OUR Pittsburgh. ONE Pittsburgh. Advancing Racial Equity.

Please email Robin@PittsburghUrbanMedia.com to submit stories for this section. 

Award will be used as loan capital to support underserved communities impacted by pandemic

PITTSBURGH, May 4, 2023 – Neighborhood Community Development Fund, a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a member of the Pennsylvania CDFI Network, has been awarded a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund Equitable Recovery Program (ERP). The award of funding will be used as loan capital to help low- and moderate-income communities in Allegheny County that suffered disproportionately during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The last few years have been difficult for many businesses and communities, but low- and moderate-income communities have been hit especially hard,” said Mark Masterson, executive director, Neighborhood Community Development Fund. “The funding we received from the CDFI Fund Equitable Recovery Program will help us provide more loans to these underserved communities and businesses so they can not only survive but prosper.”

Neighborhood Community Development Fund received an additional $560,000 award of funding from the CDFI Fund earlier in 2023. In addition, it was recently approved for a $25,000 grant from KeyBank Foundation as well as a $25,000 grant from PNC Foundation. These funds will continue to go toward increasing lending and technical assistance to BIPOC- and women-owned businesses in Allegheny County.

Authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) to respond to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDFI ERP is designed to:

• Provide funding to certified CDFIs to expand lending, grant making and investment activities in low- to moderate-income communities and to borrowers with significant unmet capital and financial services needs that have experienced disproportionate economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Catalyze growth in the financial and organizational capacity of CDFIs for the purpose of carrying out equitable recovery activities.

“[These] awards represent a truly historic opportunity to accelerate efforts in America’s distressed and underserved communities to overcome the persistent economic effects of the COVD-19 pandemic,” said CDFI Fund Director Jodie Harris. “The more than $1.73 billion in CDFI ERP funding will be utilized to implement initiatives that increase availability of financing and capital for small businesses, promote affordable housing, and improve accessibility to loans that help families make ends meet—all of which were compromised by the pandemic, and are vital to community resilience, sustainability and economic prosperity.”

Neighborhood Community Development Fund provides planning and financing assistance for local businesses and entrepreneurs across Allegheny County. In addition to business loans, Neighborhood Community Development Fund provides support and resources for developers of affordable housing and strategic real estate redevelopment in low-income communities.

With a total of 95 loans, Neighborhood Community Development Fund had its best lending year yet in 2022. Sixty-eight (72%) of those loans went to minority-owned businesses, 46 (48%) went to women-owned businesses, 34 (36%) went to low-income-owned businesses, and nine (9%) went to affordable housing renovation projects.

For more information on Neighborhood Community Development Fund and its services, visit www.ncd-fund.org.

As lawmakers reconvene at the state capitol, the ACLU of Pennsylvania has released its third iteration of More Law, Less Justice: Pennsylvania’s Statehouse-to-Prison Pipeline, a report analyzing the General Assembly’s consideration of legislation related to criminal law. The statehouse-to-prison pipeline is the practice of introducing bills that create new crimes, enhance existing penalties, or expand current laws that result in more people going to prison or jail. The report details the acceleration of that practice.

The current crimes code was codified in 1972. In the ensuing decades, Pennsylvania lawmakers have created 2,000 “new” offenses and suboffenses, the vast majority of which cover behavior that was already illegal in 1972.

“Mass incarceration begins at the statehouse,” said Elizabeth Randol, legislative director at the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “The purpose of this report is to highlight the role and responsibility of the Pennsylvania General Assembly in fueling our state’s ongoing mass incarceration crisis.”

During the 2021-2022 legislative session, 308 “pipeline bills” were introduced. Sixty-three of those bills—or 20 percent—were considered. And 18 pipeline bills were enacted, adding 8 new sentencing enhancements, 25 new offenses or suboffenses, and 50 new penalties to Pennsylvania law. 

Compared to the previous two legislative sessions, legislators introduced and enacted more pipeline bills and outpaced the number of new crimes, penalties, and enhancements they added to Pennsylvania’s already bloated criminal code.

“None of these bills make Pennsylvanians any safer,” Randol continued. “And yet lawmakers insist on reaching for the same, broken tool in their toolbox. The mere introduction of so many of these bills signals to fellow legislators, stakeholders, news media, and others that the answer to almost everything legislators and others do not like or do not understand is solved through criminalization and mass incarceration. We cannot arrest, convict, and incarcerate our way out of this crisis.”

The report recommends that Pennsylvania state legislators oppose any proposed legislation that adds new criminal offenses, penalties, or sentencing enhancements; increase their reliance on public defenders as stakeholders and experts when analyzing legislation; and subject legislation that proposes a new criminal offense to a crimes comparison to existing law and an impact statement regarding any racial or economic disparities that the new legislation might compound. The report also encourages legislators to decriminalize non-violent behavior, like drug consumption and consensual sex work.

You can find the report at aclupa.org/MLLJ2021-22.

"This morning, I had the honor of announcing Amera Gilchrist as my nominee for the next chief of Pittsburgh’s Bureau of EMS. She will be the first African American and the first woman to serve in this position, and I am humbled to work alongside her. 

Upon Chief Romano’s retirement, he made sure that he left a legacy behind, and I firmly believe we chose the right person to continue that legacy. For 4 years, she has diligently served our City as the Deputy Chief of EMS and continues to be a dedicated public servant.  

So many of her colleagues joined us to celebrate this momentous announcement and that speaks volumes to the respect, trust, and admiration our public safety officials have for her.  

Congratulations, CHIEF Gilchrist."

Mayour Gainey

Inclusion Council Intends to Impact a Workforce that Reflects and Considers the Diversity of the Nation

As part of national law firm Eckert Seamans’ longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), a new council was created to reinforce the firm’s ongoing efforts to advance DEIB across its workforce and the communities it serves. The Inclusion Council at Eckert Seamans was formed to provide time, space, and representation across various constituencies of the firm for inclusion to be both a priority and a point of focus.

“This marks a major milestone in tackling our challenge to work beyond programs and headcounts and implement policies and accountability that propels our efforts forward. The goal is to innovatively create the type of inclusive culture, reflected in a sense of belonging, that will enrich Eckert Seamans – and our world,” said Danielle Mundekis, Director of Inclusion.

The Inclusion Council will, among many roles:

• Establish an annual learning path and action plan on conversation related to inclusion;
• Serve as the foundation for recruitment from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), beginning with Howard University;
• Provide and hold space for increased dialogue, as a community and within leadership, to facilitate increased opportunities for learning about and support of the people within the firm and the communities it serves;
• Ensure accountability and the development of metrics relative to all inclusion efforts and initiatives; and
• Provide a resource for the people of the firm and its clients, by building intentional communities that support the diverse needs of those the firm works with.

