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JUNE 1-7, 2022

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‘THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE NOT ENOUGH’ 18-month-old dies in drive-by; Gainey committed to stopping the violence

18-MONTH-OLD DE’AVRY THOMAS was killed in a drive-by shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh, May 29. He and his mother were not the intended targets. A vigil and balloon release was held the following day, Memorial Day, at the West End Overlook in his honor. (Photo graphic by Warren King)

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

There is an African American mother in our area right now whose life will never be the same.

Her precious 18-monthold son, De’Avry Thomas, was pointlessly, unreasonably shot and killed on an otherwise sunny, 85-degree Sunday afternoon, by a person who, most people

believe, should go to jail for life—or even worse.

“I cannot imagine the grief that this family is experiencing, losing an 18-month-old baby,” said an emotional Pittsburgh

Mayor Ed Gainey. He spoke during a special news conference Sunday night, May 29, seven hours after the broad daylight, drive-by shooting in Downtown Pittsburgh.

“As a father,” Mayor Gainey said, “when I go to bed, every night I think about the safety of my family and my children. And as mayor, I think about the safety of every single resident...I

want to show our city that we are going to do everything that we can to make this summer safe, especially for our children.”

SEE STOP THE VIOLENCE A6

It’s now the ‘William E. Strickland Jr. Building’ Manchester Bidwell Corporation renames its iconic building to trailblazer Friends, family, and longtime supporters of Bill Strickland gathered on May 18 to celebrate the momentous occasion of dedicating the non-profit center he founded in his honor.

Since the 1980s, the brick building filled with light, art, music and beauty at 1815 Metropolitan Street on the North Side has housed Bidwell Training Center, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild (including MCG Youth and MCG Jazz), and many other operations and events under the umbrella organization of Manchester Bidwell Corporation (MBC).

The structure that sees all this varied program-

ming will now be known as the “William E. Strickland Jr. Building.”

“It’s long overdue,” said Kevin Jenkins, MBC’s President & CEO, in a statement to the New Pittsburgh Courier. “For years now, I’ve wanted to see Bill’s name on the brick and mortar where his life’s work has taken place. His ingenuity, his love for the people of this community, and his unwavering tenacity to do all the many incredible things he’s done over the years—it just makes sense that anyone who walks through these doors now will do so knowing they’re stepping into the Strickland legacy.”

SEE STRICKLAND A3

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BILL STRICKLAND, LEFT, AND KEVIN JENKINS UNVEIL the new name of the building—The Williiam E. Strickland Jr. Building, May 18.

NATIONAL

A2 JUNE 1-7, 2022

Charlie Sifford broke golf’s color lines; his son fondly remembers the challenges and triumph during centennial celebration NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

Charlie Sifford didn’t hesitate to explain why his late father, Dr. Charlie Sifford Jr., remains his hero.

Sitting inside an office at PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Verde, Florida, and preparing to remember what would have been his father’s 100th birthday on June 2, Sifford recounted how much his dad loved golf.

He also remembered his father’s challenges trying to break into the sport during segregation and the Jim Crow era.

“In pursuing the game he loved so much, he endured enormous challenges as an African American golfer,” Sifford Jr. recalled.

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1922, Dr. Sifford, the first Black golfer on the PGA TOUR, began caddying at a nearby country club to earn money.

“Back then, in the 1920s and 1930s, there were very few places where young kids could go to make some money,” Sifford Jr. related.

“He caddied until he was 17, but by the time he was 13, he was considered the top caddie at the course, and many good players asked for him.”

According to Sifford Jr., a byproduct of his father’s outstanding ability to caddie earned him more money than other kids.

“He developed a love for the game. He learned by watching,” Sifford Jr. remarked.

Because African Americans weren’t allowed to play at country clubs, Sifford Jr. said his father would sneak in a few holes when he wasn’t caddying.

“He said he had a short backswing because he had to play in a hurry and get as many holes in as possible,” Sifford remarked.

“He had one nine-to-five job his whole life, when he worked at Nabisco in Philadelphia when he was 17. He worked there for three years but decided that he wanted to be outside playing golf, and he was determined to succeed.”

In addition to marking what would have been Dr. Sifford’s 100th birthday, The PGA TOUR also will host The Sifford Centennial 2022.

The Sifford Centennial project features several highlight events throughout the year and special merchandise available to the

CHARLIE SIFFORD public, including the Just Let Me Play Centennial Collection and Sifford Centennial Cigars.

Further, the Presidents Cup organizers announced the creation of the Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup, a one-day team match-play event featuring top golf teams from historically Black colleges and universities.

The Centennial Cup takes place on August 29 at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, this year’s Presidents Cup site.

All will participate in the top four HBCU Division 1 program, the top HBCU Division II program, and the host school Johnson C. Smith University of Charlotte.

The six schools will send their top four players, broken into two separate teams of 12, with the college teammates staying together in pods.

A Philadelphia native, Sifford Jr. said his father began playing golf professionally in 1948, two years after his friend, Jackie Robinson, broke Major League Baseball’s color line.

“One year after Jackie Robinson, my father told Jackie that he would do the same in golf,” Sifford Jr. noted.

“Before he went on tour, he talked to Jackie, who asked him was he a quitter and if he was, he shouldn’t worry about trying to go on tour because they’re going to make you wish you weren’t out there,” Sifford Jr. continued.

“It would be harder for him because he’d be out there by himself. Jackie had a team and an owner who supported him. My father would be out there alone.

“But my father had stubbornness, grit, and he was determined that he was going to play golf and nothing or no one was going to stop

him.”

The first time Dr. Sifford attempted to join the PGA TOUR, racism prevailed.

He played with an allBlack group led by boxing champion Joe Louis.

However, when the group reached the first hole, they found excrement there, attempting to discourage them from playing.

Sifford Jr. learned about some of his father’s struggles by reading Dr. Sifford’s book, “Just Let Me Play: The Story of Charlie Sifford, the First Black PGA Golfer.”

In addition to breaking golf’s color line, Dr. Sifford won six Negro National Open titles, earned honors as one of the top 100 people in the First Century of Golf, and earned more than $1.2 million on the PGA TOUR and the Senior Tour.

In 2004, Dr. Sifford became the first Black golfer inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 2006, the University of St. Andrews awarded Dr. Sifford an honorary degree, and in 2014, President Barack Obama bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Dr. Sifford.

“It was really exciting because my dad never thought he’d see a Black President, and frankly, I never thought I’d see one,” Sifford Jr. said.

“It was ironic, the first Black PGA member and the first Black President.

The two hit it off. President Obama and Vice President Biden were golfers, and during the ceremony, Obama asked my father for golf tips. My father told Biden that he could probably help him but turned to Obama and said, ‘I don’t know what I can do for you because you hit from the wrong side.’”

Obama is left-handed.

“It was a fun-filled time,” Sifford Jr. stated.

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This Week In Black History

A Courier Staple • JUNE 1

by Stacy M. Brown

1835—The Fifth National Negro Convention convenes in Philadelphia, Pa. The gathering of free Blacks demonstrated how history can sometimes come full circle. One major focus of the convention was to urge Blacks to stop referring to themselves as “Africans,” “Blacks” or “Coloreds” and instead adopt the word “Negro” as the official racial designation. Gradually, the designation became popular even though all Blacks did not agree with it.

Researcher Richard Benjamin Moore writes that at the time some Blacks felt word “Negro” was “a symptom of the degrading sickness of opportunism and the increasing acceptance of inferior social and political status.”

1864—Solomon George Washington Dill is murdered by angry Whites. Dill was one of those rarities in Southern society—a poor White man who supported an end to slavery and Black demands for social justice. Dill’s “crime” was giving what some Whites considered “an incendiary speech” to a group of South Carolina Blacks.

1973—Detroit’s WGPR becomes the nation’s first Black-owned television station. It was granted a license to operate on this day in 1973 but did not actually go on air until September 1975.

• JUNE 2

1863—Abolitionist and “Underground Railroad Conductor” Harriet Tubman leads a force of Union Army guerrilla soldiers into Maryland and frees more than 700 slaves. Tubman was one of the most noteworthy women in the anti-slavery struggle prior to the Civil War and became a leading voice in the call for the federal government to allow Blacks to fight in the war.

1899—African Americans observe a “National Day of Fasting” to protest lynching and other racial attacks against Blacks. The day of protest was called by the National Afro-American Council.

1975—James A. Healy becomes the first Black Roman Catholic Bishop in the United States. He was consecrated at the Roman Catholic cathedral in Portland, Maine.

• JUNE 3

1904—Dr. Charles R. Drew is born.

He grows up to conduct a first of its kind research in blood transfusions and the creation of blood plasma.

Drew also established Britain’s first blood bank and in the United States he fought against the segregation of blood based on race. He died on April 1, 1950 as a result of injuries received in an automobile accident while driving in North Carolina.

1906—Entertainer Josephine Baker is born in St. Louis, Mo. At 16, she starred in the hit and controversial musical “Shuffle Along.” However, she did not achieve fame until she left the United States and moved to Paris, France, where her exotic dancing and singing made her an international sensation. Baker was mixed race of African American and Native American parentage. She returned to the U.S. several times including in 1963 to speak at the Dr. Martin Luther King-led March on Washington for civil rights.

• JUNE 4

1922—Samuel L. Gravely is born.

Gravely became the first African American admiral in the United States Navy and the first African American to command a U.S. warship. The Richmond, Va., native died in 2004 at the age of 82.

1972—College professor and activist Angela Davis is acquitted of charges that she assisted and conspired with the young men involved in a deadly 1970 shootout at the Marin County courthouse in California. The assault on the courthouse was an attempt to free imprisoned Black activist George Jackson. At least three people were killed during the escape attempt.

Davis, a Birmingham, Ala., native who became a member of the Communist Party, spent 16 months in prison but on this day in 1972 she was found not guilty of all charges by an all-White San Jose, Calif., jury.

1973—Arna Bontemps dies at the age of 72 in Nashville, Tenn. Born in Louisiana, Bontemps became one of the key figures in the Black artistic and cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s. Bontemps was a prolific writer and poet.

• JUNE 5

1872—The Republican Party National Convention takes place in Philadelphia with substantial representation from former Black slaves.

At least three Blacks addressed the national political gathering. At this point in history, the Republicans were the nation’s most progressive party and attracted the allegiance of African Americans. Blacks would remain loyal

to the Republicans until the 1930s. But by 1945 with the Republicans becoming increasingly conservative and attracted to the New Deal programs of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the vast majority of Blacks had switched to the Democrats.

1894—Black inventor G.W. Murray patents a fertilizer distributor, cotton chopper and a seed planter all on this day in 1894.

1945—Track star John Carlos is born in Harlem, N.Y. Carlos and fellow sprinter Tommie Smith created an international sensation when they protested American racism by giving the “Black Power” clinched fist salute when accepting their medals at the 1968 Olympics.

1956—Although the actual decision may have been reached the previous day, a federal district court hands down a ruling declaring that Alabama laws requiring racial segregation in public transportation were unconstitutional. The decision, which was later confirmed by the United States Supreme Court, was the first major legal victory for the Civil Rights Movement.

It grew out of the historic Montgomery Bus Boycott sparked when Rosa Parks defied the law and custom by refusing to give up her seat on a public bus to a White man. Although actually organized by Rev. E.D. Nixon, the Boycott would result in Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. becoming the nation’s most prominent civil rights leader.

• JUNE 6

1790—Jean Baptist Pointe Du Sable establishes a settlement which would eventually grow into the city of Chicago. The settlement would make the French-speaking, Santo Domingo-born Du Sable a wealthy man.

1966—Although there is some debate as to who first coined and used the phrase, this is generally recognized as the day in 1966 that Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee President Stokely Carmichael began to popularize the term “Black Power” as a demand for greater African American control over their political and economic destiny in America.

1987—Dr. Mae Jemison is selected

by NASA as the first Black woman to begin training as a space shuttle astronaut. Jemison actually become the first African American woman to travel in space on Sept. 12, 1992 aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor.

• JUNE 7

1958—Singer, musician and composer Prince was born on this day in Minneapolis, Minn. His full name was Prince Rogers Nelson. He was a musical innovator and known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant dress and makeup, and wide vocal range. Prince died at his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Chanhassen, Minn., on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57.

1868—This is generally recognized as the day Marie Laveau retired (or was forced out) as the most powerful Voo Doo priestess in the world.

The New Orleans native had become powerful and wealthy catering to the superstitious beliefs of both Blacks and Whites throughout the South.

The daughter of a slave and a French plantation owner, Laveau was raised as a Catholic but became intrigued by stories of the city’s first Voo Doo priestess Sanite De De and by 1830 had built her own Voo Doo religious empire. She was replaced by one of her daughters, but she would live until 1881 dying at the age of 98.

1917—One of the greatest poets of the 20th century Gwendolyn Brooks is born in Topeka, Kan. Pushed by her mother and father, Brooks began writing poetry at a young age and was even introduced to some of the best known Black poets and writers of the Harlem Renaissance while still a child.

She won the coveted Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950 for a collection entitled “Annie Allen.” She died on Dec. 3, 2000.

1930—Under pressure from early civil rights activists, the New York Times begins using the word “Negro” as the official designation for African Americans. It also agreed to capitalize the “N.” The decision by the Times gradually led to “Negro” becoming the official designation for Blacks nationwide and it would remain so until it was dethroned by “Black” in the 1960s.

Positively, the rights advocates were attempting to build greater respect for African Americans but negatively, the selection of “Negro” also reflected a desire not to be referred to as “Blacks.”

1953—Educator and activist Mary Church Terrell wins a legal battle to end segregation in Washington, D.C., restaurants.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 1-7, 2022 A3

It’s now the ‘William E. Strickland Jr. Building’ Manchester Bidwell Corporation renames its iconic building to trailblazer STRICKLAND FROM A1

The staff and faculty of MBC gathered along with longtime donors, friends, and the Strickland family to unveil the new signage on the outside of the building and cel-

Manchester Bidwell Corporation has a simple philosophy; Environment shapes people’s behavior. By constructing an atmosphere of art, light, music, and supportive staff, students

learn to become productive members of society at MBC. The affiliates of MBC include the Bidwell Training Center, Manchester Craftmen’s Guild Youth & Arts, Manchester Craftmen’s Guild

BILL STRICKLAND SPEAKS AT THE MAY 18 CEREMONY (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO)

JULIE STRICKLAND, MAYOR ED GAINEY, BILL STRICKLAND

BILL STRICKLAND, WITH WIFE, ROSE (PHOTO BY J.L. MARTELLO) ebrate with Strickland.

Other notable figures who helped to commemorate the occasion included Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and Gregory B. Jordan, PNC Executive Vice President and MBC’s current Board Chair. The evening featured iconic aspects of MBC’s work—culinary arts from Bidwell Training Center, live jazz music from MCG Jazz, as well as photography and ceramics displays cataloging Strickland’s many decades with the organization.

Over the decades, the Courier has consistently reported on Strickland and his trailblazing involvement with the Manchester Craftmen’s Guild, which he started in 1968. In 1972, Strickland took over the Bidwell Training Center.

Strickland stepped away as CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation in 2018, and he now focuses on expanding the center into new cities in the role of founder and executive chairman. After all, no one knows the model of MCG like Strickland.

Jazz, and the National Center for Arts and Technology.

“It’s a humbling honor to do this work,” said Strickland, in a statement. “Dedicating your own life to changing the lives of others isn’t easy,

but in many ways it’s also its own reward. I’m so proud of what we’ve created here in Manchester, and now especially of the leadership and staff that are carrying on what I started over fifty years ago.”

METRO

A4 JUNE 1-7, 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Jasmine Green awarded Exposure Tongue River Artist/Activist Residency

JASMINE GREEN (PHOTOS BY KITOKO CHARGOIS)

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the first person to be awarded the Exposure Tongue River Artist/Activist Residency, a program of The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Exposure Artists Program, is Jasmine Green.

The 28-year-old University of Pittsburgh graduate, who describes herself as an “artivist” (a portmanteau of artist and activist), is a gifted painter who draws from on lived experience for her artwork under the moniker Black Girl Absolute. During her stay in Dayton, Wyoming, she plans to work on her book, “A Field Guide for Blue Girls.”

“It’s a mix of art and poetry centering on how Black girls navigate mental health,” Green said, in a release. “I want to pass along my own experiences as a survivor of men-

tal illness and, it being a field guide, I hope it will give insight to others who are navigating unfamiliar areas.”

Sponsored by The Pittsburgh Foundation and Tongue River Residency, the Exposure Tongue River Artist/Activist Residency is a partnership guided by a shared belief in the need to support artists from varying backgrounds and to advocate for racial justice in the arts community.

“This residency is an opportunity for us to inspire positive change while also elevating the work of artists and activists,” said Jeanette Schubert, who is an artist herself and co-founded the Tongue River Residency with her husband, Doug Gouge, in 2019.

“The arts make such a huge impact in communities but, historically, the arts and artists have not JASMINE GREEN been well-funded, especially artists of color. We want to address that lack of equity.”

Schubert and Gouge split their time between Pittsburgh’s East End, where they have lived most of their lives, and Wyoming.

Green will head to Dayton, Wyoming in July.

Schubert and Gouge provide the quiet, comfortable living and studio space, living expenses and support for the artistic process. The residency does not require the presentation of a fully realized work, instead providing artists an opportunity for rest, reflection, creation and exploration of their artistic vision. The residency will award one $10,000 grant for artistic work and provide a quiet, comfortable living and studio working space for three to four weeks in Dayton, Wyoming in the month of July, where artists can re-energize, experience the natural beauty of the American West and develop their work.

Green has never been out west and will be heading to a place nothing like Pittsburgh. Dayton, Wyoming, has a population of approximately 1,000 and is at the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains in

northeastern Wyoming.

The largest town, Sheridan, population 18,000, is 21 miles away. Schubert and Gouge will be nearby and will provide any support that might be needed. The residency itself is in its fourth year, but this is its first year in partnership with The Pittsburgh Foundation.

“If the artists want to venture out, there is public art to enjoy as well as museums, galleries and other artists living in the area who are supportive,” said Schubert, with Gouge adding, “it’s a different world out here and I can imagine this experience will change Jasmine’s life.”

