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Next Gen — young leaders shaping Pittsburgh's future
Next Gen · Youth in Focus

The Future of the 412 Is Being Shaped Right Now

Young creators, student activists, and rising campus leaders — front-row coverage of everything driving youth culture in Pittsburgh and across Pennsylvania.

Rainier Sky Beckham — Pittsburgh Urban Media Next Gen contributor
Next Gen Contributor
About the Author

Rainier Sky Beckham

Rising Senior, Shady Side Academy · Contributor since 9th Grade

Rainier Sky Beckham is a rising senior at Shady Side Academy and a frequent contributor to PittsburghUrbanMedia.com since the 9th grade. Through her columns, she brings you front-row coverage of everything driving youth culture — from student survival guides and local affordable spots to deep dives into community safety and the upcoming generation of leaders.

Driven by a lifelong love for reading sparked at age four, Rainier is the founder of Rainier Reads, a community-focused literacy initiative. The program combats the “summer slide” by delivering books directly to low-income children, fostering a love of reading, and ensuring equitable access to books with a specific focus on closing reading disparities within the African American community.

Professionally focused on the medical fields, Rainier was selected for the highly competitive Pitt Gene Team — an intensive, four-week program run by the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Biological Sciences — where she mastered university-level laboratory skills and state-of-the-art research methodologies.

As a graduate of the intensive six-day Restorative Leadership Institute training, she advocates for youth empowerment and community healing, carrying the firm belief that young people are the ultimate solution to local challenges. On her own campus, Rainier balances her academic achievements with student life as a youth camp counselor, a varsity track athlete, and captain of the cheerleading team.

Rainier Reads FounderPitt Gene TeamRLI GraduateVarsity TrackCheer CaptainYouth Camp CounselorMedical Fields

Youth in Focus

The future of the 412 is being shaped right now by young creators, student activists, and rising campus leaders. In our Next Gen space, Rainier Sky Beckham brings you front-row coverage of everything driving youth culture — from student survival guides and local affordable spots to deep dives into community safety and the upcoming generation of leaders.

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