“Now more than ever, a diverse workforce that holds space for different experiences and perspectives makes us stronger and more equipped to learn about and resolve issues our communities face. Inclusion is the effort that we as a firm put forth to begin to understand and support people as we learn more about them, while belonging is the way that people respond to those efforts and how we measure the success of those efforts,” said Mundekis.

Eckert Seamans is committed to developing, promoting, recruiting, and retaining talented individuals from a variety of diverse backgrounds and professional experiences. “As part of our firm culture and mission with developing our Inclusion Council, we are striving to make a difference in our business communities and ensure we are valuing and advocating for all people,” said Timothy Hudak, Chief Executive Officer.

The Inclusion Council, which is comprised of a host of work levels, experiences, and locations, will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Committee to assist the firm in implementing change through direction and oversight, fulfilling the firm’s inclusion strategy and vision. The firm’s council includes the following members:

Voting Members:

• Chair: Chief Executive Officer: Tim Hudak, Pittsburgh
• Vice Chair: Director of Inclusion: Danielle Mundekis, Pittsburgh
• Chair of the Executive Committee: Mike Flammia, Boston
• Chief Human Resources Officer: Myra Kilgore, Pittsburgh
• Chair of Lateral Integration: Heather Stone Fletcher, Pittsburgh
• Lead Inclusion Ambassador: Derek Illar, Pittsburgh
• Labor & Employment Chair: Ryan Cassidy, Philadelphia

Non-Voting Members:

• Inclusion Ambassador at-Large: Keith Ferguson, White Plains
• Summer Associate Committee Chair: Michael O’Brien, Philadelphia
• Member in Charge Representative: Ed Longosz, Washington, D.C.
• Director of Business Development & Marketing: Matthew Goffe, Pittsburgh
• Women’s Initiative Chair: Amy Snyder, Philadelphia
• Circle Mentoring Chair: LaToya Winfield Bellamy, Harrisburg
• Attorney at-Large: Krista Stefkovic, Philadelphia
• Staff at-Large: Fran Calderon, White Plains
• Admin at-Large: Katy Mahoney, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Wilmington
• Director of Attorney Recruiting: Allison Shanahan, Pittsburgh

Working as a community, the Inclusion Council will build a network that the entire firm and its clients can be proud of, supporting the advancement of inclusion efforts throughout the legal industry and beyond. The Inclusion Council at Eckert Seamans is committed to implementing change and fulfilling the firm’s inclusion strategy and vision.

Source: Eckert Seamans

 Lisa Schroeder is president and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation. She was appointed in February of 2019 and took the helm in June that year to lead the philanthropy, which was established in 1945. As the leader of one of the oldest and largest of the country’s 750 community foundations, Lisa is only the sixth president and first woman appointed to the position.

The Foundation has about $1.5 billion in total assets and oversees about 2,500 individual charitable funds. The main mission is to improve quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the region’s critical needs.

In 2020, less than a year into her term as president, Lisa directed the Foundation to the frontlines of crisis response as Covid-19 strained the limits of the region’s public health system, shuttered the economy and illuminated longstanding racial inequities. The Foundation raised millions of dollars for immediate relief, collaborated with its foundation partners to raise more for longer-term recovery and developed programs and services to address racial justice issues.  

She incorporated many of the lessons learned during that period into a new strategic plan that has a vision statement committing the Foundation to realize a region free of inequities, and one in which all residents have opportunities – not just to survive but to thrive.

Her life experience has prepared her to take on these challenges. As a nonprofit executive and civic leader in Pittsburgh and Baltimore, she has a distinguished record in turning place-centered organizations into powerful movements for quality-of-life improvement.

From 2002 until 2015, she led Riverlife, a public-private partnership established to guide and advocate for redevelopment of Pittsburgh’s three rivers. Riverlife is still shepherding her vision and the result today is a spectacular 15-mile system of riverfront parks, trails and spaces for millions of users in the heart of the city. The organization has led $132 million dollars in riverfront infrastructure development, which, in turn, has leveraged $4.2 billion dollars in investment along the three rivers.

Returning to her hometown of Baltimore to become president and CEO of the Parks & People Foundation, she oversaw completion of a $14 million capital campaign. Her “Every Kid Deserves a Park” program led to construction of new family-friendly parks serving more than 60,000 people in city neighborhoods struggling from decades of disinvestment. She also launched an international competition to create a waterfront park connecting 22 neighborhoods along the Patapsco River to $500 million worth of development opportunities.

Lisa serves on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Pittsburgh Promise, the Forbes Funds, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture, the University of Pittsburgh’s Institute of Politics Board of Fellows and the National Center for the Humanities. Her awards for leadership include the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, the Pittsburgh Business Times’ Outstanding Women in Business Award and Baltimore’s 2016 Community Service Award. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of William Smith College, she received a Master of Science degree from Columbia University.

PUM ONE ON ONE CEO, Lisa Schroeder

PUM: Your team at the Pittsburgh Foundation recently announced a new Strategic Plan: From Surviving to Thriving. Tell us more about the strategic priorities under this plan and its significance.

Thank you for your interest and we’re excited to be able to share the foundation’s new work plan with PUM readers!

We will be ramping up our fundamental role serving as a hub for the residents of our region who want to undertake personal philanthropy to support the causes that they believe will improve quality of life.

The new vision underlying our commitments is to realize an equitable, vibrant and just Pittsburgh region in which everyone – regardless of race or other aspects of identity and circumstance – can thrive.

To get there, we will ramp up three functions: We will promote the philanthropy of our donors, Support Community through grant-making, and Catalyze Partnerships through convening and advocacy for policy change. Overarching all three is a commitment to address racial and economic inequities. 

PUM: That commitment to Racial Justice is significant. Your plan points to racial disparities in access to resources and opportunities. Can you explain more about the range and how we can address them in the region?

We recognize that making the region a model of racial justice – becoming a society in which race is no longer a determinant of who thrives and who gets held back – is a big challenge, but one we need to take on because an inequitable Pittsburgh is a Pittsburgh unable to thrive. We believe the need to set an aspirational goal is clear, based on the flood of data showing shocking quality-of-life differences according to race and economic condition. Some examples we referred to in developing our plan:

· Of the $12 billion in home loans approved for Pittsburgh homebuyers between 2007 and 2019, just 7% went to minority residents.

· In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Allegheny County, Black patients died at twice the rate of white patients.

· The poverty rate in Allegheny County for Black residents is nearly 30% compared to about 8% for white residents.

In taking stock of these disparities, we realize that our success in eliminating them depends on ramping up public awareness of the economic and social costs, because all of us, not just those figuring directly in the statistics, are harmed. Our work will involve leading public convenings to understand the needs, and forming partnerships with corporate, government, civic and philanthropic sectors in the region to leverage support and work toward solutions.  

We believe that if enough of us make this a priority, we will achieve the goals of the plan. 

PUM: The Foundation will invest $50 million of its unrestricted grant-making pool over the next five years to advance racial equity and racial justice. Can you provide more details about how this will unfold and specifically how the funds will be used? 