Having worked with other artists, the couple said they have noticed that the residency has brought about healing.

The fresh air, open space, privacy and complete creative freedom have had that impact, which even the artists themselves didn’t anticipate.

And healing is something Green knows about.

“This experience will give me insight into what it means to be a guide in someone else’s journey.

Everyone has their own trek as they work toward mental wellness, but I can pass along what I’ve learned.”

The Exposure Tongue River Artist/ Activist Residency is part of the Foundation’s Exposure Artists Program, in partnership with The Opportunity Fund. Exposure is a new arts funding initiative at The Pittsburgh Foundation. The multiple-part program aims to elevate the work of artists through activities that create/generate/ enhance visibility for the creative process, artwork and societal issues of our time. Residency nominations were accepted through an invitation-only process open to Pittsburgh-based artists from a variety of disciplines.

Green was selected by a panel of Foundation staff and residency founders.

Earlier this year, Exposure awarded its first round of grants. The 12 awards totaled $215,000 and included support for individual artists and collectives, transformative justice grants to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) artists working at the intersection of art and activism, and to artists who have never received foundation funding before.

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 1-7, 2022 A5

Lynne Hayes-Freeland receives President’s Award from Press Club of Western Pa.

LYNNE HAYES-FREELAND, KDKA-TV ASSIGNMENT EDITOR OLGA GEORGE and the KDKA News Team won an award for excellence in video/broadcast journalism; public affairs/politics/government for “From Virus to Vaccine: COVID-19 & The Black Community.”

RENOWNED KDKA-TV/KDKA Radio host Lynne Hayes Freeland, right, receives the President’s Award from the Press Club of Western Pa., at the organization’s annual Golden Quill Awards, May 24.

Hayes-Freeland spent more than four decades at KDKA-TV, and also became the first Black woman to host a full-time weekday show on KDKA Radio, before her semi-retirement announcement last year.

Hayes-Freeland still contributes to KDKA Radio. Hayes-Freeland is pictured with Helen Fallon, Press Club of Western Pa. president. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

KDKA-TV ASSIGNMENT EDITOR OLGA GEORGE

RELIGION/METRO

A6 JUNE 1-7, 2022

Praise & Worship

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

“Put on the whole ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For WE wrestle not against POWERS, against the RULERS of the darkness of this WORLD, against SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS in HIGH PLACES.”

ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 11 AM

- Ephesians 6:11-12

Rev. Thomas J. Burke- Pastor Rev. C. Matthew HawkinsParochial Vicar Rev. David H. TaylorSenior Parochial Vicar.

REV. WALKER SAYS: Answer with the WORD of GOD. Wherefore take unto you the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. (Ephesians 6:13)

www.sbtmparishpgh.com

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800

Worship in person or Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Journey Worship..........8:45am Sanctuary Worship.......11:00 a.m.

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18-month-old dies in drive-by; Gainey committed to stopping the violence STOP THE VIOLENCE FROM A1

But the facts are the facts. Shootings are a regular occurrence in and around Pittsburgh, with no signs of slowing down. And in the summer, the gunfire seems to increase.

“There’s just too many guns out there,” said Pittsburgh assistant police chief Lonnie Bickerstaff, at the May 29 news conference.

Police said that at least two men were in a black Jeep around 2:45 p.m., May 29, when someone in the Jeep fired shots into a gray Jeep on Fourth Avenue and Stanwix Street, near PPG Place.

Police said it was a targeted shooting—the suspects were attempting to shoot someone else, but ended up striking the innocent 18-month-old Thomas in the gray Jeep.

Thomas’ mother was also in the vehicle.

Pittsburgh Police arrested 26-year-old Londell Falconer on Memorial Day, May 30, and charged him with homicide and conspiracy.

According to a criminal complaint, Falconer admitted to police that he was “the driver” of the black Jeep in question in the shooting. The black Jeep was found by police a few hours after the shooting in Troy Hill.

Now police are search-

ing for another suspect, 23-year-old Markez Anger, who police believe was also in the black Jeep with Falconer. As of Tuesday afternoon, May 31, Anger had not been apprehended. Both alleged suspects are African Americans.

“I grieve at the thought of another young life being taken in this city,” Mayor Gainey said. “I know that our thoughts and our prayers are not enough. We are utilizing all available resources to find the responsible people so that we can bring them to justice and begin the healing for this family.”

Whether warranted or not, eyes and ears are watching and listening to Mayor Gainey’s every word concerning gun violence in Pittsburgh.

Much of Mayor Gainey’s pitch in his campaign to become the city’s first Black mayor was that he could provide the proper leadership to curb the homicides. He knows firsthand how gun violence impacts and severs communities. In 2016, Mayor Gainey’s sister, Ja-nese Jackson Talton, 29, was shot and killed outside Cliff ’s Bar & Grill in Homewood. Police charged Charles McKinney with the murder.

Mayor Gainey said that on Friday, June 3, he and

his team would unveil a comprehensive plan in addressing the gun violence in Pittsburgh.

Earlier this year, the city entered into a joint task force with federal, state and local agencies in taking “concrete, proactive steps towards combating gun violence in our city,” he said.

The task at hand: To “identify the small number of extremely violent individuals whose activities are the catalyst for most of the violence in our streets,” the mayor said, “and take a focused, deliberate action to prevent them from committing further acts of violence.”

In an exclusive interview with KDKA Radio’s Marty Griffin, Mayor Gainey on Tuesday, May 31, called Sunday, May 29, “a terrible day.” He added it was “unbearable” knowing that an 18-month-old had been shot and killed in, basically, the middle of Downtown Pittsburgh.

Mayor Gainey stressed in the interview that “public safety is my number one priority.” He said he’s been traversing the country, meeting with heads of other cities like Newark, N.J., and he’s convinced that random stops of African Americans won’t stop violence. “I believe in doing general deterrent

PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY strategies across, so that we’re targeting the most violent criminals in the city and getting them off the street. Just pulling Black and brown people over without cause doesn’t make anyone more safe and it isn’t the kind of policing we want in our city.”

On Memorial Day evening, about a hundred people gathered at the West End Overlook to honor the life of Thomas, the 18-month-old boy.

There were tears, hugs, candles, and a balloon

release. No one there could have ever thought they would be attending a vigil on a day that families usually reserve for cookouts and fellowship.

“These acts of violence cannot and will not hold our city hostage. Enough is enough,” Mayor Gainey said at his news conference, May 29. “We will bring the full weight of our combined resources to bear and ensure that we get the most violent actors off our streets. I’m fully committed to this.”

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SPORTS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 1-7, 2022 A7

‘Rock The Boat’ (Don’t Rock The Boat, Baby...)

Steelers have a tried-and-true philosophy that’s going nowhere “So I’d like to know where, you got the notion... Said I’d like to know where, you got the notion... To rock the boat (don’t rock the boat, baby), Rock the boat (don’t tip the boat over), Rock the boat (don’t rock the boat, baby), Rock the boat.”

—Lyrics from the 1973 Hues Corporation disco hit: “Rock the Boat” The 1960s and the 1970s, two decades known to represent two concepts that were total opposites of each other: peace and war. Those that represented a conservative political philosophy were generally on the side of pursuing solutions by using warfare and all of the trappings that came

along with it: those that were prone to espouse anti-war measures to help soothe and solve the problems of the world. I have been and I remain

puzzled at how liberals fight for peace and conservatives push for more warfare and battle-related solutions but oh well, that seems to be the way of the world.

The Pittsburgh Steelers Football Club are

comprised of liberals and conservatives and seem to have possibly gotten it right. Well, maybe not always but at least since they hired a young genius named Charles Henry Noll to be the head coach of the franchise in 1969.

From the beginning of his tenure, Coach Noll inserted the philosophy of: “ability breeds stability.”

Noll knew that you could not take “Charley,” the mule of filmmaker Spike Lee, to Churchill Downs to compete as a racehorse and you could also not expect the legendary Kentucky Derby winner Secretariat to take the place of Charley and proceed to plow 40 acres to provide vital victuals for Spike.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ upper-level management has developed a triedand-true management and philosophy that has rung true since mankind exited from the Neolithic revolution through the Industrial revolution, now having arrived at the Electronic revolution: “if it ain’t broke, leave it alone.”

Is there anyone out here that may think that that he or she can sneak, sleaze or slide their way onto the bridge of the USS Steely McBeam and steer the warship of the Black and Gold without being placed there by Art Rooney II? Well, put it like this: I have an extra barbeque grill to sell you

that I purchased from Home Depot as you make your way to the kitchen of Beelzebub along with the services of Beetlejuice as your executive chef as well an an eternal supply of charcoal, scouts honor.

Following are a few of the remarks that the now-departed Pittsburgh Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said about his experience with the team. He basically said that he valued every pick including his final draft pick of the Steelers’ 2022 NFL draft Chris Oladokun, the QB from South Dakota State.

“We hope it’s the best pick. Only time will tell.”

Colbert was asked about the state of the franchise he is leaving. “I don’t

want to say better than.

I’m proud that we’ve added to that room,” he said, referring to the library that holds six Lombardi trophies.

“There were four when we got here and you knew the task. You think about DMR (Dan Rooney). The next step, I mean, we’ve got to get more, and we’ll never lose that. But it means a lot.”

Kevin Colbert, you have meant a lot. You do mean a lot and you will continue to mean a lot. I choose to give you credit now because I don’t have the power to give you roses when I finally meet my maker.

‘The Bus’ keeps on rollin’ — obtains college degree as promised

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

One of the most popular athletes in Pittsburgh sports history has achieved yet another feat.

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Jerome Bettis, of Steelers lore, completed his college degree from Notre Dame, the university in South Bend, Ind., that he starred at running back before leaving after three seasons.

He graduated this month with a business degree from the Mendoza School of Business. He is officially a member of Notre Dame’s Class of 2022.

“A promise made, a promise kept. 28 years after leaving Notre Dame, I’ve completed my

degree from the Mendoza School of Business,” Bettis said on Twitter. “I hope my journey serves as (a) reminder that education is the true equalizer in life and it is never too late to start.”

Bettis played his first three seasons with the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, but in 1996, he was acquired by the Steelers, and the rest, they say, is history. For a big man, very few backs in the league could move like Bettis, side-swiping defenders as well as barrelling them over. Bettis had 10,571 regular season rushing yards for the Steelers, 78 rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns (regular season).

In Bettis’ final season, “The Bus” came home to Detroit, for Super Bowl

XL. And the Steelers won it all, 21-10, over the Seattle Seahawks, at Ford Field.

Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

“For me, academics, that was the pathway for a higher education,” Bettis said, according to Notre Dame. “But then I played football and that became my pathway. My parents were very matter of fact about where I went to college. I fell in love with Notre Dame and the rest is history.”

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Tips to manage and improve your personal finances (StatePoint)—If you’re like many Americans, having a better understanding of money management is a prio0rity for you right now.

In fact, nearly 75 percent of Americans hope to improve their financial literacy in 2021, according to a recent survey conducted by OnePoll for World Finance. The same survey also found that 50 percent of Americans need advice on how to budget properly.

“While money matters can seem overwhelming at first, there is a simple formula for successful personal finances: know your credit score, create a manageable budget and build your savings,” says Chad Prashad, president and CEO of World Acceptance Corporation, the parent company of World Finance, a personal finance company.

To help you get started, World Finance, which helps over one million customers each year improve their financial situations, is offering the following tips and insights: 1. Know your credit score: Many banks and lenders will let you review your credit score for free on a regular basis. If your credit score has room for improvement, a simple way to build it is through a credit building loan. This is a small loan designed to be easy to pay back, helping you establish positive credit through the lender.

When taking out a loan, always be sure to use a reputable lender that reports to credit bureaus so that repaying your loan positively impacts your score.

2. Make, and stick to, a monthly budget: There is no one-size fits -all way to make a budget so find a method that works best for you. A few systems to try include envelope budgeting (dividing expenditures into physical or digital envelopes representing different spending categories), zero-based budgeting (earmarking every last penny of your income to a useful purpose) and the 50/30/20 Rule (allocating 50 percent of your income to needs, 30 percent to wants and 20 percent to savings and debt reduction).

3. Start saving: While building a savings account can be daunting, it’s important to allocate one in your budget. Doing so will mean you have an emergency fund to keep you afloat when the unexpected happens in life. According to the OnePollWorld Finance survey, nearly 30 percent of Americans do not feel that the $400 savings is not enough. If you find yourself in a situation where your savings won’t cover what you need, a personal installment loan with equal monthly payments designed to fit into your budget could be a good solution. Find a lender that will work with you to understand the complete picture of your finances, such as World Finance. To learn more, visit loansbyworld.com.

“Every so often, it’s a good idea to take inventory of your financial wellness,” says Prashad. “Use the opportunity to understand your credit score, employ budgeting tactics and create a savings fund.

How women entrepreneurs can plan for success (StatePoint)—The nearly 13 million small businesses owned by women nationwide are essential to the U.S. economy. Accounting for 42 percent of U.S. small businesses, they employ nearly 9.4 million people and generate $1.9 trillion in revenue annually.

Healthy and growing women-owned businesses are vital to an inclusive economic recovery, yet women entrepreneurs face distinct challenges, including fewer resources and less access to professional networks, on top of having a greater share of caregiving duties.

“For many small businesses, having access to trusted experts in areas like marketing, business planning, technology and legal can be a critical turning point for getting back to growth,” says Jenny Flores, head of Small Business Growth Philanthropy at Wells Fargo. Right now, the company is deploying over $55 million from its Open for Business Fund to 93 nonprofits across the country to provide more women and diverse entrepreneurs with resources.

According to Flores, these tips and resources can help entrepreneurs pivot from surviving to thriving as they recover from the pandemic and look to the future: Mentorship Connecting with mentors is a powerful way for women business owners to

share best practices and learn from each other but it’s often hard to know where to find them or initiate those relationships. A new program between Wells Fargo and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center called Connect to More is giving women entrepreneurs complimentary support through its signature Milestone Mapping Coaching Circle. Born from the challenges of COVID-19, participants get hands-on help setting and reaching business goals from a network of peer mentors and industry experts.

“As a non-profit committed to access and equity in entrepreneurship, we are grateful to partner with Wells Fargo to help women business owners accelerate their personal and professional growth as leaders and gain support as they solve big problems that make their families and communities stronger,” says Nicola Corzine, executive director, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

Networking Networking is more than a buzzword.

It can help open doors to growth. Check the local chamber of commerce or consider joining a well-known organization like the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Knowledge Knowledge is power. Visit Wells Fargo’s Women-Owned Business Resources page for free tools to support critical

business decisions. Also, female entrepreneurs should check out some of these women-specific podcasts to pick up new strategies from savvy leaders: • Being Boss digs into the mindsets and tactics that can help women business owners make money doing what they love.

• She Leads features respected female leaders from all industries who let listeners know what it takes to rise to the top.

• The Center offers a playlist of workshops and classes for women-identifying entrepreneurs.

• Women at Work, hosted by Harvard Business Review editorial staff, features conversations about where women are and how they can move forward.

Strategy Having a concrete business plan is essential to running a successful business.

During the pandemic, many small businesses had to create more online offerings, change relationships with supply chains or reduce hiring. Now’s the time to review which of these adaptions can be built upon in the future.

Running a business is never easy. But new resources and support can help women entrepreneurs overcome the distinct challenges they face and plan for growth as the economy picks up.

Explaining the volatility of ‘Velocity Banking’ I recently shared an article on Facebook about “Infinite Banking.” The article was called, “If you’re a proponent of Infinite Banking, you’re infinitely gullible.” I was asked, was “Velocity Banking” the same as Infinite Banking? I had never heard of Velocity Banking. I think I’m going to have to start paying attention to the TikTok and YouTube financial gurus. It appears that I can create a lot of content simply debunking what these influencers are making popular on social media.

What is Velocity Banking? Velocity Banking is a concept that prides itself on paying off your 30-year mortgage in under 7 years. That’s a concept certainly worthy of attention. I’m a proponent of paying the mortgage off early. In fact, I advise people to retire their mortgage before they retire from work. How Velocity Banking goes about paying off the mortgage in record time is where I see the problem.

You take out a HELOC. HELOC stands for Home Equity Line of Credit. You convert this HELOC to your all-purpose checking account. All of your major bill payments will come from this HELOC account. To streamline everything, you pay all your expenses with your credit card. By utilizing your credit card to pay for expenses, you’re effectively floating your expenses at zero percent because if you pay your credit card off in full every month, there’s no interest. You take your entire paycheck and apply it towards your HELOC. No need to have a savings account. After all, it’s not paying you much in interest anyway. Instead, you funnel your entire paycheck to your HELOC. In the event of an emergency, you can use your HELOC. Here’s how it plays out: All of your expenses were paid with your credit card.

Your entire paycheck was directed to your HELOC. You use your HELOC to pay off the credit card balance in full. You also take a lump sum of say $10,000 from

your HELOC and apply it towards your mortgage. Making these lump-sum payments is what will accelerate you paying off your mortgage early. A key component to this working is you have to have positive cash flow or margin between your income and your expenses. As the theory goes, by directing your entire paycheck to your HELOC, you’ll quickly pay down the HELOC balance so that you can repeat another large lump-sum payment to your mortgage. I’ll share a direct example from one of the videos I watched called, “How Velocity Banking Works...”

“For this example, pretend that you have a mortgage of $100,000 at a 5 percent Annual Percentage Rate (APR). You also have an income of $4,000 a month and you spend $3,000 on miscellaneous expenses including your mortgage payment each month. This leaves you with $1,000 a month of discretionary cash flow.

You decide to use the velocity banking strategy, and you open a HELOC with a credit limit of $25,000 at 5 percent APR. First, you make a lump sum payment from the HELOC to your mortgage. You could transfer up to $25,000, but it is wise to keep a “reserve,” and maybe you only draw $12,000 on the HELOC to start.

Your mortgage balance is now $88,000 with your HELOC balance at $12,000.

You take your monthly income of $4,000 and make a payment on the HELOC so the HELOC balance goes down to $8,000.

Over the course of the month, you put your living expenses on a credit card, and at the end of the month, you draw $3,000 on the HELOC to pay off the credit card and also to make your monthly mortgage payment. Your HELOC balance is now

about $11,000.

