Editors' note. Due to the recent displays of violence that have occurred throughout the United States, we thought it would be informative and impactful to discuss the idea of safety and security as they relate to identity. Therefore, we created a series of questions based on identity, civic engagement and safety. With these questions in mind, we wanted our participants to begin to think about how their identity impacts their safety or lack of, in Pittsburgh and beyond. For one to be civically engaged, they must first feel safe in doing so. The responses we've collected come from a variety of community members with a broad range of backgrounds and identities. They are variegated and surprising-- even one that refutes our association of identity in safety. We chose to publish every response. We hope that going forward, the responses will inform us of the dialogue that needs to happen, and the nuance of safety and civic engagement as related to identity.
Thank you to Kim, who persistently checked in on us about the project, and supported our ideas from the beginning. And, of course, this project would not be possible without the help of NewPeople, a publication that prioritizes community voices. We live in a time where the chaos of media and politics puts our humanities up for debate, inundates us with seemingly unsolvable disasters, and desensitizes us to global violence. A sense of "unsafety" is normal. We must acknowledge that, while this sense of "unsafety" may affect all of us, it looks different for everyone. In asking what it's opposite, "safety," looks like, we begin to imagine ways we can build power for all of us. Sincerely, Elisa, Isabelle and Yazmin
Additional notes Yazmin: I believe these questions are important as they raise questions that encourage one to think about the ways in which they are privileged and/or oppressed. One question states, “Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security.” This question is important--it encourages participants to not only think about privilege and oppression, but to acknowledge it in their own lives. These questions reveal that safety and civic engagement are connected. If one does not feel safe, secure, and/or welcomed and appreciated in a community, they may be less likely to be civically engaged. Additionally, one question asks what is necessary to feel safe in Pittsburgh. I believe this is one the most important questions in the survey. This question gives participants a space to state what they need and what is essential for one’s safety. It is key to provide spaces for suggestions and solutions when examining issues such as safety. To simply say that members of a community feel unsafe serves no purpose. What is purposeful is finding out who feels unsafe, why they feel unsafe, and what is needed to make them feel safe.
Isabelle: The sample of our survey is diverse in age, race, sexual/gender identity, but it is small. The collected responses don't reflect Pittsburgh as a whole-- just 29 29 residents in our city. Twenty-nine is barely a fraction of Pittsburgh, and there are approximately 300,000+ untold stories that are undoubtedly more variegated, similar and dissimilar. The responses are also limited to written English due to time and resources. Language barriers and ability/disability are an obstacle in civic engagement that aren't fully realized in the following responses. We realize we can only reach so many people, and not everyone would have the time or energy to share their stories. For those that have: We are so, so appreciative of your time, consideration and insight. We also realize that we aren't entitled to everyone's stories or thoughts. For those that didn't share their thoughts with us, for any reason, we understand that it is important to still hold space for you.
Yazmin, 21. she/her Black, female, heterosexual, working class. 21
Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security.  I’ve been verbally attacked by a white male various times for discussing my racial identity in the classroom.Â
What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you?
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh?
To me powerful civic engagement is when people in a community work actively to make a positive difference/impact in the community. A moment where civic engagement made me feel empowered was when I was going around my campus encouraging other women to study abroad. This idea of sharing knowledge with other women, particularly women of color was empowering as I know and trusted that those women would take that knowledge and continue to spread it.
The eradication of racism. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? More information, more townhall meetings.
Isabelle, 22. she/her, they/them Chinese-Taiwanese, 1st Generation What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I feel powerful when I feel supported and guided by my community. I feel disempowered when my actions are belittled or subjected to the approval/disapproval of white community members. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. In was walking to a bus stop in Bloomfield when a white woman leaned out of the passenger's seat while she was driving, and yelled, "Get out of here!" in my direction. I was the only person on the street.
