On Friday, September 27, MiSide hosted its annual fundraising dinner and auction at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. The event is called a Celebration of Impact when MiSide takes the opportunity to honor the work of its volunteers, donors, and supporters. The organization highlighted the impact of its efforts and recognized the individuals who were involved in making a difference in our communities. All proceeds from the fundraising event go to ensure that children, individuals, families, and communities have access to great healthcare, quality education, a comfortable home, and the money they need to build a life they desire.
The Clement Kern Award for Social Impact
Monsignor Clement Kern devoted his life to serving the city and its people, especially the poor and disenfranchised. He was known as “the conscience of Detroit” because of his passionate commitment to social justice.
Father Kern founded Southwest Solutions in 1970 as a small community mental health agency in southwest Detroit, an area recognized as the most diverse neighborhood in Michigan. The agency has developed into one of Detroit’s largest and most impactful social service organizations.
The Clement Kern Awards for Social Impact honor local and national leaders who embody Monsignor Clement Kern’s same dedication to help those in need, provide opportunities to succeed, and create a more equitable society. This year’s honorees are JoAnn Chavez and Osvaldo Rivera.
JoAnn Chávez
Chávez is senior vice president and chief legal officer for DTE Energy. In addition, she is an advocate for young people, most recently founding the Michigan Hispanic Collaborative, a Michigan nonprofit that focuses on economic equity and provides opportunities for first-generation Hispanic students to graduate from college. She is a past chairwoman of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directions, sits on the board of the DTE Energy Foundation, and was recently appointed by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the State of Michigan Women’s Commission.
In accepting the award, Chavez said, “One last thing. I think my father, mother and I were all baptized by Monsignor Kern… So it’s with incredible honor that I accept this distinguishing award. Thank you.”
Osvaldo Rivera
Osvaldo “Ozzie” Rivera, born in Puerto Rico and longtime resident of southwest Detroit, has over fifty years in community advocacy and human services. He has held key roles including Executive Director of Latino Family Services and Director of Multicultural Affairs at Madonna University. Rivera teaches at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, writes for EL CENTRAL Hispanic News, and serves on Detroit’s Historic Designation Advisory Board. An arts and cultural activist, he co-founded Casa de Unidad, hosted Caribe Serenade, and led the Afro Puerto Rican troupe RicanStruction and the band La Inspiracion.
In accepting his award, Rivera said, “I have all kinds of stories about Monsignor Kern, but the one thing we all have is that we loved him, and he set a high standard. I want to thank that tradition of social activism because I wouldn’t be who I am if it wasn’t for that.”
