Two City of San José staff members were recently recognized as “Government Champions Catalyzing Change” by local nonprofit Catalyze SV.

The Department of Transportation’s Laura Stuchinsky was recognized for her work creating the Transportation Equity Task Force, which engaged and fairly compensated, 10 community leaders of color to provide their insight on the City’s Emerging Mobility Action Plan. The Equity Task Force pushed the City’s thinking on how to center racial equity in that planning process. They also invited City staff into conversations with their communities.

Catalyze SV Executive Director, Alex Shoor, called Laura’s work “an amazing example of seeing the community as an asset to be appreciated, rather than a resource from which info is extracted.”

Lori Severino, with the City’s Office of Economic Development & Cultural Affairs, was given the award in recognition of her leadership on the Diridon Station Area Plan community engagement process. In Shoor’s introduction, he described Lori as “the best community engagement expert in the City of San José.” He noted that she had been able to access and engage with a unique set of community organizations and activists to provide input to and eventually support Google’s Downtown West project.

Catalyze SV works to engage community members, developers, and city leaders to envision and create sustainable, equitable, and vibrant places for people in Silicon Valley. Watch the full Catalyzing Change Awards presentation at https://www.facebook.com/CatalyzeSV/videos/436981641963362.

Learn more about the Emerging Mobility Action Plan at https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/transportation/projects-planning/emerging-mobility-action-plan

Learn more about the Diridon Station Area Plan at https://www.diridonsj.org/