We’ve made the $50 million commitment of support through our own Foundation-directed grants to increase the numbers of Black-led and Black community-serving organizations, because it is important to hold ourselves accountable. We are focusing our grant-making in the following areas:

· ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION: Helping communities at risk of environmental harm by preventing exposure. We also will support organizations that promote equitable access to healthy air, water and land.

·  ECONOMIC MOBILITY: Reducing the racial wealth gap and supporting access to higher education, homeownership, career advancement and entrepreneurship.

·  EQUITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE: Supporting civic participation, community organizing and citizen engagement to achieve policy changes and community-driven solutions that address the root causes of economic and racial inequities.

·  ARTS & CULTURE: Strengthening small to mid-sized arts organizations and supporting the careers and lives of individual artists by fostering a diverse, healthy and just arts ecosystem.

· BASIC NEEDS: Ensuring that everyone has access to the most essential resources for wellbeing: food, shelter, physical and mental health care, child care, education and employment.

PUM:  According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which reported in September that, while 12.8% of the nation – a total of 41.4 million people – live below the poverty line, Pittsburgh had a much higher rate across the board – 20.2%. More than a third of Pittsburgh’s Black and Latino residents, and more than one-in-four Asian residents lived below the poverty line last year. How will this plan help people of color living below the poverty line thrive specifically? 

Our plan calls for us to increase our convening power. We will bring together leaders with diverse backgrounds, talents and perspectives, and from all sectors of community life, including nonprofit, government, education and business to better understand what people need to thrive. By bringing community leaders and resources together, we expect those partnerships to identify significant opportunities where we can work together to support progress. 

An example of this is our work to provide affordable housing and end homelessness and eviction. The relationships we formed to provide emergency aid during the pandemic period will help us maximize opportunities to improve public health and the environment.

We will continue, as we have for 78 years,  to provide expertise and connect our donors to organizations serving the causes they care about. We are excited about  engaging young, mid-career people, especially those who are Black, Indigenous or identify as people of color (BIPOC), to engage in their own philanthropy along with us. 

We are increasing our advocacy activity on issues where we can advance changes in policies that hold back BIPOC communities.

PUM:  Other surveys your team used to develop your new strategies report that the racial and ethnic well-being gap widened during the pandemic, burdening BIPOC and immigrant communities and further highlighted historic disparities that have bolted the door to opportunities for generations of families. How will this be addressed through the strategic plan?

The Foundation will build on relationships established across the region over nearly eight decades to identify community resources and identify gaps; to nurture cross-sector partnerships and investments to transform systems in several ways: The Foundation has increased the diversity of highly qualified BIPOC-, women-, disabled- or veteran-owned management firms advising on the Foundation’s investment portfolios from 9% in 2021 to 17% last year. Nationally, only 1.4% of invested assets are managed by firms whose owners meet one or more of the diversity categories. 

We are also expanding our support for nonprofits to include a variety of non-monetary sources of support and capacity building through a “More-Than-Money” program. We’ve created new staff teams devoted to public health, policy and community impact; and we’ve increased our budget for research and data analysis to better understand disparities and develop solutions. 

While all of these measures are critically important to our success in eliminating disparities, the key determiner will be the number of residents who want to participate with us in creating opportunities for everyone to thrive. It will take all of us.

Learn More About The Pittsburgh Foundation

In Pittsburgh, the pay gap between Black women and white men is greater than the national average. Pittsburgh's Black women are five times more likely to live in poverty than Pittsburgh's White men.

WE MUST FIGHT back!

Cities across the United States have made remarkable progress in closing the gender pay gap. Despite being awarded the title of “America’s Most Livable City,” Pittsburgh and the surrounding region continue to struggle with pay equity, especially when it comes to women of color. Employers in the Greater Pittsburgh region have the power to close the gender pay gap.

​

The Level Up campaign will be asking organizations throughout the Pittsburgh region to take the Pay Equity Pledge. This pledge, developed by a working committee of local businesses, nonprofits, and organizations dedicated to racial, gender, and economic justice, has five pillars:

1. Commit to supporting, promoting, and engaging in pay transparency early during the hiring process.
2. Ensure a fair and equitable hiring process by eliminating desired salary and salary history questions from the application process.
3. Provide annual organization-wide diversity trainings to address, reduce, and educate about unconscious biases and associated barriers that impact hiring, promotion, and organizational culture.​
4. Undertake an annual review of gender and race pay differences among employees performing comparable tasks requiring similar levels of responsibility, skills, complexity, and working conditions and considering levels of education, prior experience, skill, and organization tenure.
5. Commit to reviewing policies and practices to ensure compliance with The National Labor Relations Act of 1935.

​

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This isn’t just about equity for Black women; It’s also about improving our region's economy, strengthening our region’s organizations, and building strength for our region’s families.

​

WILL YOU TAKE THE PLEDGE?

 Catapult Greater Pittsburgh has partnered with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and others to create a new mortgage product and program designed to increase Black homeownership in Allegheny County. The program is called Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Increasing Homeownership.

The program seeks to make homeownership more accessible by relaxing some homebuyer requirements but balancing that with comprehensive homebuyer education to ensure buyers are ready for the responsibilities of homeownership. For instance, it’s possible for people with no credit score to be approved for a loan through this program by using non-traditional sources of credit.

“Our new Revitalizing Neighborhoods and Increasing Homeownership program will give us the chance to test new loan features, paired with financial education and housing counseling, to open doors to homeownership that may have been closed previously. This initiative will benefit homebuyers who participate in the program and Allegheny County neighborhoods, too.”

 Read all about the new program here, and learn more at their upcoming info session:

The program supports underrepresented undergraduates with advising and mentoring to ensure their retention and success.

Andrea Hergenroeder (EDUC ’09G) always envisioned the University of Pittsburgh as a foundational leader in developing a diverse national health care workforce. That plan began unfolding in 2021 with the receipt of Pitt Seed Grant for a project entitled “Building a Foundation of a Diverse Health Care Workforce.”

Susan Meyer, former School of Pharmacy associate dean for education and pharmacy and therapeutics professor emeritus, initiated the Pitt Seed application. Hergenroeder took over following Meyer’s retirement in 2021. With the help of Paula Davis, associate vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion in the health sciences, and Joe McCarthy, vice provost for undergraduate studies, the project evolved into the Pre-Health Scholars Program — an undergraduate diversity initiative of Pitt’s Pre-Health Resource Center designed to ensure the success of underrepresented pre-health students through mentoring, advising and other targeted support.

“The main tenet of the program is to connect existing units at Pitt and develop new programs to build a community to support underrepresented minority pre-health students as they prepare for and apply to graduate professional programs.” said Hergenroeder, who is now director of the Pre-Health Resource Center and an associate professor in the Department of Community and Health Services and Rehabilitation Science. “To help eliminate healthcare disparities, [we must] diversify the workforce.”

