Recipients of the annual awards were acknowledged at a city council special meeting
By OLIVIA HOKR — city@theaggie.org
Earlier this year on Tuesday, May 20, the Davis City Council held a special meeting before the regularly scheduled council meeting to present the Golden Heart Awards and the Thong Hy Huynh Memorial Awards. The awards are aimed at recognizing individuals throughout the community for their dedication to making Davis a better place.
The Golden Heart Award was established in memory of Andrew Mockus, who was killed in 1992 by a group of Davis teenagers. This award is split into two categories to recognize youth in the community: the Service Award and the Personal Challenge Award. The Service Award recognizes individuals who provide exemplary community service and act as role models for their peers. The Personal Challenge Award acknowledges those who have overcome obstacles in their life.
The 2025 Golden Heart Service Award recognizes Jonah Spang, a third-year at Davis High School (DHS). As a straight-A student involved in varsity sports, Spang has also gone above and beyond to serve the community and his school. Council Member Josh Chapman described the extent of Spang’s involvement throughout Yolo County.
“As a Yolo County Youth Commissioner, [Spang] has been instrumental in allocating $160,000 to local non-profits focused on enhancing youth literacy, career readiness, teen center support and expanding early education opportunities for young children,” Chapman said. “Beyond this leadership, Jonah actively volunteers at the Yolo Food Bank, dedicating over 50 hours to combating food insecurity, champions environmental stewardship through his internship with Tree Davis and co-founded California Habitat Restoration Club.”
The 2025 Golden Heart Personal Challenge Award recognizes Camila Pastor, a fourth-year at Da Vinci Charter Academy. Vice Mayor Donna Neville explained Pastor’s worthiness of recognition for the Personal Challenge Award.
“As a young child, Camila endured abuse by a man she should’ve been able to trust,” Neville said. “Deciding enough was enough, she bravely disclosed the abuse to her mother and law enforcement.”
Following an investigation, the man pleaded guilty to multiple felony counts. He was sentenced to 32 years and eight months in state prison. Meanwhile, Pastor’s resilience has allowed her to continue to thrive. She will graduate from high school with a number of college credits and currently works two jobs simultaneously.
“I feel incredibly grateful, and I hope that one day I can be an advocate for kids who had to go through the same thing as me,” Pastor said.
The Thong Hy Huynh Memorial Awards are presented in memory of DHS student Thong Hy Huynh, who was stabbed to death on May 4, 1983. These awards seek to raise awareness and acknowledge individuals who illustrate diversity, community, social justice and equal rights. This award also has two categories: one for recipients who are 18 and over and another for community groups supporting the Davis community.
In the 18 and over category, the Thong Hy Huynh Award recognizes community members Dillan Horton and Ann Block. Horton is recognized for his contributions to advocating for civil rights and inclusivity, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community in Davis. Serving on the Pride Committee and the police accountability commission, Horton’s dedication to social justice and support for marginalized groups has shown his commitment to the Davis community.
“When Thong Hy Huynh was killed, it was in the middle of a poisonous climate towards Asian Americans where people believed that Asian American immigrants were taking jobs and economic opportunities from their white peers,” Horton said. “It’s hard to miss the parallels between that toxic climate of the early ‘80s and the bigoted threats facing folks in our community today. We have a handful of hateful people working nonstop to make trans and gender non-conforming folks feel unwelcome in this community. Of course, we need to push back on this toxic rhetoric, but we also need to dig deeper and work to address the issues of housing discrimination and workplace discrimination that trans and gender nonconforming folks still face in our community today.”
Ann Block is an immigrant attorney who is being recognized for her commitment to advocating for the rights of immigrants in Davis and the surrounding areas. She spends her time actively educating and supporting the immigrant community through workshops and legal assistance.
In the final award presentation, the Davis Night Market and Delta of Venus cafe owner Lee Walthall were recognized for the community organization category. The Davis Night Market is being acknowledged for their ongoing efforts toward fighting hunger and food waste in Davis. By collaborating with local businesses, they are actively reducing greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste, while simultaneously assisting those in need.
Walthall was also nominated for his dedication to promoting inclusivity and social justice in Davis. At Delta of Venus, Walthall showcases multicultural music and art, focusing on creating a safe space for youth, Black, Indigenous and People of Color and LGBTQ+ community members.
Every recipient of the Golden Heart and Thong Hy Huynh Awards this year demonstrated an exceptional commitment to bettering the lives of all people in the Davis community as well as a dedication to future fights for social justice.
Written By: Olivia Hokr — city@theaggie.org
