Five people — including the mayor — and two organizations will be feted Thursday, March 24, with Spirit of Downtown awards.
Bestowed by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, the awards are “given to those who have significantly influenced and shaped the community,” according to a release. The presentation will be part of the Celebrate Downtown event from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln Park.
Mayor Robert Garcia gets an award for his leading role in many initiatives to improve downtown Long Beach and the broader community, particularly in regards to the rights of women, immigrants and the LBGTQ community.
Other honorees are Jamaica Aali for bringing Black Everywhere to Long Beach in 2017, Sheila Gibbons and Alan Giomi of Wilmore Baking Company for organizing and running a tuition-free baking school at Cesar Chavez Park, Robb Smith of Alley Cat Deliveries for helping businesses suffering from vandalism and supporting local causes, Downtown Runners for bringing community members together and supporting downtown businesses, and Pedal Movement for championing alternate transportation in downtown Long Beach.
Celebrate Downtown is a free event that will include food and entertainment in the recently reopened Lincoln Park. DLBA officials will also provide an update on downtown’s progress and plans for the future.
Information: dlba.org.