A study published in 2021 found a disproportionate number of health disparities and diseases among Black, Latino and Native American populations. The report cited that “increasing transparency around the representation of these populations in healthcare professions could increase cultural competency among healthcare professionals and reduce health disparities.”

The first Pre-Health Scholar cohort welcomed 16 first-year and sophomore undergraduate students interested in pursuing medicine, dentistry, physical therapy and more. Hergenroeder said faculty across Pitt’s Schools of the Health Sciences are invested in the initiative and their partnerships enabled students to be matched with a professor working in their desired fields.

In addition to panel presentations that featured Pitt and UPMC health care providers, the cohort also took field trips, including one to the Homewood Community Engagement Center (CEC) and Wellness Pavilion, where they learned about field-related community engagement opportunities.

Students not only expand their portfolios, but also get to explore different career paths, while receiving channeled support.

“I wanted to be a part of a group where I can relate to my peers and I found a place where I feel comfortable,” said Gamar Muya, a Kenya native majoring in biological science who was a first-year student when the program began. She currently works as a certified nursing assistant in a community for older adults with hopes of becoming an obstetrician/gynecologist.

Noting the emphasis on underrepresented students, Muya added, “Joining this program was the best decision I ever made.”

Monico Williams, now a junior from Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is majoring in architecture on the pre-med track. She sought out the program for a community she didn’t find anywhere else.

“As a first-generation college student, I don’t have a lot of family to guide me through the process or struggles I experience, so it’s imperative that I build my support system,” said Williams. “My family provides a great amount of support, but it’s beneficial to receive guidance from someone that’s been in your position.”

She commended the mentorship and networking as the program’s standout features.

“The engagement of mentors across the campus is an outstanding feature,” said Davis. “Hearing the stories of others who have gone before is an opportunity to learn in a very real way that no one is on an island in their health career preparation; it isn’t necessary to go it alone.”

Kathryn Reed (A&S ’14, ’16G) is a School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences assistant professor who mentored Lisa Antwi, a pre-physician assistant student majoring in biological sciences and dual minoring in chemistry and French. Reed described last years’ experience with Antwi and of supporting the next generation of scientists as a “breath of fresh air.” She added, “Without this type of program acting as a conduit, these personalized experiences between faculty members and undergraduate students can be difficult to attain.”

Williams said the relationships the Pre-Health Scholars Program fosters have made all the difference.

“This program has not only driven my academic and professional careers but has also positively impacted my Pitt experience,” said Williams. “It provides an encouraging atmosphere that rejuvenates college burnout. The program promotes a supportive environment that allows members to flourish and succeed, recognizes their value and be the best they can be. It serves underrepresented groups and shows in its actions and events that this program values diversity.”

— Kara Henderson

Source PItt

 The Pittsburgh Digital Equity Coalition (PDEC) has been named the Tech Community Leader of the Year by Technical.ly Pittsburgh.

PDEC is a coalition of anchor institutions, nonprofits, and civic and governmental leadership from throughout the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. It has a stated goal of developing a five-year plan to address digital inequities across four key metrics:

• Access to high-quality, affordable broadband;
• Access to technology;
• Internet skills, knowledge, and literacy;
• Accessible technical support.

The PDEC will deliver its recommendations for achieving these four strategic outcomes to City and County officials before June 2023. This date was selected as it coincides with the announcement of state awards by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). These awards will be dispersed to counties across Pennsylvania for use in developing broadband infrastructure and digital equity initiatives, including skills training and device access. The PDEC collaborative recommendations will weigh in on a broader formulation for how to allocate those funds state by state and how the PA Broadband Authority, in turn, releases them to individual counties across the Commonwealth.

“We are fortunate to have so many partners who have come together to work on the strategy to address the digital divide in our community. This work is critically important to ensure that all in our region have access to broadband and technology that will allow them to avail themselves of the opportunities that exist in the county and city,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “Thank you to Technical.ly Pittsburgh for recognizing this work by PDEC on a larger stage. We appreciate and acknowledge the importance of their work, but to have others validate and support that work is extremely rewarding.”

“For far too long we have known the truth about the digital divide – that our seniors and our Black and Brown children have been left out of the rapid shift toward an online, connected digital world,” said Mayor Ed Gainey. “Investments like the Pittsburgh Digital Equity Coalition, partnerships like this, build a thriving city not just for those with existing access, but for our neighbors most in need. Thank you to Technical.ly Pittsburgh for uplifting this important and vital work by the PDEC. The recognition as “Tech Community Leader of the Year” further validates the importance of ending the digital divide in our region.”

Heidi Norman, Director of Innovation & Performance for the City of Pittsburgh, and PDEC member, believes that the PDEC's work could stand as a model for other coalitions across the state. “We recognize that the issues surrounding lack of access to high-speed internet, or lack of a modern device in the home, or the skills to know how to use one is a fundamental barrier for people who want to participate in our digital age. But the problem is larger than any government organization can solve. Having a true coalition assembled, as we have here in Allegheny County, with nonprofits, the library systems, our great universities, and so many others, is how we can solve the vast problems that exist because of digital inequities.”

The NTIA plans to distribute state allocations from its $42.5 billion fund by June 2023. These federal funds are from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed by President Biden in November 2021. A core element of the bill is to ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.

 A new report from  the University of Pittsburgh’s Center on Race and Social Problems (CRSP) is shedding light on educational barriers plaguing Black students and families in Pittsburgh and nationwide.

On Oct. 19, representatives from CRSP presented findings from “Strength for the Journeys: Lessons from African American Families on Academic Programming and Educational Involvement in Greater Pittsburgh,” a report the center has been working on since 2018. The Heinz Endowments-supported project offered a more in-depth look at the disparities outlined in previous CRSP studies and explored how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated issues such as mental health challenges among students and parents alike. 

“We are calling attention to the collective issues that Black families face and the assets that have been supportive to them [and] are important for recommendations in the space of educational practice,” said James Huguley, associate dean and associate professor in the School of Social Work and the lead researcher on the project. “In this report, we see the day-to-day consequences of racialized economic and education oppression lived out.”  

The Pittsburgh College Access Alliance (PCAA) — a coalition of community organizations formed to address educational inequities by fostering educational access, opportunities and a network of support within Black communities — approached Huguley to develop the report. The founding members include the Crossroads Foundation, the Fund for the Advancement of Minorities through Education, Higher Achievement, the Negro Education Emergency Drive and The Neighborhood Academy (TNA). 

[Pitt’s Just Discipline Project expanded to more schools this fall.]

Although each organization had been successful in their respective missions before, including offering scholarships and college preparatory education, the consensus was that they could accomplish more together. To do so — and to better understand the needs of the families PCAA aims to help — the group engaged CRSP to initiate a listening tour with students, parents and alumni from each organization.

