It was an early evening occasion of glitz, a little glamour, and a great deal of honor and recognition on Sept. 15 at the Third Annual Passion Meets The Road event.
Erica Upshaw-Givner, visionary owner, operator and lead clinician at Vision Towards Peace Counseling Service, said that for far too long, individuals in the business of serving others, through social, emotional, and mental support services were never recognized for the many hours they invested into the spirits of others—yet they remained true to their work.
She said that honoring individuals in these fields seemed like an action whose time had come. As a result, she began hosting this event in the East End at the Union Project, and it quickly outgrew that venue. This year, as well as last year, it was moved to the Herberman Pavilion at Shadyside Hospital. “I was really thrilled after the first event to find that we had such a turn out, this was evidence that we were on the right track,” Upshaw-Givner said.
With upwards of 180 attendees, the event was emceed by Tene Croom. Opening remarks were brought by Darcel Madkins, co-founder of African American Leadership Association who spoke about the insidious nature of depression and how without proper self care, it can creep up on any of us.
About Post Author
