Resilience Rising: Honoring the Warriors Who Grow Hope

202

The sweet fragrance of faith, fellowship, and purpose filled the air recently at Windows on the River

as our community came together to celebrate something far deeper than achievement — we

gathered to honor resilience.

Resilience is more than endurance. It’s the quiet strength that keeps us standing when the winds of

change blow hardest. It’s the courage to rebuild when systems fail us, and the faith to plant seeds of

hope even when the soil feels barren. This is the essence of the Resilience Rising Warriors Awards

— a celebration of those who transform challenges into change, pain into purpose, and obstacles

into opportunities for community renewal.

Each of this year’s honorees embodies that truth. They are the leaves that sustain our collective tree

— each one unique, vibrant, and essential to our ecosystem of hope.

Like a leaf, they teach us six lessons of leadership and life: Adaptability, Growth, Connection,

Resilience, Diversity, and Nurturing. Together, these traits form the living symbol of what it means

to rise — not just for oneself, but for others.

Take Drevian Arrington and Andre Willis, the visionary young founders of The Trash Boys, LLC.

What began as two brothers picking up litter in Garfield Heights grew into a citywide movement of

pride and purpose. Their adaptability turned action into enterprise, proving that the next

generation isn’t waiting for permission to lead — they are already doing it.

At Pathways Enrichment Center, Executive Director Brittany Hopkins carries the legacy of her

mother, Pastor Norva Ross, whose vision planted seeds of faith and service nearly three decades

ago. Through tutoring, food assistance, and community programs that touch thousands of lives,

Brittany nurtures growth — the kind that restores both body and spirit.

In Youngstown, the women of SOBE Concerned Citizens have become the city’s environmental

conscience. Led by Lynn Anderson, Susie Beiersdorfer, and along with Lead Community Organizer

Kayshia Washington, and others SOBE Concerned Citizens are the very embodiment of resilience —

standing firm against environmental injustice, transforming protest into progress, and ensuring

that the air our children breathe is clean and fair for all.

Meanwhile, in the heart of Brooklyn Centre, Ms. Ebonie Randle has transformed gardens into

sanctuaries through the Shalom and Tranquility Garden Network. Her work unifies families,

educates youth, and heals communities, connecting people to the earth and to one another — much

like the leaf connects sunlight to life.

And then there is Ms. Kim Woodford, Founder and Director of JOY – Journey On Yonder! — a

visionary reimagining what it means for Black and brown communities to reclaim their rightful

place in nature. Through JOY, she reminds us that the outdoors is not foreign to us; it is a part of us.

Her advocacy for health, wellness, and cultural restoration renews our collective roots in the soil of

belonging.

Together, these honorees reflect the true essence of the Resilience Rising Warriors Award, which,

as Executive Director Yvonka Hall explains, “honors those who rise to make a difference, rise to take

a stand, and rise to transform lives.”

The leaf-shaped award they received is more than a design — it’s a metaphor for their journey.

Leaves bend but rarely break. They change with the seasons, yet always return. They capture the

light, turning it into life. So too do our Resilience Rising Warriors — absorbing challenges,

converting them into purpose, and nurturing communities that thrive despite adversity.

In honoring them, we honor the power of resilience itself — the force that has sustained Black and

brown communities for generations, that continues to grow through every act of service, every seed

of justice, and every leaf that rises toward the sun.

Because in Northeast Ohio, we don’t just survive. We rise — together.