Next month, you put your paycheck toward the HELOC at the beginning of the month and then pay monthly living expenses and the mortgage payment from the HELOC at the end of the month.

This is commonly called “paycheck parking.” Continuing this process, the balance on your HELOC is reduced by about $1,000, minus interest on the HELOC each month.

After 9 months, your HELOC balance is down to about $4,000, so you can make another lump-sum payment of $12,000 from the HELOC to your mortgage. Now the mortgage balance is $74,442 with the HELOC at $15,154 and the total at $89,596.

You’ve now paid off 10.40 percent of your total mortgage and HELOC in nine months. Continue this velocity banking process and you will pay off your entire mortgage and HELOC combo in six years and four months.”

Damon here: That’s a vexing, complex theory filled with a host of positive assumptions. The theory only emphasizes the upside potential. EVERYTHING has to go perfect in order for this concept to work. I’m going to expose you to the volatility of this theory or the downside risk.

A HELOC is two L’s and one K short of what it’ll lock you into — HELL! A HELOC is a supersized credit card that is a lien against your house. It’s a mortgage! Sure, the interest rates are lower on a HELOC than on a credit card. But the interest rate is never lower or equal to the interest rate on a mortgage as suggested in the example used in the video.

The rate on a HELOC is a floating rate that adjusts up or down — usually UP

depending on prevailing market interest rates. The interest rate on a HELOC is generally the prime rate plus a margin.

As of the day I wrote this article, the average interest rate on a fixed rate mortgage was hovering around 5 percent.

Whereas the average interest rate on a floating rate HELOC subject to change is hovering around 9 percent. Who with common sense would accelerate payments on a lower, fixed-rate mortgage by utilizing money from a higher, adjustable rate mortgage (HELOC)? In my Keith Sweat voice, NOBODDDDY! This Velocity Banking concept is BAD to the core. It goes against the concept of sound money management. You don’t need a savings account? Pay all your expenses with a credit card? Use a HELOC in lieu of a checking account? Borrow money from a HELOC to accelerate paying off a mortgage? You have to be high on marijuana to think this stuff up! You have to be high on crack to believe it!

By utilizing a HELOC as the pivot point to manage your cash flow, it exaggerates and inflates your income. It’s a self-inflicted ponzi scheme. At some point, you’ll reach the limit, the lender will freeze your line of credit, or in year 10, you’ll be forced to amortize and repay the HELOC in 10 years at a higher than market interest rate with a monthly payment that will shock you.

Velocity Banking is a volcano banking waiting to erupt havoc on your personal finances.

Simple, easy to understand, practical solution for the sober mind! If you want to retire your mortgage early, make extra payments on your mortgage. Velocity in motion!

(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached at 412-216-1013 or visit his website at www.damonmoneycoach.com.)

BUSINESS

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

African American Chamber Annual Meeting and Luncheon

GUEST SPEAKER—Kevin Walker, President WITH SPECIAL GUESTS—Chamber President and CEO Doris Carson Williams with Kevin KEVIN WALKER is all smiles after his successful luncheon and CEO, Duquesne Light Company.

Walker and state Rep. Austin Davis. address.

CHAMBER TRADITION—Chamber Board Chair Sam Stephenson gives an African American Chamber DORIS CARSON WILLIAMS greets table guests. (All photos by Chuck Austin) pin to guest speaker Kevin Walker, as Doris Carson Williams addresses the audience.

Facing financial hardship? Tips to avoid foreclosure (StatePoint)—Life’s unexpected challenges can make meeting monthly mortgage payments difficult. The good news? Help is available to avoid foreclosure.

Indeed, Freddie Mac has completed more than 255,000 foreclosure prevention actions in 2021, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Whether you’re currently behind on payments or foresee trouble ahead, Freddie Mac advises taking the following steps as quickly as possible to get back on track: Assess Your Situation Whether it’s due to unemployment, illness, natural disaster or other reasons, identifying the cause of your financial hardship and anticipating its duration are important. These factors can help determine the best solution for you. (A shortterm hardship is over within 12 months. A long-term hardship extends beyond 12 months.)

Contact Your Servicer Your servicer—the compa-

ny where you send mortgage payments—is your best resource throughout the process. They will provide you with the available mortgage relief options based on your particular situation, which typically begins with being placed in a temporary forbearance program. Remember, your servicer is there to help. If you think you’re going to have trouble paying your mortgage, don’t wait.

Call them immediately! And if you’re already behind on your mortgage or currently in a workout option, respond to their outreach efforts to keep an open dialogue going throughout the process.

Know Your Options No matter where you stand, there are solutions.

Here are some to consider: • Forbearance is an agreement between you and your loan servicer that either pauses or reduces monthly mortgage payments for a limited time. Consider forbearance if you’re currently unable to make payments but think you’ll be able to

resume soon.

• With payment deferral, missed mortgage payments move to the end of your loan term, but your monthly mortgage payment amount stays the same.

Consider payment deferral if your hardship is resolved but you’re unable to repay missed mortgage payments as a lump sum or by increasing monthly payments.

Freddie Mac Flex Modification, for example, provides up to a 20 percent mortgage payment reduction that permanently changes one or more of the original terms of your mortgage, such as the interest rate and mortgage term. Ask your loan servicer whether this may be an option for you.

• With partial reinstatement, you pay a portion of

missed mortgage payments as a lump sum. To pay off the rest, your loan servicer works with you to create a repayment plan.

• With full reinstatement, you pay the total owed mortgage payments as a lump sum, making your mortgage current. This a good choice if you can afford it.

• Refinancing your mortgage lowers your interest

rate or replaces an adjustable-rate mortgage with a more affordable fixed-rate mortgage. This is a good choice if you’re current on payments but would benefit from reduced payments in the future. This year, more than 600,000 homeowners with a Freddie Mac-backed mortgage refinanced into a more affordable loan.

• COVID-19 relief is offered by many loan servicers to those struggling due to the pandemic.

• Of course, if homeownership is no longer affordable or desirable, there are options too. Short sale and deed-in-lieu, for example, can help you exit your home without facing the costs associated with foreclosure.

For more homeowner resources, visit My Home by Freddie Mac at myhome. freddiemac.com.

If you’re struggling to make mortgage payments, take action quickly. Doing so can help you prevent foreclosure and stay in your home.

Can Cryptocurrency be a game-changer for Black Americans?

(Black Information Network)—More Americans are jumping in on the cryptocurrency train, including Black Americans and other people of color, according to a recent report from The Washington Post.

Cryptocurrencies, commonly referred to as crypto, is offering opportunities for minorities usually disadvantaged through traditional financial systems. Struggles in the traditional finance landscape include bias from banks, venture capitalists, and other institutions that make it difficult for Black people to acquire or build wealth.

For those not acquainted with what crypto is, here’s how reporters described it: “Cryptocurrencies operate on blockchain technology, a decentralized network spread over many computers.

The value of the currency is based on supply and collective demand, and not backed by the federal government or items of value—with the exception of stablecoins. Thousands of digital currencies have sprouted up since bit-

coin—perhaps the most wellknown cryptocurrency —was created in 2009.”

While the community started off as a hobby for “tech-savvy, financial wizards” who had plenty of money to use, more Americans are participating in the trillion-dollar industry. A recent survey by NORC at the University of Chicago says 13 percent of

Americans reported buying or trading cryptocurrencies in the past 12 months, and 44 percent of those individuals were non-white.

The Post even shared the story of a pair of twins who used their crypto investments to help their parents.

They helped pay off one of their mortgages after cashing out some of their bitcoin,

raking in around $100,000.

“When you have been locked out of the system, when you haven’t had pathways to create generational wealth, you see this as an opportunity,” Cleve Mesidor told the Post, founder of the National Policy Network of Women of Color in Blockchain. “You’re going to tell your community about it

and you’re going to find ways to optimally use it to ensure you cannot just build wealth for your community, but build wealth for the next generation.”

While this sounds appealing, there have been some extreme risks and dangers surrounding cryptocurrency. Kenneth Rogoff, a Harvard University economics

professor, called crypto trading “much riskier than speculating in stocks… And it’s still the Wild West in terms of regulation.”

That may be changing after some new provisions were included in the recently passed $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Reporters say people crypto investors are now required to report their gains to the IRS, but there are some exemptions.

Darrick Hamilton, another economics professor at the New School, also warns that Americans who already have the most to lose are risking more by throwing themselves at this volatile market.

“It is true the traditional financial system has not provided access, and frankly exploited Black people,” Hamilton explains. “But the remedy isn’t to turn to another vulnerable system, however well-intended it may or may not be. The remedy is a public sector that ensures they have access in an equitable way.”

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

JUNE 1-7, 2022

B3

Murder

Guest Editorial

Time for action against mass violence This latest school tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which killed at least 19 students and two teachers, has played out too many times in the U.S. and it must stop.

What is being done and what can be done?

Recently, in response to gun violence around schools in Philadelphia, the school district told families that “periodic weapons screenings” will be conducted at six schools per day for students in grades six through eight. The effort aims to “avoid potentially dangerous situations,” the district said.

“In Harrisburg, we could pass meaningful gun reform, if we had enough elected leaders who actually gave a damn,” state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta said.

Kenyatta also underscored his three-point plan to address gun violence in Pennsylvania: Declaring a state of emergency, passing stalled gun safety legislation and addressing root causes of violence and investing in the youth.

“Too many communities here and across the nation have known the terror of a mass shooting, and too many communities deal with gun violence every day that may not make nationwide headlines but still leave fear, grief and heartbreak in their wake,” Gov. Tom Wolf said. “Gun violence has become entrenched in our nation, and the fact that our legislators at the state and national levels seem to be just fine with that is the greatest tragedy of all.

I am heartbroken. I am angry. But I refuse to give up on calling on our lawmakers to enact common-sense legislation that protects Pennsylvanians.”

The governor has repeatedly vetoed bills from the state’s Republican-led General Assembly that would have loosened gun restrictions.

Wolf has also supported CeaseFire PA’s common-sense agenda to end gun violence, calling for the following basic gun laws to be legislated: Require reporting for lost and stolen guns within 72 hours.

Close loopholes and require background checks on all gun sales.

Require safe storage of firearms to keep guns out of the wrong hands to prevent accidental injury/death and suicides.

Create “red flag” laws to protect those who may be a danger to themselves or others.

“Guns kill more Pennsylvania children than anything else because too many legislators have decided that has to be their fate.

It’s not a law of nature, it is the law of man,” said CeaseFirePA Executive Director Adam Garber.

On the federal level, U.S. Senate Democrats are pushing bills that would expand background checks for gun purchases. Republicans seek better security measures for schools against violent attacks.

There are also common-sense gun laws we should push for both on the federal and state levels.

Since the Texas school massacre, a small bipartisan group of U.S. senators is pushing a federal “red flag” bill. The bill would allow authorities to temporarily seize firearms from people who are found to be a danger to themselves or others.

Please know that these legislative actions will not take away anyone’s Second Amendment rights. That is a myth.

What personal actions can each of us take? Help fix violence in your own homes and cities, by joining a town watch group, and if you see something, say something; make your home a “safe gun zone” or “gun-free zone,” if you legally have a gun at home, you can get free gun locks; if you find a gun in your home take it to a gun buyback event or any police station with no questions asked.

If you still want to know the importance of all of these actions becoming reality, just look at the violence in U.S. schools alone (never mind our supermarkets, churches and malls): 1999: Columbine High in Littleton, Colo. (13 killed) 2005: Red Lake Senior High in Red Lake, Minn. (Seven killed) 2006: West Nickle Mines Amish School in Nickel Mines, Pa. (Five killed) 2007: Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. (32 killed) 2008: Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill. (Five killed) 2012: Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. (26 killed) 2012: Oikos University in Oakland, Calif. (Seven killed) 2014: University of California-Santa Barbara in Isla Vista, Calif.

(Six killed) 2014: Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington state (Four killed) 2015: Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. (Nine killed) 2018: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Fla. (17 killed) 2018: Santa Fe High in Santa Fe, Texas (10 killed) 2021: Oxford High in Oxford, Mich. (Four killed) Just in this list of school incidents and the Texas killings, 166 people died—not including the perpetrator or anyone killed offsite.

The only people who are going to save us—is us.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm

Rob Taylor Jr.

Ashley Johnson

Office Manager

Managing Editor

Sales Director

John. H. Sengstacke

Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—I was shocked! I was appalled! I was infuriated by the callous attack on innocent Black people at the TOPS grocery store in Buffalo, NY! Without having to be told, when I heard the racial breakdown of the victims, I knew that it was a racially motivated hate crime. It was the same feeling I had after preliminary reports came from the shooting at the Mother Emmanuel Church in South Carolina. It was the same rage I experienced over and over again as I watched the video replays of Derrick Chauvin murdering George Floyd. There are no words capable of describing the anger and emotion that erupts from me.

It is that innate ability to understand the nature of and react to a racist attack before, during and after the fact. It is the gnawing discomfort of wondering when, where and who the next attack will consume. These are all too frequently experienced emotions brought on by an all too frequent recurrence of racially motivated violence. We are repeatedly forced to experience the wanton waste of the human capital, wisdom, and experiences accumulated over the years of the lives of the victims.

The events at the store are a manifestation of the arrogance of racism. It is the arrogance of believing yourself to be a superior being. It is the arrogance of believing your life and your sensibilities to be of greater importance

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary than those of the life/lives you steal. It is the arrogance of believing that you have the right to take something which you cannot give—life! It is the height of arrogance believing that God has endowed you with the authority to take one life—or ten. It is the arrogance of the slave-master, the slave catcher, or the overseer who determines his/her victims to be a lower form of life worthy of being extinguished at a whim. Sadly, these murders are the immediate and physical manifestation of a reality that consumes us both subtly and overtly.

The same fear that informs that manner of cowardly, overtly racist hatred fuels the systemic and institutional discrimination which impedes social progress and access to an improved quality of life and life outcomes.

The racist arrogance that energized the physical attacks at the TOPS store is the same arrogance which promotes measures that erode the political strength of our communities. Subtly or otherwise, our votes are called irregular or illegitimate, and we fall victim to a variety of efforts to make us invisible

or disappear completely. We saw this in the Republican/Trump efforts to invalidate the “urban” votes in the metro Philadelphia area and Atlanta/Fulton County in order to ‘flip’ the 2020 Presidential election results.

We are subjected to being summarily purged from voter rolls. We find ourselves subjected to inordinate waiting times in voter lines with draconian restrictions against giving or receiving comfort or relief while we wait. New laws that expand partisan access to polling places foretell increased voter harassment and intimidation. The “Polling Place Police” created by Florida’s Governor DeSantis, a trump-wannabe, suggest a goon squad created to reduce “voting irregularities” in Florida’s communities of color. If not physical, these insidious attempts to negate our presence are ‘murderous’ nonetheless.

The loss of the ten Sisters and Brothers in Buffalo cannot be diminished. They were significant to all who knew and loved them, and they will be dearly missed. They are also significant to those of us who respect their lives and what they represent to our communities. Our fight to save our lives is never-ending and must be vigorous and successful.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. is a minister, a UN Peace Ambassador, President of the Dick Gregory Society.)

Gun safety and public safety: We should not tolerate continued inaction (TriceEdneyWire.com)—The mass killings at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, 10 days after the White supremacist killings in Buffalo, New York, are further evidence of how deeply our society is broken, and how urgently we need to figure out how to begin fixing it.

The slaughter of so many young children and two of their teachers is shocking at a human level. It is absolutely gutting to me as a parent of school-aged children. Millions of us send our kids off to school every day, trying to set aside the knowledge gnawing at our insides that our school and our kids could be next.

It should be unimaginable, and in most countries it is.

But it is not unimaginable in our country. It is so not unimaginable that we subject our young children to the trauma of live shooter drills. We make teachers responsible for preparing students to deal with what too many of our policymakers have decided is not worth trying to prevent.

A decade ago, after the slaughter of elementary school students and educators at Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut, most Republican senators used filibuster rules to block passage of a bill to require background checks for all gun purchases. That is about the least we could do to try to limit gun violence. It is supported by huge majorities of Americans, including most gun owners. We see similarly misplaced priorities at the state level. According to news reports, the killings in Uvalde were the fifth major mass shooting in the state during Gov. Greg Abbott’s ten-

Ben Jealous

Commentary ure. After previous mass killings, Texas Republicans have weakened gun regulations. In 2015, Abbott urged Texans to buy more guns, tweeting that he was “embarrassed” that the state was falling behind California in gun purchases.

Just last year, Abbott signed legislation to loosen gun restrictions, making it possible for Texans to carry handguns without any license or training.

This is a virtual invitation to increased gun violence.

These recent shootings come at a time when violence is increasingly being normalized and justified by irresponsible leaders.

This column was written one day after the murders in Uvalde, on the twoyear anniversary of the police killing of George Floyd, a reminder that Black Americans are all too familiar with the threat that “routine” interactions with police can turn deadly.

In response to widespread protests against Floyd’s killing, extremists mobilized armed mobs with false fearmongering claims that “antifa” and Black Lives Matter activists were planning to ransack suburbs and small towns.

Far right-wing activists also insist that the Second Amendment allows private ownership of even the most powerful military weapons, so that they can be

turned against a “tyrannical” government.

We are also just days away from congressional hearings on the violent Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

We will hear about extremists in the so-called Stop the Steal movement who threatened civil war if Trump did not stay in power. In spite of Republican efforts to sabotage the investigation, we will learn more about the crimes that led to that day’s deadly violence. And the violent rhetoric goes on: Trump himself recently used his own social media platform to amplify a self-identified MAGA activist’s prediction of—or call for—civil war. That is utterly irresponsible.

Scholars have identified the kind of polarization taking place in our country, and the kind of diminished commitment to democracy we have seen among Trump Republicans, as predictors of a country’s vulnerability to civil war.

For families who lost loved ones in Buffalo and Uvalde, and for the many communities that have been scarred by mass murder, it may feel like that war has already arrived. That suffering would be multiplied beyond measure if the extremists calling for civil war in our country get their wish.

We should not tolerate the slightest encouragement for that kind of catastrophe from political leaders, including the former commander in chief.

And we should not tolerate continued inaction on the violence that stalks our streets and schools.

(Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

Is religious freedom free?

by Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor The Oakland Post

The late Fannie Lou Hamer said, “If I am truly free, who can tell me how much of my freedom I can have today?”

That is the question that The United States Supreme Court wrestled with last week in the case of Joe Kennedy, who was fired by the school board in Washington State for praying at the 50-yard line after the high school football game ended.

Kennedy defended his position saying the school board violated his rights to free speech and the freedom to exercise his religion. Kennedy, a Christian, said he felt compelled to give thanks through a silent prayer at the conclusion of each game.

In 2019, a federal appeals court ruled that the school board in Washington State was correct when it fired Coach Joe Kennedy for praying publicly. A judge of the Ninth Circuit said, “A coach’s duty to serve as a good role model requires the coach to refrain from any manifestation of religious faith—even when the coach is plainly not on duty.”

Where does freedom start and stop?

Kennedy’s case has sparked controversy, landing in the Supreme Court this past week debating just how far can a person express religious freedom in public spaces.

On June 25, 1962, the Supreme Court decided that praying in schools

violated the First Amendment by constituting an establishment of religion.

The following year, the Court disallowed Bible readings in public schools for similar reasons.

Long before the Supreme Court’s ruling in 1962 and the current Kennedy case, we are reminded of a very dark period in U.S. history; it was legal that enslaved Africans were forbidden to express religious freedom in any form including reading, writing and praying.

The late Dr. Albert J. Raboteau, an African American scholar, gave meaning to what Africans had to endure to worship. The hush harbors, known as the invisible church, was a secret worship place built with tree branches in the deep woods out of ear shot and eyesight of slave masters. The secret call to worship used codes. One such code was the spiritual, “Steal Away to Jesus.” If enslaved Africans were caught worshiping, they were subjected to vicious beatings or could be murdered for exercising religious freedom.

During the secret worship, the African preacher sermonized how God delivered the Hebrews from slavery to freedom. The ancestors believed and trusted that the same God who told Moses to go down in Egypt land and let my people go was the same God that was going to set them free. The enslaved Africans practiced their African rituals knowing the spirit of the ancestors was with them, encouraging them, that slavery was not their desti-

ny. C. Eric Lincoln reminded us in the epic book “The Black Church in the African American Experience,” that “The term ‘freedom’ has found a deep religious resonance in the lives and hopes of African Americans.”

Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the Star-Spangled Banner, National Anthem. He said he did so to protest police shootings of African American men and other social injustices faced

by Black people in the United States.

The Star-Spangled Banner is a lyrical prayer—“and this be our motto, “In God we trust.”

Kaepernick was punished for expressing his freedom by refusing to engage in what he sees as hypocrisy. Is it time for a new national anthem? Near the Rotunda of the Capitol, a room is set apart for prayer. In light of the controversy, should the prayer room be removed? In 2009, I gave the opening prayer as a Guest Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives that was aired on CNN and other networks.

Is the opening prayer possibly up for elimination? On April 17, 1952, President Harry Truman signed a bill proclaiming the National Day of Prayer into law in the United States. Will it be reversed? Tim Tebow often knelt and prayed at football games. Steph Curry has a line of tennis shoes with a biblical scripture, “I can do all things…”

Ms. Hamer raised a critical inquiry, how much of my freedom can I have today? Are you willing to contend for your faith?

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JUNE 1-7, 2022 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Does America still have a conscience?

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—To defeat any opponent, you must first understand your opponent.

You must recognize your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and be mindful of their strategies, especially their manner of attack that could be used against you. In sports competitions, multiple sides compete against each other to win a specific event.

While the separate opponents can be bitter rivals, good sportsmanship is typically displayed during and after the game. At the end of a hardplayed match, it is common for players and coaches from both teams to have a “good game” moment by shaking hands. The same civility used to be true in the political arena. It was a time when candidates competed, campaigned, and debated against each other, and once the voice of the people was heard through a fair election, good sportsmanship was displayed by both sides. The losing candidate would graciously concede and congratulate their opponent. The winning candidate, in good faith, would fully honor their oath by representing all people, including those who voted against them.

While two sides can bitterly disagree, political disagreements can still be had within decency

David W. Marshall

Commentary and fair play boundaries.

Therefore, political rivals do not have to cross the line and become hated enemies to the level where hostilities lead to violent situations.

While sports and politics are entirely different forms of competition, they both involve a degree of passion and emotions. Emotions are tricky.

We are often advised never to make a major decision while emotional. Even during athletic events, coaches realize their players will lose focus when emotions run high. Even the best athlete can become ineffective throughout intense game situations by being overly emotional, leading to the team’s collapse and defeat.

Where good coaches seek to de-escalate the intensity of emotions to win the competition, we see certain Republican leaders become committed to promoting high emotions—fear and anger—to win political matches and govern. By labeling your political opponent as being your political enemy, Republicans have successfully politicalized voters’ emotions regarding culture war issues. America’s culture war is not new, but it was previously held in check for the good of the nation.

In the 1800s, there was no love lost between people from the industrial north and those living in the agricultural south. The animosity was present long before the start of the Civil War. When soldiers representing northern and southern states fought side by side during the Revolutionary War, the cultural differences were evident. But it took a strong leader in George Washington as Commander of the Continental Army to keep the regional and cultural differences in check. He prevented minor internal differences from escalating and becoming a major divisive force between the soldiers. Rather than turning against each other, Washington kept the men under his command focused on the British Army, their true enemy. Together, the soldiers, with their diverse cultural backgrounds, shared a common mission. They were true patriots who put their country first and achieved their goal of acquiring independence despite their differences. The parallels between then and now are clear. Washington was like many of today’s athletic coaches who defuse emotions and cultural division to achieve a shared goal. Unfortunately, we do not see that type of consistent leadership when it comes to the endless number of mass shootings that show no sign of abating. Instead, it is obvious how political gain is sought and achieved by allowing deep passions and emotions to run unchecked on topics such as the Second Amendment and the “great replacement theory.” When leaders identify others as their political enemy, it generates emotions that make people insensitive, blind, and unable to make reasonable conclusions regarding sensible gun control measures. It’s sad to say that the killing of 19 students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, will not be the last deadly school shooting in our nation.

Let us not forget the Buffalo massacre. After an 18-year-old White man drove three hours to purposely kill people at a supermarket in a Black neighborhood in Buffalo, New York, families are still grieving. After experiencing the Charleston, South Carolina, church massacre in 2015, we must ask ourselves, why are racially motivated mass shootings still happening?

Do Democrats fully understand their opponents to expose the inhumanity in their midst?

The “great replacement theory inspired Payton Gendron’s killing of 10 people in Buffalo.” It must be a wake-up call. It will be cruel and irresponsible to allow divisive and exploitive rhetoric to continue unchallenged. It was encouraging that Rep. Liz Cheney took the bold stand to defend humanity. Cheney wrote via Twitter: “The House GOP leadership has enabled White nationalism, White supremacy, and anti-Semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.” While hate is powerful, does America still have the conscience to take up Cheney’s call to reject White supremacy to heart? Does it have the conscience to reject the power of the NRA to prevent future Uvalde-style violence?

(David W. Marshall is the founder of the faith-based organization, TRB: The Reconciled Body, and author of the book God Bless Our Divided America. He can be reached at www.davidwmarshallauthor.com.)

Will President Biden’s strategic clarity backfire?

At a recent summit with leaders from Japan, India, and Australia, President Joe Biden told a reporter the United States would militarily defend Taiwan if China invaded the island. The reporter sought an explanation since the United States refused to counter Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with conventional forces.

Biden reminded the reporter the United States made a commitment to Taiwan.

International media correspondents wondered if Biden ended decades of U.S. strategic ambiguity, which is a policy designed to keep China uncertain of America’s military commitment to Taiwan’s defense. While other media correspondents wondered if Biden misspoke, leaving his handlers to clarify America’s actual position on Taiwan.

Is the United States committed to Taiwan’s defense, or is strategic ambiguity the official policy?

In 1950 U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson told the press South Korea and Taiwan were outside of the defense perimeter of the United States. North Korea immediately invaded South Korea and China accelerated its plans to invade Taiwan.

After learning of North Korea’s invasion, President Harry Truman made it clear the United States would defend both South Korea and Taiwan.

Truman ordered the navy to the Taiwan Strait to conduct a “show of force” that was visible to the Chinese government. At that time, the United States did not recognize the new revolutionary communist regime that overthrew the Nationalist Chinese government the

J. Pharoah Doss

Check It Out year before. The leaders of the Nationalist Chinese government fled to Taiwan, and the United States recognized the nationalists and not the communist revolutionaries.

President Truman had no need for “strategic ambiguity” on the grounds that he confronted an upstart regime that wasn’t the legitimate government of China, and the United States had a vital interest in preventing the spread of communism.

In 1955 a mutual defense treaty between the United States and Taiwan was signed. This treaty obligated the United States to militarily defend Taiwan from Chinese aggression.

By the 1970s, China decided to reform its dilapidated economy with market mechanisms, and American businesses were interested in access to new markets in China. As a result, President Jimmy Carter formally recognized communist China and severed ties with Taiwan.

Incensed members of Congress led by Senator Barry Goldwater insisted the president had no authority to unilaterally nullify the 1955 defense treaty, and the president needed approval from the Senate. Goldwater took this

constitutional breach to the Supreme Court, but the case was dismissed as non-justiciable.

To salvage the situation, Congress passed the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. Under this act, the United States no longer guaranteed military intervention if China attacked Taiwan, but the United States was required to provide Taiwan with defensive arms. In the future, the actual means by which the United States was willing to defend Taiwan from China was to be determined by each sitting president and Congress after careful evaluation of vital interests in the region.

This established the policy of strategic ambiguity.

By the 1990s the Cold War was over, and alliances were being rearranged, but when tension flared between Taiwan and China, President Bill Clinton imitated President Truman by sending the navy to the Taiwan Strait, and China backed down. At the turn of the century, President George W. Bush abandoned strategic ambiguity for what his critics called “strategic clarity”. Bush bluntly told China the United States would do whatever was necessary to defend Taiwan from attack.

History reveals that the sitting president can choose to be strategically ambiguous or strategically clear, and Biden chose clarity. However, making a promise to defend isn’t the same thing as having the will to defend.

It’s clear at this moment in history that the United States doesn’t have the will.

That’s why President Biden should have remained ambiguous.

Racist killers are enabled by nation’s sinfully lax gun policies (TriceEdneyWire.com)—“Once again, so-called pro-life pundits and politicians responded by pontificating about all of the possible causes of the shooting tragedy, like mental illness, while willfully ignoring the role of White supremacy and easy access to firearms … while every peer nation is home to men who have been radicalized, only America allows them to have easy access to arsenals and ammunition again and again.” – Shannon Watts and Angela Ferrell-Zabala The 18-year-old gunman who slaughtered 10 people in a Buffalo supermarket last week was fueled by a frenzy of White supremacist hatred and enabled by an unprecedented national tidal wave of firearms spilling into American hands.

He spent the months before the massacre stockpiling ammunition and compiling a racist screed with references to the “great replacement.”

The “Great Replacement,” a racist conspiracy theory referring to a nefarious plot to undermine and outnumber White Americans, is not new. Its origins are evident in the 1924 Johnson-Reed Act, which limited immigration based on race. The term itself comes from a 2011 book, Le Grand Remplacement, by French White nationalist Renaud Camus. It inspired the deadly 2017 “Unite The Right” rally in Charlottesville, West Virginia, where marchers chanted “You will not replace us.” It was the motivation for the antisemitic terrorist attack at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018 that killed 11 worshippers. It was explicitly referenced by the gunman who killed 23 people in El Paso in 2019 in the deadliest attack on Latinos in modern American history.

As deadly as this toxic conspiracy theory has been in recent years, it is our nation’s sinfully lax gun policies that lend it the power of mass destruction. New York State does have a red-flag law that can bar gun sales to potentially violent people like the Buffalo shooter, who last year declared his intent to commit murder-suicide at his high school. However, the law

Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal apparently gave police enough discretion, or they were not sufficiently welltrained, that they did not invoke it in his case. New York Governor Kathy Hochul this week issued an executive order requiring police to do so going forward.

More Americans died of gun injuries in 2020 than in any other year on record, according to a recent Johns Hopkins analysis of CDC data. Guns were the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2020, killing more young people than COVID-19, car crashes, or cancer.

The year 2020 also saw record gun sales. “Millions of people, including many first-time purchasers, bought guns. Tens of thousands of these new guns turned up at crime scenes across the country—almost twice as many as in 2019,” the researchers wrote. “While it remains to be seen whether this surge in gun purchases contributed to the rise in gun violence over the long term, a strong body of research has identified drivers of gun violence—namely, easy access to guns and weaknesses in our country’s laws that create a patchwork of gun regulations.”

The report confirmed that common-sense policies like red-flag laws—and Governor Hochul’s order to strengthen New York’s—are effective in reducing gun violence.

“While the media often focuses on gun violence in cities in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Illinois, all of these states had gun death rates lower than the national average,” the researchers found. “New York, for example, had

a rate 2.5 times lower than the national rate. Many of the states with the lowest gun death rates have strong gun violence prevention policies.”

Specifically, the five states with the lowest gun death rates all had both a firearm purchaser licensing law or a waiting period, and a “red flag” law.

All five of the states with the highest gun death rates had “stand your ground” laws and three of the five had permitless carry laws. Alabama, one of the five passed permitless carry earlier this year.

The National Urban League is a longtime partner of Everytown for Gun Safety, largest gun violence prevention organization in America, and emphatically supports its evidence-based, commonsense solutions to make communities and save lives.

On Friday, I joined with other civil rights leaders in a meeting with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to discuss the Department of Justice’s role in addressing the spread of white supremacy across social media platforms and hate crimes tearing through Black communities across America.

Our hearts and deepest sympathies are with the families who have lost loved ones to another senseless act of racial violence.

Our fury is with the White supremacists who are the perpetrators of this violence.

And our anger is with the social media companies and gun merchants who have aided and abetted them and other extremists for profit and with the politicians who have recklessly encouraged them for votes.

Our commitment now is to do something about it, beginning with calling on President Biden to hold a national summit on hate crimes to elevate the national consciousness around the rising danger of white supremacy and online extremism.

We need a whole-of-nation approach to combat and eliminate this threat to our national security and the stability of our democracy. Until we do, innocent people will continue to pay the deadly price.

Lawsuit against inclusionary zoning would leave little room for Pittsburgh’s Black working class The federal lawsuit recently filed by The Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh against the city of Pittsburgh’s inclusionary zoning law would limit opportunities for the working class to live in the city. Housing should be affordable, available, and inclusive for all residents. The expanded inclusionary zoning ordinance will boost affordable housing supply and promote inclusion for working-class families in Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods.

Affordable housing is important to the essential workers who keep Pittsburgh running and are disproportionately Black and other people of color.

Cities are stronger and more equitable when all members of the community can afford to live there. Inclusionary

Juan Powell

Commentary measures for affordable housing advance this objective.

Inclusionary zoning is a tool to build quality affordable housing directly alongside market rate housing. This inclusive approach to development is a lesson learned from old-fashioned, income-segregated housing that often suffered from neglect and stigmatized

people with modest incomes. Many forward- thinking and thriving cities use inclusionary zoning to their benefit —why not Pittsburgh?

With so many communities facing pressure to retain individuals of modest incomes, it is critical to create housing options in every Pittsburgh neighborhood. Our affordable housing challenges in this city are so great that we must deploy multiple, concurrent solutions. That includes inclusionary zoning.

(Juan Powell is Regional Vice President, The Community Builders.)

New Pittsburgh Courier

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JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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Help Wanted

Help Wanted

STAFF SOFTWARE ENGINEER Aurora Innovation, Inc. seeks Staff Software Engineer (REF#00054) in Pittsburgh, PA for distributed systems to build/maintain cloud-based data storage for self-driving car dev.

Email resumes to Mary Ellen Mahoney at memahoney@aurora.tech and include REF#00054

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking an INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER -LIFE SKILLS, AUTISTIC, AND LEARNING SUPPORT Position available at the start of the 2022-2023 school year Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Applications must be received by 4:00 PM June 2, 2022

METRO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER We are an integrated medical, mental health, and dental clinic, located in Swissvale. We serve the neighborhoods of Swissvale, Wilkinsburg, Braddock, the greater Pittsburgh area, and all people who come to us. At Metro, our providers collaborate with each other to treat every aspect of a patient’s health, all under one roof. We offer all of our services to everyone, regardless of identity, income, insurance status, or the ability to pay.

We are currently hiring for: CRNP - This Candidate Must Be Certified in HIV/AIDS Training Physician / Assistant Medical Director Mental Health Director Medical Assistant Executive Assistant Please check out our website to apply and for more details. https://recruiting.paylocity.com/ recruiting/jobs/All/b085f46d-ec61 -4d08-8807-56348a339fcd/Metro -Family-Practice Metro Community Health Center extends great benefits to our eligible employees.

MCHC current benefits are: MCHC pays 100% of the employee premium for UPMC Platinum Small Business Medical, United Concordia dental, STD, LTD and Life insurance VBA vision coverage is offered as voluntary coverage that paid for by the employee Medical and Dependent Care FSA and HRA 2 weeks of paid parental leave 20 days (4 weeks) of PTO for your 1st two years 9 paid holidays 401K WITH A 4% MATCH SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Applications must be received by 4:00 PM June 3, 2022 FULL-TIME FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR 5 days, 40 hrs/wk. Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty.

Strong organizational skills, accuracy and efficiency. Proficient in Microsoft Office and financial database software, preferably ACS. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance w/3-5 yrs experience in nonprofit accounting.

Current ACT 33/34 and FBI fingerprint clearances/COVID-19 vaccination required. If you are BEST candidate, email office@eastminsterchurch.net.

BOROUGH OF BELLEVUE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION FT POLICE OFFICER The Town Council of the Borough of Bellevue has directed the Civil Service Commission to establish a hiring list for the position of Fulltime Police Officer.

Applications will be available beginning Monday, May 23, 2022 at 9:00 am in the Borough’s Administrative Offices at 537 Bayne Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202. Completed applications, along with a $50 certified check or money order made payable to the “Borough of Bellevue”, must be returned to the Borough Administrative offices no later than 4:30 pm Friday, June 24, 2022.