“When we attempted to study similar [collaborative] models within the nation, we quickly learned that no other organization was doing this work,” said Anthony Williams, TNA’s head of school.

The focus group sessions revealed that the barriers preventing Black families from obtaining quality education fall into three main categories: school and institutional, race and society, and financial. Structural issues included overcrowding, lack of funding, low expectations, peer distractions, teacher burnout and a lack of rigor. 

While attending private school largely curtailed these challenges, many families faced economic barriers that made this an unattainable option. And those who could afford private school found that new issues replaced old ones; CRSP’s study noted that kids instead encountered racism, classism and racialized social isolation, among other negative experiences.

“The parents were loud and clear around the need for diversity in training, representation and curriculum to offset the racial isolation and discriminatory experiences they were having,” said Huguley. “These experiences lend support to what other parents have experienced and voiced in public and private settings in our region in the past year and a half.”

Families contributing to the project recommended a number of solutions to boost achievement and challenge oppressive systems, including more equitable distribution of educational resources, better training for educators, establishing Black parent support networks and much more.

“This work adds important validation and voice to the authentic struggles and strengths of real people that are behind every statistic that we see in striking publications like the Gender Equity Report or the Just Discipline school suspensions report,” said Huguley.

The report is just the first step in a broader CRSP plan to transform educational attainment in the region. The next phase will see the center partner with the Center for Urban Education on a project that will delve deeper into Black families’ pandemic experiences in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood.

For those interested in participating in the next community conversation about the research, a forum and dinner will be held at 5 p.m. on Nov. 1 at The Neighborhood Academy, 709 N. Aiken Ave.

SOURCE— Kara Henderson

Destenie Nock (right), an assistant professor in the departments of Civil & Environmental Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy, is focused on applying high-level mathematical modeling to real-world issues in energy systems planning and equality. Her recent work has involved creating an energy equity metric that illustrates the socioeconomic divide in access to energy.

Q: In terms of improving public access to alternative energy options for more Americans, does the Inflation Reduction Act get it right? Does it do enough from an equity perspective to make it easier for more Americans to shift away from fossil fuels?

This is the first time we're seeing energy justice in a bill like this, with over $60 billion targeted for environmental justice efforts. There's also money to spur production of solar panels and wind turbines, and for processing critical materials in the United States. This is huge for energy justice and jobs.

A big part of the energy transition is what happens to the workers, not just ones who are selling and maintaining services, but the ones who are building, mining, doing research and development. Creating a domestic industry around that is critical to this transition. There are jobs that will come from manufacturing and construction, but with a domestic industry, it will be a much longer-term approach.

For example, there's $500 million for heat pumps and critical mineral processing. If we're trying to get people to shift away from natural gas to more electrical-based systems, we need to tie energy justice and housing by upgrading that infrastructure. Heat pumps that can both heat and cool will be central to that energy transition as well. They are more efficient than traditional heating systems, such as electric radiators, and that will help reduce our dependence on expensive energy generation systems like oil and natural.

Q: There were some carbon capture and storage provisions in the new law that some environmentalists saw as giveaways to the fossil fuel industry. How should we be thinking about those?

With one bill, it's hard to get it completely right, but compared to what we had before — the IRA — it's a good compromise. We weren't going to get this bill through the government without any support for fossil fuel. There are wealthy, powerful actors looking to protect their interests in that industry. I understand why some people are upset, but there's a larger picture at play here for reducing emissions.

One way to reduce emissions is to reduce the fossil intensity of the supply side. But there's also the demand side and reducing demand for fossil fuels. If we do that then it will start to push out those fossil fuel generators and that will be good for energy justice and climate justice.

Q: Shortly after this passed, California announced plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars beginning in 2035. Is that the kind of significant action we're going to need to see more of to deliver in terms of meeting emissions goals?

I think we'll see more actions like this in the future. It's great to try to get different people to invest in electric car manufacturing and improving number of vehicles made for sale. One challenge is that demand for electric vehicles has outgrown the supply. That leaves me worried that we could potentially be putting the onus on consumers to switch their technology when it is still not widely available.

I like to see in IRA that we're improving manufacturing capacity. But the law assumes people don't want to buy electric cars, when they do. Tesla has a long waiting list of people who want to buy their vehicles.

The concern here is for low-income and vulnerable populations who tend to depend on secondhand vehicles, and secondhand batteries that tend to die. There is some data that shows second life batteries don't work as well — their range is unreliable and they don't hold a charge as well.

One thing for the California policy to be successful will be heavy investment in public transportation and I'm not seeing that yet. If we're going to ban the sale of these vehicles knowing people still have to get to work and there's still a gap between deployment of our technology needs and the public demand, then we have to take that into account. In places like New York City and the Washington, D.C. metro area, people don't have to own vehicles to get around as long as they are close to the subway. In California, I did not find that to be the case when I visited, and that's a big challenge. Here in Pittsburgh, my public bus service stops at 9 p.m., so unless I want to be Cinderella, I need my own vehicle.

So while I'm glad to see this move, let's make sure the alternative isn't just another personal vehicle but a strong public transit system.

Source: CMU

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) announced that the City of Pittsburgh received $11,320,000 in funding for the “New Pathways to Equity” project to invest in human-focused infrastructure in the Hill District. The funding comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

With this funding, the city will make construction improvements to the public right-of-way in the Hill District, particularly on Centre Avenue. Improvements will include the reconstruction of intersections, street corridors and city steps as well as the installation of traffic calming measures, sidewalks and green infrastructure. The “New Pathways to Equity” project is crucial to the revitalization of the neighborhood.

“The Hill District is a vibrant community that for too long has been disconnected from the rest of the City of Pittsburgh,” said Senator Casey. “This grant, made possible by the infrastructure law, will make Centre Avenue safer and more accessible to drivers, public transit users, pedestrians and all residents of Pittsburgh. This project will bring more businesses, customers and workers to the Hill District, boosting the neighborhood’s economic strength.”

“This grant is the culmination of years of hard work to invest in the revitalization of the Hill District,” Congressman Doyle said. “This project will provide safer streets, better transit, and improved accessibility in the Hill District. Along with the federal funding we secured to reconnect downtown and the Hill District with the I-579 Cap Project, this grant will ensure that we are investing in the middle and upper Hill District equitably. I worked persistently with Mayor Gainey and County Executive Fitzgerald to secure this funding – including arranging a meeting with the Mayor and Secretary Buttigieg earlier this year to stress the importance of this project – and I believe that the combination of unified advocacy and project merit won this grant for Pittsburgh. This project also bolsters the City’s Avenues of Hope project to work with local and minority business owners to invest in historically marginalized corridors throughout the City, a project for which I secured $2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending in Fiscal Year 2022.”

“We were glad to support this important project that will improve the quality of life for residents in the Hill District,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “Through continued investment in the neighborhood, we are improving infrastructure, mobility and access for those who live there, but also for those who come to eat, shop and visit.”

