community engagement

Superintendent Wayne N. Walters seeks public input on Design Principles for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Design Principles are value statements that can help the community frame what matters and inform the tough decisions the District must make to strategically allocate its resources to ensure equity, excellence, and efficiency. Following a review of draft design principles with the Board at its March 7 Education Committee Meeting, the Superintendent now seeks input from the entire Pittsburgh Public Schools community via the Design Principles Survey and nine audience-specific virtual and in-person focus groups. (www.pghschools.org/designprinciples) 

“It is time that the Pittsburgh community get on the same page about what we believe the Pittsburgh Public Schools should prioritize in our service delivery to students and families,” said Superintendent Wayne N. Walters. “One of my five priority goals calls for the strategic allocation of resources to ensure equity, excellence, and efficiency. By agreeing on what we want for our students and schools, we can set a foundation for the open and transparent dialogue we must have with all stakeholders about the difficult decisions ahead.”  

In collaboration with the Board of Directors, Dr. Walters identified five priority goals to inform a strategic planning process that will ultimately result in a five-year strategic plan.

Goal 1: Invest in culturally responsive, evidence-based training, tools, and instructional practices. 

Goal 2: Construct safety, health, and wellness protocols.

Goal 3: Expand stakeholder communication and partnerships.

Goal 4: Design effective organizational systems; and

Goal 5:Strategically allocate resources to ensure equity, excellence, and efficiency. 

Finding Agreement Through the Use of Design Principles 

Design Principles can serve as a powerful tool to help the District reach Priority Goal 5. The Superintendent’s leadership team drafted Design Principles in four areas to frame potential decisions based on best practices for input from all stakeholders. 

· Academics

· Programs and Services

· People and Staff, and 

· Structural and Financial 

Dr. Walters shares more about design principles in his latest edition of Why Behind the What. The video, draft design principles, informational resources related to the five priority goals, the Design Principles Survey, and a schedule of focus groups can be found on the District’s website at pghschools.org/designprinciples. The survey closes Thursday, May 25.

Darrell Williams has worked in the construction industry for more than three decades. And in that time, he’s seen many companies start up and fail.

“I see why they came and went — without the knowledge of how to run a construction company properly, and not reaching out and not having a mentor, I can see why a lot of them fail,” said Williams, owner of Wilco Construction.

Despite his experience, Williams said the mentorship he received through Pitt’s Mentor-Protege Program was critical in making sure his company didn’t join that list of failed business.

“I was kind of self-taught in this business coming through,” Williams said. “And I developed a lot of bad habits. Through this mentorship program, I've gotten rid of a lot.”

Part of the Facilities Management Diversity Initiatives in the Office of Facilities Management, the Mentor-Protege Program brings together large construction companies to collaborate with smaller, minority-owned construction companies.

In the fiscal year 2022, the University spent a record $13.2 million on minority-owned construction firms.

The partnership entails the larger companies providing training and business assistance to the smaller firms, encouraging the smaller firms to grow.

The program launched in December 2020 when the Office of Facilities Management called for proposals from 40 companies in the region. Since then, 10 mentor-protege teams have formed, adding more competitive minority-owned firms to the region’s construction marketplace, said Scott Bernotas, vice chancellor of facilities management.

One of the office’s main goals was to create a program focused on growing the smaller businesses, making them more competitive and resilient in the region’s construction firm marketplace, Bernotas said.

As part of the program, the mentor companies must describe the training they will provide, meet with Bernotas and other representatives from the Office of Facilities Management quarterly and provide annual reports. The office then makes sure the companies have the opportunity to make a strong, competitive bid on Pitt construction projects.

Bernotas said thanks to the program, in the fiscal year 2022, the University spent a record $13.2 million on minority-owned construction firms. And during the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023, “we’re almost at that number already,” he said.

Ron Cortes, vice president of building operations for Mascaro Construction Company, and his staff are mentoring Williams and Aaron Reed, president of Reed Building Supply. Through the partnership, they developed a series of training sessions covering topics such as how Mascaro operates, how to find construction projects and how to manage staff health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through this partnership, the companies have worked together on 10 projects, one of the first being the construction of a new restaurant, Cafe on the Corner. Williams and Reed’s companies managed the project while Mascaro oversaw and provided extra ideas and support.

In the two years since joining the program, both protege companies have doubled their revenue and been able to hire more staff.

And those are just a few of the benefits from the Mentor-Protege Program, they said.

Williams said the mentorship can help smaller companies endure the hardships that come with the construction industry.

“Just by talking and calling and talking to the estimators at Mascaro, it helps you push along and get through those tough times when you don't know how to bid or you don't know how to manage a project wisely or, do your accounting, your books,” he said, adding that his company would not be where it is today without mentorship from Mascaro Construction company.

“It's been everything to us,” Reed said. “I couldn't ask for anything more from this program.”

Mentors also benefit from these partnerships, Cortes said. The mentors and proteges build strong relationships that help them expand their networks and, ultimately, find more construction opportunities.

Richard Taylor, CEO of ImbuTec, said mentorship from Turner Construction helped his firm secure work on the upcoming 200,000 to 250,000-square-foot Pitt BioForge facility.

Taylor said he appreciates how the University uses its market power to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the region's construction businesses.

“It’s taken their influence as a major construction owner to drive change within the industry, and economic activity and inclusion in our community,” Taylor said. “That’s just so phenomenal and so gratifying to see an institution use its power thoughtfully and strategically.”

Source: Pitt 

— Donovan Harrell, photo courtesy of Mascaro Construction: Bill Franczyk (left), director of Client Services for Mascaro Construction Company, mentored and oversaw Reed Building Supply President Aaron Reed and his employees as they constructed Café On the Corner, owned by Teresa Blackwell (center).

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Early Childhood Education Department provides children, birth to five, with a comprehensive program designed to reinforce and respond to the unique strengths and needs of each individual child and family. Kimberly Russo Joseph, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Public Schools Early Childhood Education Programs shares more detail information about how these programs are helping children in Pittsburgh thrive early on in their learning process. 

