Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
by Rob Taylor Jr.
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
The U.S. Census says there's about 180 Black people that currently live in Sharpsburg, or 5.6 percent of the borough's population.
But don't let the small percentage fool you—in the past eight months, African Americans are making historic moves in Sharpsburg politics.
Kayla Portis, 39, a Sharpsburg Borough
councilmember since 2021, made history on July 11 by being appointed Sharpsburg's first Black mayor. And following an open interview process with Portis and other candidates on that July 11 evening by members of council, guess who officially nominated Portis for mayor? Corey Ochai, who made history in January 2024 by becoming the town's first Black male councilmember.
After Councilman Ochai nominated Portis, Sharpsburg Councilwoman Sarah Ishman seconded the nomination. A vote came thereafter, and the remaining councilmembers voted Portis into office.
Applause was then heard throughout the room, some 40 people in attendance, and Portis, wearing a long, black and white dress, was sworn into office by District Judge Matthew V. Rudzki.
"I felt like I was ready," Portis told the New Pittsburgh Courier in an exclusive interview, Aug. 1. "I've been here most of my life, and
was ready
Trump’s NABJ Convention appearance ignites calls for leadership resignation
by Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
Donald Trump’s controversial appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) annual convention in Chicago last week may have been even more of a disaster than most had anticipated. The nasty vitriol the twice-impeached former president immediately brought should only heighten calls for the hierarchy of NABJ to resign.
The disgraceful event began with tension as well-respected ABC News journalist Rachel Scott asked Trump about his past racist comments and why Black voters should trust him. “First of all, I don’t think I’ve ever been asked a question in such a horrible manner,” Trump responded. His statement was met with audible gasps from the audience, setting a combative tone for the 34-minute discussion that followed a nearly hour-long delay.
During the discussion, Trump, among his many rant-filled and off the rails diatribes, questioned Vice President Kamala Harris’s racial identity, asking, “Is she Indian or is she Black?” He falsely claimed that Harris, who has long identified as Black and attended a historically Black university, previously identified as Indian before “all of a sudden” becoming Black.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned Trump’s comments as “repulsive” and “insulting,” asserting that “no one has any right to tell someone who they are.”
The 34 times convicted felon and former president also reiterated his openness to pardoning January 6 rioters, stating, “If they’re innocent, I would pardon them.”
When Scott drew attention to their convictions, Trump dissembled by asserting falsely that pro-Palestinian protesters
had attacked the Capitol last week, confusing it with the recent protests at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station.
Throughout the panel discussion, which included Scott, FOX News personality and Trump apologist Harris Faulkner, and Kadia Goba from Semafor, Trump continued to clash with the audience and the panelists. He labeled Scott “nasty” for her questions, prompting shouts of “false” and boos from the crowd.
Trump also addressed his running mate, J.D. Vance, downplaying the significance of a running mate following Vance’s controversial remarks about childless women.
Toward the event’s conclusion, Trump declared his intentions to “close the border” and lower energy prices and interest rates if re-elected. “I want people to come into our country, but they have to be vetted, and they have to be checked,” he told the crowd. He also doubled-down on his insult to African Americans by stating that illegal immigrants were taking “Black jobs,” to which the audience again hissed and booed.
The aftermath of the event has led to significant fallout within the NABJ. Karen Attiah, a Washington Post columnist and co-chair of the convention, resigned in protest over the decision to invite Trump. In her resignation announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Attiah expressed disappointment over not being consulted about the decision.
Prominent members of the journalism community also voiced their disapproval. Jim Trotter, a sportswriter for The Athletic and NABJ’s 2023 Journalist of the Year, called the decision “difficult to put into words.” CBS Sports analyst Ashley Nicole Moss, journalist-turned-publicist Dave Jordan, and media strategist April Reign joined the
This Week In Black History A Courier Staple
•AUGUST 7
1970—Four people, including the presiding judge, are killed during a courthouse shootout in Marin County, Calif. A group of Blacks led by 17-year-old Jonathan Jackson stage an assault on the courthouse in a bid to free Jackson’s brother—famed Soledad Brother and militant activist George Jackson. Jonathan was among those who died. Professor and communist Angela Davis was charged with providing the guns for the bloody escape attempt but she would later be found not guilty.