“This grant is not just an investment into essential infrastructure, it is also an investment in correcting long standing harms that have isolated the Hill from Downtown," said Mayor Ed Gainey. "Designing solutions and getting them funded required a true community partnership, and this is an example of the kind of ambitious reinvestment in our city that can happen when we all work towards a common purpose and shared goal.”

“This award will have a multi-generational impact in the Hill District neighborhood,” said Marimba Milliones, President & CEO, Hill Community Development Corporation. “Our infrastructure is in serious need of upgrading and this grant will support critical improvements to key corridors.  We thank Senator Bob Casey, Congressman Doyle and Mayor Gainey for working to deliver these funds for the benefit of the Hill District’s residents and businesses.  We are also hopeful that these funds can be leveraged to secure additional state and local resources.”

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.

“AHN and Highmark Health have been fortunate to frequently work with PNC Bank over the years to promote health and wellness for all residents in Pittsburgh communities and beyond,” said Allie Quick, chief philanthropy officer at AHN. “We are so grateful for their involvement once again to help address the impact of racial disparities on birth outcomes in our region, as well as transform the lives of families with insufficient access to nutritious food choices.”

According to the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, one in five Pittsburgh residents experience food insecurity – meaning they lack consistent access to nutritious foods, which are critical to an active, healthy lifestyle. Funding from PNC Bank will help to sustain the AHN Healthy Food Center at West Penn Hospital and its efforts to link food and medicine for improved patient health outcomes. In recognition of PNC’s generous support, this Healthy Food Center location has been designated the ‘PNC Pantry.’

The AHN Healthy Food Center, part of the network’s Center for Inclusion Health, serves as a food pharmacy where patients can obtain healthful food items, as well as education on disease-specific diets and resources to address other social challenges. The first center debuted in 2018 at West Penn Hospital, followed by locations at Allegheny General Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital and Forbes Hospital. To date, more than 125,000 meals have been provided to patients and their families in the Pittsburgh region through the Healthy Food Centers.

Another sponsorship from PNC will support the ‘First Steps and Beyond’ program at AHN, which is designed to decrease Black infant mortality rates, reduce preterm birth rates and increase knowledge about safe sleep. Originally announced last December, the program seeks to expand prenatal, perinatal, birth doula and fatherhood services, as well as develop interventions for families experiencing oppression and hardship, especially due to racial inequality.

“PNC is committed to promoting economic empowerment for all across our footprint,” said Lou Cestello, PNC regional president for Pittsburgh. “Allegheny Health Network is working to eliminate health disparities that can serve as significant barriers to overall equity, and we are proud to team up with them to improve health outcomes for underserved communities in our region.”

Onome Oghifobibi arrived at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2015 for a pediatric residency and then completed a neonatal-perinatal fellowship, caring for some of the most vulnerable infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. During these years, he witnessed a disconnect between the region’s world-class universities and hospitals and the striking health disparities that some people faced. He wanted to stay at Pitt to help.

His timing was perfect. 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. For Oghifobibi, staying at Pitt meant “feeling valued and heard” and that other people cared enough about his community-driven work to retain and support him.

“Staying here is an opportunity for me to help with the health disparity crisis,” he says. “We have the resources — great universities and a world-class health care system.”

Oghifobibi’s hire was a part of the Race and Social Determinants of Equity, Health and Well-being Cluster Hire and Retention Initiative at Pitt. The goals of the initiative are to engage more faculty to conduct research, educate students and engage in service designed to eliminate racial disparities and improve measures of well-being in the Pittsburgh region, nationally and around the world. Leading Pitt’s cluster hire are Paula K. Davis, associate vice chancellor for health sciences diversity, equity and inclusion, and John Wallace, vice provost for faculty diversity and development in the Office of the Provost. The initiative calls for numerous faculty member hires over four years.

In less than a year, the cluster hire has already brought to Pitt many outstanding faculty members. And that’s just the beginning, according to Davis, who chairs the health sciences’ cluster hire committee with Naudia Jonassaint, associate professor and vice chair for diversity and inclusion in the Department of Medicine and associate dean for clinical affairs, and MaCalus Hogan, professor and vice chair of orthopaedic surgery in the School of Medicine.

In addition to Oghifobibi, the cluster hire is bringing faculty with a wealth of academic interests and research expertise to Pitt. Ashley Hill from the Graduate School of Public Health conducts research aimed at reducing disparities in sexually transmitted infections among young people. Taofeek K. Owonikoko is head of the School of Medicine’s hematology/oncology division and focuses on discovering new biomarkers in lung cancer and other solid tumors. Katrina Knight from the Swanson School of Engineering is improving synthetic mesh materials that are used to treat pelvic organ prolapse.

But recruitment is only one part of a successful cluster hire. Davis and Wallace are also actively working to retain new faculty, which involves evaluating the hiring departments’ mentoring and inclusion plans and planning opportunities for new hires to develop social networks. For example, to inspire and encourage collaboration and multidisciplinary research among the cluster hires, the Offices of the Provost and the Senior Vice Chancellor for the Health Sciences co-sponsor the Race &... Lecture Series, which provides a spotlight for each new faculty member to describe their work and interests to the Pitt community. 

“The idea is not just to bring people here but to ensure that they’re successful and that we can retain them, as well as, frankly, effectively retaining our existing diverse faculty,” Wallace says.

That Pitt’s cluster hire in the health sciences was able to advance new areas of academic interest and research speaks to the efforts of Davis, Jonassaint and Hogan, each of whom credits the support of Anantha Shekhar, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine, who sparked the cluster hire’s success and helped it quickly gain momentum.

“Absent Dr. Shekhar’s and Provost Ann Cudd’s decision to take bold steps to support the hires, we absolutely would not be having this conversation,” says Davis. “In many schools, the approach to diverse, equitable and inclusive recruitment is passive. But this isn’t the field of dreams — you know, ‘if you build it, they will come.’ They’re not coming. You have to build relationships with people.”

To the committee, diversifying the faculty and its research interests through the cluster hire is nothing short of a paradigm shift. They believe the benefits will go beyond research: Pitt’s capacity for innovation will increase, and students and trainees will have role models to provide roadmaps for navigating academic life and career aspirations.

Despite early successes, Wallace, Davis, Jonassaint and Hogan are not done. All agree that investing the resources, creating infrastructure and empowering people to execute a vision will help Pitt become a magnet for change.

“Eventually, it won’t be ‘change’; it’ll just be who we are,” says Hogan. “We’ll be known for valuing people for who they are and what they do.”

The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.

Source: University of Pittsburgh

GUEST COLUMN

State Rep. Donna Bullock

D-Philadelphia
www.pahouse.com/Bullock 

Jan. 21, 2022

Preliminary legislative district plan is responsive to the growth of communities of color

As the chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus and state representative for the 195th District in Philadelphia, I strongly endorse the Preliminary Plan for House Districts passed by the Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission on Dec. 16.