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I think that it would make me feel safer if racism or violence against women/gender minorities was more stigmatized, or met with a response rather than silence or complicit approval. Even if it's not physical violence. Yelling, catcalls and micro-aggressions are so frequent and accepted, which perpetuates a culture of physical violence towards marginalized identities. I think that it would help me feel safer if more men engaged in conversations about gendered violence. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I would like more spaces that prioritize the leadership or voices of people/women of color.
Imani, 20. she/her Black, female, Christian, middle class What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? It means interacting with your community that makes lasting impact. I think a civil engagement that made me feel disempowered was after the killing in Antwon Rose. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. I think navigating through school was a time when my identity as a black woman has been a time where has impacted my feelings towards safety/accessibility/etc.Â
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Housing laws that do not exclude black/poor people What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Police and those who aren’t participating in the civil engagement respecting the civil engagement regardless of their stanceÂ
anonymous, 23. she/her pansexual, nonbinary/trans What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? When I first read "powerful civic engagement," I first thought of acts that are very small (like babysitting someone in your community without asking for money, having a neighbor give you extra food from their garden), even though this phrase also means larger, more political action. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Aligning with a sexual and gender identities helped me find communities like me!
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I am lucky enough to feel safe in Pittsburgh daily What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Not much for me personally! I think having access to the internet keeps me informed and involved. I guess lately, as my schedule has shifted to working in the evening and on weekends, it is harder for me to attend most community events
Nancy, 70. she/her Straight/cis. Jewish. Retired/fixed income. Democrat. Activist. Performer. What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I'm involved in civic engagement, and that involvement makes me feel powerful. Taking action is powerful. I've been politically involved since I was 12, from JFK to peace marches, ERA, local neighborhood work, to singing with the Raging Grannies. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Standing up for Planned Parenthood was positive, but also scary, due to the so-called "right to life" haters who could attack at any moment.Â
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I feel pretty safe, however, being car-free means I am not surrounded by a ton of steel. I ride public transportation and will not ride at night when I have to walk several blocks in the somewhat desolate dark area. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? People must be involved to keep neighborhoods safe, for pedestrians, for children, for 'minorities" including LGBT + POC, and for us wisdom keepers (seniors). The streets need more lights, easier walking accessibility, better public transit, and more patrolling.
Raven, 22. she/her Black, Christian, female, heterosexual Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. A friend was driving me home and as soon as we reach my corner we get pulled over. Not one, but two cop cars pulled up. We were pulled over because she ran a red light, but due to the world we live in, I was petrified of what could have happened. Being women, we could have been sexually assaulted. Being black we could have been killed or physically assaulted. Matter of fact, any time I pass the police when I’m driving, I immediately tense up. You never when you’ll be next.Â
Diarra, 21. she/her, they/them race, spirituality, nationality and nativity, first generation What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Powerful civic engagement means to me, that there is a tool in which somebody is utilizing to create an engaging atmosphere to discuss or grapple with the practice of civics. Civics itself can mean government and politicks, voting and other paradigm supports. It can also mean the overall demeanor of people, if they are acting civically, or with humane intentions. Each definition breeds a very different understanding of powerful as well. In the governmnet sector, powerful engagement might mean the person is an influencer- their demeanor is inviting and powerful and makes people want to engage. In the human connection definition powerful may mean impactful or meaningful.
Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. The first thing that I think about is when I learned all the hoops they try to force you through when going to vote. Although I do not vote- a strategy for my own version of powerful and abolitionist civic practice- I have seen how many people are turned away when they are missing a form of identification, as if they need ID to count. The way that we track voters and cut off voices when looking at gerrymandering, we can really see how violent the practice of civic engagement can be. For all too long, as Black folks, we have had to identify ourselves as capable, willing, competent, worthy, deserving, for several generations. That act in itself is violent. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? A mass exodus from general education into critically responsive, anti-racist pedagogy.
