The anniversary dinner

Women Against Abuse celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special edition of its annual Dish It Up event.

By Denise Clay-Murray

Fifty years ago, when America was celebrating its Bicentennial here in Philadelphia, the domestic violence hotline that eventually became Women Against Abuse started helping those experiencing violence from a partner.

Joanna Otero-Cruz

Since then, Women Against Abuse has grown into an organization that provides trauma informed care, legal services, transitional housing and other assistance to those experiencing relationship violence as they figure out what to do next. The organization has also been working with the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department, among other entities, to make everyone more aware of relationship violence and what you can do to help.

On June 11, everyone is invited to enjoy a 70s vibe while dining on food served up by some of the city’s best chefs at Women Against Abuse’s annual Dish It Up event, which will be held from 6 p.m. -10 p.m. in the Wanamaker Building’s Crystal Tea Room, 100 E. Penn Square, 9th Floor. In addition to a competition featuring chefs from such restaurants as South Philly Barbecoa, Talula’s Garden and Ocean Prime, there will be a VIP reception at 5 p.m. and an afterparty at 9 p.m., complete with a disco ball.

The SUN spoke with Joanna Otero-Cruz, president and executive director of Women Against Abuse about Dish It Up, the 50th anniversary of the organization, and what the community can do to help those dealing with relationship violence.

SUN: Thank you for giving us some of your time today. Could you talk a little about Women Against Abuse and why events like Dish It Up are important?
O-C: Sure. Women Against Abuse serves more than 10,000 individuals every year, men, women and children. We operate the only emergency shelters in Philadelphia. So, in a city where we have 1.5 million people, the prevalence of domestic violence is high, but we only have two emergency shelters with 100 beds each. We also have the only legal center that’s specific to survivors of domestic violence in the City of Philadelphia, so we’re in both criminal and family court. With the need being so great, we really focus on protection from abuse orders, protection from sexual assault and really complex custody cases.
We also operate the only domestic violence hotline in the City of Philadelphia, and we do that in collaboration with our sister agencies, Lutheran Settlement House, Congresso Latinos Unidos, and Women in Transition. Between the four agencies, we’re able to operate a 24-hour, seven-day a week hotline.

Oftentimes, that’s the entry point to services. Because sometimes if you’re experiencing domestic violence, you may have questions. You don’t know where to turn. Our hotline is that safe haven where you can turn and ask. Or, if you know someone whose experiencing domestic violence and don’t know what you can do, you can also call the hotline. We also have educational programs in schools because we believe that in an effort to eradicate domestic violence, we need to educate individuals about the warning signs.

The funds raised with Dish It Up are extremely important because they go directly toward supporting Women Against Abuse’s lifesaving work that is so vital and important. There’s so much uncertainty with government funding and while we receive large amounts of government funding, it’s restrictive in many ways. So in order for us to be able to really continue to provide the support services we do, we’re constantly having to fundraise, and Dish It Up is our biggest fundraiser.

SUN: Is there anything new with Dish It Up this year? How many people are participating and what can people expect if they come out?
O-C: As always, we have the Philly’s Best Women Chef Competition. The chefs that participate do so because our mission is true to them, to their hearts in some way. They may have known someone who has experienced domestic violence or have experienced it themselves. So, this is their way of giving back. This year is a little extra special because we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary at Women Against Abuse. So, we’re turning back the clock to 1976 when it all began. We will have both savory and sweet dishes, so there is something for everyone. We have chefs that are vegan, chefs with gluten-free options, some have catering companies. There’s so many great restaurants being represented.

I think individuals that come out can look forward to a special time networking, meeting great people, experiencing different foods, having a great time, and dancing.

SUN: Who are this year’s judges?
O-C: So, we have a list of celebrity chefs. We have Kiki Aranita. She’s actually the founder of Poi Dog sauces and a James Beard award nominated food writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. We have Bridget Foy, the award-winning restaurant owner of Bridget Foy’s. She used to compete, but this year, she’s a judge. Christina Mitchell, a Philly-based food influencer and content creator whose co-founder of Philly Food Ladies, is another one of our amazing judges. Josh Moore of Josh Eats Philly, Philadelphia Magazine’s 2023 Philadelphia Influencer of the Year, will also be present and last, but not least, Kai Lani Palmisano, food editor of Philadelphia Magazine and the Emmy Award-winning host of WHYY’s “Check, Please! Philly” and PBS Food’s “Delishtory” will be a judge.

SUN: You mentioned that this is Women Against Abuse’s 50th anniversary. What does that mean to you?
O-C: I feel like there’s so much weight to that. Just to know that there has been five decades of heart and soul, advocacy and support for survivors over that trajectory.

Fifty years ago, certain laws didn’t exist regarding domestic violence. There was no legislation regarding violence against your spouse. Police would show up to someone’s home and because, technically, women were the property of their spouse, there was nothing they could do. So, in terms of Women Against Abuse and its founders, individuals that really worked so hard to have legislation both and the federal, state and local levels to really support survivors of domestic violence, to let survivors know you are not in this alone, and that there are services here as you’re starting to rebuild your life, I feel like I carry that sword still today.

As some of our liberties as women are under attack, I find myself both finding inspiration for those who came before me and paved the way from 50 years ago to the present. I want to ensure that we as an organization remain relevant, forward-thinking, and innovative as we continue to pave the path forward to those survivors who entrust their lives to us.

Everyone deserves to live their lives violence free.

SUN: Thank you so much for your time. And best of luck with Dish It Up.
O-C: Thank you.
Tickets for Women Against Abuse’s Dish It Up event are $150 for general admission and $75 for young professionals. To get your tickets, visit: https://bit.ly/DIU2026.

For more information about the organization, visit: www.womenagainstabuse.org.