Charlotte Area Residents Honored with Attorney General Josh Stein’s Dogwood Award

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Contact: Laura Brewer (919) 716-6484

NOTE: Pictures available here.

(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today announced that Mayor Vi Lyles, Wendy Mateo-Pascual, and Isaac Sturgill were awarded the Attorney General’s Dogwood Award. These awards are given annually to honor North Carolinians who are dedicated to keeping people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.

Mayor Vi Lyles

“Mayor Vi Lyles is on the front lines of fighting for a number of issues that impact North Carolinians,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “I am grateful for all of those efforts, but I want to highlight her advocacy for our climate. Like Vi, I strongly believe we need to take immediate, strong, and decisive action to protect our environment.”

Mayor Vi Lyles testified in front of the U.S. Congress late last year about Charlotte’s sustainability efforts.

Wendy Mateo-Pascual

“Wendy Mateo-Pascual is a strong advocate for the Latinx community in Charlotte,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “From health care, including mental health care services, to voter enfranchisement, Wendy is an energetic and prolific volunteer. She exemplifies exactly what I want to highlight with the Dogwood Awards: dedication to making North Carolina communities stronger.”

Wendy Mateo-Pascual is the co-founder of the Latino Clergy Faith and Health Coalition, co-founder and member of the board of advisors of El Puente Hispano, leader of Latino Tu Voto Cuenta, and member of Green Light Fund Charlotte, among other organizations.

Isaac Sturgill

“As thousands of North Carolinians have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, my office has worked closely with Isaac and his colleagues at Legal Aid to protect people from eviction,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Throughout this pandemic, keeping people in their homes has been one of my top priorities. I appreciate working alongside Isaac and Legal Aid.”

Isaac Sturgill works at Legal Aid of North Carolina in Charlotte and focuses on housing law.

A full list of 2020 Dogwood Award Recipients is below:

• Randy Abbott, volunteer coordinator, SAFE Project, Greensboro
• Sheriff Charles Blackwood, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough
• Dr. Carly Brown, Masks of Love, Asheville
• District Attorney Ben David, New Hanover & Pender County District Attorney’s Office, Wilmington
• District Attorney Satana Deberry, Durham County District Attorney’s Office, Durham
• Christian Dueñas, DACA recipient and advocate, Durham
• Bishop Todd Fulton, Mt. Moriah Outreach Center, Kernersville
• Peter Gilbert, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Durham
• Peter Gwaltney, North Carolina Bankers Association, Wake Forest
• Hayley Harris and Lara Purnell, Layers of Dignity, Raleigh
• Chief Mark Holtzman, Greenville Police Department, Greenville
• Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte
• Beth Messersmith, MomsRising, Durham
• Mike Reardon, Carolina Climbers Association, Asheville
• Sec. Michael Regan, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Raleigh
• Sheriff Danny Rogers, Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, Greensboro
• Rep. Carson Smith, District 16, Hampstead
• Jessie Smith, UNC School of Government, Chapel Hill
• Principal Chief Richard Sneed, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Cherokee
• Sheriff Keith Stone, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Nashville
• Isaac Sturgill, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Charlotte
• Frank Timberlake, Rich Square Market, Rich Square
• Dr. Ogugua Ndili Obi, Vidant Health, Greenville
• Wendy Mateo-Pascual, Latinx community advocate, Concord
• Dr. Anuradha Rao-Patel, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Durham
• Amy Upham, Buncombe County Opioid Response Coordinator, Asheville

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