Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County has recently been honored with the inaugural Graham Award at the National Conference on Citizenship's (NCoC) 2024 gathering, a tribute that recognizes individuals committed to strengthening America's civic fabric. The award, formerly known as the Franklin Award and renamed to commemorate the service of Senator Bob Graham, was presented to Mayor Levine Cava for her efforts in enhancing citizenship in the nation, with a special nod to her work in Florida. According to Miami-Dade County's press release, the ceremony took place during the NCoC's Annual Conference titled "Renewing Civic Health," held on December 10 at the Planet Word Museum in Washington, D.C.
Thrust into the limelight for her public service and advocacy for over four decades Levine Cava has been steering Miami-Dade towards greater resilience and prosperity with a focus that encompasses issues ranging from gun violence, economic readiness, and the housing crisis to environmental preservation, she was elected Miami-Dade's first woman mayor in 2020. Her renowned Thrive305 initiative stood out to NCoC, garnering praise for its civic engagement model; Michael Weiser, NCoC Board Chair Emeritus, underscored its significance during the award presentation by stating, “Mayor Levine Cava’s Thrive305 initiative demonstrates the power of putting citizens at the heart of decision-making,” while highlighting her work as reflective of Senator Graham's enduring legacy, according to Miami-Dade County.
With acknowledged gratitude, Levine Cava accepted the award, viewing it as a life's honor and reflecting on the collective journey to improve life in Miami-Dade, “It is an honor of a lifetime to be the inaugural recipient of this wonderful award in Bob Graham's name, whose dedication to public service inspired so many,” Mayor Levine Cava expressed, citing information from the aforementioned Miami-Dade County press release.
Past recipients of the award, a roster of distinguished individuals that includes the likes of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Justices including Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, Sandra Day O’Connor and Stephen Breyer, and Senators such as Robert Byrd and Lamar Alexander, underscore the esteemed company into which Mayor Levine Cava now enters NCoC, a congressionally chartered organization is depicted as dedicated to fostering a robust civic life across the nation it operates out of Washington, D.C. and engages in initiatives aimed at civic health and cross-sectoral conferences that aim to inspire every person to contribute to community and national prosperity.
