Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commissioner Jessica Caloza has been honored as “Civic Servant of the Year” and received the Lingkod Bayan Award from Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) during its 48 th Annual Benefit and Virtual Gala. This award is intended to recognize individuals who have demonstrated outstanding public service and community leadership. SIPA is a nonprofit organization in Historic Filipinotown providing programs and services to empower and uplift Filipino Americans. Commissioner Caloza was recognized with this award for her leadership on the Board of Public Works overseeing the City of Los Angeles’ most critical infrastructure projects and core services that improve the quality of life for its more than four million residents. She is a long-time supporter of community-based organizations like SIPA and its mission as exemplified through her own commitment to community building and advancing equity and inclusion for the Filipino American community and all underrepresented groups.
“I’m humbled to receive this prestigious award and join the ranks of past recipients, including Mayor Garcetti. I’d like to thank SIPA for this special recognition. Lastly, I would like to dedicate this award to our incredible team at Public Works who work hard every single day to take care of our residents and to our frontline workers, especially our Filipino healthcare professionals who risk their lives to take care of others during COVID-19,” said Commissioner Caloza.
Appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and confirmed by the City Council in March 2019, Commissioner Caloza is the first Filipina American to serve on the Board of Public Works. During her time at the Board, she has led efforts to provide more language access to our City services to better help our immigrant communities and ensured that local and small businesses have access to networking opportunities and resources to work with public agencies through the City’s flagship Accessing L.A. events. From organizing the City’s first Filipino American History Month Lighting Ceremony last year to the upcoming unveiling of the Historic Filipinotown Eastern Gateway with Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell and artist Eliseo Silva, Commissioner Caloza has shown her commitment to promoting culture in our public spaces and celebrating the contributions of our diverse communities in Los Angeles.
"All of us at SIPA are so grateful for Commissioner Caloza's leadership in our city, how she represents not only our Filipino American community and Historic Filipinotown, but all Angelenos across the region," said Jessica del Mundo, gala co-chairperson and officer of the SIPA Board of Directors. "Especially when there are so few Filipinos, let alone Filipinas, in government, she is a shining example of Pinay leadership, excellence, and commitment to public service. SIPA is proud to recognize Jessica Caloza as Civic Servant of the Year with the Lingkod Bayan Award."
Los Angeles County is home to over half a million Filipino Americans – the largest population of Filipinos in the world outside of the Philippines. Many Filipinos are making meaningful contributions to our communities as public servants with representation at the highest levels throughout the City of Los Angeles.
As the Filipino American History Month celebration continues this month, the Board of Public Works would like to recognize and thank the Filipino American employees who deliver high quality City services such as maintaining our streets and sewers, fixing potholes, removing graffiti, installing street lights, building bridges, and much more. Many of these employees have been serving as essential workers to keep core services running as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. The Filipino American employees in the Department of Public Works, and throughout the City, are making impactful contributions that benefit all Angelenos, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and inspiring future generations of public servants.
You can watch the gala award ceremony here: https://youtu.be/a_q7jorjPLY