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PITTSBURGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUSHES BACK START DATE TO SEPTEMBER 8 Page A4
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 112 No. 32 Two Sections
AUGUST 11-17, 2021
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
IT’S OFFICIAL—AND HE’S ONE OF OUR OWN
Famed Courier sportswriter Bill Nunn inducted into the Hall of Fame BILL NUNN was celebrated at the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend, Aug. 5-8. A photo of his Hall of Fame bust is at right. (Photos courtesy Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Seven years after his passing, Steelers scout finally crosses the NFL Hall of Fame goal line by Aubrey Bruce For New Pittsburgh Courier
It was a hot miserable Thursday evening in midJune. My late wife, Mamie, and I exited a cab after arriving at the nowclosed CJ’s parking lot in the Strip. Mamie, who was
always, shall we say, a bit “frugal,” handed the cabbie a crisp, clean one dollar bill and continued fumbling around in her purse for change. I whispered in her ear: “Please, go ahead, I’ll take care of the tip.” Earlier that day, I had spoken with Mr. Bill Nunn
and he said that he and “Mr. Ducky,” his friend since the days that fire and water were discovered, were going to the Roger Humphries jam session. Mr. Nunn asked me, “Are you going to sing?” I said yes. He said: “Well, as hot as it is, don’t forget to sing,
CYDNEY AND ‘PAPA’
‘Summertime.’” It was one of his favorites. Bill Nunn Jr. was truly a “renaissance man.” He had a complex persona that consisted of many layers. He was truly a man of dignity and class and he inherited these traits genetically and generationally.
Bill Nunn Jr. was formally inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame during the league’s celebration weekend from Aug. 5-8. However, he was immortalized in the eyes of many African Americans long before that ceremony finally occurred. His journey toward
greatness began on Sept. 30, 1924, when he was born, and ended on May 6, 2014. His father, William G. Nunn Sr., began paving “Junior’s” road to stardom when he became the managing editor of the PittsSEE BILL NUNN A2
Duquesne Light makes public its first DEI report Percentage of employees ‘of color’ a work in progress, company says by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
CYDNEY NUNN, granddaughter of Bill Nunn, standing next to Nunn’s bust at the Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony on Aug. 8. “This is an incredible accomplishment, and our family is just so proud and happy that this phenomenal work that my grandfather did is finally being recognized,” Cydney said. “He was such a humble man, never one to toot his own horn. I’m glad we get to toot it for him.”
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How many companies are just “going through the motions” and “not holding themselves accountable” when it comes to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion these days? “Roughly 80 percent,” according to a report, “Elevating Equity: The Real Story of Diversity and Inclusion,” cited in a recent article from SHRM, or the Society for Human Resource Management, a professional HR membership association. But the New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that Duquesne Light, one of the largest and most recognizable companies in the Pittsburgh region, is trying its hardest to make DE&I a priority, and not be part of that
“80 percent.” Duquesne Light on July 20 made public its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report, 17 pages of information that spells out exactly what the utility company is doing to increase its total number of Black (and other people of color) employees, while assuring current employees that their voices will be heard by upper management. “We just want to make sure that people know that we’re in this together and that we do believe in Diversity, Equity and specifically Inclusion,” Sara Oliver-Carter, DLC’s chief diversity officer, told the Courier in an exclusive interview, July 21. “At the end of the day... if we have great people working for DLC, which we do, then those great
people can translate all that value and innovation that they’re feeling to our customers that then support our communities.” In addition to naming Kevin Walker as its first Black president and CEO of the company in June, three Business Employee Resource Groups have been formed in the past year, including the African American group, “B.R.I.D.G.E.,” which stands for Building Respect, Inclusion and Diversity by focusing on the Growth of Employee Excellence and Engagement. The group has 70 members, and is growing, Duquesne Light said. “B.R.I.D.G.E. has been on this extraordinary journey,” Oliver-Carter said, including holding SEE DUQUESNE LIGHT A4