•AUGUST 8
chorus of criticism.
Ameshia Cross, a Democratic strategist and political pundit, and former NABJ journalist of the year Ernest Owens highlighted the irony of inviting Trump, given his history of attacking Black journalists and efforts to undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. “Shame on you NABJ,” Owens tweeted. “A disgrace. Defund and divest.”
The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) also condemned the invitation, with NNPA National Chair Bobby Henry and President & CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis denouncing the decision as harmful and contrary to NABJ’s values of inclusion and solidarity.
“They invited him to disrespect a Black woman and did nothing to protect or back her up,” journalist and author David Dennis Jr. tweeted. “The single most disgraceful thing I’ve ever seen at NABJ.”
Harris communication’s director Michael Tyler also denounced Trump’s hostile engagement with NABJ.
“The hostility Donald Trump showed on stage today is the same hostility he has shown throughout his life, throughout his term in office, and throughout his campaign for president as he seeks to regain power and inflict his harmful Project 2025 agenda on the American people,” Tyler stated.
“Trump lobbed personal attacks and insults at Black journalists the same way he did throughout his presidency— while he failed Black families and left the entire country digging out of the ditch, he left us in. Donald Trump has already proven he cannot unite America, so he attempts to divide us.
“Today’s tirade is simply a taste of the chaos and division that has been a hallmark of Trump’s MAGA rallies this entire campaign.”
1865—Explorer Matthew Henson is born in Baltimore, Md. Henson would become the first person to reach the North Pole on April 6, 1909. However, it was his boss Robert E. Perry who would receive widespread public recognition and a presidential citation for the honor. But in later years, records would show that Henson actually beat Perry to the top of the world. Henson would comment that when Perry discovered that he had beat him to the North Pole, he became “hopping mad.” Years would pass before Henson would gain some recognition for his accomplishment. Nevertheless, to this day, most history books still continue to give the honor to Perry.
•AUGUST 9
1936—Sprinting sensation Jesse Owens wins a total of four Gold Medals at the Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Born in Lawrence County, Ala., Owens gained international fame for his victories in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump and the 4?100 meter relay. His victories undermined Adolph Hitler’s claims of White, especially German, superiority over all other peoples. However, Owens disputed claims that the Nazi leader was so infuriated with him that he refused to shake his hand. According to Owens, during his only encounter with Hitler, “the Chancellor waved and I waved back.”
The pack-a-day cigarette smoker died at the relatively young age of 66 on March 31, 1980.
1963—Whitney Houston, one of the greatest singers of the past 50 years, was born on this day in Newark, N.J. Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a family of accomplished singers. Her mother was Thelma Houston—an excellent gospel and R&B performer and her cousin was song stylist Dionne Warwick. During her heyday in the 1980s, Houston sold approximately 170 million albums including such hits as “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know?” and “The Greatest Love of All.” The singer was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hilton Hotel room on Feb. 11, 2012, hours before a pre-Grammy party. She was 48.
1987—Lawyer and entrepreneur Reginald Lewis completes the largest business acquisition ever accomplished by an African American when he purchases Beatrice Foods in a leveraged buyout for $985 million. Under his leadership, the firm would soon become the first Blackowned company to achieve more than $1 billion in annual sales. Lewis made the Forbes magazine list of the 400 richest Americans in 1992 with an estimated net worth of $400 million. Unfortunately, the Baltimore, Md., native would die of brain cancer at the age of 50 on Jan. 19, 1993. His contribution to telling Blacks how to achieve economic success came in his book entitled “Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?”
