2025 Advocacy Award

Kimberly Carothers
Local Advocacy Award 2025

Kimberly Carothers has been awarded the Vernacular Architecture Forum’s Local Advocacy Award for her leadership, advocacy, and preservation work at the Vintage Purse Museum in Manteo, Illinois. Carothers has been an exceptional advocate not only for the built environment in Manteo but also for adults with special needs in her local community by providing employment opportunities and promoting inclusivity. Under her direction, the Vintage Purse Museum helps adults with special needs acquire skills, build confidence, and integrate into the workforce that shares a collection of vintage fashion items at the museum.

The Advocacy Award Committee appreciated how Carothers’ accomplishments included both the successful acquisition and restoration of a historically significant building that houses the museum as well as mission to break down employment barriers and empower individuals with disabilities. This project has contributed to preserving local history while also creating an important platform for local community engagement. Congratulations to Kimberly Carothers for her exceptional work in advocacy and preservation!