CINCINNATI — Award-winning journalist Katie Couric will be in Cincinnati this June to help honor locals recognized for their public service. Couric will serve as the Celebrity Master of Ceremonies at the Upstander Awards held on June 11 at Union Terminal.
On Thursday,The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center (NDWHHC) announced the finalists for the 2023 Upstander Awards.
“The Upstander Awards recognize individuals in the region who use their character strengths to stand up for themselves and others, pursue justice in both big and small ways and inspire others to do the same,” the NDWHHC said in a statement.
Out of hundreds of nominees, 27 finalists were selected:
- Brittani Gray
- Cass Steiner
- Alethia Finley
- Chloe Keil
- Missy Spears
- Jordan Klette-Cusher
- Carlton Collins
- Kayelin Tiggs
- LeTecia Cunningham
- Michele Berry Godsey
- Whitney Blackston
- Joshua Kayes
- Imran Malik
- Krystal Smalley
- Joseph Waldon and Abigail Groszkiewic
- Scott Smith
- Polly Camrey
- Mason Bailey
- Tanya Keskar
- David "Tex" Cho
- Suzy DeYoung
- Dominque Olbert
- Evin Blomberg
- Oliver Kroner
- Sheryl Long
- Dr. Kate Carlier Currie
- Kristin Shrimplin
“This year’s applicant pool was incredibly large and very competitive, with hundreds of nominations that came in from across the community — each one more inspiring than the next,” said David Wise, interim chief executive officer of the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. “Our mission — using the lessons of the Holocaust to inspire a community of upstanders who exemplify the best of humanity today — this was the challenge that our founders laid out for us. We are here to carry on the legacy of these survivors. It is their spirit of hope, resilience, and their optimistic pursuit of a better world that inspires and animates our commitment today to the work of creating a community of upstanders.”
Three Community Award Winners will also be recognized at the Upstander Awards. Upstanders community awards will be presented to Kick Lee, founder of Cincinnati Music Accelerator and Amy Spiller, president of Duke Energy’s utility operations in Ohio and Kentucky. The Upstander Legacy award was be awarded posthumously to Jaipal Singh (1980-2022) who was an architect, Sikh community advocate and interfaith leader.
The Upstander Awards are part of the Cohen Family Upstander Weekend, which runs June 10-11. The variety of events including a 5K, Museum Family Day and a Volunteer Expo. More information can be found here.
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