I have watched the reapportionment process closely and am truly impressed by the commitment to fairness and transparency that Chairman Mark Nordenberg has demonstrated throughout. The unprecedented level of public engagement has resulted in a strong preliminary plan that is fair, representative, and constitutionally sound.

Notably, this preliminary plan is responsive to the growth of communities of color across the commonwealth. As many have stated, statewide the number of Pennsylvanians who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian or multi-racial increased by more than 800,000 since the last census, while the White population decreased by more than 540,000.

In the last decade, the City of Philadelphia, after many census reports showing population losses, increased its population by more than 80,000 residents requiring a House district be moved within the city boundaries. This growth is recognized in the preliminary plan by adding House District 9 to Philadelphia.  The newly drawn House District 9 is a majority Black district which, through the unpacking of neighboring House districts including my own, furthers the goals of the Voting Rights Act.  

The population growth in Philadelphia is part of a trend across the southeast of the commonwealth. In addition to the placement of House District 9, the preliminary plan reflects this trend by placing new legislative districts in Montgomery and Lancaster counties which provide increased opportunities for the growing minority populations in those areas to secure equal representation.

In addition to preserving and expanding districts in which a racial minority group makes up the majority of the population, the preliminary plan takes the important step of including coalition districts.  These districts, in which diverse communities of color make up a majority or plurality of the population, recognize the commonalities of Black, Latino, Asian, and Indigenous Pennsylvanians and will allow these communities to fully realize their political power.

The newly drawn House District 54 in Norristown, Montgomery County, is a great example of a coalition district that will undo previous efforts to dilute the political power of Black and Latino Pennsylvanians. Over the years, maps have been drawn in a way that diluted the voice of the people of Norristown by combining them in a legislative district with very different suburban and rural communities in the western part of the county. This map, instead, puts Norristown in a district with communities with more commonalities in Conshohocken and Plymouth Township—and will have a racial minority population of nearly 45%.

Similar efforts have been made in Lancaster County, where all population growth in the last decade came from communities of color.  Pennsylvanians of color will make up nearly 50% of the population of the newly drawn House District 50 in and around Lancaster City. This district, like House District 54, is a great opportunity for Black and Latino Pennsylvanians.

I want to thank Chairman Nordenberg for his tireless efforts in this redistricting cycle and for recognizing that the diversity of this commonwealth is a strength. His leadership has led to a plan that will uplift—rather than dilute—our voices.

###

Donna Bullock represents House District 195 in the City of Philadelphia and serves as the Chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus.  The PLBC is a bicameral institution established in 1973 to serve as an information and advocacy vehicle to advance the interests of African American, Latino, and other people of color of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

NEW HEALTH EQUITY SCORECARD: State-by-State Scorecard of Racial and Ethnic Disparities Finds All

States’ Health Systems Are Failing People of Color.

In Nearly Every State, Black Americans Are More Likely Than White Americans to Die from Preventable and Treatable Conditions Exacerbated by Lack of Timely, High-Quality Health Care

A new health equity scorecard released  by the Commonwealth Fund finds 

deep-seated racial and ethnic health inequities in all 50 states and the District of

Columbia — disparities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Achieving Racial and Ethnic Equity in U.S. Health Care: A Scorecard of State

Performance is a comprehensive examination of how health care systems are

functioning for people of color in every state. Part of the Commonwealth Fund’s

ongoing series examining individual state health system performance, the

report uses 24 measures to evaluate each state on health care access, quality and

service use, and health outcomes for Black, white, Latinx/Hispanic, American

Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN), and Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific

Islander (AANHPI) populations.

The health equity scorecard reveals that even among high-performing states,

racial and ethnic health disparities can be dramatic. For example, Minnesota’s

health care system, which has historically performed well in Commonwealth

Fund state scorecard rankings, has some of the largest health disparities between

white and nonwhite communities. Maryland, Massachusetts, and Connecticut

are other traditionally high-scoring states where white residents receive some

of the best care in the country but where quality of care is far worse for many

populations of color. Similarly, in states like Mississippi and Oklahoma whose

health care systems have historically performed poorly for both white and Black

populations, white patients still received markedly better care.

In addition to showing how people of different races and ethnicities fare within

each state, the Fund’s scorecard ranks how well each state’s health system is

working for each racial and ethnic group. For instance, the health care system in

California works better for Latinx/Hispanic people than the Texas health care

system. In both Texas and California, however, the health system benefits white

people more. Among states with large American Indian populations, South

Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming have the worst-performing

health systems for these communities while California’s system ranks at the

top — though there are still wide disparities with other populations in the state.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Structural racism and generations of disinvestment in communities of color

are chief among many factors contributing to pervasive U.S. health inequities,

the authors note. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, people in many

communities of color are more likely than members of white communities to

live in poverty, to work in low-paying, high-contact industries, and to reside

in high-risk living environments. Many Black, Latinx/Hispanic, and AIAN

populations then face an unequal health system when they need to access care.

They are less likely to have health insurance, more likely to face cost-related

barriers to care and medical debt, and more likely to receive suboptimal care.

Health inequities are perpetuated and reinforced by each of these contributing

factors — all of which have their roots in both past and current policies at the

federal, state, and local levels. The authors suggest pursuing four broad policy

goals to create an equitable, antiracist health system:

1. Ensuring affordable, comprehensive, and equitable health insurance

coverage for all

2. Strengthening primary care

3. Lowering administrative burden for patients

4. Investing in social services.

Since health inequities vary across states, there are also opportunities for

state programs to tailor interventions that address the unique needs of their

communities.

HOW WE CONDUCTED THIS STUDY

State health system performance was evaluated for each of five racial and ethnic

groups — Black (non-Latinx/Hispanic), white (non-Latinx/Hispanic), AIAN

(non-Latinx/Hispanic), AANHPI (non-Latinx/Hispanic), and Latinx/Hispanic

(any race) — among 24 indicators of health system performance. Indicators were

grouped into three performance domains: health outcomes, health care access,

and quality and use of health care services.

For each of the 24 indicators, the researchers calculated a standardized score

for each state/population group with sufficient data (e.g., Latinx/Hispanic

individuals in Texas). Within each performance domain, they combined

indicator values to create a summary score. The domain summary scores in each

state were then combined to create a composite state health system performance

score for each racial and ethnic group.

Based on the overall composite scores, each racial/ethnic group within each state

received a percentile score providing both national and state-level context on the

performance of a state health system for that population. The percentile scoring,

from 1 (worst) to 100 (best), reflects the observed distribution of health system

performance for all groups measured in this report and enables comparisons

within and across states. For example, California’s health system score of 50

for Latinx/Hispanic individuals indicates that it is performing better for those

residents than Florida’s health system does for Latinx/Hispanic people, with a

score of 38. However, both groups fare worse than white residents in California,

where the health system performs at a score of 89 for them.