Qualified applicants will be notified by mail of the time and location of the written examination.

Questions may be directed to the Borough’s Administrative offices, Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm, by calling 412-766-6164. EOE Cindy L. Bahn, JD, MBA Director of Administrative Services SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking: CLASSROOM PARAEDUCATOR PERSONAL CARE PARAEDUCATOR Complete job descriptions and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Applications must be received by 4:00 PM June 3, 2022 CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a HEAD VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS COACH Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Applications must be received by 4:00 PM June 7, 2022 SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking a HIGH SCHOOL ART TEACHER Position available at the start of the 2022-2023 school year Complete job description and directions on how to apply are available at: www.southfayette.org Applications must be received by 4:00 PM June 8, 2022 RENTAL SERVICE Furnished Apartments

FURNISHED ROOM with all amenities conveniently located in the Hill District JAMES (412) 924-8678.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of ROBERT W. GORMAN, aka Robert Gorman, deceased of West Mifflin, PA, No. 03446 of 2022, Colin T. Gorman Extr., 3215 N. Wilton Avenue, Unit D, Chicago IL 60657 or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Attys. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 Estate of MARJORIE DOW, deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, No. 5348 of 2022, Leslie Dickey, Extrx., 3507 O’Neil Blvd McKeesport, PA 15132 or to Robert C. Watson, Esq., 1239 W. North Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15233

LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION OF TESTAMENTARY

Letters Testamentary on the Estate of MILDRED NASH, deceased, of 201 Grant Ave., Apt. 411, Sewickley, Allegheny County, PA, No. 02-22-02843 have been granted to Germaine Gooden, 359 Wylie Ave., Clairton, PA 15025, who requests that all persons having claims against the Estate of this Decedent make known the same in writing to her or her attorney, Thomas E. Paandaleon, Esq. 6824 Thomas Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15208, and all persons indebted to this Decedent make payment to the same.

Estate of STEWART, JR. EDGAR DICK AKA STEWART, JR. E. DICK , Deceased of McCandless Township No. 02824 of 2022, Richard A. Stewart, Executor, 223 Greenwood Drive, Wexford, PA 15090, or to Michael J. Saldamarco, Esq., Attys. STE. 100, 908 Perry Hwy. Pittsburgh, PA 15229 Estate of LURRAY D. BLATCHFORD, Deceased of Clairton, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

No. 02-22-02873, Janine A. Cain, Executor, 61 Universal Street, Bridgeville, PA 15017 or to TODD A. FULLER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of RICHARD DEE, Deceased of Pittsburgh, PA. No. 03020 of 2022, Saloam M. Bey, Administratix, 67427 Washington Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 or to Thelma C. Spells, Esquire Atty. 1533 Bidwell Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15233

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

OPENING OF WAITING LIST Allegheny County Housing Authority will be accepting applications for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program. Applications will be accepted starting at 8:30 am on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 and will remain open until 3:30 pm on Thursday, July 14, 2022. You must apply online at www.achsng.com. There will also be a limited amount of computers to use at 301 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136.

No further applications will be accepted after these dates and times. All applications will be entered into a lottery, regardless of the date and time of application.

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FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)

1. The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The Project entails the Repairs & Preventative Maintenance at the Forbes-Semple Parking Garage.

3. The Instructions to Bidders, including the Form of Bid, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, Plans and Specifications, and Zoom meeting information will be made available after 3:00 p.m. local time on Friday, May 27, 2022, via email request to the Authority’s Project Management Department at tsowinski@pittsburghparking.com.

4. A Mandatory pre-bid conference will be held virtually via Zoom at 10:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, June 2, 2022. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide additional detail regarding the Work.

The information provided at the pre-bid conference will be essential in preparing a bid to perform the Work. Persons or entities that intend to submit bids to perform the Work are required to join into the pre-bid conference via Zoom with at least one representative who will understand the information presented at the pre-bid conference in a manner that allows such information to be incorporated in the preparation of the bid to perform the Work. It is expected that the representative who attends the pre-bid conference will be experienced in construction matters and employed by the bidder in a supervisory capacity. Virtual Zoom Pre-bid attendance is mandatory, and each attendee must sign in via online form.

5. Sealed bids must be dropped off to the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read 3:00 p.m. local time on Friday, June 14, 2022, virtually via Zoom meeting.

6. Each bid submitted must be accompanied by a bid guaranty of ten percent (10%) of the proposed bid in the form of a bid bond, certified cashier’s or treasurer’s check payable to the Authority.

7. The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that specifications and proposal forms for furnishing all labor and materials and professional consulting and/ or construction services for the following project(s) entitled:

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR RHVAC SUPPORT AUTHORITY WIDE IFB#300-03-22 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

David G. Onorato Executive Director ADVERTISEMENT Proposals are hereby solicited for the Community College of Allegheny County, 800 Allegheny Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15233 on the following: Bid Proposal No. 1096 – Shuttle Bus Service – North Campus Bid Proposal No. 1097 – Courier Service Bid Proposal No. 1098 – Senstar Software Maintenance Renewal Bid Proposal No. 1099 – Infoblox Maintenance Renewal Bid Proposal No. 1100 – Cisco SmartNet Maintenance Renewal Due date: 2:00 P.M. Prevailing Time on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 Any bids or proposals received after this deadline will be considered as a “late bid” and will be returned unopened to the offerer.

Bids or Proposals may require Bid Bonds, Performance Bonds, Payment Bonds, and Surety as dictated by the specifications.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

The Community College of Allegheny County is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages bids from Minority/Disadvantaged owned businesses.

For more information, contact Michael Cvetic at mcvetic@ccac.edu.

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Elevator and Windows for • 818 Braddock Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Bid documents may be obtained from Sota Construction Services, Inc. by contacting Chris Michaels at cmichaels@sotaconstruction.com or calling 412-766-4630 beginning May 24th.

ALL BIDS WILL BE RECEIVED until 1:00 PM on June, 23rd, 2022 at the offices of Sota Construction Services.

Bids will be publicly opened at 1:30 PM on June 23, 2022 at the Sota Construction Services, Inc. offices at 80 Union Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15202.

Bids must be on standard proposal forms in the manner therein described in the bid documents and be enclosed in a sealed envelope, bearing the name and address of the bidder on the outside, addressed to the Sota Construction Services, Inc. and marked with the project name.

There will be a site walk thru on June 9th at 10:00 AM to review the existing building conditions.

“Compliance is required with the Davis-Bacon Act and other Federal Labor Standard Provisions; Title VI and other applicable provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Department of Labor Equal Opportunity Clause (41 CFR 60 – 1.4); Section 109 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974; Executive Order 11625 (Utilization of Minority Business Enterprise); Executive Order 12138 (Utilization of Female Business Enterprise); in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Allegheny County MBE/WBE Program enacted July, 1981, which sets forth goals of 13 percent Minority and 2 percent Female Business Enterprise; and the Allegheny County Ordinance #6867-12, setting forth goals of 5 percent Veteran-Owned Small Businesses.

Further, notice is hereby given that this is a Section 3 Project under the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, (as amended) and must to the greatest extent feasible, utilize lower income residents for employment and training opportunities and Section 3 Business concerns and all contracts and subcontracts for this project shall contain the “Section 3 Clause” as set forth in 24 CFR, Part 135.38. Moreover, compliance is required by the prime contractor and all subcontractors with the Federal General Conditions included in the contract documents between ACED and the operating agency. These Federal General Conditions are to be incorporated by reference into all construction contracts between operating agency and contractor, contractor and subcontractor(s), and subcontractor(s) and lower tiered subcontractor(s).”

If there are additional questions, please contact C h r i s M i c h a e l s , Director of Preconstruction, at Sota Construction Services, Inc.

CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!

RHVAC Support Authority Wide IFB#300-03-22 The documents will be available no later than May 31, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until June 21, 2022 on 9:00 AM The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on June 21, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on June 9, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 876 2966 6789 Passcode: 884621 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACPs has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 or 129

CLASSIFIEDS

B6

JUNE 1-7, 2022 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

SONNY BOY

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Proposals/bid submittals will be due 11:00 AM on June 21, 2022 and will be read at 11:15 AM., the same day, at Port Authority’s Heinz location (345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-2527) as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conferencing, for the following: Electronic Proposal - Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org) Bid Number B220422

Bid Name Electric Switch Machines

B220434R

Crossarm Insulator Assemblies

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • https://bit.ly/3Pw0Dzn To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) • Conference ID: 314 737 746# No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

A Pre-Bid Conference will be held via tele-conference on each of the above items at 10:00 am June 9, 2022, as well as through your web browser via Microsoft Teams video conference.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • https://bit.ly/3yLJNX8 To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United State, Pittsburgh (Toll) • Conference ID: 885 719 226# Attendance at this meeting is not mandatory, but is strongly encouraged.

Questions regarding any of the above bids will not be entertained by the Port Authority within five (5) business days of the scheduled bid opening.

These contracts may be subject to a financial assistance contract between Port Authority of Allegheny County and the United States Department of Transportation. The Contractor will be required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

Port Authority of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in regard to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprise will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY Electronic Proposals will be received online at the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Ebusiness website (http://ebusiness.portauthority.org).

Hard copy responses must be both delivered to, and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department at or before 11:00am, prevailing time, June 13, 2022, at the Purchasing and Materials Management Department, Port Authority of Allegheny County, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222-2527. Responses received or time stamped in the Purchasing and Materials Management Department after the advertised time for the submission of responses shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. Each Bidder shall be solely responsible for assuring that its proposal is timely received and time stamped in accordance with the requirements herein.

Paper Proposal – Documents are available for the following items at Port Authority’s Main Offices 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15222-2527

1

Bid Number

Bid Name

Pre Qual 22-05-49A

Pre Qualification for Natural Gas

2 Pre Qual 22-05-50A Pre Qualification for Electricity

No bidder may withdraw a submitted Proposal for a period of 75 days after the scheduled time for opening of the sealed bids.

This Contract Services may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The proposal process and the performance of the requested services will be in accordance with guidelines and regulations of the FTA “Third Party Contracting Guidelines”, FTA Circular 4220.1F, as amended, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Port Authority of Allegheny County, in compliance with 49 C.F.R., Part 26, as amended, implements positive affirmative action procedures to ensure that all Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“DBEs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts financed, in whole or in part, with federal funds, if any, provided under or for the proposed Agreement. In this regard, all recipients or contractors shall take all necessary and reasonable steps in accordance with 49 C.F.R., Part 26, to ensure that DBEs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services.

Port Authority of Allegheny County, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, also requires that certified Diverse Businesses, (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontract for, the Contract Services. In this regard, all Proposers, and the Contractor, shall make good faith efforts, in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services.

Further, proposers and the Contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sex, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts or subcontracts for these Contract Services All awards made in excess of $100,000 shall require a performance bond of 50% of the contract value. Contractor is responsible for expenses related to acquiring a performance bond and insurance where applicable. All items are to be FOB delivered unless otherwise specified. Costs for delivery, bond, and insurance shall be included in bidder’s proposal pricing.

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

LEGAL ADVERTISING

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR ELECTRICAL SUPPORT AUTHORITY WIDE IFB# 300-11-22 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Electrical Support Authority Wide IFB#300-11-22 The documents will be available no later than May 23, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 am on June 14, 2022 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on June 14, 2022 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

GET RESULTS!

IT’S BLACK

HISTORY.

Mr. Kim Detrick Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832 A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on June 2, 2022 at 9:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/83813290702?pwd=Q0EzcG FyVUdVQmhvZnBUZm92Yjd zUT09 Meeting ID: 838 1329 0702 Passcode: 34987 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation.

HACP has revised their website.

As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

To place a display ad in the New The Courier is THE VOICE of Pittsburgh Black Pittsburgh. Courier call To place a display ad in the New Pittsburgh Courier 412-481-8302 call 412-481-8302 ext. 128 ext. 128 COURIER CLASSIFIEDS The Board of Port Authority reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

THE COURIER ISN’T JUST A NEWSPAPER.

SUBSCRIBE to the courier JUST IN TIME FOR THE SUMMER! CALL ALLISON PALM AT 412-481-8302, EXT. 136.

2 JUNE 1-7, 2022 FAB 40 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAB 40 2022

K. CHASE PATTERSON FAB 40 Master of Ceremonies The New Pittsburgh Courier is proud to welcome back K. Chase Patterson as the master of ceremonies for this year’s Fab 40 awards reception. After serving the same position at the 2012 and 2013 awards reception, Patterson has become a Courier favorite.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, after his studies at the University of Pittsburgh, Patterson started his professional career at the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh.

While at the Urban League, he established the Black Male Youth Summit, now known as the Black Male Leadership Development Institute (BMLDI) and taught post-secondary preparation classes at Wilkinsburg High School.

Before working as the Chief Diversity Advisor to the largest Panera Bread Franchisee, Covelli Enterprises, Patterson served as the federal liaison to the departments of Homeland Security, Immigration, State, and Education on behalf of Pennsylvania Congressman Mike Doyle.

In 2015, he opened Society Men’s Grooming Lounge, an upscale barbershop in the Hill District. Patterson presently serves as the CEO of the Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh region’s oldest charter school.

Before becoming CEO

K. CHASE PATTERSON

of the Urban Academy, Patterson served in several capacities at the school as Trustee, Business Manager, and Chief Operating Officer.

He led the rebranding, relocation, and renovation of the school to Larimer.

Now Patterson has the privilege of working every day toward a personal mission to show that ALL children, particularly Black children, can learn and succeed when immersed in a student-centered, rigorous, culturally-centered, relationship-driven learning environment.

Patterson served four years as General Chairman of the Pittsburgh NAACP Human Rights Dinner, was Chairman of the Chuck Cooper Foundation and the Adonai Center for Black Males and has served on the boards of Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh NAACP, and the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP). Currently, he serves as Interim Chairman of the Larimer Consensus Group and is a member of the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of

Child Development advisory board. He is also the founder and Executive Producer of the State of Black Learning.

His leadership has been recognized locally and nationally in Pittsburgh Magazine, Whirl Magazine, the New Pittsburgh Courier, Ebony Magazine, and Black Enterprise. Patterson is a proud brother and former National board member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Patterson and his son, Chase, are former Larimer residents and now live in East Hills.

JUNE 1-7, 2022

3

Message from The Editor and Publisher The New Pittsever before. burgh Courier is Perhaps extremely proud more than anyto present the thing, those on New Pittsburgh this year’s Fab Courier’s Fab 40 40 list come “Class of 2022” from a generaand salute these tion that knows young movers the power of and shakers for collaboration ROD DOSS their hard work across lines of and dedication. race, religion As we celebrate these 40 in- and sexual orientation. They dividuals that were carefully know Pittsburgh’s future selected from a list of many is brighter when all parties nominations that were sub- work together for the greater mitted by our faithful read- good. ers, we also celebrate the To the “Class of 2022,” we diversity of job descriptions hope this honor serves as an and titles now open to this inspiration to soar to even generation. greater heights and to enNot only are these stellar courage others to reach their individuals excelling in their highest potential. To our professions, but they are readers of this special secalso making an impact in tion, please share it with the the communities they serve. youth in your area so they They represent a generation may be inspired to continue committed to making “the their lofty pursuits. most livable city” a better From all of us at the New place not only for them- Pittsburgh Courier, we apselves, but also for those plaud you. Thank you for who come behind them. your unwavering service.

Through their dedicated efCongratulations to the New forts, tomorrow’s African Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 American youth have an ev- “Class of 2022”! er-greater possibility at procuring a brighter future than

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JUNE 1-7, 2022 FAB 40 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

DIVERSITY

DARNELL BONNER

Jennifer Barnes joined the University of Pittsburgh in 2019 as the Supplier Diversity and Sustainability Coordinator. She works with the procurement team in Purchasing Services and Strategic Sourcing to advance socially and environmentally responsible purchasing. In her role, Barnes collaborates with university departments and major contracted suppliers to track, analyze and increase diverse and sustainable spend. She is also a member of the Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Sustainability and focuses on carbon offsets.

Trained as a city planner, Barnes has a background in community development, economic development, and land use planning, focusing on the reuse of contaminated and blighted properties.

She has led several collaborative historical, planning, and research efforts with non-profit institutions, community groups, and public agencies in Chicago, Oakland, and New Orleans before moving to Pittsburgh in 2013. Locally, she has designed initiatives to increase diversity in the construction businesses and workforce in the Hill District, Larimer, and Homewood neighborhoods.

A California native, Barnes received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago and a Master of City Planning degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

SHANDIA BOOKER CASSANDRA BRENTLEY RICHENA BROCKINSON MICHELLE BROWN CATHRYN CALHOUN STEVEN CARTER NATHANIEL L. CARTER JR. DR. CAMILLE CLARKE-SMITH RONALD COURSEY ALONNA CUFFE JAKIM DONALDSON CARLTON FALCONER JR. AMBER FARR LEON FORD JILLIAN GILES JOEL GRAY RENATA SILVA GRAY GLENN GRAYSON JR. RODNEY HEARD ADRIEL A. HILTON LASHESIA HOLLIDAY CHARDAÉ JONES JASON JONES HON. SUMMER LEE MARKESE LONG ALYSSA P. LYON JULE MCDANIEL SHARISE NANCE SIERRA PARM BRAZITTE POOLE LINDSAY POWELL JULIUS RIDGLEY TENECIA M. ROSS ASTER TECLAY DEBORAH M. TODD JULLIAN TURNER TERRI L. WHITE KHAYREE WILSON BRITTINI WRIGHT-BURLEY

ANDREA BARBER CAMERON BARNETT OLIVER BEASLEY LACHELLE BINION BLAYRE BRITTON JOEL BURSTEIN ALONNA CARTER MELANIE CLAXTON GRIFFANN COLEMAN-BREWER ASHLEY RENAE CORUM TORREY COULVERSON MARTELL COVINGTON LEANA CREIGHTON SHARNAY HEARN DAVIS JAMES DOYLE ANGELIQUE DRAKEFORD JAMILAH DUCAR CHRISTINA FLEWELLEN-HOWZE MARYN L. FORMLEY

FINANCE

JUSTIN M. BINION

Vice President, Wealth Advisor Clarfeld|Citizens Private Wealth Being a financial advisor empowers Justin M. Binion to make a positive impact on people’s lives, which is his life goal. By providing informed, insightful guidance and exemplary personal service, he helps successful individuals and families develop and implement financial strategies to build, manage, protect and transfer their wealth.