One on One with Kimberly Russo Joseph –Pittsburgh Public Schools - Executive Director Early Childhood Education

Kimberly Russo Joseph is the Executive Director for the Early Childhood Education Program at Pittsburgh Public Schools. The Early Childhood Education Program encompasses grants from Federal Head Start and Early Head Start, state grants for Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and provides Early Intervention (ages 3-5) services for the City of Pittsburgh. Prior to this position, Ms. Russo Joseph spent 15 years working for the Early Childhood Education Program as an Education Coordinator and Program Officer and she was also a pre-k teacher for six years in both Pittsburgh Public Schools and Norfolk Public Schools. In addition to being a life-long early childhood educator, Ms. Russo Joseph is also the mother of two young children, Bella (age 3) and Maddy (age 18 months). Pictured right. 

PUM: Tell us more about your role overseeing the Early Childhood programs at PPS. 

As the Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Programs at Pittsburgh Public Schools, I support the staff who work with children and families from prenatal through age five through multiple grants and programs. These programs include:

• The Early Childhood/PreK Program for children ages 3-5 years is funded through Federal Head Start, the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP), and PA PreK Counts grant.
• The Early Head Start Program is for families from pregnancy through 36 months.
• The Early Intervention Program provides special education services for children ages 3-5 in various settings.

All these programs and grants work together to provide holistic services to children and their families across Pittsburgh.

PUM: What special projects and goals are you focused on this year to help improve these programs? 

This year we have been implementing Conscious Discipline thanks to a special grant from the R.K. Mellon Foundation. Conscious Discipline focuses on child and adult social-emotional well-being. It helps the staff support our children as they develop self-regulation skills, manage their feelings, make friends, share with others, and express themselves in a safe and healthy manner. This Program has been so great because, coming out of covid lockdown, many young children didn’t have the typical social interactions they would have in the past. This Program has helped us make up for that social development learning loss in a fun and interactive way.

PUM: There are various programs available at the Pittsburgh Public Schools Early Childhood Education Department that provide children, ages Birth to Five, with a comprehensive, flexible program designed to reinforce and respond to the unique strengths and needs of each individual child and family. What do families need to know about these programs? What makes these some of the best programs in the region?

The PPS ECE Program has multiple grants so we can provide high-quality early childhood services free of charge to most families in Pittsburgh. Currently, we operate 84 Early Childhood/PreK classrooms, 4 Early Intervention classrooms, and 6 Early Head Start classrooms in PPS school buildings. Our Early Childhood Program classrooms operate 6 hours a day and are led by highly qualified staff with specialized child development and early education training. All our lead teachers have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, and over 50 percent also hold a master’s degree. All of our assistant teachers hold the minimum of an associate’s degree or a child development credential. In addition to our classroom staff, every family is assigned a Family Services Specialist whose job is to support each family with their personal goals and help them with whatever resources they may need.

All of our Early Childhood Education Program classrooms utilize a researched-based curriculum aligned to both state and federal early learning standards to ensure that all academic skills are addressed throughout the day. The Program also strongly believes in the power of play, so intentional learning centers are set up in every classroom for students to learn and explore while interacting with their peers in a playful setting. The teachers also work with the families to set individual learning goals for every child. In addition to whole group time, the children engage in small group lessons designed to address their learning and developmental goals.

In addition to our district classrooms, we partner with multiple high-quality early childhood programs across the city through our HSSAP and PreK Counts grants because we know our 6-hour day only works for some. When we partner with a childcare center, we provide them with curriculum materials, mental and behavioral health services, an Education Coach, and Family Services Specialists so we can assure that all children, no matter where they attend, receive high-quality services so they can be social-emotionally and academically ready to start kindergarten. We also offer an Early Head Start home-visiting program for pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers, so we can bring our services to you if you are at home.

Having various options for families, and keeping families involved in their child’s education, is a significant part of our holistic approach to child development and early education.

PUM:  Why should families enroll their children in an early childhood program?

Research has shown over and over again the importance of the first five years of a child’s life. Approximately 90% of brain development happens before age 5, so we must expose young children to environments that foster this rapid development. High-quality early childhood programs are designed with this in mind and are constructed to address not only academic skills and development but also social-emotional development. Children who have early solid childhood experiences and develop a love of learning at an early age do much better in kindergarten and beyond since they come into formal schooling with a strong foundation.

PUM: How old must a child be to enroll in the Early Childhood Program?

Our Early Head Start Program enrolls families from prenatal through 36 months, and our Early Childhood/PreK Program registers children from 36 months/3 years through age 5 (children who do not meet the September 30 cut-off date for kindergarten).

PUM: Does a family have to choose a school in my neighborhood?

No, the Early Childhood Education Program does not provide transportation, so families are welcome to enroll their child at any school or center that they can easily access.

PUM: How many days a week does the Program operate?

All PPS Early Childhood Education Program classrooms operate five days a week for 6 hours a day and follow the PPS district calendar regarding holidays, days off, and early release days.

PUM: What other services are available through the Early Childhood Program?

In addition to regular classroom education, the Early Childhood Education Program provides all children with various screenings such as developmental, behavioral, growth, hearing, vision, and speech screenings, and then offers Early Intervention services for those in need. The Program also provides mental health services to children and families in need and can help families create individualized plans for home life. The Program also partners with several outside organizations to enhance what’s happening in the classroom, such as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, the Carnegie Science Center, the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, and more so children have exposure to a myriad of topics and genres.

PUM: How do families apply?

Families apply for the Early Childhood/PreK Program online: https://www.pghschools.org/ec-enrollment. We are currently accepting applications for a few remaining slots for the 2022-23 school year and applications for the next school year (2023-24). More information about the application process, as well as more information about the Program and a list of sites, can be found on the PPS ECE website at https://www.pghschools.org/earlychildhood.

Families interested in applying for our Early Head Start Program should call (412) 529-8020 or (412) 529-8029.