This needs to take place at every institution from UPMC to Sankofa Village in Homewood. We need to all be educated in a way that begs for higher standards and leaves room to fulfill expectations of justice, humanity, fairness, and equity. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? The people who are leading the arena are often underpaid, undervalued, overwhelmed, and exposed to violent and draining institutions. We need to reconfigure our moneys and where we are investing.
Janet, 67. she/her What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I enjoy neighborhood functions at Baum Grove. It brings the neighbors together and we get to know new people in Friendship. Many years ago a car dealership was on the corner of Baum and Roup. and we marched and protested so they did not develop the green area into a parking lot. Baum Grove has been good for all of us. Yes I would consider this a powerful civic engagement that was empowering. The Dodge dealership is long gone, and now we have Baum Grove.
Krithika, 21. she/her South Asian, first generation American, Â Hindu woman What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? When I first read "powerful civic engagement," I first thought of acts that are very small (like babysitting someone in your community without asking for money, having a neighbor give you extra food from their garden), even though this phrase also means larger, more political action. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. I think in a lot of spaces I'm in, I often feel like I am representing my entire demographic. This can be a huge challenge and I feel theÂ
pressure to qualify my experience but also stress that my experiences don't represent all experiences. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I am lucky to have a very strong support of friends that help me feel safe. I wish the city could take more accountability on the racist, toxic culture Pittsburgh perpetuates and help marginalized groups more often. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I often feel like civic engagement//activism is really white. I think by actively having poc led things would really really help with accessibility.
Cait, 27. she/her female, white, straight, working class, atheist, daughter, sister, aunt, social worker, lupus survivor What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Powerful civic engagement, to me, means the collaboration of those striving to make the community more equal and equitable - with social, economic and institutional structures in mind. While I was a part of the AmeriCorps, we did an immense amount of civic engagement which always made me feel empowered and that I was catalyzing change. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Equality and equity among community members. Less of a divide, and a focus on
unity. Acknowledging others experiences, but not allowing our differences to separate us. Ensuring everyone’s needs are met. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? People! More willingness to participate in community endeavors.
Julia, 19. they/them, she/her gender, sexuality, working class, mental health disability Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. My financial status constantly negatively impacts my accessibility to certain commodities, like groceries and weatherappropriate clothing. Clothing is also hard for me due to dysphoria. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I think a way for me to emotional feel safer in Pittsburgh (as a Pitt student who lives off campus), is to see and know more people similar to me. I am aware diversity does not equate to social justice, but it would make meÂ
 feel more confident in my own identity. Going along with that, it would be great to see more resources, like clubs, that are specifically for people that aren't cisgendered. This might already exist and I might just not know of them.
Alexa, 21. they/them non-binary (trans spectrum), queer, sex worker Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Although it is 2018, being visibly queer/ gender non-conforming in public always leaves me feeling somewhat unsafe and uncomfortable. Overhearing conversations wherein cishet appearing individuals, usually men, drop the word faggot or dyke consistently makes me feel somewhat queasy. As a stripper, I constantly have to grapple with my safety. The new SESTA/FOSTA laws have made safety for sex workers incredibly difficult, especially for those more marginalized than myself. I know I cannot turn to the police to protect me. I have an overwhelming amount of stories where I
have felt unsafe at work, but most consistently I feel unsafe leaving work and getting into a rideshare vehicle with a stranger. I am an easy target for robbery or even rape. I think about this all the time. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I think there is next to zero work being done to protect sex workers, and there could be more for LGBTQIA folks
Gabriela, 21. she/her White, cisgender, female, bisexual, first generation, survivor What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I think frequently we’re meant to believe that one should immediately see and feel the benefits of engagement and activism, but sometimes the distant aftermath can be what is most powerful. Sometimes civic engagement doesn’t always involve being on a visible public platform with a megaphone, and it’s difficult to feel useful when your work is perhaps more intimate or on a smaller scale, so reshaping definitions of what it means to empower and create change I think is an important thing. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security.