Binion earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management at California University of Pennsylvania. Before becoming a financial advisor, Binion honed his client service expertise working in corporate sales for several NBA and NHL teams, where putting the clients’ needs first and creating an excellent customer experience were the top goals. Today, he applies that same approach, combined with his strong personal integrity and high-energy initiative, as a trusted resource for his clients.

Away from the office, Binion is committed to supporting future generations and improving his community. He is an advocate for underprivileged youth and regularly volunteers his time helping young people become more financially literate. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Pittsburgh based child advocacy organization, Allies For Children. He lives in the South Hills, and enjoys coaching basketball, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and spending time with his family.

DEONNA GANDY AFTYN D.L. GILES ELIADA GRIFFIN-EL AKEMI HARRISON AUDRYANA HATCHER CHRISTIAN HUGHES MUBARIK ISMAELI DEVON MADDEN KENYA MATTHEWS BRITTANY MOORE, LSW, OSW-C CANDACE OKELLO DANIELLE PARSON-RUSH CLAUDY M. PIERRE MARCUS POINDEXTER KELLI SHAKUR ANTOINE THOMAS AJA THOMPSON BRIANA L. WHITE TANESHYA WILLIAMS NATASHA WILLIAMS ALECIA DAWN YOUNG

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAB 40 2022

CORPORATE

ABRAXIS BLACKWELL

Citizens Pay Partnership Manager, AVP Citizens Bank Abraxis Blackwell is a dynamic, compelling, and empathic leader with a demonstrated ability to inspire across all levels. With over 16 years of professional experience, she currently is a Citizens Pay Relationship Manager for Citizens Bank where she has held various roles throughout her tenure.

Born in Pittsburgh, she is a Schenley High School graduate. Upon graduation Blackwell attended Slippery Rock University where she majored in criminology with a specialization in pre-law. She went on to obtain post graduate degrees, one from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in criminology and one from Duquesne University in organizational leadership. She also has a certificate in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Blackwell gives back by mentoring high school students, teaching technical skills at Community College of Allegheny County and volunteering.

Throughout life one thing she has learned is, the only guarantee is change, and often you are not prepared for it. While navigating through change it is essential to have empathy as a leader and treat everyone fairly, however that doesn’t mean treat everyone the same—when you can see things through their eyes you are much more likely to understand and come up with a solution everyone agrees upon.

Blackwell also she enjoys working on her blog, “Live, Laugh, Level-Up;” drawing from her own experiences and encouraging others to have an unwavering trust in themselves as it is a critical component in success, both personally and professionally. Furthermore, she loves traveling and most importantly spending quality time with her loved ones.

HUMAN RESOURCES JA’LISA L. BROWN, MBA

Benefits and HRIS Manager Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Ja’Lisa L. Brown, MBA, is a Pittsburgh native and works as the Benefits and HRIS Manager for the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. As a young girl, her dreams and passions were centered on improving her life and those around her.

While completing her MBA, Brown created “A Queen with Purpose, LLC,” a brand geared towards helping women design a purposeful life with God first and create financial stability. By combining her extensive skills and experiences, both personal and professional, she aims to equip women to master their lives both personally and professionally, while pursuing their aspirations, without fear, hesitation or doubt.

In addition to her work as a Benefits and HRIS Manager, Brown currently serves as the President of the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh where she focuses on bridging the gap between young professionals and the City of Pittsburgh. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Master of Business Administration from Point Park University.

JUNE 1-7, 2022 5

She holds a Strategic Human Resources Business Partner certification from the Human Capital Institute and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace certificate from the University of South Florida.

Brown was the honoree of the When She Thrives 2019 Changemaker Award, Graduate of Coro Pittsburgh Women in Leadership Cohort 2020, Professional Women’s Network 2021 Ladies Who Lead Honoree, and Graduate of The Advancement Leadership Institute (TALI) Emerging Leaders Inaugural Cohort 2022 out of Carnegie Mellon University.

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JUNE 1-7, 2022 FAB 40 2022

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

ENTREPRENEUR

KECIA CHANTEL Owner/Visionary Zuri Beads, LLC AERION A. ABNEY BARON BATCH JESSICA N. BROWN NATHANIEL M. BROWN COREY BUCKNER BRIAN R. BURLEY LAKEISHA BYRD MELISA CHIPANGILA-CAMPBELL DON CHARLTON JASON FLOWERS TYRA GOOD, ED.D TERESA RENEE HUNT REGINA D. HUTSON THOMAS JAMISON WAYMAN R. JONES JR. KEVION LATHAM DEVON M. LYONS KEVIN MCNAIR KYSHIRA S. MOFFETT, MBA KHEIR MUGWANEZA JAMES MURPHY NJAIMEH NJIE RIEAN K. NORMAN BRIGETTE BETHEA PATTERSON CHEYENNE L. PATTERSON OLIVIA T. PAYNE BRANDON E. PHILLIPS LEIGH SOLOMON PUGLIANO REGINA L. SCOTT YASMIN SHAHEED LOLA SIMS ERIC A. SMITH M. SHERNELL SMITH MICHELYN HOOD TINOR SHAKITA TRIGG DIAMONTE WALKER THOMAS WALLACE ANTHONY WILLIAMS LAKEISHA WOLF SOSSENA WOOD

As a serial entrepreneur, Kecia Chantel is a creative visionary who has spent her life and career helping others in many capacities. A Master of Science graduate from Duquesne university, Chantel is an occupational therapist and a certified case manager who serves as a care coordinator for inpatient rehabilitation facilities along the entire eastern United States.

Juggling a career while growing a blossoming business isn’t easy, but Chantel manages to do it with style and grace. She has always been crafty and good with her hands. In 2014, she began creating beautiful, hand-crafted jewelry and accessories as a hobby. “Zuri Beads” specializes in the creation and customization of beaded bracelets. She has an expansive community of dedicated customers/ followers whom she affectionately refers to as her “cousins.”

In 2021 alone, Chantel shipped her products to 22 states. During the height of COVID-19 where many businesses plummeted, Zuri Beads experienced exponential business growth which earned her a Business of the Year award from the Circles: Startup to Storefront Catapult program. She is often complimented on her marketing strategies. Her online launches are wildly anticipated, typically selling out within minutes.

Chantel is also a published author, and business

startup coach. She aspires to develop a nonprofit organization for women persevering through domestic violence. Chantel’s life mission is to empower and pour positivity into women, specifically women of color. She is the devoted and proud mother to two little boys, Gregory and Princeton Reese.

OLIVIA BENSON LaRAE DANIELLE CULLENS AUSTIN A. DAVIS DAREN ANDERSON ELLERBEE AMBER M. EPPS JAMES T. FREEMAN REGINALD GOOD DONTA A. GREEN KRISTEN GUY DEAVON HAMMONDS YONA C. HARVEY DERRIC I. HECK MERECEDES J. HOWZE BRANDON HUDSON PRINCESS ROSE HUGHES RUFUS O. IDRIS LLOYDINE J. JACOBS

AUDIE L. CHAPMAN, II

Audie Chapman is the president and the executive director of the Northside Youth Athletic Association. The NSYAA currently serves over 250 inner-city Northside youth student-athletes between the ages of 5 and 14. The program continues year-round with the outreach of youth sports, academic support, and mentorship.

Chapman also has a strong engineering and manufacturing professional background; he has been in the Pittsburgh manufacturing industry for over 15 years serving as a quality engineer.

Chapman uses his strong engineering background to motivate the youth about the

KAHMEELA ADAMS

L. DENISE EDWARDS

SPORTS President & Executive Director, Northside Youth Athletic Association Northside Hub On-Site Director, Youth Places

PAUL T. ABERNATHY

CHEREÉ HASWELL JOHNSON MICHAEL A. JOHNSON TRACI JOHNSON MICHAEL A. KNIGHT future and innovation the world has to offer. He also mentors middle school students in math and science during after-school hours at Youth Places (North Hub Campus). He promotes “Free Thinking” in young African American males that anything is possible without limits.

Chapman was born and raised on the North Side of Pittsburgh, so he understands that giving back to his own neighborhood in which he grew up would be his life’s purpose. Pittsburgh plays a huge role in the innovation sector for the future and Chapman’s mission is to make sure that every kid he comes across has access to the knowledge of innovation using his discipline through engineering and methodology to direct them towards the future.

LaTRENDA S. LEONARD CURTIS E. LEWIS JR. GABRIEL McKNIGHT JESSICA MITCHELL JUSTIN R. NWOKEJI TYRA OLIVER MARINA J. OWENS KEIHA R. PECK TAMAIRA E. RIDGELY RYAN S. SCOTT DEVYN D. SWAIN LAUREN O. WALLACE AARON M. WHIGHAM ELISE ‘THE DIVA CHEF’ WIMS ANQWENIQUE L. WINGFIELD SHEILA WOODS

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAB 40 2022

MEDIA

GARY J. COLEMAN Managing Partner GJColeman Media

Gary J. Coleman is the founder and controlling member of GJColeman Media. Coleman is a co-founder and director at Renewed Minds Media Group, and an actor and producer. His film, “Mr. Jacob,” is available on Amazon Prime.

Coleman is a radio personality and program director at the Internet-based WXCN Power, a violence interrupter for the City of Pittsburgh, and a community outreach worker.

Coleman mentors and trains youth and young adults through music, the arts, boxing and other outlets. As a minister, public speaker, and musician (known as Gwizdom), Coleman has headlined and performed at various events and venues.

The most important accomplishment in GJ Coleman’s life is being a husband and a father of three beautiful children.

ENTREPRENEUR

SHAMIAH COULVERSON Owner & Funeral Director House of Paradise Cremation and Funeral Services After working in the medical field for eight years, Shamiah Coulverson felt led to follow her true gift, which is honoring and comforting families during their greatest time of need. In 2016, Coulverson graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science and completed her apprenticeship in Erie, as it was the better move to become a well-rounded funeral director.

There she was able to serve families of all different religious and ethnic backgrounds.

In 2020, Coulverson was able to open up House of Paradise Cremation and Funeral Services, where they specialize in providing comfort and personalized detail for the loved one’s services.

Through experiencing loss and death in her family, Coulverson strived to ease the burden and stress of the funeral experience for the families she served. Opening a funeral home without having a family name to stand on in the City of

Pittsburgh hasn’t happened in ages.

Coulverson is the youngest funeral director/owner in Pittsburgh. This work ethic and her faith in God allowed her within 15 months of opening her first location to open her second location in Erie.

For more information on services, prices, and locations visit us at houseofparadisefuneralservices.com or call us at 412-918-1084.

JUNE 1-7, 2022

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JUNE 1-7, 2022 FAB 40 2022

RECRUITMENT

DR. ARMANI A. DAVIS

Chief Talent Recruitment and Development Officer Shady Side Academy Dr. Armani A. Davis is a proud graduate of Steel Valley High School. After Steel Valley, he attended Duquesne University, where he played football and received a BA in Integrated Marketing Communications.

Upon graduation, he took a job with a major grocery

CORPORATE

LAUREN DEDOMENIC Community Affairs Analyst Highmark Health

Lauren DeDomenic is a community affairs analyst who aims to establish strong relationships with community leaders, non-profit organizations, and potential funding partners. In addition, DeDomenic works with local community-based organizations to sustain and develop programs and initiatives to better their community through grants, sponsorships, and inkind support from Highmark.

After, spending nearly a decade working for local nonprofits, DeDomenic knows what it takes to support the community’s needs, and sustain development throughout the City of Pittsburgh. It is essential to meet people where they are, especially when you are working with underrepresented and low-income communities. In her new role with Highmark Health, she has already further developed workforce development program throughout Allegheny Health Network, primarily at Allegheny General Hospital.

DeDomenic creat-

store provider as a district manager. Dr. Davis left the work to pursue additional education and returned to school at Edinboro University where he received a Master of Arts in Managerial and Intercultural Communications and a certificate in Conflict Resolution.

Shortly after graduation, he began working for Robert Morris University as a retention specialist, working with marginalized and conditionally-accepted students.

During this time, he helped create the first African American orientation program at Robert Morris, contributing to the highest first-year persistence rate for conditionally-accepted students.

In dedication to his service to the Robert Morris Community, he was awarded Diversity and Inclusion Faculty/Staff member of the year. As a result of his leadership, he was later encouraged by leadership at the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education to apply for a statewide fellowship opportunity to become faculty at one of the state universities in Pennsylvania.

He was accepted and joined Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) to teach and lecture as a Frederick Douglass Scholar in the School of Developmental Studies and the newly-established Master of Strategic Communication Program.

In 2021, Dr. Davis left IUP to join Shady Side Academy as their inaugural Chief Talent Recruitment and Development Officer, a new role dedicated to the recruitment and professional growth of faculty and staff at SSA. Dr. Davis continues to be active in his community with leadership positions in various organizations. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education, The 100 Black Men of America, and member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. In May 2019, Dr. Davis received his Ph.D. from Robert Morris University.

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JOEL ACIE EMMAI ALAQUIVA VERNARD ALEXANDER MARISA BARTLEY KENYA T. BOSWELL SIOBHAN BROOKS CARMEN BRUCE CRYSTAL BYNUM KEVIN CARTER ROBERT CHAMBERS III YOLANDA COVINGTON-WARD BELINDA CURTAIN EUGENE CURTAIN III CAMILLE DAVIDSON-BAZRON LATIKA DAVIS-JONES BRIAN EDMONDS TISHA GERMANY DR. MARILYN GRIFFIN

ed, planned, and implemented multiple programs throughout the city specifically on the North Side to address the Social Determinants of Health. During the pandemic, DeDomenic successfully managed multiple distributions for food, PPE, personal hygiene products and resources for remote learning.

DeDomenic established a centralized database for North Side residents and others so they could access COVID resources, updates, and a network for those struggling with isolation.

Through weekly community vaccine clinics, DeDomenic helped tackle vaccine hesitancy within Black community and refugee community. Offering walk-up clinics and testing sites with Allegheny Health Network, Northside Christian Health Center, Allegheny County Department of Health, and other providers, DeDomenic helped provide more than 1,000 vaccines. She also worked to tackle health disparities heightened throughout the pandemic, by offering basic health services at events, and assistance with finding Primary Care Providers for uninsured, and underinsured residents.

DeDomenic holds a BA in Architectural Studies (Preservation Track) and Urban Studies (Urban Planning Concentration) with a Geographic Information System (GIS) certificate from the University of Pittsburgh.

BRANDON HOLLY II NEAL HOLMES REV. CORNELL JONES NICOLE MANNS BETHANY MILLER MARIMBA MILLIONES KHARI MOSLEY VINCENT D. MOYE JR. ALLYCE PINCHBACK JARVIS POWERS JESSICA BROOKE RUFFIN LES SCALES ORONDE SHARIF PAUL DAVID SPRADLEY TAMIKO STANLEY KEZIA TAYLOR IYANA TENNON NATALIA THOMAS SONYA M. TILGHMAN MELISSA WADE ERICKA WINGFIELD SSG LANCE ALTON WOODS

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

SOCIAL SERVICE

DEJANÉ DOZIER

DR. RIKELL S. FORD

Certified Nurse Midwife The Midwife Center for Birth & Women’s Health DeJane Dozier is a certified nurse midwife. She grew up wanting to care for families in labor and she is happy to provide that care for people in Pittsburgh. Dozier is a Virginia Beach native. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

Dozier began her career on a labor, delivery, and postpartum unit for six years. She then returned to graduate school receiving a master’s degree in Nursing and subsequently became a certified nurse midwife. In August 2019, Dozier began her journey as a midwife at The Midwife Center in the Strip District and has been catching babies ever since!

Dozier has a love for out-of-hospital birth and hopes to help all birthing people feel empowered by their birth stories.

In her spare time, Dozier loves going to concerts and traveling.

HEALTH CARE

JOHNNIE GEATHERS, MSW, LSW Mental Health Therapist Familylinks, Inc. and Hand in Hand Counseling Services, LLC Johnnie Geathers discovered his love of helping others early on at the tender age of 15. Receiving positive feedback for just being present awakened something in him that made him say, “I can do this.” He found that he could serve as a role model by sharing his struggles and showing others that anything is possible.

Geathers received his Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development & Family Studies from Penn State University in 2011 and his Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a certificate in Children, Youth & Families in 2013. He is a gifted Licensed Social Worker. Geathers works as a Mental Health Therapist for Familylinks, Inc., under the Therapeutic Classroom Model program and Hand in Hand Counseling Services, LLC. His work ranges from outpatient services to therapeutic classroom model programs, by providing individual and group sessions.

Geathers’ personality and passion for

Casework Supervisor Allegheny County Department of Human Services-Children Youth and Families Dr. Rikell S. Ford is a Licensed Social Worker, employed by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services-Children, Youth, and Families as a Casework Supervisor. Dr. Ford is active in special workgroups with Allegheny County Department of Human Services and contracted providers, which focus on community and client engagement as it relates to disproportionality and race. She is also an adjunct professor at Point Park University in the Community Engagement Department. Dr. Ford has presented two workshops: “A Path Forward: A Conscious Look at Racial Bias Decision Making” (DHS Racial Eq-

helping others makes him go above and beyond to help the clients under his care.

He takes a stand to help others outside of his work environment by participating in different speaking engagements, podcast interviews, and through his work of “JG Mental Health Fridays,” which are video segments that he does on social media and on YouTube, discussing topics that affect everyone and providing coping exercises for individuals to practice in their own time.

Geathers is a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. With his fraternity, he holds different leadership positions and engages with the community.

He finds a way to stay in touch and involved with the community in every way possible.

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uity Summit, Pittsburgh), “Conferencing and Teaming: Empowering Families to Utilize Their Village” (Gwen’s Girls 3rd Annual Equity Summit, Pittsburgh), “Creating Safe Spaces” (TCOM Conference, Palm Springs, Calif.), and “The MissedEDucation of Black Girls in Cross Systems” (Gwen’s Girls 5th Annual Equity Summit, Pittsburgh).