Read More: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/scorecard/2021/nov/achieving-racial-ethnic-equity-us-health-care-state-performance

New Pitt Research: Glaring Racial Disparities in Out-of-school Suspensions; a Warning About the Role of On-site Law Enforcement PITTSBURGH—A new University of Pittsburgh study of Allegheny County schools shows severe racial disparities in out-of-school suspensions with a rate that is double for African-American students compared to their non-Black classmates. The new report from Pitt’s Center on Race and Social Problems is titled “Just Discipline and the School-to-Prison Pipeline in Greater Pittsburgh: Local Challenges and Promising Solutions.” It uses the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Safe Schools Reports data from 2012 to 2016 for 51 school districts, covering all grades. As the new school year begins with more law enforcement officers assigned to schools, the Pitt researchers also expressed concerns about the “criminalization of school discipline,” whereby school law enforcement officers getting involved in common student discipline increases the likelihood that a student will become involved with the juvenile justice system. “More than 80 percent of our districts have problems with either overall suspension use, racial disparities in those suspensions or both,” said James Huguley, Pitt assistant professor of social work and first author of the report. “Our region has a problem that is not only a social justice issue, but also an economic one that is hampering our well-being and our future.” The report, funded by The Heinz Endowments, also offers a solution — an eight-point plan for a successful reform model, portions of which are already being used successfully in the Woodland Hills School District. “The Heinz Endowments is excited about the reforms underway in the Woodland Hills School District because they represent the type of work we support to promote just policy and practice in our schools and to help all of our children achieve the potential we know they have,” said Endowments President Grant Oliphant. “We have to end these suspension practices that limit education and future employment opportunities for our children and threaten to rob our communities of their talent and imagination. We’ve got to do better than this in our region.” Key findings from the report include: Across Allegheny County, suspension rates dropped by 16 percent in the comparison of 2012-13 to 2015-16. The top three school districts for reductions (per 100 students) were Penn Hills, Sto-Rox and Cornell. The three districts with the biggest increase were Propel Schools, Duquesne City and Wilkinsburg. For Black students in Allegheny County, the suspension rate was 41 suspensions for every 100 students, compared to a rate of only 5.6 for non-Black students. The racial disparity stemmed from exceedingly high suspension rates in urban school districts, where Black students tend to be concentrated, and exceptionally high racial disparity rates in White suburban districts. Suspensions have serious negative academic and economic consequences for students and communities. Pitt’s findings show that a 10-point difference in suspensions per 100 was linked to an approximately 3 percent lower graduation rate. Economically, suspensions in a single graduating cohort will cost Allegheny County more than $9 million in lost tax revenue plus $30 million in total social costs over the course of these students’ careers. As a solution, the report proposes the model called Just Discipline, which departs from the punitive model and instead focuses on a relationship-driven method to build community and then leverage that community to engage the offender in repairing the harm. It requires, among other things: an adjustment of policies to reduce the possibility that minor offenses such as willful defiance or dress code violations will lead to suspensions; a focus on community and relationship building as the foundation of a strong behavioral climate; full-time in-school facilitators to focus on relational dynamics within the school and to become keepers of the school culture that undergirds the school’s behavioral fabric; and the acknowledgement of implicit racial bias and racial injustice histories and how they affect the schooling experiences of students of color. Huguley, who co-authored the report with Pitt Associate Professor of Psychology in Education Ming-Te Wang, said there is reason for optimism. He said that overall suspension rates are down across the region. He also noted that some of the districts are already adapting new policies and shifting practices, and that schools that are making the efforts to move toward positive change will reap the benefits.

Read the Report: https://www.heinz.org/UserFiles/Library/Just_Discipline_and_the_School_to_Prison_Pipeline_in_Pittsburgh.pdf

 PPG (NYSE: PPG) and the PPG Foundation today announces a commitment to invest $20 million by 2025 to address systemic racism and advance racial equity in the U.S. by funding educational pathways for Black communities and people of color. The commitment strengthens PPG’s focus on education – a priority giving area for PPG and the PPG Foundation – and furthers its support of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.

“We aim to reach diverse students and communities to champion change and empower historically underrepresented populations with greater opportunities to achieve brighter futures,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director, (pictured) PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “Through this important commitment, we will prioritize equity and justice within education to close the racial gaps in STEM learning and careers, and help our society meet collective challenges quickly, creatively and effectively.”

The $20 million investment reflects commitments to support:

Advanced STEM education and career development - Supporting Black people and people of color who are pursuing advanced studies in engineering, chemistry and data science by funding scholarships, and academic and career counseling programs. PPG will focus on programs that promote inclusion, provide professional development and build bridges that enable middle and high school students to successfully pursue advanced learning opportunities and STEM careers.

K-12 STEM education - Encouraging interest among more Black students, and students of color, through hands-on STEM experiences in afterschool programs, camps and in-school settings, as well as mentoring and career exposure.

Social justice - Supporting new partners dedicated to social justice that were identified in collaboration with PPG’s employee resource networks (ERNs). PPG will support a range of social justice initiatives that focus on civil rights, criminal justice reform and the cultural heritage of Black communities and people of color.

Beautifying diverse communities - Increasing the number of PPG COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® projects that impact diverse communities.

Ongoing impact opportunities - Funding additional opportunities impacting Black and people of color populations that will be identified in collaboration with PPG employees, leaders and community partners, on an ongoing basis.

The PPG Foundation will direct at least 25% of diversity funding to organizations serving the company’s global headquarters community of Pittsburgh. It also will continue to invest more than 50% of its U.S.-based grantmaking to support causes that focus on Black communities and people of color, veterans, women, LGBTQ+ populations, economically disadvantaged individuals and families, and people with disabilities.

The community engagement commitment supplements PPG’s actions to further progress diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) companywide. PPG will continue to identify additional opportunities to ensure support to underrepresented groups around the world.

“At PPG, we believe in DE&I and have long upheld these values throughout our company and community engagement efforts to create stronger, more sustainable communities,” said Marvin Mendoza, global head, DE&I, PPG. “Our new community engagement commitments build upon PPG’s purpose to protect and beautify the world and align with our practices to create an equal and just society.”

In 2020, PPG continued its focus on DE&I across the company. In response to George Floyd’s death and the widespread civil rights movement that followed, the PPG Foundation made initial investments in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund, the Center for Policing Equity and the Equal Justice Initiative. In November 2020, the company appointed Mendoza to design, lead and execute PPG’s global DE&I vision and strategy, and leverage data-driven insights to accelerate the company’s DE&I agenda. PPG also relaunched and expanded its ERNs, providing employees with more opportunities to share ideas, learn from one another, and leverage the unique skills, experiences and perspectives of the PPG team.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $11 million in 2019, supporting hundreds of organizations across 38 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today’s skilled workforce and develop tomorrow’s innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

Source: PPG