Presenting as visibly feminine I think for anyone across the world can make one a target for violence and unwanted attention, which is something myself and countless others are constantly aware of, and I think it does make people very hyper-vigilant. I wouldn’t consider myself a minority, but from what I understand, minorities experience these same types of anxieties daily, especially in spaces surrounding civic engagement because of the attention that it garners. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Again, a heightened sense of awareness that sometimes borders on insanity, a fully charged phone, nearby resources, and sometimes even something that could be used a weapon for self-defense, based on unfortunate personal experiences of the last few years. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you?
Support from physically strong allies I think is something there can never be enough of, particularly those who are less likely to be targeted for violence and hatred.
Tina, 36. she/her What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Community embracing the skills, similarities, and differences of members to form a universally happy place (yet without politics for any of my efforts) (or judgment). I'm lowscale; just sporadically & individually volunteer to help neighbors w/tech issues, attend & promote small meet-ups in the creative or scientific realm, etc.
Anonymous, 21. she/her Black woman What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? The ability to address concerns about what is publicly happening throughout the community/ world . This happened when someone from the black community was murder due to police brutality  and I think after that incident is when we decided enough is  enough. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. In participating in a civic engagement I became a little emotional because when you feel so passionate about certain things I sometimes tend to act if emotion rather thenÂ
thinking it out first . What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? For Police Officers to stop killing us. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? For the community to be more for one another than against
Khusbu, 19. she/her Asian-American, Indian-American, Athiest, female, upper middle class, second generation immigrant What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Doing something that helps a certain public group of people; a particular Unmuted meeting in which I felt the discussion helped many of those in attendance Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. My identity as a female, particularly a woman of color, makes me feel unsafe quite often, especially in the present political climate where immigrants are despised (my parents emigrated to the US from India). However, myÂ
status as an upper-middle class AsianAmerican also lends itself to a certain backhanded form of "privilege" as a classic example of a model minority, and i feel that that part of my identity has given me access to opportunities i may not have otherwise had (e.g. going to a boarding school, having my parents pay for my college fees) What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Living in a safe place of residence with other females that I trust, well-lit streets at night, populated public transit. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Not really sure, but maybe more blue light emergency stations that aren't necessarily on campus but on the peripheries where many students live? also the world in general could always have more resources for victims of
sexual assault or domestic abuse that actually help themÂ
Autumn, 34. she/her Multicultural Female, spiritual What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? When an area cares for the needs of its people with care and concern. I felt disempowered when I saw the gentrification going on in East Liberty and was unable to do anything about it. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Legislative change, reevaluate mental health assessment for police officers
Tvisha, 21. she/her Indian What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Powerful civic engagement means involvement in the movement to understand your duty as a citizen to the community. I was involved in an effort to promote awareness of sexual assault through an Unmuted event. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Social constructs have definitely shaped the way I decided whether something was dangerous, or unsafe. I think protesting is one such activity. I’ve always been told to avoid situations that are risky and controversial just to be safe.
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Probably an environment that’s more focused on uplifting and learning new ideas. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I think there should be more organized methods of civic engagement. I think that people should be trained on how to do civic duties in the most appropriate manner(such as protesting). I think that civic engagement should be something that shouldn’t be violent or scary.
Michael, 40. he/him man, working class What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I care about and care for my neighbors and neighborhood. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I would very much like the police to more actively work to combat the drug problem in Lawrenceville. There is active drug dealing on the streets, near my home. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you?
Long time Lawrenceville residents are mean, rude, and uncaring towards newer residents.Â
Fen, 22. they/them Queer, trans, working class, neurodivergent What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you?
around them. Pitt's terrible LGBT services also discourage me from participating in some campus events. Having to work 3 jobs to pay my bills leaves little time for me to do as much activism and community engagement as I would like What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh?
