Azucena Ugarte, Director of Domestic Violence Strategies, Office of Health and Human Services (October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Check out local events to raise awareness about domestic violence and available resources.) 

Azucena Ugarte is the Director of The Office of Domestic Violence Strategies for the City of Philadelphia. Azucena has over 14 years of experience working to implement educational programs, creating system changes, and advocating for policies that will improve survivors’ lives. She is recognized in the city as an expert in domestic violence.

Azucena is a passionate advocate for trauma-informed responses to survivors as they interact with Health and Human Services agencies (HHS). Azucena holds a Master of Arts in Anthropology and Education, a Master of Education in Human Sexuality, and is a PhD Candidate in Human Sexuality.

As the leader of the Office of Domestic Violence Strategies, Azucena works to support the City’s HHS agencies to strengthen their capacity to identify and appropriately respond to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). As the only City office dedicated to addressing IPV or domestic violence issues, The Office of Domestic Violence Strategies aims to develop policies and practices that safely support families affected by IPV, ensure access to inclusive services, and create an IPV-competent HHS workforce.

Azucena has been leading the Office of Domestic Violence Strategies since its inception in 2016. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Azucena is available for interviews on her work in this subject area. She looks forward to upcoming events this month that highlight the needs of survivors.

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• Philly Alumni, an initiative for the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia invites all proud graduates and supporters of Philadelphia public schools to its first Homecoming Celebration to be held November 7-9, 2019. The Homecoming aims to celebrate distinguished alumni including Jill Scott, Aaron Mckie and Ellen Lizzy Rosenberg to name a few, and to help raise money to support the next generation of Philadelphia public school students. The Homecoming celebration will feature three signature events that will bring together native and honorary Philadelphians for a weekend of nostalgia. Learn more.

• October 6-12 is Fire Prevention Week. Contact Kathy Matheson for information on Fire Department events.

• From October 7-11, Philadelphia celebrates Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, which highlights minority businesses and connects them to resources that can help their firms grow. Throughout the week, organizations from across the region will host more than 35 events, including educational workshops, interactive panel discussions, one-on-one coaching, and more. A full list of can be found at phila/gov/med-week. Contact Kevin Lessard for more information.

• Love Your Park Fall Service Day is November 9, and registration opens on October 9. Nearly 100 park friends groups participate each season, engaging 5,000 volunteers annually. Contact Alain Joinville for details.

• Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) has selected the forests surrounding the Horticulture Center as one of the jewels of the Philadelphia park system, as the focal point for a major restoration effort. In October, PPR will host several planting days with volunteers, PowerCorpsPHL, corporate sponsors and others. Contact Alain Joinville for more information.

• Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy have announced the schedule for the Fall 2019 season of the TreePhilly Community Yard Tree Giveaway Program. The giveaways will be hosted in partnership with 28 different community organizations around the city. This season, TreePhilly is partnering with an unprecedented number of community organizations to help make the trees more accessible in the areas that need them most. Contact Alain Joinville to learn more.

• ACCT Philly is hosting a special 13 Days of Halloween adoption promotion October 19-31. Residents who bring a toy or treat for the shelter’s cats and dogs get their adoption fee lowered to $13. Contact Blake Martin for additional details.

• It’s mosquito season! The Health Department is offering to take reporters in the field with Vector Control staff as they work to trap and larvacide. Staff will be able to provide tips on reducing mosquitoes in your own backyard, and why it’s important that you do. Experts on West Nile Virus can also be made available. Contact Jim Garrow for more information.

• Want to learn more about the City’s first-ever Urban Composting RFP? Contact Kelly Cofrancisco.

• The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE)’s Art in City Hall initiative is welcoming three new exhibitions to City Hall this October. Exhibit themes range from honoring the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth and exploring variations on the artist book, to celebrating hand-made art that evokes storytelling as part of CraftNOW Philadelphia. Contact Carrie Leibrand for details.

• There are three more chances to experience free, family-friendly cultural performances in Philadelphia’s public parks and plazas this October. Learn more about the finale events of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy’s Performances in Public Spaces series. 

• The celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Philadelphia’s Percent for Art Program continues through November. OACCE and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority host Percent for Art 60 events including a self-guided tour, public art trivia, a scavenger hunt, and an exhibit at the Center for Architecture + Design. For additional information about Percent for Art 60, contact Carrie Leibrand.

• Through its new Creative Avenues initiative, OACCE provides funding to community-based groups in support of creative activities, by Philadelphia-based artists that are community-driven, free, and open to the public. Contact Carrie Leibrand for additional information.

• OACCE is calling on artistic organizations, individuals, and site leaders to propose creative events, performances, and activities to take place in Philadelphia’s Community Schools, neighborhood libraries, Recreation Centers, and Older Adult Centers. OACCE is accepting proposals until January 3, 2020 for events that will take place now through February 2020 as part of their Culture in Neighborhoods initiative. Contact Carrie Leibrand to learn more.

• The City is currently conducting two public opinion surveys:

  • Police Commissioner Search: The first will help inform the Mayor’s search for a new Police Commissioner. The survey, which closes on October 9, will gather the public’s feedback on what issues they think are most important, on what characteristics the next Commissioner should have, and to provide any other feedback they think we should consider in our search. Contact Deana Gamble to learn more.

  • Resident Survey: The second survey is the Administration’s second comprehensive survey of residents, seeking their thoughts on the delivery of services, on the condition of facilities, and other priorities. This survey, which closes November 3, will help inform policy and service priorities in the coming year. Contact Mike Dunn for more information.

Need more story ideas? All City of Philadelphia news releases are archived on our website and check out our blogs. 

Philadelphia Beverage Tax Program Highlights

PHLpreK: The Mayor’s Office of Education will host the annual Early Childhood Education Career Resources and Education Fair on October 10 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. This event is an opportunity for residents to learn about degree programs, certifications, products/services, training opportunities, and funding to support professional development in early childhood education careers. Contact Sarah Peterson for more information.

Community Schools: Nine Community Schools are offering free adult education classes this fall, in partnership with the Office of Adult Education. Classes are available for English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education. Contact Sarah Peterson for more information.

Rebuild: Rebuild will host over 200 small, diverse business owners for a networking event to learn about getting contracts in Rebuild projects. Philadelphia-based woman and minority businesses specializing in community engagement, design, and construction will meet Rebuild and its non-profit partners on Monday, October 7 to learn about upcoming Rebuild projects and the contracting process. Contact Maita Soukup to learn more about Rebuild’s diversity and inclusion program.

Have suggestions for content you’d like to see in upcoming tip sheets? Contact deana.gamble@phila.gov with feedback!