons (POEL) is an initiative of the City of Seattle,
Wash. committed to ending institutional racism and creating a city enriched by its diverse
cultures through civic participation by all community members. The Department of
Neighborhoods’ Public Outreach and Engagement Liaison (POEL) program is designed to
increase access to information, resources and civic processes with historically underrepresented
communities through the implementation of racially- and culturally-inclusive outreach and
public engagement processes. For more information, contact Cherry Cayabyab, strategic
advisor, 206-733-9982 or cherry.cayabyab@seattle.gov.
Runner-Up: Phoenix, Ariz.’s “Phoenix Against Domestic Violence – A Roadmap to Excellence” is
a five-year strategic plan to end domestic violence. Thirty-five community, private and nonprofit
organizations collaborated to create the plan which includes a community and media campaign
focusing on five strategies: community awareness, coordinated service delivery, systems reform,
“Phoenix as a Model” and community partnerships. For more information, contact Deanna
Jonovich, acting executive assistant to the city manager, 602-495-0127 or
Deanna.jonovich@phoenix.gov.
In the population category 100,001 – 400,000:
Winner: The “Community Ambassador Program for Seniors” in Fremont, Calif. trains volunteer
“ambassadors” to serve seniors in their own communities, in their own language and within
their own cultural norms, and does so where seniors live, worship and socialize. More than 150
volunteers from 12 ethnic, fair and community organizations representative of the Tri-City area
(Freemont, Newark and Union City, Calif.) serve as a bridge between the formal network of
social services and their respective communities, ensuring that older adults have access to vital
services and programs. For more information, contact Asha Chandra, program manager, 510-
574-2055 or achandra@fremont.gov.
Runner-Up: Winston Salem, N.C.’s “Cultural Inclusion Program” is a city-wide initiative to
continuously support, include and encourage international, multicultural citizens and residents
to participate in city-sponsored outreach programs and to build trust and provide information
regarding city services. A project of the Human Relations Department of the Winston Salem city
government, the initiative exemplifies the city’s values and appreciates the significance of a
strong international community and the importance of developing an environment that is
educationally inclusive. For more information, contact Wanda Allen-Abraha, human relations
director, 336-734-1226 or wandaea@cityofws.org.
In the population category 25,001 – 100,000:
Winner: “Embracing Our Diversity” is a program in Renton, Wash. that creates a network of
community leaders representing various ethnic, cultural and diverse groups. The city has
integrated the importance of diversity into all its programs and services and is committed to
being an inclusive city with opportunities for all and building connections with all communities,
especially limited or non-English speaking residents and ethnic groups. For more information,
contact Preeti Shridhar, deputy public affairs administrator, 425-430-6569 or
pshridhar@rentonwa.gov.
Runner-up: The City of Avondale, Ariz. hosts a joint parade with the City of Goodyear, Ariz.,
which concludes with a “Naturalization Ceremony” and celebration festival. This year’s theme,
“An International Celebration,” promotes a variety of diverse cultures represented through
people, arts, crafts, music, traditions, cuisine and more. For more information, contact Pier
Simeri, community relations and public affairs director, 623-333-8633 or psimeri@avondale.org.
In the population category less than 25,000:
Winner: The “Community Mediation Team” in Duarte, Calif. is a partnership made up of diverse
leaders and stakeholders in Duarte, Monrovia and Los Angeles County, Calif. who collectively
identify, assess and strategically address the needs of individuals and families that are at-risk.
Over the course of 10 years, the Community Mediation Team has successfully curbed gang
violence by creating an effective community communication system and by serving as a trusted
facilitator to connect at-risk individuals and families with the necessary resources. For more
information, contact Karen Herrera, deputy city manager, 626-357-7931 or
herrerakaren@accessduarte.com.
Runner-up: The Town of Carrboro, N.C. holds an annual “Community Dinner” to celebrate the
community’s rich cultural diversity through food and entertainment. The dinner is an event with
more than 650 attendees that crosses economic, racial, religious and ethnic barriers while
presenting a wealth of wonderful, culturally-diverse food and entertainment from within the
community. For more information, contact Catherine Wilson, town clerk, 919-918-7309 or
cwilson@townofcarrboro.org.
The 2014 chair of the City Cultural Diversity Awards Program Committee is NBC-LEO President-Elect
James Walls, mayor, District Heights, Maryland.
The judges this year are represented from NLC’s five constituency groups – National Black Caucus of
Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO); Women in Municipal Government (WIMG); Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Transgender Local Officials (GLBTLO); Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO); and Hispanic
Elected Local Officials (HELO). The judges are:
Audwin Samuel, Councilmember, Beaumont, Texas (NBC-LEO);
Mary Dorothy “Dot” LaMarche, Vice-Mayor, Farragut, Tennessee (WIMG);
Greg Pettis, Councilmember, Cathedral City, California (GLBTLO);
APAMO Past President Gilbert Wong, Mayor, Cupertino, California; and
HELO Immediate Past President Karen Avilla, City Treasurer, Carson, California.
For more information on the City Cultural Diversity Awards, visit NBC-LEO’s website at
www.nlc.org/nbcleo.
The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is
a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million
Americans.
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