Sharmin Allidina

In support of October’s Civility Month in Beverly Hills, the Beverly Hills City Council and the Human Relations Commission presented community volunteer, advocate and city staff member Sharmin Allidina with the eighth annual Embrace Civility Award on Oct. 29.

“The Human Relations Commission made an inspired choice,” Mayor John Mirisch said.  “Sharmin Allidina is a wonderful, very deserving honoree who has devoted her life to serving the community through volunteerism and advocacy.”

Allidina, who is originally from Pakistan, moved to Edmonton, Alberta, for six years prior to immigrating to the United States this past February.

Since moving to the U.S., Allidina has immersed herself in the community by volunteering weekly at her community center, the Islaili Muslim Community of Los Angeles, helping seniors and serving as the volunteer co-head of the religious education center.

Allidina, a purchasing specialist in the city’s Finance Department, also volunteers to provide administrative and research support to assist refugee students acclimating to the school system in the U.S. She gives her time to the Best Buddies organization and mentors young graduates by helping them develop and build their resumes to better market themselves for employment. Additionally, Sharmin volunteers as a Census Goodwill Ambassador.

“I feel lucky and blessed and I want to thank my nominator and friend, Mai Nguyen,” Allidina said.

Allidina credited her upbringing as a Shia Ismaili Muslim with making community service feel “organic.”

“Ismailis get involved with service at a very young age, whether they live in Asia, Africa, Europe or in North America,” Allidina said. “As a young child, I remember participating in the Girls Guides, serving as a youth volunteer, and later as a teacher and a member of the local council, working to improve the lives of people who were less fortunate.”

“Nothing I have done since moving to Los Angeles and working in Beverly Hills has been groundbreaking,” Allidina added. “In fact, I am humbled by the work that many people in this room do to change our society for the better. I have simply taken the small steps that my community espouses to improve the quality of life for those in need.”

The Embrace Civility Award, which recognizes people who create positive, lasting change in the community, started in 2010 when the Beverly Hills Human Relations Commission established the importance of embracing civility and integrated principles of civility, respect and responsible action into daily business at City Hall and municipal election proceedings. In 2017, the Commission established that October as Civility Month in the city.

For information, visit beverlyhills.org/hrc or contact Jim Latta, Human Services Division administrator, at (310)285-1006.