The National Civic League is proud to announce the finalists for the 2018 All-America City Award – including Battle Creek.
These finalists represent the diversity of American communities, from the largest cities to the smallest towns, across the country. Finalist communities include the seventh largest city in America – San Antonia – and a town of only 22,000 – Decatur.
All finalists have the common bond of working to create equitable communities through inclusive civic engagement.
For Battle Creek’s application, city staff from various departments worked with the Battle Creek Community Foundation, including representatives with the BCVision and Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation projects. These partners compiled an application discussing the good work happening in Battle Creek surrounding these projects, challenges we face, and optimism for results so far, and the work to come.
The 20 finalist communities will compete this June in Denver, Colo., to be recognized as one of 10 All-America Cities for 2018. Each community will bring a team of neighbors, nonprofit leaders, business representatives, government officials, and young people to participate in presentations and workshops.
The 2018 award spotlight is on efforts focused on inclusive engagement practices that promote equity, and bring all voices to the table to help solve our country’s most pressing and complex issues. Finalist communities’ presentations will bring their written applications to life, and demonstrate the positive effects of using equitable engagement strategies to address issues like promoting mental health, building stronger neighborhoods, and breaking down racial barriers to economic opportunieis.
The finalists are: Springdale, Ark.; Placentia, Calif.; Stockton, Calif.; Longmont, Colo.; Miami Beach, Fla.; Decatur, Ga.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Battle Creek, Mich.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Charlotte, N.C.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Beaverton, Ore.; Allentown, Pa.; Columbia, S.C.; Kershaw County, S.C.; Mount Pleasant, S.C.; El Paso, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Pasco, Wash.; Tacoma, Wash.
In recent years, two other Michigan cities have received the All-America City Award – Port Huron in 2005, and Marquette County in 2003.