National Civic League | 2022 All-America City Awards Keynote

The National Civic League’s (NCL) 2022 All-America City Awards, held virtually July 18-22, were co-convened with the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and recognized communities that have partnered with public housing authorities and/or affordable housing organizations to help ensure an equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1949, NCL has recognized and celebrated the best in American civic innovation with the prestigious All-America City Award. Each year NCL invites cities, counties, and tribes to apply for one of ten winning designations. The 2022 awards recognized communities that have committed to improving the prospects for early school success and equitable learning recovery, including for children whose families are served by the nation’s public housing agencies and affordable housing organizations. Kettering president and CEO Sharon Davies delivered the keynote address for the final awards ceremony of the event. As Davies shared in her remarks introducing these inspiring communities, “When many think about politics today, they see gridlock and a people divided, and they are concerned for our future. That is why this event is so important. For work like that of this year’s finalists reminds us of what people can accomplish when they do it together and of how powerful we are when we care for one another as persons of equal value in the circle of human concern.”