On a sweltering Wednesday 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.
Attendees felt inspired. DBHIDS Organizer Ahmiya Jones captured the spirit of the night in her post-event message: «The energy in the room was incredible — the conversations were meaningful, the reflections were heartfelt, and the space truly felt supportive and intentional. You all helped create an environment where mothers and caregivers felt seen, valued, and uplifted.» The community echoed her. «Thank you for this wonderful event! My granddaughters and I enjoyed it,» wrote attendee Jaiona Whitaker. Ms. Patricia added: «I remember when EWGOC was a dream being discussed through DBHIDS… It’s so wonderful to see the strong, diverse following you’ve created.»
EWGOC is not simply a program. It is a deliberate focus on the women and girls most often left out of the conversation. A community-driven platform under DBHIDS, EWGOC uplifts the voices of Black, Latinos, Asian, immigrant, refugee, LGBTQIA+, and trans women and girls, empowering them to shape solutions around their own well-being. The program meets people where they are — then asks where they want to go.
The Kroc Center has become a second home for this work. Attendees received free dinner, wellness kits, and on-site resources — the keynote, panel, Q&A, and healing activity all centered on the right to set limits, exhale, and ask for help without apology.
EWGOC programming consistently addresses the pressures women and girls of color manage every day. The income gap, barriers to healthcare, educational access, and leadership. These are not abstract policy categories. They are the realities of daily life for thousands of Philadelphia women.
The storm arrived, the rain fell, and the women gathered. And that, too, is a kind of resistance.