Civic Nebraska on June 9 will honor five Nebraskans who create a more modern and robust democracy in the Cornhusker State.
The 2022 Strengthening Democracy Awards honorees include educators, advocates, students, and everyday Nebraskans who demonstrate exceptional civic leadership and who embody Civic Nebraska’s vision of a collaborative, innovative democratic society.
“A strong democracy does not build itself. It requires dedicated Americans putting community, learning, innovation, empowerment, and optimism together and making them work for the common good,” said Adam Morfeld, Civic Nebraska’s executive director. “Our 2022 honorees have lifted up these values every day, by word and deed, and we are proud to celebrate them.”
Civic Nebraska’s 2022 Strengthening Democracy honorees are:
Valeria Rodriguez
Community Builder
For increasing access to opportunities for all residents of the Panhandle.
In 2017, Valeria co-founded Empowering Families, which builds a stronger and more welcoming community through education, civic participation, and individual empowerment. She has helped organize DACA and naturalization clinics, registered residents to vote, worked to ensure a complete 2020 census count, and hosts a yearly Multicultural Youth Leadership Conference for 200 area students.
Erin Feichtinger
Civic Catalyst
For fighting for housing justice through education and advocacy.
Erin leads calls to action and guides Nebraskans in working together to tackle the state’s housing affordability challenges. In the most recent session of the Legislature, Erin was instrumental in organizing, educating, and activating hundreds of Nebraskans to fight for rental assistance and other issues of fundamental housing fairness at the state and local levels.
Ebony McKiver
Champion of Learning
For promoting quality civic education across the state.
As the State of Nebraska Department of Education’s social studies specialist, Ebony leads our state’s thoughtful work in grounding social studies education in facts and history. Ebony guides the state’s efforts to implement the Nebraska Legislature’s revisions to civics graduation requirements, and does so while centering those who have been historically marginalized in the discussion.
Brooklyn Terrill
Young Civic Leader
For conceiving, co-writing, and lobbying for meaningful legislation in 2022.
Brooklyn, a student at Nebraska U., was a key force behind LB519, an immunity policy for certain drug and alcohol charges that would be potentially prohibitive to a survivor or witness of sexual assault reporting the crime. The Legislature passed LB519 and Gov. Ricketts signed it into law this year. Brooklyn also volunteers at a local sexual assault crisis line and serves on the Government Liaison Committee for Nebraska U.’s student government.