•AUGUST 10
1867—Famed Black Shakespearean actor Ira Aldridge dies in Poland. Aldridge was born in New York, where he developed a love for the theater. But prejudice in America forced him to go to England to practice his craft. Despite running into racism there as well, he was able to find work. He came in for harsh criticism when paired with White female actresses. But after performing Shakespeare’s Othello, he was proclaimed “an actor of genius” by several newspapers. (Note: There is some authority that Aldridge actually died on Aug. 7.)
1981—A nationwide African American boycott of the giant Coca Cola bottling company ends after the firm reaches an agreement with Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Operation PUSH. Coke agreed to pump at least $34 million into Black businesses and increase the number of African American-owned distributorships. Critics would later charge that the beverage giant reneged on the deal and the amount of money pumped into Black businesses never came to more than $11 million.
•AUGUST 11
1868—One of the greatest White heroes of Black history dies in Washington, D.C. His name was Thaddeus Stevens Stevens, a congressman from Pennsylvania, and Sen. Charles Sumner, of Mas-
sachusetts, led the Radical Republicans movement, which favored punishing the South for starting the Civil War and taking land from the former slave owners and giving it to the former slaves. He headed the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and he used his power at every turn to aid Blacks. Indeed, many of the pro-Black measures and legislation of the period attributed to President Abraham Lincoln were actually initiated by Stevens and Sumner. After Lincoln’s assassination, Stevens led the move to impeach President Andrew Johnson in part because Johnson, a Southerner, opposed many measures which would have benefited Blacks. More than 20,000 people (nearly half of them Black) attended his funeral in Lancaster, Pa.
1921—Accomplished writer Alex Haley is born on this day in Ithaca, N.Y. Haley is best known for co-writing the “Autobiography of Malcolm X” and for “Roots”—a history of a Black family during slavery, which became a major television series during the 1970s. Haley died in February 1992.
1965—The largest, longest and possibly most destructive Black riot of the turbulent 1960s begins in Los Angeles, Calif. The Watts Rebellion lasted six days, caused between $35 million and $50 million in damage while leaving 34 people dead, more than 1,000 injured and nearly 4,000 arrested. It took place during a “long hot summer” when similar riots were taking place throughout the country.
•AUGUST 12
1890—This is generally considered the day that the systematic and nominally legal exclusion of Blacks from the political life of the South began. It was the day that the Mississippi Constitutional Convention began. Barred by the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution from excluding Blacks by race, the convention instead adopted a host of strategies including literacy or so-called “Education Tests” specifically designed to prevent Blacks from voting. The tests required reading and interpreting the Constitution. Blacks would be given difficult passages to interpret while Whites were either exempted or given easy passages. Soon, most Southern states adopted the so-called Mississippi Plan to exclude Blacks from voting. The racist plan was effective. In one Mississippi County, for example, there were 30,000 Blacks but only 175 were eligible to vote. Most aspects of the Mississippi Plan were not overturned until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. 1922—Ophelia Devore Mitchell—the founding mother of African American modeling—is born on this day in Edgefield, S.C. Her family would move to New York during the 1930s, where she entered the Vogue School of Modeling at 17. She excelled at modeling, as well as in academics mastering Latin, German and French. She modeled professionally for several years before opening her own modeling school in 1946. Her aim was to overcome stereotypes and negative portrayals of Black women. She wrote a fashion column for the Pittsburgh Courier, started her own line of cosmetics and eventually helped found the Columbus Times newspaper in Georgia. In 2004, she was formally recognized by the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Fashion and Arts Exchange for her contributions to the industry.
•AUGUST 13
1881—The first African American nursing school opens at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga.
