The following awards are presented annually at Ethnic Heritage Council’s Annual Meeting Dinner & Awards Ceremony, which traditionally occurs in April or May.
The Spirit of Liberty Award is given to a naturalized citizen who has made a significant contribution to his or her ethnic community and ethnic heritage, as well as to the community at large. It was first presented in 1986 to a Greek American elder, Effie Wells, by renowned actress Carol Channing, who was performing in Seattle at the time and whom it was rumored had Greek heritage..
The Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial Award recognizes an individual(s) who has contributed significantly to a Northwest ethnic community and the community-at-large through efforts to preserve, document, or present that community’s culture as part of the ethnic experience in the Pacific Northwest.
The Gordon Ekvall Tracie Memorial Award recognizes an ethnic performing artist(s) for excellence in ethnic performance and for his or her significant contributions to the development and presentation of the traditional cultural arts in the Pacific Northwest.