Honoring the 2024 City Cultural Diversity Award Winners
Washington, D.C. – The National League of Cities (NLC) has selected four municipalities as recipients of its 2024 City Cultural Diversity Awards. The winning communities and the programs they developed were recognized at NLC’s annual Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C. They were celebrated for pioneering innovative programs demonstrating cultural diversity and promoting inclusive community engagement.
Submissions for the awards program were grouped by city population and evaluated for creativity, community impact, and program scope. The winning communities were selected from more than forty municipalities across the country that applied:
2024 Diversity Award Winners
Population of 500,001 and above
City of Columbus, OH: The Columbus Housing Strategy
Population of 200,001-500,000
City of Arlington, TX: Passport Scholarship Program
Population of 50,001-200,000
City of Lewisville, TX: Lung Ṭhawng
Population under 50,000
City of Eureka Springs, AR: Eureka Cares!
This year’s awards hold special significance as NLC commemorates its 100th year of strengthening cities on behalf of local government.
“As NLC celebrates its centennial milestone, I am honored to recognize the innovative approaches this year’s awardees are employing to advance cultural diversity in their own cities, towns and villages,” said NLC President and Mayor of Rancho Cordova, CA, David Sander. “The programs that these cities developed mirrors their local leaders’ commitment and intention to establish a more equitable and inclusive future for all residents in their communities.”
In addition to the top four winners, NLC also recognized four second-place winners, who received honorable mentions for their community leadership and contributions to promoting diversity.
Second Place Winners
Population of 500,001 and above
City of Fort Worth, TX: Court in the Community-Warrant Forgiveness
Population of 200,001-500,000
City of Tallahassee, FL: New Public Servant Initiative
Population of 50,001-200,000
City of Bellevue, WA: Cross-Cultural Center without Walls
Population under 50,000
City of Dodge City, KS: Engage Dodge
The City Cultural Diversity Awards program is a joint effort by all six of the NLC Constituency Groups. Each group submits one juror from its membership to review the applications.
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The National League of Cities (NLC) is the voice of America’s cities, towns and villages, representing more than 200 million people. NLC works to strengthen local leadership, influence federal policy and drive innovative solutions. Stay connected with NLC on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.