1892—The Afro-American newspaper is founded. The first edition is published in Baltimore, Md., by John H. Murphy Sr. At its height, the newspaper chain would publish papers in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Richmond, Virginia and Newark, N.J. It continues to publish today in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 1906—The “Brownsville Affair” takes place. Angry Black soldiers, who had been subjected to intense racial discrimination and insults, are accused of sneaking into Brownsville, Texas, and killing a local White bartender and wounding a police officer. Although the evidence was weak, President Theodore Roosevelt sided with Brownsville Whites and ordered 167 of the Black soldiers dishonorably discharged for a “conspiracy of silence” because they either denied involvement in the shootings or refused to say who was involved. However, 66 years later (as a result of the findings of a book) the Army opened a new investigation which cleared the accused soldiers and reversed the 1906 dishonorably discharges.
John Ciccolella President,
Public Hearing & Comment Period for Proposed PRTner Pass Program
In 2023, Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) received a grant from the Heinz Endowments to conduct a limited scope and time universal pass pilot study (Pilot). During the Pilot, PRT worked with designated employers identified via an application process, and a total of 113 passes were issued to four employers across Allegheny County for use by their employees. Employees participating in the Pilot completed pre- and post-pilot surveys, and their travel patterns were analyzed using PRT’s Ready2Ride application. Initial results showed that the passes were highly valued, increased transit use, and influenced job choice, with the participating employers eager to continue the program beyond the Pilot. PRT utilized an outside consultant to review the Pilot findings and provide insight into similar programs at other transit agencies to help create a proposed permanent universal pass program at PRT.
Based upon this Pilot and analysis effort, PRT is now considering implementation of a permanent universal pass program that would be made available to employers, secondary and post-secondary schools not eligible to participate in PRT’s University Pass Program, residential apartment and other muti-unit housing unit owners and operators or similar eligible entities where riders commute with regular frequency with over 10 employees, eligible students or units. This program would offer monthly passes at an approximately 70% discount from PRT’s standard monthly pass rate, or $28.00 per monthly pass based upon the current standard monthly pass cost, through PRT’s Ready2Ride account-based ticketing application and would require the participating entity to purchase passes for 100% of their eligible employees, students, and apartment or housing unit occupants, with certain specific exceptions and exclusions, such that the cost is pooled. The proposed name for the program is PRTner Pass.
Accordingly, PRT is conducting a public comment period for the purpose of receiving public comment regarding this proposed new fare program beginning at 9 AM EST on Monday, August 12, 2024, and ending at 5 PM EST on Friday, October 11, 2024. Public comment will be accepted via any of the following ways:
1) Written comments submitted online at www.rideprt.org/PRTnerPass; or
2) Written comment sent by U.S. mail or hand delivery to: Pittsburgh Regional Transit Attn: Proposed PRTner Pass Program Heinz 57 Center, 345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor Pittsburgh PA 15222; or
3) Oral comment by calling 412.566.5335 and leaving a message on a recorded line; or
4) Pittsburgh Regional Transit will also hold a public hearing to receive oral public comment regarding these proposed major service changes.
In advance of the public hearing, Pittsburgh Regional Transit will host a public information session to provide an overview of the proposed PRTner Pass program to the community and allow community members to ask clarifying questions about the proposed changes. No public comment will be taken at this information session.
For the public hearing, registrants are asked to only sign up for one time slot to allow time for others’ comments to be heard. No walk-ins will be allowed – those wishing to provide official public comment at the public hearing must register for a speaking time. Oral testimony will be limited to three minutes per speaker. All PRT public hearings are recorded and transcribed by a court reporter and made part of PRT’s official records. Registration for the public hearing will close at 5 PM on Wednesday, September 11. If the informational session and/or the hearing complete all public questions or receipt of comments, as applicable, prior to the scheduled informational session or hearing end time, the informational session or hearing may be terminated early in PRT’s sole discretion. In the case of inclement weather or other emergency situations that requires cancellation of an in-person informational session or public hearing, PRT will contact in-person registrants to move them to an online, phone, or other alternative method of submitting questions or providing public comment, as applicable.
