For the second year, the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) presented Diversity Champion awards to cities that have demonstrated outstanding efforts to honor and support their diverse staff and community members. Fifteen cities from around the state were recognized at AWC's Annual Convention in Ocean Shores on June 17, 2004.

The City of Spokane is among these, recognized for implementing a comprehensive set of efforts to honor and support the community's diversity. Spokane celebrates through events such as the annual Pow-Wow in Riverfront Park, educates through programs such as the Spokane Task Force on Race Relations' annual Community Congress on Race Relations, creates partnerships by supporting Youth Leadership Spokane, leads through the commitment and positive attitudes of city employees, demonstrates positive impacts by "walking the talk" and empowers the community through all of these efforts.

A panel of esteemed diversity leaders judged each of the applications. Reiko Callner, Washington State Human Rights Commissioner, led the panel. Other judges were Jerry Hebert, Kitsap Human Rights Network President; Yvonne Lopez Morton, Washington State Hispanic Affairs Commissioner; Raymond Reyes, Gonzaga University Associate Vice President for Diversity; and Karen Boone, Washington State African American Affairs Commissioner.

Of the applicants, Yvonne Lopez Morton noted, "All their efforts were admirable, but most important, each individually represented unique efforts to reach out and address issues of diversity."

From this pool of award winners, the judges also selected this year's Diversity Champion of the Year.

The judges agreed that the task represented "a very tough decision among a marvelous set of nominees."

The City of Bellingham was ultimately selected as the 2004 Diversity Champion of the year for their Police Department's outstanding achievements in building a safe and welcoming community for all of its members and for demonstrating a strong commitment, among staff and leadership, to fostering the community's diversity.

To learn more about the Diversity Champion awards in general, visit the Racial Justice page on AWC's website at www.awcnet.org.