PUM: How does the Lottery application process work?

Families who apply for the 2023-24 school year on or before March 24 will be entered into the PreK lottery. A lottery is run whenever there are more applications than available seats at a particular location. The lottery is a computerized random drawing. Families that apply in time for the lottery will be notified of their status by May 16, 2023.

If a family misses the lottery window, that’s ok; we accept applications year-round and will enroll age-eligible students wherever we have classroom space.  

PUM: Any important upcoming dates for registration? 

The 2023-24 school year application opened up on February 1. To be included in the lottery, the application must be complete by March 24. We have rolling admission, so applications are accepted year-round.

 As we continue to celebrate black history year round, we still love to use this month to learn about the black farmers and growers contributing to the food justice / regenerative agriculture movements. There are so many projects to highlight here - we'll share a few of our local partners bringing food access and education to their communities in Pittsburgh:

Soil Sisters Plant Nursery: Grow Pittsburgh's Garden Resource manager Raynise Kelly (some of you school gardeners may remember Farmer Ray from her garden educator days!) along with her sister TaRay Kelly opened a local nursery and plant shop in Beltzhoover during the pandemic. Read about their work here and stop by their store House of Plants to bask in greenery this winter.

Oasis Farm & Fishery: Managed by Tacumba Turner, Oasis is a black-owned and led bio-market garden in Homewood. Using an aquaponic greenhouse and their outdoor fields, they grow fresh produce for the neighborhood and teach urban farming to growers of all ages. Check out their Allegheny Front spotlight.

Sankofa Village Community Garden: Founded in 2015 by Ayanna Jones, Sankofa grows hundreds of pounds of food a year and has been a leader in food justice and organic growing education. They host summer camps, youth employment opportunities, and programming for folks of all ages to gather and learn together.

Food for the Soul Community Garden: Started by a group of neighbors in Manchester early in 2021, this community growing space brings so much of joy and nourishment to its corner of the city. To connect with them in the winter (or anytime throughout the year), one of the garden co-founders, Ebony Lunsford-Evans, runs a business, Farmer Girl Eb, selling fresh food and plant medicine in the West End.

Read more about these and other projects around town:

• Pittsburgh's Black Farmers Working to Grow a New Future
• Homewood Historic Community Farm
• Freeman Family Farm & Greenhouse

Source: Grow Pittsburgh

 YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, in partnership with POISE Foundation, recently awarded grants to 17 local nonprofits working to eliminate racism and empower women. The three-year Mission in Action initiative is funded by a one-time donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. YWCA is leveraging this unique donation to advance their mission through collaborations designed to build a future filled with equitable opportunities; where racial and gender achievement gaps no longer exist. The celebratory announcement gives much deserved recognition to those working to make the Pittsburgh region a better place to live, work, and thrive. “YWCA Greater Pittsburgh is very proud to partner with all of our Mission in Action grantees. We know that true systemic change requires collaboration and innovation,” said Angela Reynolds, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh CEO. “There are many community members and small nonprofits that are doing tremendous work to eliminate racism and empower women. Investing in these efforts is a strategic move to collectively move the needle on equity in our region.” In support of the advancement of mission-aligned nonprofits and fiscally-sponsored projects in the region, a subset of awardees will also receive capacity-building support. The Mission in Action grantees include the following organizations: 

 ● Aaron Donald 99 Solutions Foundation

 ● AFRIKA YETU 

 ● Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP)

 ● Casa San Jose

 ● Charles Street Area Council/Corporation

 ● Demaskus Theater Collective 

 ● Dress for Success Pittsburgh

 ● Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh

 ● Let's Get Free 

 ● Melanin Mommies

 ● RE Visions

 ● re:Bloom

 ● Royally Fit 

 ● Ruth's Way, Inc.

 ● SisTersPGH

 ● THE GENESIS COLLECTIVE 

 ● TransYouniting PGH

 ● Youth Enrichment Services, Inc. 

"The POISE Foundation is proud to support the Mission in Action program in partnership with the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh and their visionary CEO, Angela Reynolds. This work advances their vision to support organizations working to eliminate racism and empower women in the Greater Pittsburgh region," stated Mark Lewis, CEO of POISE Foundation. "Based on the documented historical disinvestment in Black and Brown women-led families, grants from this program ensure a greater understanding, commitment, and connection to the organizations, communities, and individuals who continue to push forward in the advancement of equity and racial justice." Throughout the year, YWCA will shine the spotlight on the award recipients and share stories about the projects on their social media channels. In all, the Mission in Action grant program will award more than $2.1 million over the next three years. Applications will open again in fall 2023. For more information about the Mission in Action program, visit ywcapgh.org/aboutus/missioninaction. 

Source: YWCA

2023 Cohort Includes Seven Emerging Black-owned Contractors from the Pittsburgh Region

PITTSBURGH – Bridgeway Capital’s Building Inclusive Development (BID) real estate-focused programming team today announced the seven Black-owned contractors and construction business owners that were selected for the 2023 Building Growth Cohort. These entrepreneurs will participate in a six-month intensive course to achieve higher levels of profitability and success for their emerging or established businesses.

Applicants were eligible to apply for the Building Growth Cohort if they were Black-owned small businesses based in Southwestern Pennsylvania that were established prior to 2021 with annual gross revenues under $250,000 or average construction contracts under $100,000. Of the twenty total applicants, one-fourth of them were Black female contractors.

The cohort was initially designed for five participants, but due to the overwhelming application response of qualified candidates, Bridgeway was able to expand the number of participants to seven.

“We felt that by adding additional qualified participants to the program, the resulting impact on the Black community and the Pittsburgh community at large, would be much greater,” said Roderick Ramsey III, program manager for BID at Bridgeway Capital. “The sessions will enable this group of diverse, dynamic contractors to take their businesses to the next level. Their skills are already unmatched, they are active in their communities and now, we can provide them the education and support they need to grow the financial and operational fundamentals of their businesses.”

