Mayor Bob Knight and members of the Wichita City Council will receive recognition at a special awards ceremony Friday, December 7, in Atlanta as part of the NLC's annual Congress of Cities conference.

NLC's annual Innovation Awards competition recognizes cities that address important community needs by implementing creative initiatives. This year, only four cities: Wichita, Chicago, Little Rock and Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, won the award. Sixty cities entered this year's award competition.

"Building Bridges: A Community Process to Heal Racism" Initiative
Wichita's mission is to build bridges and increase respect among people from different races, cultures and religions thorough community dialogue. The dialogue process is designed to enhance mutual understanding and encourage citizens to contribute to community problem solving through action groups.

Nearly 300 citizens have participated in dialogue groups representing over 75 organizations from business and industry, social services, educational institutions, government, law enforcement, and faith and community groups. Dialogues have been held in churches, schools, police substations, bookstores, companies and museums. Over 23 businesses and civic groups have hosted the dialogue groups.

National League of Cities Ending Racism Initiative
Mayor Bob Knight, Immediate Past President of the National League of Cities, launched the national "Ending Racism" effort two years ago. Eliminating racism continues to be a high priority for him personally and for NLC.

"I am both impressed and gratified by the outstanding work of city leaders across the country who have embraced this agenda with such passion and commitment during the past two years," Knight said. "And, I can think of no better place to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to eliminating racism and ensuring race equality than here in Atlanta, the home of Martin Luther King Jr."

Two Atlanta civil rights leaders will be featured on the conference program. Dr. C.T. Vivien, chairman of the Center of Democratic Renewal, will join Mayor Bill Campbell in reflecting on the Atlanta's historic role in the civil rights movement at the Martin Luther King Center event on Friday, and Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) will be the featured speaker at the Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast on Saturday morning.

During the past two years, NLC's work on race equality has been supported in part by a grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. A new grant from the Ford Foundation will provide additional capacity in 2002.

About the Innovation Awards Program
NLC launches the Innovation Award competition annually to recognize cities and towns that are implementing creative initiatives which address important community issues and needs. The competition has a dual purpose: 1) to recognize exemplary local government programs that provide practical approaches to solving a municipal problem; and 2) to share those innovations with local leaders throughout the nation.

Former elected officials serve as judges for the program. In addition to targeting a specific category, applications will also have to address a series of questions and criteria. Judging criteria include collaboration in developing the program, success in implementing it, measurable benefits, and applicability to other communities.

Read more about the NLC Ending Racism Initiative and the 2001 Innovation Awards on the web at www.wichita.gov.