Over one hundred guests began to arrive at 6 p.m. for the first Annual New York City "Voice" Awards benefit this past November 16. Clemente's Deli, from 138 Avenue T in Brooklyn, had traveled over the bridge to bring a splendidly prepared and generously donated buffet of quality and diversity to serve New York City Voices' readers, supporters, and friends.
Nicely orchestrated round tables covered with simple, pressed linen tablecloths and with rose and eucalyptus centerpieces in glass awaited the guests with ample chairs and room to quietly chat before the program started and sit and enjoy the awards presentation once it began at 6:45 p.m.
Dr. Rita Seiden, Executive Director of Park Slope Center for Mental Health, Inc., the non-profit agency of which New York City Voices is a consumer-run program, welcomed a room filled with the type of good company anyone would enjoy spending an evening with. Dr. Seiden introduced Broadway actor Christopher Wells, the Master of Ceremonies for the evening, and together they would carefully present 11 "Voice" Advocacy awards and 12 "Voice" Journalism awards.
The first "Voice" Journalism Award was presented to one of the two winners of the "Best Consumer Story" award in New York City Voices. The winner, Marvin Spieler, for a riveting account of his experience with the criminal justice system in "A Car Ride to Hell" (July/August 1999) delivered a powerful and compelling acceptance of this honor for his first person account. Spieler's passion set the tone for a series of acceptance speeches from consumers and family members, which left no one unmoved.
The winners of the New York City "Voice' Journalism Awards included Mike Milligan, "Best Consumer Story" for "My Path to Recovery" (March/April 1999); Pam Silvestri for "Best Family Member Story" for her two part mother's story: "Express to Paradise" (Aug/Sept. 1998) and "My Daughter's Suicide" (Sept/Oct. 1999); Jacob Frey for "Best Family Member Story" for "A Father's Story" (Jan/Feb. 1999); Joseph Glazer, Esq., President/CEO of the Mental Health Association in NYS (MHANYS) for "Best Professional Story" for his compelling account of one consumer's deadly experience with the criminal justice system in "Deadly Restraints" (July/Aug. 1999); and Caroline S. Clauss, Ph.D. of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA of NYC) for "Best News Story" for her extraordinary coverage of "NYC Adolescents Speak Out About Violence" (May/June 1999). The "Best Poetry" Voice Journalism Award was accepted by NYC Voices' Poetry Editor Cindy Sostchen for "Hush" and "The Bridge" (March/April 1999) which was posthumously awarded to poet Rosemarie Caldarelli, whose family will receive the award. Ms. Sostchen, who moments later was awarded the "Best Consumer Column" award for "Ward Stories," her poetry column, told the audience the "Best Poetry Award" would henceforth be named the "Rosemarie Caldarelli Memorial 'Voice' Award."
Pharmacist Steve Kaufman, RPH of Manhattan Plaza Pharmacy, 619 Ninth Avenue, was recognized for his popular "Ask the Pharmacist" column in the "Best Professional Column" category.
The two winners in the "Best Op-Ed" category expressed completely different views of the new Kendra's Law. Anand Pandya, M.D., of NAMI/NYC/Metro won for his favorable editorial in "Outpatient Civil Commitment" (Jan/Feb. 1999) and George Ebert, President of the Mental Health Patients Liberation Alliance, who wrote an opposing opinion, "Forced Psychiatric Treatment" (March/April 1999).
Gifted photographer Zev Greenfield was recognized for "Best Photography" for his outstanding photographs which accompanied an article by Wilfred Noel Raby reporting on the success of the "5th Annual Picnic for Parity" (May/June 1999).
Opening the presentation of the "Voice" Advocacy Awards, Dr. Seiden surprised everyone with the one unannounced award in this "Voice" award category: a "Corporate Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Janssen Pharmaceutica, a Johnson & Johnson company, "for all of their generous financial support of many and diverse advocacy programs in New York and around the country, including consumer-run projects like New York City Voices." Accepting for Janssen was Brian Goff, a marketing executive in the home office of the maker of Risperdal. Mr. Goff, clearly surprised to be at the podium, told everyone, "It is not often that people in my position can see the human faces and the lives of the people who actually benefit from the programs we support."
Dr. Seiden then presented the "Consumer Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Rick Sostchen, Advocate Supervisor for the Brooklyn Peer Advocacy Project, "on behalf of all the consumers this leader of advocates has helped." Dr. Seiden spoke of "how Rick came and spoke to my staff about ways his advocacy project could help our consumers, and they have been doing a wonderful and effective job ever since, helping them apply for benefits and doing thorough follow-up paperwork." Both Mr. Sostchen's mother and sister were there to see him honored.
Marvin Spieler, Director of the Speaker's Bureau for the MHA of NYC collected his second "Voice" award, being given a "Best Consumer Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award. Mr. Spieler's wife Rita joined him in his acceptance of this award and spoke of his hard work and dedication as an advocate.