Dr. Ford is the proud founder of Kindred C.U.L.T.U.R.E. a non-profit focused on serving communities in the Mon Valley area. She is the vice president of the Foundation of HOPE Board of Directors, vice president of the Clairton City School District Board of Directors, and a board member for First Families Ministries. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Dr. Ford aims to show unity and equity throughout her life by empowering others, educating professionals and community members in mental health and racial issues, and using her voice to advocate for marginalized populations.

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SALES

STANFORD GRANDY Senior Sales Consultant #1 Cochran Automotive

Stanford Grandy is a senior sales consultant with #1Cochran Automotive, one of the largest automotive dealers on the east coast. In this role, Grandy consults with curRENEE ALSBERRY rent and perspective clients on ways to serve their autoBRANDEN BALLARD motive needs. Grandy believes that his work is more than just about automotive sales but about providing people JASON BELL with opportunities to make reliable transportation possiKENYON BONNER ble for themselves and their families.

Grandy believes in lifting as he climbs and serves as a JESSICA BROOKS mentor to other team members. He started an employONDREA BURTON ee resource group to address the needs of diverse team members and to create a more inclusive culture at #1CoBRIAN COOK chran. He also believes in giving back to the communiROLAND COSTON-CRISWELL ty, establishing the #1 Cochran turkey giveaway, where #1Cochran provides meals to over 100 families annually.

KIMBERLY ELLIS He also serves on the board of ACH Clear Pathways. GranINGRID FULTON-EDWARDS dy received the Margaret E. Cochran Standards of value award, which is the highest award anyone can receive at VANESSA GERMAN #1Cochran for any team member.

DAVID HALL Grandy is a graduate of Indiana University of Pa., and a proud husband and father of three. In his spare time, RAYMAR HAMPSHIRE he enjoys spending time with his family and family dog, LISA HOLD Dymond.

BOMANI HOWZE JEREMIAH JACKSON CYNTHIA JAMES WILLIAM JAMES JR. STACY JOHNSON CHAZ KELLEM EPRYL KING DR. MONICA LAMAR NATHANIEL MITCHELL AYISHA MORGAN-LEE RYAN PATRICK PARKER CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON SABRINA SAUNDERS VLADIMIR ST. SURIN FRANCES TAGGERT KIYA TOMLIN REV. MARKS TOOKES TAMARA TORBERT BERNADETTE TURNER CARLTON WATSON EUGENE WILLIAMS III DAWNITA WILSON DR. BARRETT WOODS ROYCE WOODS NATALIE YANNOTTI

SOCIAL SERVICE

JESSICA GURLEY

Owner & Lead Therapist Social Work Consulting & Counseling, LLC Jessica Gurley realized early in life that we are not exempt from life’s tragedies, but we do have the remote to our own peace, so she made it her goal to become a Social Worker.

Gurley is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 11 years of mental health experience. Gurley started her higher education journey at CCAC in the fall of 2005.

She received her Associate in Science: Social Work Technician (AS) degree in December 2007. She continued her journey by transferring to the University of Pittsburgh in the fall of 2008 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) in May 2010. She went on to receive her Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from Pitt in one year as an advance standing student. Determined to be competent in her field, Gurley pursued and received her LSW and LCSW shortly after receiving her MSW. Over the last 11 years, Gurley has provided clinical services to diverse populations of children, adults, older adults, families, and veterans with mild-to-severe mental illness, addictions, and intellectual disabilities.

She has advanced knowledge and expert skill in the range of specialized interventions, theories, and treatment modalities used to treat individuals with complex dual diagnosis. Some of

these interventions and trainings include; trauma informed care, applied behavioral analysis, crisis prevention/de-escalation, functional behavioral assessment, CBT, DBT, MI, and strategic family therapy.

Gurley currently works as the Telehealth Coordinator and Supervisor for Veterans Affairs (VA) after being promoted from an Inpatient Psychiatric Social Worker. At the VA, Gurley proudly served on VA’s Palliative Care Committee, Veteran Community Partnership (VCP) Pittsburgh committee, and their Recovery Action Committee (RAC) committee.

Gurley is also the owner of Social Work Consulting and Counseling (SWCC), LLC, which provides therapy, customized trainings, and consulting services related to mental health and social issues. Through SWCC alone, Gurley has presented to the University of Pittsburgh Social Work CEU department, CCAC classrooms, small businesses, nursing homes and churches.

Gurley also enjoys giving back. She has volunteered at several community events focused on both mental health and entrepreneurship, and volunteered at wellknown organizations like the Red Cross and Ronald McDonald House. Gurley also mentors young professionals both at her job and in her personal life. Lastly, Gurley recently embarked on a new journey to reduce stigma and reduce the suicide rate by creating a mental health T-shirt line. She hopes that each T-shirt inspires and empowers others to talk about their mental health, and seek help unapologetically when they need it. Overall, Gurley’s mission is to H.E.L.P.; Heal, Enlighten, Liberate, and Plan with each person she serves.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

CORPORATE

ERRICKA HAGER

SAMANTHA HARTZMAN

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Manager of Community Relations Duquesne Light Company

Community Research Coordinator University of Pittsburgh An advocate for Black maternal health, community engagement and health equity, Erricka Hager strives to center Black voices in her research.

Hager has nearly 10 years of experience working with community stakeholders and developing supportive and equitable research environments that allow for inclusion, capacity building, and bi-directional knowledge sharing.

She is currently employed at The University of Pittsburgh as a Community Research Coordinator with the Pregnancy Collaborative. The Pregnancy Collaborative is one of six cohorts of the larger Pittsburgh Study, a community-partnered research initiative started in 2018. The Pregnancy Collaborative has brought together 20 community members to become community scientists, engaging in perinatal health equity research to reduce preterm birth rates and incorporate them throughout the entire research lifecycle.

Hager’s passion for improving Black maternal health has led her to pursue a Doctorate in Public Health where her research will focus on intergenerational health com-

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munication between Black mothers and daughters.

Hager is a mother to two amazing children, Dhani and Harper. On most weekends you can find Hager cheering on her children, with her nose in a book, or spending time with her family. Hager owes all her success to the strong women in her family tree - Erin, Sylvia, and Helen - and thanks them for the consistent support, prayers, and love.

Samantha Hartzman is a Pittsburgh native currently working as the Manager of Community Relations at Duquesne Light Company. In her role, Hartzman is responsible for the company’s charitable giving, employee volunteerism, and ESG strategy.

Prior to joining Duquesne Light, Hartzman worked at BNY Mellon in its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) group assisting with their annual CSR report and external benchmarking.

Hartzman has worked extensively in both the non-profit and private sector. This has enabled her to deliver strong results in the CSR and Community Relations space. She is a 2015 graduate of Coro Pittsburgh’s Women in Leadership program and co-founder of Invest in Her, an organization

dedicated to empowering and uplifting women owned enterprises throughout Southwest Pa. When Hartzman is not working on some of the tough problems facing the world, she’s at home cooking up some of her family favorite dishes on her blog Haute Pepper Bites (www. hautepepperbites.com) along with her son and favorite sous chef.

Hartzman is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler school of business and has a BA in American Studies and English from the University of Virginia. She resides with her husband and son in Squirrel Hill.

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

HUMAN RESOURCES

IESHIA NICOLE HEARN

AVP, Senior Process Improvement Specialist, PNC Financial Services Founder & CEO, Divah’s in Training Ieshia Nicole Hearn is Assistant Vice President/Sr. Implementation Specialist (PNC Financial Services), Founder & CEO, Divah’s In Training (Etiquette for Girls), Goals Plans & Success (G.P.S.), Professional Development Services, and The RunWay Workshop.

Hearn is an influential trailblazer committed to creating development opportunities for young professionals and mentoring platforms for young girls. She has made her mark in the banking industry holding several specialized leadership roles within her 13-year career with PNC Financial Services and serves as Assistant Vice President, Sr. Implementation Specialist, in support of Human Resources. Hearn also served as the Professional Development Co-Chair for the PNC Bank African American Employee Resource Group.

Hearn is a first-generation college student and HBCU graduate of Lincoln University, where she obtained a lifetime of knowledge and experience that has driven her passion and purpose for creating mentoring and leadership platforms. The impact of programs like Amachi Pittsburgh and Higher Achievement inspired her to create programs that contribute to the develop-

ment of the next generation of women in leadership.

Hearn strives to mold young girls into global changemakers through Divah’s in Training Etiquette for Girls, where she serves as founder and CEO. Divah’s in Training is a mentoring program that educates and empowers young girls, ages 6-18, to become successful leaders in their communities by providing them with opportunities to expand their horizons through unique workshops and leadership programs that align with the 3 C’s; Confidence, Character and Class.

She is also the CEO of Goals, Plan, Success (G.P.S.), a professional and leadership development consulting firm that assists clients with navigating through their careers.

Her eye for fashion and her experience in modeling also inspired her to develop The RunWay Workshop, a fashion-consulting firm that provides runway and fashion consulting to women of all ages and companies seeking fashion show advisory.

A true social trendsetter and advocate of sisterhood, Hearn continues to raise the bar in her professional career and in the community. She continues to lead by example for her two daughters, Kennedy and Karter, who inspire her to pave the way for other women to break glass ceilings.

MEDIA

EDUCATION

RYAN HOUSTON

TILO JORDAN

News Anchor & Reporter WPXI-TV

Ryan Houston is a self-described biscuit and gravy-loving country boy from the south. He’s the oldest of four boys and grew up in Southern Arkansas. He grew up in a single-parent home where his mother taught faith and perseverance. In his early years, he learned how important being a leader and role model is.

Houston graduated from the University of Central Arkansas, where he majored in Broadcast Journalism and minored in theater. During his last semester in college, he got his big break in TV news in Albany, Ga. For the next two and half years, he did everything in the newsroom for $25,000 a year. That’s right. He made more money waiting tables in college than he did at his first job in television. But the faith and perseverance his mother gave him kept him going.

He eventually was promoted to news anchor and worked at television stations in Augusta, Ga., Jackson, Miss., then Cincinnati, Ohio, and now Pittsburgh.

Throughout his career abroad and here in Pittsburgh, he’s told stories that have changed people’s lives for the better. His stories have uncovered political corruption, highlighted the needs of the elderly, and helped put criminals behind bars.

Houston works as a volunteer through

several organizations, from the Boys and Girls Club, to the National Association of Black Journalists and, most recently, the 100 Black Men Of Pittsburgh. Houston wears the titles of Big Brother, Uncle, Role Model, Volunteer, and Follower of Christ proudly.

Associate Director of the Family First Center Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School Tilo Jordan is a committed and passionate urban educator with over five years of teaching experience and is dedicated to serving communities across the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Jordan began her career as a Pittsburgh Urban Teaching Corps member at Propel Braddock Hills High School, where she developed a holistic approach to educating youth. Most notably, she helped launch the backpack program, which provided food for students for the weekend, a program that still exists today.

Following her time at Propel Braddock Hills she taught at Propel Andrew Street High School, where she established #NJF “Not Just February,” a celebration that is committed to honoring Black history outside of the month of February. She also served on the curriculum committee, standards-based grading committee, was the school-wide advisory leader, and cheerleading coach.

Jordan is currently the Associate Director of the Family First Center at Urban Academy, whose work focuses on helping students and families make the best use of available opportunities and resources and building strong relationships with community leaders. Born and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, she is a proud alumna of Kent State University. During her time at Kent she

founded “That Girl Is Me,” a girl’s mentoring program supporting the socio-emotional needs of young Black girls. This spring, she earned her Master’s in Education at Point Park University, with hopes of advancing her career in school leadership.

Jordan believes that education goes beyond the classroom and must address the students’ academic, mental, physical, and emotional needs. Additionally, she believes students of color need educational leaders of color to help build generations of tenacious, resilient, and proficient self-learners.

Jordan is a proud mother of a rambunctious three-year-old, Zoe Bailey, a bonus mother to a creative 10-year-old, Xylia Bailey and a soon-to-be bride to Brandon Bailey. In her downtime she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching movies and vacationing.

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ENTREPRENEUR / CORPORATE

ACCOUNTING / SPORTS

MONICA MALIK

THOMAS MCCLELLAN

Program Manager of the Department of Innovations, Allegheny Health Network Executive Director, #ATU (Athletic Trauma Unit) Monica Malik is a serial entrepreneur from Pittsburgh. In addition to her extensive HR experience, Malik has experience in sales, business development, strategic planning, and nonprofit management. Malik was the head of an international food chain managing over 500 employees and bringing in over $20 million in sales annually. She also went on to own her own franchise.

Malik began utilizing her skills and expertise to help Pittsburgh businesses, both for and non-profit, achieve their goals and increase profitability. She has supported organizations in the areas of innovation, HR strategy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and collective impact among other things.

In addition, Malik is a Grow with Google coach. She is a member of the Executive Board for the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, on the Board of Directors of Radiant Hall, on the Low Income Assistance Advisory Council for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, on the Board of Trustees for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and on the advisory committee for the Culinary Pro-

gram at Bidwell.

In 2007, Malik received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Pittsburgh. She is the Executive Director for #ATU Athletic Trauma Unit, Program Manager of Innovations for Allegheny Health Network, and also on the Social Determinants of Health team and Highmark Health.

Senior Accountant Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship Thomas McClellan grew up in Garfield and graduated from Peabody High School. After high school he attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he received a B.S. in Accounting.

McClellan then started his professional career as a financial analyst at BNY Mellon in the Asset Servicing department.

After BNY Mellon, McClellan worked as a consultant for companies like Allegheny Health Network, Gateway Health Plan and Duolingo, providing services like accounts payable, accounts receivable, and financial management. McClellan ultimately landed a role as a senior accountant with the Pittsburgh Parking Authority.

His passion for making a difference in the community led McClellan back to where he grew up with the Garfield Gators youth football organization, where he coaches 7- and 8-year-olds.

The Garfield Gators’ mission is to “help boys become men,” which is part of the reason, McClellan says, he’s the man he is today.

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ENTREPRENEUR

ENTREPRENEUR

GODFREY R. MCCRAY JR.

SOLEIL MEADE

Owner Let’s Inspire Co.

Godfrey R. McCray Jr. is the founder and owner of Let’s Inspire Co., a motivational and inspirational brand that also specializes in custom products. He is a poet, motivational and inspirational speaker, community leader and advocate, and life coach.

McCray was born in Pittsburgh but was raised mostly in Wilkinsburg. He also spent time being raised in Braddock and McKeesport.

Godfrey is a former youth coach who has volunteered with many organizations around Allegheny County. He is active in his church and ministerial studies. He has been recognized many times for contributions to his community and business. McCray continually supports the community through finances, resources, mental health support, violence prevention and mentorship.

CEO, Soleil Branding Essentials Founder, I Am Handpicked Inspired by her family’s example of service and her heart for her community, Soleil Meade has made it her life’s work to uplift those around her, whether it is through volunteer work or elevating brands. She refuses to see another unfulfilled dream, talent, or vision so her life is dedicated to pushing out the purpose and vision within people.

As the CEO and Founder of Soleil Branding Essentials, an award-winning branding and design agency that aims to revolutionize the vision, identity, and legacy of every business, organization, and community, she and her team work with a diverse clientele. Soleil Branding Essentials exists to bring a business owner’s vision to life by enhancing their brand through graphic and web design, brand consulting and coaching, and marketing. Serving as the Pennsylvania Google Digital Coach, she helps Black and Latinx small business owners grow their businesses by providing free workshops and resources.

A McKeesport native, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Communication from Carlow University and a Digital Design Degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. She

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has been specializing in business and working in Corporate America for the past 20 years, serving as both a student, as well as a professional.

Meade is also the founder of “I Am Handpicked,” a non-profit organization that focuses on elevating girls’ and women’s purpose through mentoring and ministry, as well as special initiatives like The Beloved Project, which provides complementary care packages for those with COVID-19.

A woman who leads with her heart, Meade strives to make a far-reaching impact by bringing her education, experience, and expertise to elevate and sustain her community and beyond.

ENTREPRENEUR

PAIGE KENDRA MITCHELL Owner FrontPaigeMe Public Relations Agency

A recognized and well-decorated, world-renowned print journalist, Paige Kendra Mitchell is the owner and creator of Front Paige News Magazine, while also a fulltime entrepreneur operating her public relations agency based in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh native, Paige Kendra has been recognized on the national syndicated radio show, The Breakfast Club, and won Pittsburgh’s Best Blogger in 2018.

Mitchell is a proud HBCU graduate of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, obtaining a double-degree in print and broadcast journalism in 2013. After college, she quickly became the field reporter for the New Pittsburgh Courier. This opportunity spiraled into affording her the opportunity to branch off to begin FrontPaigeMe Public Relations Agency in 2016 and began her own blog. Front Paige News Magazine launched in January 2020.

The FrontPaigeMe/ #FrontPaigeNews brand has evolved throughout the media and entertainment industry where Mitchell also landed her own “Front Paige News” weekly segment with WAMO 107.3 FM. Beginning her public relations agency at the age of 25, where her first client contracted to pay only $75 every two weeks, now her business has tremendously grown, where she currently works with million-dollar companies and works closely with celebrities, Angela Yee and Angela Rye, handling their PR needs.

“Looking over my career in journalism and PR brings

back so many memories, and I’m still not done yet. It’s been a long road traveled but I’m so grateful for how God has blessed me. It hasn’t been easy but it’s worth it,” Mitchell said.

Throughout her journalistic career she has evolved as a field reporter/ traveling journalist where she travels from city-to-city to cover major events such as; BET awards, TV One Awards, Radio One Awards, Culture Con, Essence Carnival, New York Fashion Week, and more.

Some other fun facts about Mitchell: * Front Paige News Magazine is housed in grocery stores in Pittsburgh. * Mitchell was first-runner up in The Miss Pittsburgh pageant * Mitchell published two books before the age of 24 * She’s a former HBCU Queen—Miss Orange & Blue

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HEALTH CARE

CORPORATE

DR. CHANNING L. MORELAND

DELVINA L. MORROW

Co-Owner, Sanant Counseling & Wellness Services, LLC Sr. Director of Strategic Programs & Services and SHRS Wellness Pavilion Director University of Pittsburgh School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences

Senior Director of Strategic Community Initiatives and DEI Pittsburgh Penguins

Dr. Channing L. Moreland is the co-owner and clinician at Sanant Counseling & Wellness, LLC as well as the Senior Director of Strategic Programs and Services at the University of Pittsburgh School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences’ (SHRS) Office of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement.

