The League congratulates the ten communities selected as 2021 All-America Cities! Following a year of unprecedented challenges, these communities demonstrated the ways that they’ve been able to build equity and resilience through collaborative problem-solving. From June 7-9, all 20 of the All-America City finalists displayed the strength of their civic capital and described three community-based projects during a virtual presentation to a jury of national experts.

The 72nd annual All-America City Awards featured pre-recorded workshops on equity and resilience, as well as three terrific keynote speakers: Dr. Gail Christopher, Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity; Honorable Lori Lightfoot, 56th Mayor of Chicago, IL; and Erika Poethig, Special Assistant to President Biden for Housing and Urban Policy, Domestic Policy Council, The White House. If you couldn't tune in live for their remarks, watch them here.

"While the core function of schools is learning – educating the population and preparing students to thrive as effective citizens – communities can leverage schools to address a variety of needs and make progress toward their highest aspirations. The following stories show how two Virginia localities have used schools as a catalyst for change and an opportunity to address larger community issues." Learn about the innovative designs of elementary schools in Arlington County and Harrisonburg, VA.

"To create a robust, functioning network of cities and organizations dedicated to promoting and fortifying democratic participation and civic engagement at a local level." This is the ambitious goal of Democracy Cities, a new initiative spearheaded by Scott Warren, co-founder and former CEO of Generation Citizen, an organization dedicated to encouraging civic education and participation among young people. Read more.

The winner of the 2021 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - National Civic League Health Equity Award is Melissa Robinson, of the Black Health Care Coalition. Robinson is working to center Black experiences in designing health solutions, re-establish National Black Health Week, increase African-American participation in clinical trials, and connect with residents through community engagement.

In addition to celebrating this year's finalists and announcing the ten winners, the 72nd Annual All-America City Awards also recognized winners of the John Parr Youth Leadership Award, Social Media and Online Outreach Award, and Cultural Entertainment and Civic Action Fair competitions. We were inspired by the talent, dedication and community spirit showcased in the entries into the supplemental awards.