The Citizen Recommends: 2022 Solas Awards
The Citizen Recommends: 2022 Solas Awards
The Welcoming Center's annual fundraiser volition honor man of affairs Stephen Tang and other immigrants who are helping to build a ameliorate Philadelphia
May. 02, 2018
Every bit a working physical therapist from Republic of ireland inbound the Us in 1970, Anne O'Callaghan quickly learned it was going to take a lot more than years of difficult work and a legitimate Irish physical therapy license to bear witness her chops would translate simply also to the aching backs and muscle spasms of Americans.
In social club to build her career in Philadelphia, O'Callaghan needed to navigate three boosted years of schooling in the states then she could practice in Pennsylvania. On superlative of that, she juggled a new and strange culture, the politics of a country in the midst of an unpopular war and its implications, and every other roadblock on the path to integrating into American life. Throughout it all, O'Callaghan saw a need.
In 2003, with support from a network of young man immigrants, friends, supporters, and volunteers, O'Callaghan opened the doors to the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians. A centralized resource centre for immigrants to easily access data on things like how to take an ESL grade or acquire more almost opening a small business organization in their community. All without the overwhelming feeling of being misguided or utterly dislocated.
"The Welcoming Heart chop-chop evolved into being a place where immigrants were able to connect with the kinds of people who took the time to appreciate the value they represented," says Peter Gonzales, CEO and President of the Welcoming Center.
Xv years subsequently, the organization that started with but a scattering of volunteers now staffs more than than 30 people, hosts a coiffure of 60 plus volunteers, and has served more than xvi,000 people from over 150 countries.
On Th, visitors from the Welcoming Center, lath members, volunteers, and more will come up together to celebrate the accomplishments of the system and the individuals who are making positive impacts in their community. The 2022 Solas Awards—solas pregnant "light" in Gaelic—were created to spotlight immigrants across Pennsylvania who are positively impacting their communities and boosting the economy.
"Sometimes people retrieve of the American dream as only existence about money," says Gonzalez. "But we call back about the American dream as people having the opportunity to realize their potential, remembering where they came from, and wanting to requite back and pay it forward to others."
Gonzales, who started half-dozen years agone with the Welcoming Center, has watched the organisation move from a one-of-a-kind hub for immigrant resources to becoming a model for other cities, local regime, and the business community. "We're non this isolated system," says Gonzales. "The economic integration of immigrants has adult into a field all it's own and the Welcoming Center has been at the forefront of that."
In addition to hearing from speakers similar Mayor Kenney, the nighttime will highlight honorees who have displayed strong leadership as immigrants and entrepreneurs in Philadelphia and beyond Pennsylvania. Stephen South. Tang, currently president and CEO of OraSure, volition receive the Dennis Clark Solas Award for his previous work equally head of the University Metropolis Scientific discipline Center, where he played a key function in launching the Global Startup Accelerator, which helps local companies aggrandize internationally. The Welcoming Center has also entered a new three-year partnership with the Science Center to boost immigrants' voices in the startup globe to meliorate utilize their experiences in developing more than strategic business plans.
Dr. Maria A. Oquendo will exist receiving the Realizing the American Dream honor. "She chooses to devote her gifts to helping better the quality of life for immigrants and marginalized people," says Gonzales. Dr. Oquendo, an immigrant from Kingdom of spain, is the chair of Psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and neurobiology of Bipolar Disorder and Major Depression.
This, year the Solas will also accolade Wells Fargo Bank for the work of almost xx Wells Fargo employees, virtually all immigrants, who started volunteering one time a year to help immigrants at the Center develop resumes, build professional networks, and write cover letters; and Green and Spiegel LLP, which gave many hours of pro bono piece of work for the Welcoming Center to get designated by the U.Southward. Land Department as a J-i visa-sponsored agency to help develop the Middle's global entrepreneurship strategies.
The awards ceremony will help bring in crucial acquirement for the Center through sponsorship, ticket sales, and contributions—including an up to $l,000 friction match by two of the current Welcoming Center board members for the money raised in the room.
The room volition exist packed with a mixture of top leaders throughout the city, business organisation leaders, philanthropists, politicians, and the participants, volunteers, and members of the Welcoming Center who keep the organisation moving each day.
"Sometimes people think of the American dream as merely existence about money," says Gonzales. "Simply we think nigh the American dream equally people having the opportunity to realize their potential, remembering where they came from, and wanting to give back and pay it forrard to others."
Th, May 3, 5:xxx pm-eight:thirty pm, Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel, 201 Due north 17th St. Get your tickets here
Photo via the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians 
Source: https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/the-citizen-recommends-2018-solas-awards/
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