For over 10 years, Delvina Morrow has provided leadership in strategic thinking and community development in the nonprofit sector, for-profit sector, life sciences, technology, and sports.

In 2019, Morrow took on the role of Director, Strategic Community Initiatives with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Within this role, she was responsible for managing key external projects and initiatives relating to the redevelopment of the former Civic Arena, a $1 billion, 28-acre, redevelopment which will have a significant impact on the Hill District.

Within this role, she has worked alongside the Penguins leadership, and development partners, to deliver on community building and consensus building tied directly to the redevelopment project.

Morrow currently serves as the Senior Director, Strategic Community Initiatives and DEI, where she oversees the Penguins DEI Council and aims to promote racial equity and empower staff to better understand the concepts of racism and diversity, equity and inclusion. Through her work, she equips a team of 35-plus members to be leaders and

COMMUNICATIONS

CYDNEY NUNN

Director of Communications August Wilson African American Cultural Center Cydney Nunn was born and raised in Atlanta, and has close family ties to Pittsburgh’s Hill District. Nunn is a graduate of Syracuse University where she studied Communications and Rhetorical Studies and African American Studies. The skills she acquired and polished would take her on to accept a position with KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. There, Nunn not only produced daily newscasts, but worked on special projects for Pittsburgh Today Live, as well as introduced Black History Month segments to the morning newscasts.

In 2018, Nunn began working with the August Wilson African American Cultural Center and since then, she has been promoted to Director of Communications. In the short time she has been with the center, Nunn has successfully run the public relations department, garnering the AWAACC several notable write-ups in top national and local publications, in addition to helping the organization through a major rebrand and strategic planning process including, but

And we can’t leave out that Dr. Moreland is the inaugural director of the Pitt SHRS Wellness Pavilion, located at the Pitt Homewood Community Engagement Center.

Her broad professional experience spans expertise in K-12 education, higher education, affordable housing, crisis management, individual and group counseling, mentorship, and cultural humility. Dr. Moreland has worked in non-profit organizations for the past 12 years in a variety of capacities, applying her expertise to develop, implement, and administer large scale community and education programs. She is a published author and a frequently invited speaker at local and national professional meetings.

Dr. Moreland received her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Relations with a minor in Sociology and a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Moreland earned a doctorate degree in leadership and administration from Point Park University.

Dr. Moreland is a Penn Hills native and graduate of Penn Hills High School.

not limited to, development of the AWAACC logo, website, and social media platforms.

Nunn manages all marketing efforts for the center, including the launch of an extensive institutional marketing campaign focused on the new permanent exhibition, August Wilson: The Writer’s Landscape.

Nunn is also the co-founder of Sign Me Up Podcast, LLC, where she produces a bi-weekly podcast that explores astrology and how it plays into interpersonal relationships in our society. Nunn is the daughter of Bill Nunn III and Donna Watts-Nunn and has one older sister, Jessica.

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champions within the DEI space throughout the organization, and community. Through her work, she has developed customized programming that reached fans nationwide, and Penguins staff, and has worked closely with the NHL to ensure that DEI best practices are consistent and in line with the NHL’s goals.

Her success has not gone unrecognized.

In 2017, Morrow was named by the Pittsburgh Business Times as one of the inaugural class of its “30 Under 30” honorees, an honoree for Who’s Next 2019: Technology presented by the Incline, and a graduate of the Leadership Pittsburgh LDI Class of 2018.

Additionally, Morrow serves as a board member for both City Theater, and Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh. On a personal level, Morrow is married, and a new mom.

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

ARTIST

AQUATIC DIRECTOR

CUE PERRY

CHARLES DAYMAR PITTS-BONNER

Artist

Pittsburgh native Quentin (Cue) C.B. Perry has been quietly pursuing a career in the arts his entire life. He graduated from Brashear High School in 2004 with a diploma in applied technology from which he was taught the basics of graphic design and computer programming. From there he attended the University of Pittsburgh and majored in graphic design.

After his first year, Perry felt irresolute about pursuing a career in the arts so he decided to change his major and pursue other ventures. After a few years he bounced around in various career fields, until he arrived to the age of 30 and decided to pursue art once again.

Perry takes an unconventional view of social, political and cultural topics. Perry deconstructs pop culture in such a vibrant way, visually representing the colorful randomness present in daily life and promotes thinking outside of the box. Perry has sold nearly 5,000 original paintings worldwide, from murals to canvases. His artwork can be viewed all over the City of Pittsburgh and he even has an ice cream flavor named after him.

“My art isn’t for the safe, level-headed, boring, single-mined person. It’s not for the practical; it’s not for the rational person. It’s not for the calm, business-

like, no-nonsense crowd. I want my art to speak to the wild, creative open minds who dare to express themselves. The minds who aren’t afraid of fun, I want to excite the untamed and untapped creative parts of the mind.” - C.B.Perry

Aquatic Director Thelma Lovette YMCA

Charles Daymar Pitts-Bonner was born in Pittsburgh on April 25, 1990. He is one of 15 siblings, and grew up on the West Side of Pittsburgh, but he has played an active role surrounding aquatics within multiple communities and schools across the city. Raised by his amazingly influential parents Jeffrey and Sharon Bonner, he was always encouraged to deeply indulge within his passions.

Pitts-Bonner attended Carrick High School in 2004. While there he began working for CitiParks as a lifeguard at Ammons outdoor recreational facility at the age of 15. He counseled countless teens and adolescents through “One Small Step.” With high intentions of playing multiple sports, he unfortunately was hurt his senior year which ultimately caused a loss in athletic scholarship opportunities, but motivated him to pursue his passion of changing lives.

After graduating in 2008 he continued working with Citi Parks as a headguard and swim instructor. He traveled to multiple elemen-

ATTORNEY

WELDIANNE SCALES

Associate Attorney, Burns White Attorneys at Law Council member, Borough of Swissvale Weldianne Climo Scales is an associate in the firm’s Railroad Law Practice Group, representing Class I and short-line railroads in cases that involve allegations of personal and occupational injuries and wrongful death.

Prior to joining Burns White, Scales was the Director of the Civil Division for a Pittsburgh law firm where she represented clients with civil, real estate, estate, criminal, family and immigration matters. She also has extensive experience in the areas of oil and gas and real estate.

Scales is a Member of Council for the Borough of Swissvale, which she also currently serves as the Vice President. She is the first African American woman elected as a council member for the borough.

She is the founder and chairperson of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Swissvale Council Committee, and currently serves as the chairperson of the Swissvale Police Committee.

Scales graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law where she received the Honorable Denise Langford Morris Scholarship, and the CALI Award for Excellent Achievement in the Study of Mortgage Foreclosure Defense. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance.

Scales is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court of Western Pennsylvania.

tary schools across the city where he taught children to swim.

From 2012-15 he worked at Sto-Rox middle and high school as a behavior counselor and after-school program coordinator. Pitts-Bonner worked as an after-school program teacher at Manchester Academic Charter School in 2018 while simultaneously working as an aquatic coach throughout the summers.

In 2021, Pitts-Bonner worked for the Thelma Lovette YMCA in the Hill as the “Program Aquatics Director.” His experience working with children, adults, and training lifeguards, inside and outside of the pool, lead to new partnerships including Pittsburgh Rowing, CitiParks, and a Master Polo program.

One of his greatest accomplishments has been instructing over 10,000 children how to swim.

After years of dedication to the youth and careless acts of kindness, “Uncle Charlie” is a name he has earned from the City of Pittsburgh’s communities.

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ENTREPRENEUR / ENTERTAINER

EDUCATION

ANDRE L. SCOTT, MSP

CAREE STEVENS

Andre L. Scott, MSP, a Pittsburgh native, is owner and lead therapist at Able Vision Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC. He’s also the CEO and artist of Grown

Caree Dionne Stevens is a Pittsburgh native. Born and raised in Rankin, she attended the Woodland Hills School District.

After graduating in 2006, Stevens began her undergrad at Geneva College in Beaver Falls. Throughout her life, she has always found herself working in education and serving others. As a youth, she was actively involved in her church through a number of outlets such as miming, singing, leading Bible studies, teaching Sunday School lessons, or tutoring in the after-school program. During her undergrad, Stevens continued her involvement in several organizations, specifically those which focused on highlighting the needs of minority students that were underrepresented at Geneva, a predominantly White college.

Later, she joined the instructional staff at The Urban Academy, (formerly known as the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School) in 2010 as a co-teacher.

Due to her versatility in skillset, she went on to become the technology teacher (2014 - 2017), administrative aide of operations (2016 - 2018), special assistant

Owner and Lead Therapist at Able Vision Counseling and Consulting Services LLC CEO & Artist, Grown Men Entertainment

COMMUNITY SERVICE

DEANDRE TIMBERS CEO Timbers Mowers & Brushes

DeAndre Timbers is a person whose mind is always working on building his community and his legacy. He is the founder of Pittsburgh “Dope Dads” group, a Facebook-based group. The group consists of dads from all walks of life—single, married, young, older, etc. The group sends positive messages and encouragement between fellow fathers. “Dope Dads” had one event in Highland Park walking their kids around the reservoir, laughing, enjoying the weather and bonding. The event happened prior to the pandemic, and the group is looking forward to having another event soon.

Additionally, Timbers has served the homeless with his semi-pro “Western PA Wildcatz” who go to area churches, volunteering their time to help serve food.

Men Entertainment.

Music is something that Scott is passionate about. He began making music to create positive outlets for others some 14 years ago. Scott conducted fundraising activities to pay for music productions until the business was able to sustain itself as an artist development platform and music group. These days, Grown Men Entertainment, known as GME, has a Pittsburgh and a South division; the South division expands opportunities for independent artists.

In 2019, Scott established Able Vision Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC. It’s a way for him to provide mental health therapy and life consulting to those in need. “Able Vision and Associates” was launched this year; it’s a collaborative workspace for community healing.

It focuses around, “Let’s Inspire,” “Ora’s Place,” and “Urban Therapy.”

Scott is also a former Wilkinsburg Borough Councilman, who has spent the past 27 years living in Wilkinsburg, fighting for its betterment.

Scott is married, a father to six children and has one “grandqueen.”

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Special Assistant to the CEO, Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School Director, The State of Black Learning to the CEO (2018 - present), and now the Director of The State of Black Learning where she is dedicated to the development of young Black minds through her commitment to social justice through education.

She is the proud mother of two amazing young Black girls, Brailee Lyn and Madison Rose. Stevens is currently enrolled in the Organizational Leadership program at Geneva College and anticipates graduating in December 2022.

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PSYCHOLOGY / ENTREPRENEUR

RECRUITMENT

DR. DARLA TIMBO

CALISTA TUCKER

Psychologist/Owner, Atlas Counseling Services Assistant Professor of Psychology, Pennsylvania Western University-California University Campus Dr. Darla Timbo, Psy.D., LPC has more than 15 years in the field of psychology and counseling. She is the owner of Atlas Counseling Services, where she primarily serves underrepresented groups of people, including, but not limited, to Black clients, transitional age clients (18-21 years of age), and clients who are recently released from incarceration.

Dr. Timbo also serves as assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Penn West University—California University campus, where she teaches in the undergraduate psychology program.

Dr. Timbo’s research interests include multiculturalism, diversity, Black clients’ responses to mental health treatment, and client outcomes in counseling settings.

“I am passionate about Black people and women, mental and physical health,” Dr. Timbo said. “If we are NOT passionate about this, who will be?”

Talent Fairy Godmother Calista Phair, LLC

With nearly two decades of experience specializing in Human Capital, Calista Tucker’s niche for talent consulting, training and development and recruitment strategies is evident in her making magic for small- to mid-size businesses to connect and keep the best talent. She has helped companies increase diverse, highly qualified candidates by over 600

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percent, through Calista Phair, LLC. Tucker is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity. She was recognized as a 2016 Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce 30 under 30. Most recently she was selected as a top ten finalist with The National Entrepreneurs Association and Dell Technologies National Virtual Pitch Competition.

Tucker currently serves as the Professional Development Chair for the Urban League Young Professionals of Greater Pittsburgh. She is a member of For(bes) The Culture, a hub for elite leaders of color who are breaking down barriers and impacting culture globally.

Tucker is a proud HBCU Graduate of Bennett College and holds a BA in Political Science & Global Studies. She has completed a certificate in Women’s Entrepreneurship through Cornell University and a certificate in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Workplace through the University of South Florida.

The heart of her work is centered on creating change management within talent acquisition, retention and underrepresented talent. As a native of Seattle, she is always ready to connect. Her greatest achievements are in the role of wife and mother. When she is not making magic happen for others, she is enjoying the magic of her wonderful husband and son.

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COMMUNITY SERVICE

ANDRE TURNER Community Coordinator Brothers and Sisters Emerging

Andre Turner was born and raised in Garfield where he stays connected to his community.

Turner’s involvement with the Garfield Gators youth sports organization dates back over 20 years as a former player and now a Garfield Gators coach and administrator.

Professionally, Turner served as Chief Supervisor of Allegheny County’s Shuman Juvenile Detention Center for 16 years. Since October 2021, he has transitioned into the role of community coordinator for Brothers and Sisters Emerging, in conjunction with Pennsylvania Crime and Delinquency.

Turner and his wife, Ashley, are owners of a janitorial cleaning company, A&A Turner Enterprises, which was started in 2015. The company now services more than 15 accounts throughout the Pittsburgh area, including Environmental Charter School and Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship.

SOCIAL SERVICE

JENNIFER LYNN WHITLEY Executive Special Projects Manager Allegheny County Housing Authority

Jennifer Lynn Whitley is the executive special projects manager at the Allegheny County Housing Authority where, for the past four years, she has been working to bridge the digital divide for low-income public housing residents by helping them gain access to digital literacy classes, free or low-cost high-speed Internet, and free or affordable tech devices. In her prior role as resident services coordinator, she worked to assist residents in gaining self-sufficiency in all areas of their lives, particularly through economic empowerment and educational advancement.

Whitley is a proud Hill District native, and a graduate of Brashear High School. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Adult and Community Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She is currently a doctoral candidate at IUP working towards a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Additionally, she also holds a master’s degree in Professional Writing from Chatham University.

An active member of her church, St. Benedict the Moor Parish in the Hill District, Whitley volunteers as editor of the weekly bulletin, a religious education teacher, and is a member of the lector ministry.

Although she has many volunteer duties within the parish, teaching the Confirma-

tion candidates holds a very special place in her heart; she believes that sharing in Jesus’ ministry with the youth is one of the most important and fulfilling things that she has been called to do.

Whitley currently holds the title of United States of America Ms. Pittsburgh 2022 and will compete for the USOA Ms. Pennsylvania 2023 title this September in Philadelphia.

In her free time, Whitley enjoys travel, collecting dolls from all over the African diaspora, oil painting, and learning French.

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DIVERSITY

GINA WINSTEAD

Assistant Vice President of Membership Development & External Relations, Vibrant Pittsburgh Vice President, Women in Tech PGH

Gina Winstead likes to disrupt systems and build creative solutions that advance education, mentorship, deal flow and access to diverse networks. As a connector and native Pittsburgher, she is currently bridging untapped communities into a variety of sectors and developing bold opportunities for the Steel City to innovate and thrive. She is the Assistant Vice President of Membership Development & External Relations of Vibrant Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit working to increase local workplace diversity and inclusion. As a strong advocate for tech equity, inclusion and entrepreneurship, Winstead was named the first-ever Director of Diversity & Inclusion at the Pittsburgh Technology Council while holding dual roles as Director of Member Engagement and as the PA Keystone Innovation Zone Coordinator. She is currently the Vice President of Women in Tech PGH, a nonprofit championing for the diverse and intersectional experience for women in the technology sector through digital literacy and autonomy for Black women.

She’s dedicated to the betterment of Pittsburgh through many nonprofit board seats: Executive Board Member - Pittsburgh Down-

town Partnership; Founding Executive Board Member - 412 Black Jewish Collaborative; Councilperson – Carlow University’s Advisory Council for the College of Arts and Sciences; and Founding Member - Emerging Leader Council - The Western PA Conservancy.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and is a graduate of the EDGE Leadership program and current THRIVE Leadership cohort.

In 2021, Winstead graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s Executive Leadership & Negotiation Academy for Women on a scholarship from Tepper School of Business Executive Education Department.

Although the challenges are still arising, Winstead looks forward to being an ambassador for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the region and having the tough conversations of today to build a better tomorrow.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

DR. SHANI YELDELL Critical Incident Education Liaison A Second Chance, Inc.

Dr. Shani Yeldell was raised with the understanding that it is our role to uplift those who need support and leave the world better than how we found it.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Howard University, Dr. Yeldell moved to Pittsburgh, where she completed post-graduate studies at Duquesne University, obtaining a Master of Education in Child Psychology and Doctor of Psychology.

Driven by her passion to improve student equity, reduce the policies and procedures contributing to the school to prison pipeline, and an innate desire to ensure young people achieve success, Dr. Yeldell has dedicated herself to serving historically marginalized youth and communities.

Dr. Yeldell is a youth advocate who works tirelessly to ensure educational

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stability, particularly for youth considered high-risk—including those navigating mental health challenges, juvenile justice involvement, and teen parenting while in the foster care system.

As the Critical Incident Education Liaison for A Second Chance, Inc., Dr. Yeldell bridges school, home, and community resources to maximize the potential for youth success both in and outside the classroom. In partnership with parents, caregivers, community agencies and administrators within Allegheny County, Dr. Yeldell leverages individualized assessments, facilitates collaborative discussions, and deploys specialized programming to highlight and support the youth’s social-emotional, behavioral, and academic performance.

Dr. Yeldell also fosters collaborative community relationships as demonstrated by her work with the CNX Foundation Mentorship Academy, a 10-month program that prepares high school seniors for post-secondary transition.

As she builds upon her work, she continues to strive to make a significant impact and be a blessing.