INFORMATIONAL SESSION (ONLINE OR PHONE ONLY)
Tuesday, September 10 from 1 to 2 p.m. And 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (same day).
Online Link: To be provided upon completion of registration Register: www.rideprt.org/PRTnerPass or call 412.442.2000
*Note that this informational session will be recorded and placed on the www.rideprt.org website following the session. No official public comments will be accepted at the informational session.
PUBLIC HEARINGS (ONLINE AND IN-PERSON)
In person – Pittsburgh Regional Transit Board Room, 345 Sixth Avenue, 5th floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Online - Teams application (by phone or computer) Thursday, September 12 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Registration for the hearing will close the day before, Wednesday, September 11 Online Link: Please register for a time to provide oral public comment, or register to listen in only online or via phone Register: www.rideprt.org/PRTnerPass or call 412.442.2000
ACCOMMODATIONS
Pittsburgh Regional Transit will provide an American Sign Language interpreter at all hearings. If any other ADA accommodations or language translation of a speaker’s comments if not being made in English are required, please contact PRT’s Director of Systemwide Accessibility, Deborah Phillips, at (412) 566.5323 or via e-mail at dphillips@rideprt.org at least ten (10) business days before the hearing date to submit your ADA accommodation or language translation request. If an ADA accommodation request for a hearing cannot be fulfilled for some reason, PRT will work with the individual(s) seeking the accommodation to provide their public comment via an alternative method. It is anticipated that language translation of a speaker’s recorded comments if not made in English would be made post-hearing and then made part of the public comment record. However, if that cannot be completed, PRT will work with the individual(s) seeking language translation to provide their public comment via an alternative method. For more information, call Customer Service at 412.442.2000 (TTY 412.231.7007) or visit www.rideprt.org
Summary of PRTner Pass Program
The following proposed new fare program, known as the PRTner Pass Program, is proposed to be implemented by PRT in PRT’s Fiscal Year 2025.
Current Product – Pricing Proposed New Product – Pricing
31 Day Pass full fare – $97.50 31 Day PRTner Pass fare – $28.00* * Pricing may be further adjusted by PRT, including potential tiered pricing, approximately 18 months after launch of the PRTner Pass Program, based upon PRT’s assessment of the Program’s effectiveness.
Description of the PRTner Pass Program:
The PRTner Pass would be made available to employers, secondary and post-secondary schools not eligible to participate in PRT’s University Pass Program, residential apartment and other muti-unit housing unit owners and operators or similar eligible entities where riders commute with regular frequency with over 10 employees, eligible students or units. This program would offer monthly passes at an approximately 70% discount from PRT’s standard monthly pass rate, or $28.00 per monthly pass based upon the current standard monthly pass cost, through PRT’s Ready2Ride account-based ticketing application and would require the participating entity to purchase passes for 100% of their eligible employees, students and apartment or housing unit occupants such that the cost is pooled. Participating entities must buy monthly passes for 100% of their eligible employees, secondary students 12 years of age or older and post-secondary students, or residential apartment or other housing units to participate.
Additional PRTner Pass Program Exceptions and Exclusions:
1. Eligible participating employers may opt to, but are not required to, buy a monthly pass for an employee who works 100% remotely; that is less than full time and/or does not qualify for employer-provided benefits (working less than 24 hours a week on a 40 hours week schedule); or independent contractors. On-call and temporary employees, along with unpaid volunteers, are ineligible to participate in the PRTner Pass Program. Other employer exclusions may be considered and approved by PRT with adequate justification presented by the subject employer.
2. Secondary school students under the age of 12 are ineligible for participation in the PRTner Pass Program.
3. Seniors over the age of 65 who qualify for free Senior Passes are ineligible to participate in the PRTner Pass Program.
4. Anyone residing outside of Allegheny County is ineligible to participate in the PRTner Pass Program.
5.