It means being involved in your community, whether that be politically or in some kind of volunteer position. I feel engaged when I spoke at the investment town hall thing at pitt recently, and when I spoke in front of the Michigan senate
Police, medical professionals, and more professors to be educated on making things more accessible for neurodivergent people and those with disabilities, as well as more cultural competency around LGBT issues
Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security.
What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you?
My gender and sexuality certainly impact my engagement. I have had violent experiences with the police due to Transphobia, and that sometimes leads me to be overly cautiousÂ
Same as above.
young, 22. they/them queer, non-binary, student worker What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? It means being able to gather enough voices to express a concern and make changes based on that concern. I feel both empowered and disempowered most times I engage civically. On the national level, working for what I want seems pointless, but I will still do it. I have felt the most empowered being a student and being able to make changes on a level where I have a say. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Part of my job at my university is to be somewhat civically engaged. I feel like my identities have simnifically impacted that,
sometimes in postive ways and sometimes in negative. I think some people do not take me as seriously, or talk over me in meetings because of my appearance. They do not think I am serious or have serious concerns. In other ways, having some marginalized identities means they have to listen to my concerns. Otherwise, they look bad as a university. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? With out a community, I do not feel safe. There have been times when that community felt very strong and I felt very safe and others where I felt lost and unsafe. But that made me realize the central feeling of being safe comes from having a strong community, usually of some shared identities. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? More representation. There are still too many
white men in power. Movements should be lead by queer women of color only. Otherwise the movements are faulty and become uninclusive purely based on not understanding the experience of those most effected.
Brent, 44. Sir or Ma'am American What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Be nice and kind to all people and they will be nice and kind to you. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Social identity is a dumb idea. We are all Americans and we should all start acting like it again. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Concealed carry.
Hayden, 23. she/her white bisexual women with a learning disability and a chronic illness What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I felt the most disempowered actually volunteering for a candidate. I felt the most empowered voting super left in the primary of an election. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. I often feel unsafe at night because, you know, men. I feel like people make pretty ableist comments and do not accommodate ability well enough. To actually make a person with disabilities feel like they have to ask for them is pretty othering. And, classic bi-erasure.
(honestly not the hardest thing but still shitty) What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I’m well accommodated for in Pittsburgh as long as I avoid masculine spaces. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I think door to door civic engagement is just not designed for me. I think town halls are nice but I would like more round table discussion. And I think putting the minutes of meetings in an accessible place because sometimes I cannot follow a whole meeting and it’s helpful to have notes
David, 21. he/him white (cis-het, etc.) middle class, Jewish Russian Soviet immigrant diaspora What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Empowering: exercising collective disruptive power, protests, marches, packing public hearings and sessions of municipal government bodies. Disempowering: informational sessions which which contained detailed information regarding issues, but not about power, accountability, enforcement, politics, preexisting organizing, avenues for taking action to exercise collective power outside of primary and general elections.
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Solidarity, being connected, if not socially then informationally, to a large network of committed, trusting people. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Time is the biggest factor keeping me from being more engaged. Also, depends on what defines civic engagement. For a narrow definition: disregard, lack of enthusiasm. For a wider definition: lack of information, and time to learn about it and act on it in a coordinated and efficient way.
Anonymous, 26. she/her White, cisgendered, hetereosexual, able-bodied, first-generation college student What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I am not sure what this term means to me, to be honest. I suppose I associate it with things like the women's march and other large movements. However, I am afraid to be in crowds this large due to the prevalence of mass shootings in this country, so I tend not to engage in this way. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. As a woman, I often feel unsafe walking home at night in my neighborhood. I once passed aÂ
man masturbating in the street, and have heard about armed robberies on a nearby street targeting women alone. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Good lighting, clear communication when crime outbreaks are handled/dealt with. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Gun legislation and better mental health care in this country to address the gun violence epidemic.
