PEP’s Olga Rosado Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
On Sept. 16, PEP Connections care coordinator Olga Rosado was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Hispanic Heritage Month ceremony at Cleveland City Hall. Ms. Rosado, who is bilingual, joined PEP in December of 2021. Prior to that, she spent 30 years in public service roles within the Cleveland Latino community working with unserved, underserved, marginalized, oppressed, and discriminated-against populations.
Ms. Rosado’s family didn’t want her to be nervous about speaking in public, so they did not tell her she would be receiving the award. When she arrived at the event, an organizer came up to her and asked her to open the program so she would see her name.
“I was very surprised. I started to shake when I saw my name!” she said.
Despite the surprise, she managed to calm her nerves enough to make a short speech when she accepted the award. When she went up to the podium, she shared these sentiments.
I am grateful to God and my family, and to whomever made the nomination. This is not the kind of work you do alone. I’m thankful for the community, my family, and for the individuals who gave me the privilege of serving them. I see this award as a responsibility to keep doing this work and serving these individuals. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly – and it’s an honor I accept with a humble heart. I want everyone to remember this as a reminder that there is still work to be done. We are grappling with the after-effects of the pandemic, economic hardship, and social injustice and there is still a lot to do.
In addition to her comments, Ms. Rosado’s biography was featured on a full page of the program.
Olga Rosado’s Feature
Olga Rosado is a Bilingual Professional, who is native from Puerto Rico and has been living and working in Cleveland for the past 30 years. She is a graduate from the University of Phoenix, Cleveland Campus with a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Management & Administration. Olga is currently working with the Positive Education Program, as a Case Manager. For years, her professional experience relates to public service within the Cleveland Latino community.
Throughout her professional career, Olga has led a team of professionals, under the umbrella of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, to implement the first Cultural & Bilingual Prevention/Education Program about sexual and domestic violence prevention in the Cleveland Latino community. Olga had the opportunity to present this initiative at a national level, during “Nuestras Voces 2019, National Conference.” Those initiatives are now emulated by other organizations across the nation.
Olga’s experience working with unserved, underserved, marginalized, oppressed, and discriminated populations brought her to connect with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, homeless individuals/families, and the migrant community. She has been assisting individuals and families to find emergency shelter, employment, housing, medical care, legal services, and other community services to fellow Puerto Ricans who are new to the city of Cleveland and other brothers and sisters, from all over Latin America, as well.
Olga has served as Spanish Interpreter in the capacity of a volunteer with Catholic Charities and the Federal Court for Immigration Services, with Unaccompanied Children who crossed the border between Mexico and the United States. Olga has provided interpretation services to refugees and asylums seekers coming from various Latin-American Countries who are new to the city and seeking a better future free of violence. Olga also volunteered, as a tutor with the first Bilingual GED Program focused on the Latino Community under the umbrella of SEEDS OF LITERACY. During her spear time, Olga enjoys being part of arts and cultural events, she loves percussion, just for fun and multiple ways of arts expression.
Congratulations!
Congratulations to you, Ms. Rosado! Your PEP family is very proud of you and grateful for the work you do.