LIVERMORE WINS 2021 ALL-AMERICA CITY AWARD
June 14, 2021 - Livermore, CA - The City of Livermore was named a 2021 All-America City at the National Civic League’s All-America City Awards Ceremony on June 9, 2021. The theme of this year’s competition was "Building Equitable and Resilient Communities." Livermore’s delegation competed against 19 other finalist cities from across the country with a
10-minute live virtual presentation followed by a question and answer session centered on the city’s community-driven projects addressing youth mental health; the anti-vaping policy and education; equity, inclusion and social justice; and affordable housing and homelessness.
The delegation was comprised of students, community members, and staff from the City of Livermore, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD), Las Positas College, and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District (LARPD). Livermore Chamber of Commerce CEO Dawn Argula narrated the presentation that showed the collaboration and innovation within the city that has resulted in positive changes and growth for members of the Livermore community.
“We have an active and engaged community, full of citizens of all ages who care deeply about their city and their neighbors, and who step up to create a welcoming and inclusive community. I would like to thank the National Civic League for recognizing the incredible work being done in our city,” expressed Mayor Bob Woerner.
The All-America City judges were impressed by the passionate commitment of Livermore youth. Granada High students Owen Fidler and Will Taggart and Livermore High students Emma Goulart and Kassandra Torres shared their involvement in projects related to youth mental health and anti-tobacco and anti-vaping education. “Our young people are oftentimes the ones who surface the needs related to mental health and social issues, bringing their creative ideas and energy to the conversation,” said Superintendent Kelly Bowers. “The solutions then come from the networking and collaboration of our city partnerships and beyond. Our partners have always been supportive of including youth in the conversation.” Liisa Hanninen-Danner and Roxanna Pittman, LVJUSD psychologists, and Lynn Gardner, of Horizons Family Counseling, added to the conversation, highlighting our community’s work supporting mental health.
Youth were also represented as part of the City’s Equity and Inclusion Working Group. Granada High student Miraya Choudhury and Las Positas College student Manav Patel along with community member Misty Rose represented the Working Group during the presentation, expressing how community members and City representatives, including members of the Livermore Police Department, have worked together to share, listen, and discuss ways to advocate for equity and inclusion in Livermore.
Las Positas College interim Dean Erick Bell discussed the college’s new Law Enforcement certificate focused on crisis intervention, bias awareness, mental health issues, and situational decision making. College President Dyrell Foster said, "Las Positas College is committed to continuing to further our mission to provide an inclusive, equity-focused environment by addressing inequities and increasing opportunities for success for all of our students. Our new curriculum focused on 21st Century Policing has benefitted from an outstanding collaborative effort with the Livermore City Council and Police Department.”
Livermore’s presentation concluded with the comprehensive, collaborative approach to address food insecurity, homelessness, and affordable housing in the community. Council Member Bob Carling highlighted affordable housing statistics in the presentation and shared a video about Goodness Village, narrated by Kim Curtis, Executive Director of the tiny homes community that is welcoming its first residents this month. LARPD General Manager Mat Fuzie shared, “We worked with our community partners to focus efforts on serving our vulnerable populations throughout the pandemic, providing childcare for essential workers, mass vaccination clinics, senior life assistance, and food distribution.” It was the ongoing collaboration among Livermore’s community partners and agencies that was key to the City earning this prestigious award.
New to this year’s All-America City Awards program was a virtual Cultural Entertainment Showcase in which the public could vote for their favorite submissions. Out of 23 total videos from various finalist communities, Livermore Shakespeare Festival’s Kids Teach Shakespeare took home the prize.
Plans are in the works for the National Civic League to present the City with its award plaque in the coming months.
Watch Livermore’s virtual presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aDmprX8vM4
View Livermore Shakespeare Festival’s Kids Teach Shakespeare Cultural Entertainment Showcase submission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhi83hILC_w
Learn about the National Civic League’s All-America City Awards: https://www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/
About the National Civic League
The National Civic League advances inclusive civic engagement through community assistance programs, including tools, trainings and facilitation services, award and recognition programs, and nationally recognized research and publications. The National Civic League promotes efforts that seek to listen to, and to learn from residents in ongoing conversations and leverage those insights to help reshape communities so they will thrive.