Entrepreneurs selected for the 2023 cohort include two female contractors and business owners specializing in a wide range of contracting services including HVAC, demolition, electrical, plumbing, general contracting and more. The names and businesses of the selected cohort are:

• Boyle Stuckey of Rock and Stone Construction
• Derrell Key of Keys Heating and Cooling
• Kristian-Lama Robinson of KL Heavy Construction
• Alexis Russell of Russell General Contracting
• Alphonso Warren of AW Electrical LLC
• Charmaine Turney of Shelly T. Contracting
• Laquan Marshall of Johnstown Capital Partners

Bridgeway staff and a team of Pittsburgh-area industry experts developed the application, reviewed the submissions and will serve as expert guides for the program.

"Martila Enterprise is honored to work with Bridgeway Capital's inaugural BID Growth Cohort,” said La’Tanuja Martin, founder and principal of Martila Enterprise, a local construction and real estate consulting company. “Today, we are in a new era where building generational wealth and breaking generational curses within the black community can be done in various ways but, investing in your business, through knowledge and skillsets are key to building a legacy. In my opinion, such a cohort diving into the intricacy of construction practices is well overdue in the black construction industry.”

In addition to more than 40 hours of professional training and coaching on identifying, securing and managing large-scale construction projects, participants will have access to capital and three months of post-graduation support. The program will formally conclude with a graduation ceremony on August 19, 2023, where participants will receive a certification of completion and share their visions for growth.

To learn more about BID programming and the Building Inclusive Growth Cohort, visit Bridgewaycapital.org.

Pittsburgh Technical College (PTC) President/CEO Dr. Alicia Harvey-Smith was honored last night as a City & State Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Power 100 recipient at an event at Olive or Twist downtown. The event honored the city’s top political influencers in government, advocacy, media, health, education, business and more.

“It’s an honor to be considered among some of the region’s most impactful professionals as one of this year’s Power 100 honorees,” said Dr. Harvey-Smith. “We continue to strive toward making Pittsburgh Technical College a model for higher education and it’s humbling to see that work recognized, but it would not be possible without our dedicated faculty and staff.”

Mayor Ed Gainey was the event’s keynote speaker, while additional remarks were provided by Pittsburgh City Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, Allegheny Conference on Community Development CEO Stefani Pashman, Allegheny County At Large Council Representative Samuel DeMarco III and Senator Jay Costa.

Dr. Harvey-Smith’s award comes after having been recognized as a Smart 50 honoree each of the last two years, as well as earning the distinction of the Pittsburgh Technology Council’s 2021 CEO of the Year. Through the cultivation of both public and private partnerships, she recently launched the College’s first Health and Wellness and Fitness Centers to support comprehensive student development.

She has led the formation of the PTC Education Foundation and will launch the College’s first endowment campaign this month. In just the last three years alone under Dr. Harvey-Smith’s leadership, PTC has been awarded four National Science Foundation (NSF) grants in excess of $1.5 million. Through her leadership, PTC has developed articulation agreements with West Liberty University, Robert Morris University and more to expand educational pathways for students.

Dr. Harvey-Smith is actively engaged with a number of organizations through Board service or selective membership including the Higher Education Research and Development Institute (HERDI), Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures (PA&L), Pittsburgh Council of Higher Education (PCHE), Holy Family Institute – Nazareth Prep Fundraising Membership, The Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP), The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), International Women’s Forum – Pittsburgh (IWF-P), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated (AKA) and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania.

Visit PTC’s website for more information and follow PTC on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

The Heinz Endowments grants recognize 15 professional artists inspired by

their neighborhoods, international backgrounds, popular culture

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 1, 2023 – Pittsburgh artists spotlighting those living with accessibility challenges, exposing the effects of the war in Ukraine on Russian children, or helping youth learn to produce music by arranging and performing orchestral versions of hip-hop and pop songs are among the 15 new recipients of The Heinz Endowments’ Creative Development Awards.

The artists and organizations receiving grants, totaling $296,450, represent a diverse range of artistic disciplines, including filmmaking, photography, theater, and 3D-printed sculpture. The grantees were selected from nearly 90 applicants by a group of 11 regional and national artists and educators.

The Endowments launched the annual Creative Development Awards in 2022 to celebrate the region’s professional artists, with a special focus on those whose artistic achievements show great promise. The announcement of the 2023 awardees brings the program’s support of regional artists to a total of $647,000 in the past 13 months.

The Creative Development Awards aim to help advance grantees’ careers through increased visibility, professional partnership opportunities and financial assistance. Grant amounts in the program’s latest cohort range from $8,000 for individual artists to $35,000 for artist residency collaborations with regional venues.

“The art that enriches our daily lives is all around us, from the sculptures in our parks to the artists living and creating in our neighborhoods,” said Mac Howison, the Endowments’ Creativity program officer. “The artists and organizations funded by the Creative Development Awards are shining light on Pittsburgh’s triumphs and challenges; amplifying their deep connection to both our city and the world at large; and bringing insight, joy and beauty to all in our region.”

The 2023 Investing in Creative Development Awards recipients are:

• Melissa Catanese ($20,000) to support production of a book, image prints and an installation of “The Lottery.” Inspired by the classic Shirley Jackson short story of the same name, the work merges photographic images of the distant past with mixed media depictions of the present into a psychological fiction centered around physical, political and ecological trauma.
• Natalie Condrac ($9,285) to fund the creation of a 3D house, furnished inside and out, allowing viewers to look through the windows and view the interior. Influenced by Pittsburgh’s intertwined neighborhoods, Ms. Condrac’s intricately detailed work explores the infinite possibilities of what goes on behind the doors and walls of our daily lives.
• Karina Dandashi ($18,000) to support two film projects: “Out of Water” and “Cousins.” Ms. Dandashi’s films explore nuances in identity through the intersection of family, religion and culture in Southwest Asian and North African countries, and Muslim communities in America.
• Film Pittsburgh ($35,000) to support an artist residency with filmmaker Gregory Williams for post-production work on his documentary film, "Warriors." Mr. Williams’ film intertwines the story of a Pittsburgh teen who had never before joined a protest, but very much wanted to, with images and documentary footage from protests that previously took place in Pittsburgh.
• Petra Floyd ($20,000) to support the development of “Audio.belisk,” a sonification of the sculpture “Five Factors” in Pittsburgh’s Mellon Park by artist Peter Calaboyias. The sculpture’s storied history includes an installation on the roof of the Carnegie Library parking garage in Squirrel Hill and a 20-year, post-restoration disappearance before it was found in a city warehouse in 2006. Mx. Floyd will transform the sculpture into an instrument and speaker using acoustic tools, enabling the public to “play” the sculpture.
• Guardians of Sound ($35,000) to support Idasa Tariq’s creative, performance and teaching artist role with Hip Hop Orchestra for one year. Hip Hop Orchestra is a music performance and education project for youth ages 9 to 19 that combines current mainstream music with acoustic and orchestral instruments to teach music composition, arrangement, performance and production.
• Owen Lowery ($11,715) for development of artwork prioritizing people living with accessibility situations. The multi-disciplinary artist’s “Access” project will include a series of interactive installations featuring mediums of accessible communication such as braille, sign language, text-to-speech, haptic feedback, and morse code.
• Bryan Martello ($20,000) to support completion of “The Front Yard,” a series of ephemeral black-and-white photographs that meditate on themes of pride, political rhetoric, and flexibility of history. Mr. Martello’s art combines photography printed on fabric with attached found objects to illuminate the dichotomies between private and public, the utilitarian and the decorative, and vulnerability and pride.
• Darrin Milliner ($8,000) to support professional studio space at Pittsburgh’s Redfishbowl Studios and an immersive solo art exhibit. Mr. Milliner’s work incorporates digital and analog collage, painting and illustration, and aims to absorb various cultural and social subjects that spark emotion and action.
• New Hazlett Center for the Performing Arts ($35,000) to support a residency with Dr. Jason Méndez to write and produce the play "Sons of the Boogie,” which explores the changes a Puerto Rican writer’s former Bronx neighborhood has experienced from the golden age of hip-hop in the 1990s to the present day, focusing on “the beauty and sacredness of home.”
• Emily Newman ($16,500) for support of a film about Russian children affected by the war in Ukraine. Informed by a summer 2022 trip to Armenia to meet exiled families, the film will tap into the children’s imaginary landscapes and their poetic and artistic interpretations of their experiences, with an aim of informing the world of the effects of war on the young.
• Felicity Palma ($20,000) to support research, production, studio materials and equipment to create an experimental film that examines the effects of cancer treatment on a young working-class woman’s body. Through her art, Ms. Palmer utilizes personal experiences to spur wider cultural and social conversations about feminism, health, class and alienation.
• Mathew Rosenblum ($12,350) to support an audio recording of a new contemporary classical music work, "We Lived Happily During the War.” Influenced by Ilya Kaminsky’s poem of the same name, Mr. Kaminsky’s Ukrainian heritage, and the isolation, pain and political inaction he witnessed during the pandemic, the work will be released with an accompanying interpretive video.
• Sharrell Rushin ($15,600) to hire models to stage custom reference photos for use in prepping upcoming paintings, allowing her to lessen dependance on found images and stock photos and create art that highlights a wider variety of skin tones, textures and color palettes. The funding will also enable construction of uniquely shaped canvases and cover the cost of six months of studio rent and art supplies.
• Marvin Touré ($20,000) to secure a two-year, fixed lease of a customized studio with industrial ventilation to facilitate safe creation of his sculptures, which often include thermoplastic adhesives, silicone and resins. His art incorporates and transforms figures, games and imagery associated with childhood, spurring dialogues around memory and empathy.

Panelists who assisted in determining Creative Development Awards finalists and grantees were:

• Ian Brill, artist and Penn State University digital art instructor
• Daniel Byers, director of Harvard University’s John R. and Barbara Robinson Family Carpenter Center for Visual Arts
• Reginald Douglas, artistic director, Mosaic Theater
• Kimberly El-Harris, playwright, actor, director and educator
• Madeline Gent, executive director, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh
• Sam Helfrich, theater and opera director
• Staycee Pearl, co-artistic director, PearlArts
• Xan Phillips, poet, writer and visual artist
• Richard Purcell, associate professor of English, director of Arts Greenhouse at Carnegie Mellon University
• Maria Sensi Sellner, artistic and general director of Resonance Works
• William Shannon, choreographer, dancer and interdisciplinary artist

Key factors considered in determining grant recipients included quality of the artists’ current body of work, potential of future work, and clear articulation of artistic and career development goals. Professional artists who had a significant body of original works of art, were at least 21 years of age or older, and were a resident of an eligible southwestern Pennsylvania county were allowed to apply. 

The program awards one cohort of grants annually, and is one of the few grantmaking programs in the region that directly funds artists. Program details and guidelines may be found here.

This Grower’s Spotlight features  Mahogany Thaxton, a 2022 Braddock Farm workshare participant and a Grow Pittsburgh Member. Mahogany grew up in Pittsburgh and is working to better her community through her career and life. Part of this has been pursuing a master’s degree in library science and learning more about urban farming. Hear from Mahogany about her passion to make a difference in her community through a lens of lifetime learning. 

Grow Pittsburgh: Tell us a bit about yourself. 

Mahogany: I’m originally from McKeesport, Pennsylvania and now live in Homestead in a house I affectionately call my “old lady.” I’m a middle-aged Black woman, nonprofit fundraising consultant, soon to be library school graduate (support your local a library!), pessimist if I’m not careful, and all around lifelong learner. My partner lives in Braddock, we have a three-legged dog, and often pass Braddock Farm on our walks. Our dog loves to pretend to be a farm dog at Braddock Farm. 

