OUR 412

 "Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court is an attack on the civil and human rights of our entire country. Abortion is healthcare and denying the right to bodily autonomy of women, trans men, non-binary, and disabled people in America is stripping them of their fundamental right to privacy..." 

“First and most importantly, it is critical that everyone understands that abortion services are available and unharmed in Pennsylvania by today’s Supreme Court action. Providers may still provide reproductive health care services and patients should continue the health care plan they’ve developed with their physicians.

 The Hear Foundation, a new nonprofit dedicated exclusively to fostering collaboration between law enforcement, city officials, community groups, and residents in order to build a safe, thriving community for all, launched  in Pittsburgh and announced the recipients of its inaugural Summer of Healing community grants.           

City Theatre has paid tribute to the legacy of Kuntu Repertory Theatre founder and artistic director Dr. Vernell Audrey Watson Lillie by renaming its studio theater in her honor.

The former Lester Hamburg Studio, the 102-seat black box that is part of City’s South Side campus, is now the Lillie Theatre, a tribute to the award-winning Pittsburgh educator, artist, advocate and Black theater leader, who died on May 11, 2020. 

"Roe v Wade never guaranteed people meaningful access to abortion and to exercise their rights. For example, states have enacted laws such as waiting periods and regulations against abortion providers (also known as TRAP laws) that prevent access to timely and essential abortion care. Additionally, many people live in counties with no abortion provider. These barriers to access are exacerbated for people with lower income and in southern states where Black people are concentrated in..."

 Community collaborations in urban agriculture are receiving support through a partnership between the United States Botanic Garden (USBG) and the American Public Gardens Association (Association). Under the third year of the Urban Agriculture Resilience Program, 24 urban agriculture collaborations between public gardens and community partners across 19 states are receiving $440,800, the largest amount awarded through the program to date.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) is partnering with Verizon and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship to offer a free project-based STEM learning program. The Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program, designed for middle school students (grades 6–8), will take place this summer, June 27 through July 22, at CCAC’s Allegheny Campus. 

“We are privileged to once again offer this program to students in our community. This partnership with Verizon is an opportunity to empower young students with STEM and entrepreneurship skills to help build the foundation for future success,” said Dr. Vladimir St. Surin, CCAC Dean of Students for Student Engagement.

By the President of the United States:

Music has the power to lift our spirits, comfort our souls, and inspire our hearts.  It gives a voice to the human spirit, creating a common language that unites people and breaks down barriers.  Perhaps no music has had as profound and powerful an impact in shaping America's musical score as Black music. Intricately woven into the tapestry of our Nation, Black music enriches our lives and pushes the boundaries of creativity.  Throughout the decades and across the country, Black music has fueled a myriad of genres -- from rhythm and blues to jazz, gospel, country, rap and more. 

 The Frick Pittsburgh is pleased to present Romare Bearden: Artist as  Activist and Visionary, an exhibition of original artworks, limited edition prints, and archival materials through which innovative artist Romare Bearden (1911-1988) celebrated African American subjects, beginning Saturday, April 30 at The Frick Art Museum. Drawing on his own experiences, Bearden created narratives that reflect both the nostalgic rural North Carolina of his childhood and the vibrant urban life

of places like Pittsburgh and Harlem. 

Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh announces that Gina Winstead will be joining the organization on July 1 as Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA). As a member of Carnegie Museums’ executive leadership, Winstead will be a highly visible leader working with colleagues across the institution to embed equity into its operations, culture, and programming. 

 F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) and its banking subsidiary, First National Bank, announced the hiring of Cassandra Cooper as Manager of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). In this role, Cooper works closely with FNB's leadership team, Diversity Council and lines of business on the ongoing strategic development and execution of the Company's internal and customer- and community-facing D&I efforts. 

FAME (Fund for Advancement of Minorities Through Education) announced that The Neighborhood Academy joins FAME as their newest partner school. This partnership will help change the educational landscape for Pittsburgh's African American community.

According to Public Source, from 2017-18, statewide numbers show achievement gaps between white and black students across Pennsylvania of 34 percentage points for English, 36

percentage points for math, and 39 percentage points for science.

F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) announced it is making a $2.5 million equity commitment to Black Tech Nation Ventures (BTN.vc), a majority Black-owned venture capital fund based in Pittsburgh, PA. BTN.vc provides funding and resources for Black-led technology startups and firms with diverse founders and teams, with a goal of enabling wealth creation for underrepresented entrepreneurs in FNB’s seven-state footprint and across the United States.

City Theatre Company, the Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh Glass Center, and Pittsburgh Public Theater—have appointed Fatima Bunafoor to be their shared Talent & Equity Director, in an effort to address common staffing challenges and inclusive human resources objectives. The cohort of theatres seeks to advance better practices related to human and personnel management, including developing and sharing learning policies around hiring, retention, staff development, and organizational culture in an industry-setting partnership model.

 Because of a University-wide initiative, Oghifobibi is now an assistant professor of pediatrics, where he helps by not only caring for infants but by developing a program with the Allegheny County Health Department to combat a significant health disparity — the distressing rate of maternal and infant mortality in Pittsburgh’s Black and Brown communities.

Allegheny Health Network (AHN) announced it has received charitable sponsorships from PNC Bank to improve health equity in the greater Pittsburgh region. The funding will support AHN’s Healthy Food Center at West Penn Hospital, as well as the health system’s ‘First Steps and Beyond’ program to improve Black infant health outcomes.