Urban Affairs Coalition honors U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans with lifetime achievement award

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The Urban Affairs Coalition gathered for its annual recognition breakfast early Friday morning, this year taking time to honor U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans for his lifetime of public service and his legacy of community engagement.

The event, marked by remarks from community leaders, elected officials and longtime neighborhood activists, celebrated Evans’s decades-long career — from his early years in the Pennsylvania legislature to his tenure in Congress.

“Dwight Evans is more than a congressman,” said Sharmain Matlock-Turner, CEO of the UAC. “He is a mentor, a coalition builder, and a visionary whose work shaped Philadelphia and whose influence reaches far beyond the city. It’s been a privilege to walk alongside him through so many chapters of this journey, and I know this entire coalition and region have been touched by his leadership.”

After a video tribute that included photos of a young Evans campaigning in Philadelphia and working in Harrisburg and Washington, Evans told the several hundred members in the grand ballroom of the Philadelphia Convention Center that they were responsible for his success.

“I thank all of you from the Coalition for the work that you have done because it would not be possible if you were not there,” he said. “As John Lewis used to always say so consistently, you must get into some good trouble. So I say to each and everyone, yes, we have some challenging times, but if we work together… we can just beat anything that is a challenge.”

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Evans is a product of Germantown High School and went on to attend the Community College of Philadelphia and La Salle University before becoming a teacher.  He began his public service career in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1981, representing the 203rd district. In Harrisburg, he made history as the first African American to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, a post he held for two decades. After 36 years in the state legislature, Evans ran against U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, defeating the incumbent in the 2016 Democratic primary, and has represented much of Philadelphia since.

In Washington, Evans has focused on health equity initiatives, gun violence prevention and programs aimed at strengthening urban communities. The UAC’s “Living Legacy” award, presented Friday, is itself named in recognition of Evans’ neighborhood-focused approach to policy.

The award comes as Evans enters the final stretch of his career. Last year, Evans, who is now 71 years old, suffered a stroke, which possibly portended his announcement that he would not run for reelection at the end of his term.  His retirement immediately set off one of the region’s most competitive political contests, with several well-known Philadelphia Democrats vying to succeed him in a district that overwhelmingly favors the party.

State Sen. Sharif Street, State Reps. Morgan Cephas and Chris Rabb, and physician and former federal health official Dr. Ala Stanford are among the candidates who have already launched campaigns. As the district spans large portions of West, South and Center City Philadelphia, where Democrats dominate voter registration, the May primary is expected to be the decisive contest.

Friday’s annual gathering also highlighted several other honorees recognized for their contributions to community development and civic leadership.

UAC presented its Founders’ Award to The Philadelphia Sisters — the organization co-founded by comedian Wanda Sykes, her wife Alex Sykes and attorney Ashley Lunkenheimer. The group played a key role in securing a WNBA expansion team for Philadelphia, set to debut in 2030, and in bringing the Unrivaled Women’s Basketball League to the city in 2026. Organizers praised the Sisters’ work to build a hub for women’s sports and community empowerment.

The Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation received the UAC “Doer” Award for its investments in housing and neighborhood revitalization. A full-service community development organization, PHDC partners across sectors to “repair homes, finance affordable housing, and improve quality of life.”

Brian Edmonds, principal at Greenwood Commercial Real Estate Group, received this year’s Living Legacy Award for his pioneering work in commercial real estate and his decades of civic involvement. Organizers noted his trailblazing role as one of the first African American national corporate real estate directors at a Fortune 500 company, his founding of the region’s first African American–owned commercial brokerage firm, and his leadership in establishing the Philadelphia chapter of the African American Real Estate Professionals.

The Community Leadership Award went to Leslie Benoliel, president and CEO of Entrepreneur Works Fund, a community development financial institution that has supported thousands of small businesses and delivered millions in microloans across the region.