Community building, community wealth sharing, and resource sharing are important aspects of my life.  My experiences as a fundraiser asking for money and as a philanthropic advisor to those giving money to nonprofits has helped me see how connected we all are, including how we direct our money – how much money we have, where we shop, who we give to, what information and resources we have to make the decisions we make including the food we eat. I think a lot about what being in relationship with plants and nature means when we think about community. 

I’m currently exploring new ways of being in this world including how I can align my values and the pace of life that I want with my labor, so, I made a big leap and left my full-time job in January 2022. This new way of being in the world includes learning how to farm along with getting a master’s in library science degree, and sharing fundraising practices that shift from donor’s having power because of their money to donors being partners with the organizations they support, leaving decision making to those who are closest to the issues. In all these areas, community is first. 

GP: How did you get started growing food?

Mahogany: I feel the desire and importance of growing food in my bones, but it’s new in practice to me. Growing up I have vague memories of a small garden in my paternal grandma’s backyard in McKeesport and vivid memories from other people’s descriptions of a huge garden at my maternal great grandma’s in Blythedale, Pennsylvania, but I wasn’t connected to growing food throughout my teenage years and early 20s. About a decade ago, I started to think critically about my relationship with food overall, thinking about health and access to food. I was becoming more adventurous and curious about food. Believe it or not, I was a Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones girl and my freezer was always stocked! As I began to explore food and food systems I became interested in cooking my own food and understanding the ingredients that I was using, and that progressed into wanting to grow my own food. I had several friends along the way who grew their own food who were and still are an inspiration today. 

I felt like it was important to set my life up in spaces where I could grow my own food and be in tune with nature. I began learning from my neighbors and my friends, and moved into a house where I could have a cute little garden with a roommate. I had a few unsuccessful gardens, but I just continued to learn and to try.

GP: How did you become involved at Braddock Farms?

Mahogany: As I became more interested in growing my own food I started to look for more skill-building opportunities. I call myself a mini-prepper because I can see that the world is changing – it may not be apocalypse level but things are going to look different in a few decades if not sooner. One of the most important humans in my life was and is my grandfather – self-reliance for self and family was important to him and has become important to me. Growing your own food is a key point of being able to provide for myself, my family, and my community. I love to learn and share so part of learning to grow my own food is wanting to share what I learn with others, who can share what they learn, and so on. Let’s build community knowledge!   

I tend to be an overthinker which can hold me back sometimes. Spreadsheets and planning are great, but sometimes you just need to start planting instead of focusing on if you have the right soil composition or seed varieties.

So when I made the decision to leave my full-time job earlier this year, I wanted to set my life up in a way that supported the type of experiences that I wanted to have. Less overthinking and more putting plants into the dirt. So I began looking for experiences that would allow me to learn hands-on. 

My partner lives in Braddock so we go to the Farm Stand regularly for produce or to pick up seedlings.  It’s always been a really welcoming space so when I learned about the workshare and pre-apprentice programs in your newsletter I decided to apply.

I work four hours a week from April – October and do a little bit of everything. I’ve transplanted onions, tomatoes, lettuce, started seeds, practiced trellising, learned how to use all of the farm tools and equipment, learned when a green pepper has that harvest ready crunch, watched okra grow for the first time, planted bok choy using a seeding machine. It’s been interesting to see the cycle of what happens on the farm from seed to harvest. It’s a relatively small space but we can grow so much food if we time it right. 

GP: What are some lessons growing food has taught you? 

Mahogany: It’s hard! I knew farming was labor intensive but you really don’t realize just how physically demanding the work is until you’re doing it. It’s definitely given me an even bigger appreciation for farm workers and advocating for healthcare for everyone. Farming takes a toll on you physically and mentally. 

I’ve also really enjoyed learning about the transformations in nature and stopping to appreciate parts of each plant. I’ve become obsessed with okra this year, it’s such a beautiful plant. And eggplant, the fruit is beautiful but the leaves are absolutely divine. They’re so soft and furry.

It’s been interesting to understand how vegetables and seeds are bred to produce specific plants. I really enjoyed watching crops that start out the same but grow into something completely different like Brassicas. There’s something beautiful in each crop and I’ve enjoyed having the opportunity to see that.

GP: What’s something you wish more people knew about the work you do? 

Mahogany: Farming is part of an entire ecosystem, it’s not just about planting food. The soil, bugs, animals, access to water… all of that is a part of farming and growing food. If we strengthen each part of that ecosystem we will have a stronger and healthier community overall.

It’s more than just the soil in your yard, it’s about the soil quality in your community. The water and air quality in your community really impact overall health. It’s easy to forget that in a lot of communities.

I think in Braddock those things go from theory to reality because of the active steel mill neighboring the community. I had always worried about it, but working on the farm (which is directly in front of the mill) I’ve learned a lot more about it. There are days where farm staff have to wear masks because the air quality is so bad and that makes it impossible to ignore.

 GP: What does being a part of Braddock Farms’ in recent years mean to you and how do you hope to continue the impact?

Mahogany: As someone who is in the community regularly with my partner, I’ve always appreciated the welcoming atmosphere of the farm. I love watching people line up for Farm Stand days or come to events. It’s a great place for community members to connect with each other and I love that most of the customers are Braddock residents.

As I’ve been working at the farm, I’ve really enjoyed starting conversations with people that stop by during the work day. I love talking to people about what we’re doing and asking about their gardens. There is so much knowledge to learn and share.

GP: Why do you support Grow Pittsburgh?

Mahogany: I believe everyone should have access to fresh, local, sustainably grown food and be able to gain the knowledge to grow that food themselves. I love that Grow Pittsburgh’s core programming is to teach others and they do so through community partnerships, providing access, knowledge, and resources for communities to grow food and relationships. 

GP: Which of GP’s core values, found here, do you resonate with and why?

Mahogany: I know this sounds like a non-answer, but I resonate with all of them and think they are connected! I think all of them work together to create environments where all people can thrive, even through disagreements. The key is how does GP act on these values and imbed them in organizational practices.