Kathryn, 26. she/her What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? To me, powerful civic engagement implicitly implies transparency, accountability, inclusion, and intentionality. It also means engaging all community members, even those who oppose the work or project that you're pursuing. As well, having a leader or leaders willing to put themselves out in communities, directly in front of the people who will be impacted by the project/program looking to be put in place. In my last role, I did a fair amount of outreach and engagement work since I worked for a membership based community development organization. I attended a fair amount of community engagement workshops for various city and county issues. I attended a housing opportunity fund community engagement
workshop a couple years ago that the City of Pittsburgh put on and remember leaving, feeling like I could take on the world. I felt inspired by others in attendance and was excited to be working on such a critical issue. However, there were a number of other City based engagement workshops/meetings I attended that left me feeling incredibly disappointed and disempowered (the Capital Budget hearings are a great example). Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Following the Tree of Life shooting, I've never walked around feeling more unsure of my Jewish identity. I'm not religious, but like many other American Jews today, I grew up with the cultural side of being Jewish and have carried these traditions through to today. With the increasing number of hate groups and smears against the Jewish community, here in Pittsburgh and across the country, I've never felt more aware of being Jewish.
What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? Being surrounded by open minded and accepting people who may have different views than I do, but will never threaten me as a result of these views. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Same answer as #3, but it's important to note that this is not a unique concept to Pittsburgh. This applies everywhere.Â
miranda, 24. she/her White, female, heterosexual What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? I think that it involves people having their voices heard and making an impact on decisions that are being made. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. I feel as though as a small woman I feel unsafe walking alone at night in my neighborhood and living alone. Having a dog helps. I also don't wear my earphones when I am walking alone, night or day. These are things men don't need to worry about. What is necessary for you to feel safe in
Pittsburgh? Street lights! What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? Free food!
Emmy, 43. she/her female, hearing impaired What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? When I hear civic engagement, I think of rallies and protests. Voting is just something you do, whether or not it feels meaningful. I've never felt like anything I do really makes a difference, it just feels like going through the motions - I donate, I vote, when i can push past anxiety, I go to gatherings, rallies, protests, but I don't know that I ever felt like I made any difference. Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. More than once, I've braved my negative feelings and gone to a rally or assembly and been unable to hear anything that speakers
are saying. I feel isolated and like no one really understands what it's like to feel like you're just going through the motions instead of feeling camaraderie and strength. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I tend to go to civic events, when I can force myself, with my husband and another friend who is a large male. Between the two of them, I feel safe in crowds. As an overall statement, I feel fairly safe in Pittsburgh, but I don't know that this feeling holds any weight. I live in a safe neighborhood, I only have to take public transportation infrequently, and I'm a member of privileged classes - white, female, married, heterosexual, and while money is always a concern, I'm not necessarily in immediate financial danger. I'm not necessarily ACTUALLY safer - it just feels like I am. What is necessary for civic engagement in
Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? I don't know that civic engagement will ever feel safe, really. Â Demonstrations and the like just make me feel guilty because I'm generally too afraid to attend. Â I spend all of my time looking for someone who has guns or negative intentions and I don't really derive a sense of community because i can never hear anything being said. Â It really feels like I'm just a body count.
Thalia, 53. she/her What does "powerful civic engagement" mean to you? Participating in group protests, voting, participating in marches Talk about a time when social identities have positively or negatively impacted your feelings of safety, accessibility or security. Being female always presents a level of vulnerability, particularly when traveling in new places, at night, in unpopulated areas. Although I have also been assaulted in broad daylight on a busy street, riding on a busy train, and by my supervisor on an archaeological dig. So being female means you are always more vulnerable. Being an older woman has made me feel a bit safer and more brave about speaking out in public than when I
was younger. What is necessary for you to feel safe in Pittsburgh? I feel safe when people around me are socially engaged and present. People walking, sitting on their porches, sitting outside cafes, waiting for buses. What is necessary for civic engagement in Pittsburgh to be more safe or accessible for you? More people participating, particularly women-identified.