Philadelphians are the best citizens.

You don’t have to take our word for it. You can see it everywhere — in every neighborhood, every occupation, every group of young people and old people, in new and seasoned residents, in those who keep our city functioning and those who call on it to do better.

For the first time, The Philadelphia Citizen is celebrating the all-star citizens among us with our inaugural Citizen of the Year Awards.

The celebration will take place on
September 19, 2023
At Fitler Club Ballroom

At the breakfast gala, we will honor the winners of our first Citizen of the Year Awards, and hear from MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi along with other national thought leaders about the importance and power of local citizenship. 

Our goal at The Citizen is to inspire citizenship, elevate those who embody the Citizen’s mission of solutions-focused action, and activate Philadelphians to make change. Citizen of the Year is about more than celebrating do-gooders – it is about building a network of changemakers within Philadelphia, honoring the hard work of good citizenship and positioning them as role models for the next generation. Over time, we hope to see these awards empower more citizens to be active in making Philadelphia the best place to live for everyone in it.

THIS YEAR’S CATEGORIES ARE:

Know someone who should be considered for this year’s awards? Submit your nomination here by Friday, June 9 below. Here’s who we’re looking for:

• Educator: A teacher or school administrator goes above and beyond their job description to uplift and empower students in their community.
• Block Captain: A block captain whose work with and for neighbors is helping to create a safe, clean, healthy, civic-minded community.
• Young Leader: A Philadelphian age 18 or younger who is committed to making positive change in Philadelphia, and is setting an incredible example of citizenship for Philadelphians of all ages.
• Business Citizen: A leader whose business practices shows a commitment to social responsibility for our city and region.
• Change Agent: A Philadelphian who is challenging the status quo and coming up with meaningful solutions to civic issues in innovative and impactful ways.
• The Philadelphia Citizen of the Year: An all-around inspiring civic humanitarian, a role model whose dedication to others and our city reminds us that every person can make a difference.

  
  

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SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR 2023

In addition to these five categories, a special acknowledgement will be given to the five public workers who have been named Philadelphia’s 2023 Integrity Icons, a phenomenal cohort of city workers who go above and beyond their job description to serve Philadelphia; this award is presented in partnership with Accountability Lab.

We will also present the A. Leon Higginbotham Social Justice Award to an individual or organization working on the front lines of the social justice movement and carrying on Judge Higginbotham’s vision of freedom and equality for all, presented in partnership with Penn Carey Law School and Mural Arts Philadelphia.

BECOME A SPONSOR

The Philadelphia Citizen is the only nonprofit, non-partisan media organization that combines solutions-oriented journalism with specific calls for civic action and thoughtful programming aimed at moving the Philadelphia region forward. The Citizen of the Year Awards will bring together the best civic activators and national thought leaders.
Sponsorship opportunities include:

Sponsoring this event is a meaningful commitment to active citizenship in Philadelphia. We welcome you to join this new convening of civic patriots. To inquire about becoming a sponsor for the Citizen of the Year program, please contact Kristin Long, Director of Sales & Philanthropy here.