Lil' Wayne, other U.S. artists see the power of Afrobeats and its audience
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
The music genre "Afrobeats" has become so mainstream, that "mainstream" artists, or those who are most likely from the U.S. and aren't directly linked with the genre, want to celebrate the genre and the millions who love it.
Afrobeats' largest outdoor festival is Afro Nation, and once again it's being held in Detroit, Michigan, this year (2024) from Aug. 17-18 at Bedrock’s Douglass Site. And while the lineup is mostly Afrobeats artists, this year, superstar Hip-Hop artist Lil' Wayne will perform. So will Partynextdoor (who is from Canada), two artists that understand the power of getting in front of the Afrobeats audience. Some 40,000 people are expected to
It's obvious that HipHop artists and Afrobeats artists are in the business of collaboration and cross-promotion.
Afrobeats itself is a force that cannot be ignored. In 2022, Spotify said the genre amassed
African artist to headline a concert
Fa
attend the two-day festival.
Last year (2023), "mainstream" U.S. artists Latto and Ari Lennox performed at Afro Nation Detroit.
And when Afro Nation was held in Portugal in July 2022, look who it attracted—Chris Brown and Megan Thee Stallion, who are from Virginia and Texas, respectively.
Some of the U.S. artists are actually putting out Afrobeats tracks. Take "Sensational," a summer 2024 jam from Chris Brown. One listen and you can hear the Afrobeats vibe, not to mention the song features Davido and Lojay, two Nigerian singer-songwriters. In 2022, Chris Brown came out with "Call Me Every Day," featuring Wizkid, another Nigerian singer-songwriter.
One of the most wellknown artists in the Afrobeats world is Burna Boy. His single, "Sittin' On Top Of The World" was a huge hit in 2023, but it featured a popular U.S. rapper named 21 Savage.
And a few years prior to that, the incredibly popular rapper Drake came out with "One Dance" with Wizkid.
13 billion streams on its platform. Multiple media outlets reported that Afrobeats, the genre, amassed $100 million in revenue in 2023.
The vast majority of the people attending Detroit's Afro Nation festival on Aug. 17-18 will be those who currently live in the U.S. But what's been amazing to see, according to various radio program directors and those who follow the music industry for a living, is the increasing Nigerian and overall African population in the U.S. that is driving the overall passion for the concerts. Just seven years ago, it was estimated about 350,000 Nigerian immigrants called the U.S. home. In 2024, it's estimated that the number has etched over 600,000.
Take that population and the ability for Afrobeats to top charts with songs like "Essence" by Wizkid and Tems, "Calm Down" by Rema and Selena Gomez and "Sittin' On Top Of The World" by Burna Boy and 21 Savage, and that means more and more U.S. natives are loving Afrobeats and attending concerts. In fact, Burna Boy became
vido sold out the home of the New York Knicks in April 2024. When the tens of thousands of fans converge upon Bedrock's Douglass Site on Aug. 16-17 for Afro Nation Detroit, they won't expect Lil' Wayne to break out in Afrobeats like Rema or Ayra Starr will. But that's OK. The audience loves Lil' Wayne for his own style, and it's obvious that non-Afrobeats artists like Lil' Wayne understand the power of the Afrobeats genre and audience.
(Editor's note: Other featured performers at Afro Nation Detroit include Rema, Ayra Starr, Asake, Adekunle Gold, Kizz Daniel, Omah Lay, Shenseea, Amaarae, King Promise and Ruger. On the Piano People Stage, scheduled featured artists include Scorpion Kings, Uncle Waffles, Musa Keys, DBN Gogo, Kelvin Momo, TXC, Kamo Mphela, 2WO-Bunnies, DJ Moma, Blakito, Donavan Glover and DJ Mobu. Detroit native Kash Doll is also scheduled to perform. For information and tickets to Afro Nation Detroit, visit detroit.afronation.com.)
the first
at "The World's Most
mous Arena," Madison Square Garden in New York City, in 2022. Wizkid then followed it up with a sellout show in November 2022, and Da -
LIL’ WAYNE
WIZKID AND CHRIS BROWN
BURNA BOY
Class of 2O24 Honorees
LEGACY HONOREE
Robert Hill
Retired, Vice Chancellor of Public Affairs University of Pittsburgh
James Willie Anderson Jr.