Michael Silverberg, President of both NAMI/NYC/Metro, Inc., the largest NAMI affiliate in the country and NAMI/New York State, Inc. presented the "Family Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Martin Willick, M.D. for his outstanding advocacy work as a family member over the years and for his role in helping to organize the annual Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center's Schizophrenia Conference.
MHANYS President/CEO Joseph Glazer presented the "Professional Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Drs. Molly Finnerty and Wilfred Noel Raby for their founding roles in starting the National Picnic for Parity, Inc. Drs. Finnerty and Raby separately spoke of the importance of sustaining the momentum the national fight for parity movement has initiated.
Mr. Glazer also presented the "Public Service Achievement" Advocacy Award to New York State Assembly Health Committee Chair Richard N. Gottfried, who spoke of his strong support for mental health parity and his concern over consumer rights within managed care providers.
"Assemblymember Gottfried is being honored because of his extraordinary record of support for mental health issues and as an 'advocate/legislator,' a rare combination anywhere, and especially in Albany," noted Mr. Glazer.
New York City Voices' Managing Editor Dan Frey presented the "Media Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Sandra Mullin, Director of Public Education and Community Affairs, NYC Department of Mental Health, for her role in "genuinely involving consumers and family members in developing the Department's anti-stigma campaign." In a rare moment, NYC Health and Mental Health Commissioner Neal L. Cohen couldn't resist the opportunity to use a camera to photograph his Deputy being honored.
Sandra Mullin then honored producer Leora O'Carroll with a "Media Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award for a segment about mental health advocacy on WNBC"s "Four Stories" series (August 31, 1998). Jacob Frey, who received help for his son because of information presented by this program, accepted the award on behalf of the producer.
Broadway actor Christopher Wells presented the "Lifetime Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award to Andrea White, Associate Director of the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS), "for a lifetime of helping homeless mentally ill people find quality housing." Mr. Wells also noted Ms. White's accomplishments included helping with the renovations of the Times Square Hotel for the homeless and the mentally ill and the Aurora, a housing community for actors with HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Stephen Mark Goldfinger, Vice Chair of Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Brooklyn was honored with a "Lifetime Achievement" Voice Advocacy Award. Dr. Goldfinger's remarks in his acceptance speech gave perfect closure to the evening's honors. Dr. Goldfinger told the audience that his work reflects his two religious belief systems. From the Buddhist side of him, he knows he cannot feel his work is complete until all others can be helped. From his Jewish training, he recalled the Talmud's counsel, "You are not required to complete the task, but neither are you permitted to put it down." He asked all of us to continue this ongoing advocacy work, so that all may live fuller and richer lives.
The closure was perfect in one other way. Dr. Seiden pointed out how this was the only awards program she ever saw which ended on time; exactly at 8 p.m. and she thanked the many people who made the event possible. She asked everyone to come back next year. A new New York City tradition had indeed begun on the evening of November 16, 1999 at the historic New York Society for Ethical Culture. We hope you'll be there next year.
New York City Voices wishes to extend our sincere thanks to the following inidividuals, families, organizations, and businesses, for making our First Annual "Voice" Awards Benefit a major sucess.
Individuals and Families
Jane & Sanford Alexander
Al and Bodil Anaya
Anonymous
Bonnie Bean
Edmund Betesh
Isaac Brown
Patricia Cliff
Hon. Neal L. Cohen, M.D.
The Coleman Family
The Cutler Family
Joan Ehrlich
Joan and Neil Fabricant
The Frey Family
Jeffrey Gardere
John Gibbons
Joseph Glazer, Esq.
Carlotta Hartmann
Kate Kane
David Kellogg
Miriam Kravitz, Esq.
Pauline L. Kuyler, M.D.
David Lewis
Ellen Lukens, Ph.D.
John M. Oldman, M.D.
Paula Panzer, M.D.
Wilfrid N. Raby, M.D.
Luis A. Rivera
Evelyn Roberts
Phillip and Ruth Tepler Roth
Patricia Rudnick
Mr. & Mrs. R. Sheldon Scherer
Rita Sieden, C.S.W., Ph.D.
Michael Silverberg, Esq.
Cindy, Jean and Rick Sostchen
Kenneth Steele
Giselle Stolper
Janet Susin
Roberta Temes
Helle Thorning
The Wells Family
Organizations
Anonymous
Awakenings Groups
Allison Manufacturing Co.
Baltic Street Mental Health Board
Bowery Residents Committee
ClementeÕs Deli Ð Brooklyn, NY
CUCS/RPMS
The Department of Psychiatry SUNY/HSC at Brooklyn
FA Printing
INCube, Inc
The Instituto Latino
Janssen Pharmaceutica
Ketchum Public Relations
KPR Advertising
Manhattan Plaza Pharmacy
Mental Health Association of NYC
Mental Health Association in NYS
Metropolitan Center for MH
NAMI-NYC Metro
National Picnic for Parity, Inc
NY Society for Ethical Culture
The NYS Psychiatric Institute
Park Slope Center for MH & Staff
Rainbow Psychological Services
Spectrum Program
Way to Grow, Inc.
WNR Psychiatric Services
Zenith Goldfine Pharmaceuticals