Making a Stand
June 10, 2023: Upstander 5K, 8:30 a.m.
Cincinnati’s community of upstanders take over historic Union Terminal for our Upstander 5K, Family Day & Upstander Volunteer Expo. Kick off your morning with the Upstander 5K, which takes runners and walkers on a scenic route around historic Union Terminal and throughout the West End and Over-the-Rhine. Participants will also enjoy live music, family activities, breakfast, and pick-up pickleball games outside of Union Terminal.
June 10, 2023: Museum Family Day & Upstander Volunteer Expo, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Explore upstander activities and experiences throughout the Children’s Museum, Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History and Science, and the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. Browse our Upstander Volunteer Expo, where dozens of non-profit and mission-driven organizations will be available in the Rotunda to share volunteer opportunities and information with museum goers throughout the day. When you register for any Cincinnati Upstander Weekend event, you receive free admission to all museums.
June 11, 2023: Upstander Awards Featuring Katie Couric, 6 p.m.
The Upstander Awards recognize individuals in the region who use their character strengths to make a difference in the community. Enjoy a gala-style event in historic Union Terminal’s breath-taking rotunda with live music, art experiences, and a moving awards ceremony celebrating Cincinnati’s best and brightest upstanders. Award-winning journalist Katie Couric, founder of Katie Couric Media, will serve as this year’s celebrity master of ceremonies.
Tickets for all events are available at www.upstanderweekend.org.
“‘Upstanders’ were those who stood up to save Jewish lives during the Holocaust,” says Kara Driscoll, director of marketing and events at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center. “Today we use the term to describe someone who uses their character strengths to a make a difference in the world.”
The Holocaust & Humanity Center is partnering with Cincinnati Museum Center to host the inaugural Cohen Family Cincinnati Upstander Weekend, an inspiring two days of events featuring family activities along with an awards ceremony headlined by Katie Couric at historic Union Terminal.
“We did a trial run last with the 5K,” says Driscoll, “and we felt it was a great way to engage the community.”
This year a number of activities are planned, along with the 5K. Saturday’s programs include music, activations from FC Cincinnati, pickleball, and a volunteer expo. Driscoll expects 40 different non-profits, all sharing information about how to get more involved in the community.
Admission to the Holocaust & Humanity Center will be free on Saturday, so people can learn more about the museum, which moved to Union Terminal in 2019.
“It’s the only Holocaust museum in the country that has a direct connection to history,” Driscoll says, as Holocaust survivors traveled through the train station as they made new lives in Cincinnati and beyond.
2023 Upstander Finalists
Out of hundreds of nominees, the finalists were selected for their outstanding contributions to the community.
Mason Bailey
Whitney Blackston
Evin Blomberg
Polly Camrey
Dr. Kate Carlier Currie
David “Tex” Cho
Carlton Collins
LeTecia Cunningham
Suzy DeYoung
Michele Berry Godsey
Brittani Gray
Alethia Finley
Joshua Kayes
Chloe Keil
Tanya Keskar
Jordan Klette-Cusher
Oliver Kroner
Sheryl Long
Imran Malik
Dominque Olbert
Kristin Shrimplin
Krystal Smalley
Scott Smith
Missy Spears
Cass Steiner
Kayelin Tiggs
Joseph Waldon and Abigail Groszkiewic
Learn more about the finalists.
Nominations for the 2024 Upstander Awards open Sunday, June 11.
The weekend concludes with the The Upstander Awards, which recognize individuals in the region who have worked to make a difference in the community. This gala event will celebrate Cincinnati’s upstanders, with an evening that includes powerful stories from Holocaust survivors.
“We want to inspire Cincinnatians with stories of everyday people in their community doing incredible work,” says Driscoll.
Community leaders Kick Lee, Amy Spiller, and Jaipal Singh will receive the 2023 Upstander Leader Awards. These individuals have used their leadership and character strengths to lift up Cincinnati through their work.
“At Cincinnati Museum Center, we know how important the role education has in creating more empathetic, compassionate, and confident people, poised to lead and stand up for their community. We’re proud to partner with the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center on Cincinnati Upstander Weekend as we inspire all Cincinnatians to learn about how they can stand up and make a difference in the world today,” said Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. “Whether you run the Upstander 5K or explore upstanders throughout our world-class museums across Union Terminal, we hope you’ll join us in creating a community of upstanders.”