Source: Grow Pittsburgh 

 A new web series featuring Superintendent Wayne Walters aims to bring clarity through transparency by breaking down the whys behind the actions and decisions of the school district. 

The Why Behind the What web series seeks to bring clarity through transparency by breaking down the whys behind the actions and decisions of District leaders.  Through the web series, Dr. Wayne Walters shares the why behind the what to improve understanding, transparency and purposeful communications with students, staff, parents, families, and the community as part of the District’s efforts to expand stakeholder communication and partnerships. 

The new series will be available once a week with topics that address issues such as COVID Compensatory Services, Science of Reading, Restorative Practices, Social-Emotional Learning and many more important issues. Dr. Walters has prioritized listening to the concerns and triumphs of the PPS students, staff and families and this new web series will enhance that experience.  

Dr. Walters New Series can be viewed here 

Prepare to Prosper Initiative to Provide Work-Based Learning Opportunities and Paid Employment to Career and Technical Education Students 

Prepare to Prosper, a new partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Public Schools, will provide work-based learning opportunities and paid employment to students in the District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. Announced this morning as part of Mayor Gainey’s Pathways to Prosperity initiative, the City of Pittsburgh directly or through its partner network will provide entry-level, career ladder jobs to eligible CTE students. In addition, CTE students will receive short-term paid internships during the District’s Winter and Spring Breaks, co-operative education placements, and summer and part-time employment. 

“Prepare to Prosper is a true demonstration of the power of partnership and what can happen when we, the adults, work together to put students first,” said Superintendent Wayne N. Walters, Ed.D. “We are grateful to Mayor Ed Gainey and the City of Pittsburgh for its investment in our students through real-life work experiences and ultimately ensuring their economic livelihood through full-time career-ladder employment.” 

Within the next two years through the Prepare to Prosper partnership, in addition to paid work experiences, CTE students will participate in well-rounded experiences such as the CTE-City of Pittsburgh Career Expo, Hire Learning employability event, field trips, and job shadowing within City departments. Through event support, work-based learning and paid work, CTE students will graduate “work ready” as they transition to post-secondary education or into well-paying jobs.  

"Without our youth, there is no future," said Mayor Ed Gainey. "Our job as leaders is to make sure that you have an opportunity and path forward into a career where you can live a safe and thriving life for yourself and your family. This new partnership between the City of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and business leaders from virtually every sector of our economy is the start of creating new pathways to prosperity for students in Pittsburgh." 

According to CTE Executive Director Angela Mike, “CTE needs its partners to prosper. We need partners committed to providing tangible outcomes for our students, as we work to prepare them for essential careers with family sustaining wages. This expanded partnership with the City of Pittsburgh is an important component of our Division’s upward trajectory and our long-standing mission to help address critical workforce shortages in our region.”

To commemorate the new partnership, approved by the Pittsburgh Public Schools Board of School Directors last month, CTE partners joined current students for a celebratory event at the City-County Building. 

The event included remarks by Board First-Vice President Devon Taliaferro, as well as key collaborators Partner4Work’s CEO Robert Cherry and Argo AI Founder and CEO Brian Salesky. CTE Executive Director Angela Mike summed up the day well, “We are grateful to the multiple industry partners who have stepped up to provide work-based learning opportunities and employment for the graduates of CTE. Today, we celebrate the expansion of our partnership with the City of Pittsburgh that will ensure there are no dead ends for the students at Pittsburgh Public Schools – only opportunities”

“Textbooks are too expensive, and have been for a very long time. …In 2020, 65 percent of students surveyed reported skipping buying a textbook because of cost; 63 percent skipped purchasing one during the same period of the previous year. …82 percent of students who reported missing a meal due to the pandemic also reported skipping buying textbooks due to cost;” (Fixing the broken textbook market, third edition, U.S. PIRG Education Fund)

During my first three undergraduate years at the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, my tuition was paid primarily by my parents; supplemented by gifts from relatives as well as friends; and buttressed by loans. I saved on room and board by living at home. Walking and hitchhiking significantly reduced the cost of commuting between my Prospect home and the UPJ Campus located several miles away in Moxham. Left in the balance was the cost of textbooks.

I often did not purchase the required texts. When possible, I borrowed textbooks from the library. Occasionally, I enrolled in the same course with my friend George L. Joy and we shared the cost of a textbook. After my first UPJ year, I received an ongoing a “scholarship,” i.e., my oldest Brother Russell Jr. largely financed my books. With my “book scholarship” and other major assistance, between 1960 and 1968, I was able to earn my baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees from Pitt.

Later in life while working in the University of Pittsburgh’s Provost’s Office, a student made an appointment with me because he/she was unable to pay the remainder of their tuition. After I inquired about their grades, the student indicated that he/she was earning all “A” grades except in their Chemistry course for which he/she had an “A-.”  Because he/she could not afford to purchase the Chemistry textbook, the student simply listened to lectures, did the lab work, and performed on exams as best he/she could. After using institutional funds to pay tuition as well as purchase the Chemistry books, the student went on to earn a Bachelor of Science and, subsequently, a graduate degree in Chemistry. It was at that time that former Pitt Provost James V. Maher approved the institutional funding for “Jack’s Bookstore,” a fund used to provide many economically disadvantaged students with certificates to purchase books, a fund that led to remarkable academic achievement on the parts of the student recipients.

During the 2022 University of Pittsburgh Homecoming, the African American Alumni Council (AAAC) President, Thomas Brooks, had the opportunity to meet and bring to my attention Mr. Brandon M. Hines who, last year, won the Jack L. Daniel Book Award. When I followed up with Mr. Hines, he informed me of the following: “I went to G.W. Carver High School of Engineering and Sciences. Growing up, it was just my mother and me. Therefore, the book award definitely helped as she has taken on the bulk of my tuition that I wasn't able to cover with grants and scholarships. I don't have a full ride so each and every bit of money to help pay for school counts and is a very big deal to me.”

