City of Philadelphia
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On a sweltering May 20th evening, as clouds gathered low and the air pressed down like a wet cloth, one hundred and twenty-four women and girls made their way to the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Center at 4200 Wissahickon Avenue in Philadelphia. They came through the rain and the heat, through the weight of their weeks, because something had been set out for them — a warm meal, a circle of voices, and the rare gift of being truly seen.
The occasion was the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) «It Takes a Village» Mother’s Day celebration, held on May 20 as part of the Engaging Women and Girls of Color (EWGOC) initiative. The energy inside the Kroc Center was immediate and unmistakable — the conversations were meaningful, the reflections heartfelt, and the space felt exactly as it was designed to feel: supportive, intentional, and dynamic.
Moderating the evening was Paola Maysonet — born in Puerto Rico and raised in the United States from age 2 — a community leader whose work and drive have built healthier communities across Philadelphia. The keynote was delivered by Dr. Deidre Anderson, resilient leadership strategist, motivational speaker, and Founder and Executive Director of Women Empowered International, whose words set the tone for everything that followed. The panel featured Orfelina Feliz Payne of Puentes de Salud; Dr. Esther Castillo, Founder and Principal Consultant of Bridging Worlds Consulting; Manisha Patel of the United Nations of Greater Philadelphia, and Jatolloa Davis of Jefferson Health. Resource tables from DBHIDS, the City of Philadelphia Office of Children and Family Services, the Achieving Reunification Center, Black Brain Campaign, NAMI, Black Women’s Health Alliance, and others provided attendees with information and referrals throughout the evening.