ASD – A Home for Life President and CEO Traswell C. Livingston III has been selected to receive the 2026 Juanita Craft Humanitarian Award in the Visionary Category.
Livingston will be honored during the 2026 Juanita Craft Humanitarian Awards ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. at the State Fair of Texas Briscoe Carpenter Center in Dallas.
To be recognized in the name of Juanita J. Craft, one of Dallas’ most influential civil rights leaders — a tireless advocate who challenged segregation, organized communities, invested in young people and worked to expand opportunity for generations of Dallas residents. She was also one of the first Dallas City Council members to champion the LGBTQ+ community.
For ASD, there is also a personal connection to her legacy. Don Maison, Livingston’s friend and predecessor who led ASD for more than three decades, often shared memories of having dinner with Mrs. Craft in her South Dallas home. Those stories are a reminder that the history we honor today is not distant — it lives through relationships, communities, and people who continue the work.
South Dallas holds an extraordinary place in the history and culture of our city. It is rich in heritage, creativity, resilience, and community, while also reflecting some of Dallas’ most persistent disparities in health, housing stability, income, and access to opportunity. Livingston has called South Dallas home for nearly three decades, making this recognition especially meaningful.
“Many of the people ASD serves have experienced these same disparities—homelessness, housing instability, health inequities, and limited access to resources. Our work is grounded in a simple belief: Housing is Healthcare,” he explained. “A safe, stable home can create the foundation for improved health, greater stability, and greater opportunity.”
Under Livingston’s leadership, ASD continues to expand that work across Dallas — creating and preserving affordable and supportive housing, strengthening connections to healthcare and supportive services, and helping people build greater stability in their lives.
In a press release, ASD said, “We are proud to see Traswell recognized with an award that honors the enduring name and legacy of Juanita Craft. We are equally proud to continue advancing a vision for a Dallas where you live — or where you come from, does not determine your health, stability, or opportunity.”
— David Taffet