Similar to Mr. Hines, this year’s recipient of the Jack L. Daniel Book Award, Ms. Deseree Hardy informed me, “The Jack L. Daniel award helped me fund my education for this semester. At the beginning of this summer, my family and I began to worry how I would pay for the remaining cost for school; however, after receiving the news that I won this Award, we were relieved of some of these stresses. In regards to my background, I am a Pittsburgh native and graduated from McKeesport High School, about 30 minutes outside of the city. I am the oldest of my five other siblings and put a lot of value in being an older sister, which is one of the many important reasons why I decided to attend college, and a school so close in proximity to them.”

Today, innumerable college students face the obstacle of paying for books which could cost as much as $1.500 per year. In a May 26, 2020 article on textbook prices, Chris Manns wrote, “Surprisingly, however, two of the most expensive textbooks in existence are from the Liberal Arts fields.

History of Early Film costs $740. And Feminism and Politics retail for $600.” Today, from Amazon, one can purchase a copy of Biochemistry for more approximately $315. Browsing the current Pittsburgh Campus Bookstore, I found a “new rental” copy of a Psychology textbook for approximately $200.

Fortunately, at the University of Pittsburgh, there are a number of book scholarship opportunities such as the Jack L. Daniel Book Award, as well as Pitt’s AAAC Endowed Scholarship Fund portfolio. Thanks to many generous donors, the latter fund is the largest of any affinity group, consisting of a market value of $624,000 at the end of the last fiscal year. More than 800 individuals have donated to the AAAC Endowed Scholarship Fund, which has supported 117 students since its inception in 1997.

If we are to yield the benefits of higher educational opportunities, then we must remember that economic need does not stop at the entrance to Pitt’s main building, the Cathedral of Learning. Instead, it accompanies disadvantaged students, weighing heavily on their ability to succeed academically. Over decades, I have witnessed innumerable such students become high academic achievers at Pitt and later in society, in part, because they received funds from the AAAC Scholarship Fund. Accordingly, I strongly urge others to support our students, keeping in mind the fact that “when you give, you get ten times over.” Those who wish to be members of the giving vanguard can do so by contributing to the AAAC’s Endowed Scholarship Fund as part of their recently launched “Invest in Our Future” initiative at http://giveto.pitt.edu/aaacinvest. 

Jack L. Daniel

Co-Founder, Freed Panther Society

Contributor, Pittsburgh Urban Media

Author, Negotiating a Historically White University While Black

October 17, 2022

 Closet Installations Scheduled for 10 Schools 

 Superintendent Wayne N. Walters Ed.D. and Pittsburgh Obama students joined Steelers' defensive tackle and team captain Cameron Heyward for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of Craig's Closet at Pittsburgh Obama 6-12. As part of Cam's foundation, The Heyward House, Craig's Closet provides high school boys access to new and gently used dress clothes at no cost for interviews, internships, banquets and special occasions. In addition to the Craig's Closet at Pittsburgh Obama, students will have access to closets at nine other schools, including Pittsburgh Allderdice, Brashear, CAPA, Carrick, Milliones, Perry, Sci-Tech, Student Achievement Center and Westinghouse, by 2023. 

"Thanks to the Heyward House and Sport Clips, 'what to wear' will not be a barrier for our high school boys seeking to pursue their goals and interests," said Dr. Walters. "We are truly thankful for this gift that honors the legacy of Cam's father by giving students the confidence they need to walk into the spaces where they belong." 

Coming to the University of Pittsburgh from a single-parent home with six siblings, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward arrived with one suit to this name for the formal wear required of Pitt Panther football team players on game days. The Heyward House and Sport Clips developed Craig's Closet to ensure students have what they need to obtain their goals and walk proudly into any situation. Thanks to the collaboration, students at 10 PPS schools will soon be able "shop" for clothes, such as dress shirts, suits, clothes, and ties, to help them achieve their goals right at school.

"Many young people in our community face the same plight as my father, and I want them to know that they are seen, heard, and through this program, we are here to support them as they push forward in their future goals," said Cameron Heyward. "Yesterday would have been my father's 56th birthday. He was a man that took great joy and pride in his family and his community. I am proud to continue his legacy of giving back and helping move our community forward."

Community members interested in volunteering or donating to Craig’s Closet may reach out to Nicole Williams at nwilliams@theheywardhouse.org. Monetary and in-kind donations of new and gently used items accepted. 

City of Pittsburgh, Computer Reach Form Partnership to End Digital Divide
Initial donation of over $92,000 worth of IT equipment will be refurbished and reused

 The City of Pittsburgh and Computer Reach announced the successful donation of 324 desktop computers, 74 laptop computers, 427 monitors, 243 keyboards, and 170 mice to Computer Reach. This first donation, completed in early August, is the culmination of multiple years of work by the Department of Innovation & Performance (I&P) to give back these devices to the community and avoid paying an e-waste recycler for proper disposal.

“Our department is laser-focused on ensuring innovation and technological excellence are at the forefront of Pittsburgh’s future,” said Heidi Norman, Director of the Department of Innovation and Performance. “This is but one aspect of the city’s commitment to close the digital divide and promote increased digital literacy in Pittsburgh. Our partnership will create opportunities outside of the city government to enable residents to learn how to use new technology and protect our environment by reusing these devices.”

Computer Reach is a Wilkinsburg-based organization focused on making technology available to people most in need through refurbished equipment, computer literacy, training, and support. Their vision is to create a computer-literate world where the benefits of technology are shared by all. In addition to refurbishing devices, Computer Reach works to end the digital divide with their Digital Literacy Classes, Digital navigator Program, and Computer Lotteries.

“A reused computer is so much more valuable than one that is just disposed of in a landfill,” said Dave Sevick, Executive Director of Computer Reach. “It is one less chip to be made, one less rare metal to mine, and one more opportunity for a person to get connected to the world. I am thankful to the City of Pittsburgh for their commitment to ending the digital divide and look forward to getting these devices back into the hands of communities in need.”