2021 Celebration for Resilience
"When we work together to build strong, interconnected communities, when we weave ourselves into our own sort of net ... we become more resilient."
- Jessica Bruder, Journalist and Author of Nomadland
Reflecting on actions that inspire us to transform through challenging times
This year it felt more appropriate than ever to gather and reflect on the challenges we faced over the past two years, and to celebrate the moments when we showcased a collective ability to adapt and persevere. Against the magnificent backdrop of the Heard Museum, leaders from across our community and university gathered to honor the work of the last year to build back better.
The 2021 Celebration for Resilience featured our annual Resilience Prize ceremony and poster presentations by this year's Resilience Fellows. Attendees also enjoyed the premiere of a short documentary film by the Rocky Mountain Emmy-winning Fervor Creative, exploring KER’s collaboration with local partners to enhance heat resilience for mobile home residents.
Award-winning author and journalist Jessica Bruder gave a special address, and every attendee received a complementary copy of her book Nomadland. The book, which is the basis of the Oscar-winning film of the same name, documents the lives of itinerant Americans living with housing insecurity who travel from job to job out of economic necessity.
2021 Resilience Prize awarded to MCPHD Office of Epidemiology and Data Services
We were honored to award the 2021 Resilience Prize to the Maricopa County Public Health Department Office of Epidemiology and Data Services for their longstanding commitment to building community resilience through data and partnerships. By spending years collecting data and building local partnerships, this team has helped protect residents from the effects of extreme heat, building our community's resilience in the face of climbing temperatures.
Our annual Resilience Prize celebrates outstanding efforts in Maricopa County that help our community’s ability to deal with economic stress, social disruption, and unprecedented environmental threats.