Elder, King of Kings Baptist Church CEO, Jiggity Marketing LLC
Demario Andrews
Site Director, Family Support Center Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh
Rev. William A. Baker IV
Discipleship Pastor Macedonia Church of Pittsburgh
James M. Carter
Life Coach
Achieva
Kiel Chapman
Production Manager
PPG
Robert Cherry
Chief Executive Officer
Partner4Work
Bernard Clark Jr.
Head Football Coach
Robert Morris University
Micheal “Mike” Dean
Community School Site Manager
Pittsburgh Public Schools
Radio Personality, WAMO
J.E. Clark Delanois
Managing Director and Credit Division
Head of Private Banking BNY Mellon
Chuck Durham
Business Diversity Manager City of Pittsburgh
Dr. Shawn Keith Ellies, Cmdr., CPP, CPTED, CPD, PSA
Protective Security Advisor and Adjunct Professor University of Pittsburgh
Rev. Brian Carswell Flannagan Sr. Field Service Provider Solutions Specialist Eastern Region FedEx Corporation
Michael Lee Gay Sr.
Detective Pittsburgh Bureau of Police-Intelligence Unit
Sam W. Gibson
Executive Director
We The People 412
Rev. Jerrel T. Gilliam
Executive Director
Light of Life Rescue Mission
Nathaniel K. Goodson
CEO, The Promise Center of Homewood
Owner, Nate’s Landscaping & Hauling
Ricky Hardy
Program Manager, Family Foundation Through Community Human Services
Owner, RH3 Commercial Cleaning LLC
Lance J. Harrell
Director, Workforce Development and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Master Builders’ Association of Western Pa., Inc.
Saint “Larry” Harris
Supervisor, South Pittsburgh Peacemakers South Pittsburgh Coalition for Peace
Mark D. Henderson
Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Chuck Herring
Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
South Fayette Township School District
Edgar G. Jackson Jr.
Owner
Hysyde Lounge and Excellent Care Professionals
Emmanuel D. Key
Owner ZoliCare Enterprise LLC
Terence King
Teacher Wilkinsburg School District
Michael A. Knight
Fiscal & Contracting Supervisor City of Pittsburgh
Sebastian Lacy
Vice President of Equity & Culture YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Majestic Lane
Chief Equity Officer Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Mike Logan
Founder Logans Heroes
Clyde D. Manns Jr.
Owner, EIT Basketball Training Site Supervisor, Greater Valley ACTES
Marshall Franklin Medrano
Licensed Pennsylvania Funeral Director
White Memorial Chapel School Counselor, Pittsburgh Public Schools
Kevin J. Miller
Chaplain and Dean Imani Christian Academy
Pastor E. Keith Moncrief
Senior Pastor Kingdom Light Ministries International
Bishop Marvin C. Moreland
Jurisdictional Bishop Pennsylvania Western First Ecclesiastical
Jurisdiction Church of God In Christ
James Myers Jr.
Senior Director, Business Investment Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Michael C. Nelson
Senior Manager of Security Operations Duquesne Light Co.
Michael J. Nichols
Retired, Public Works Laborer, City of Pittsburgh
Volunteer Reader, Pittsburgh Public Schools
Robert Poston
Youthbuild Supervisor and City Parks Manager City of Pittsburgh Department of Parks and Recreation
Timothy Powell Clinical Director UPMC
Johnathan D. Rideau
BU Mission Assurance Manager Northrop Grumman
Shawn A. Shannon
Central Access Supervisor Wesley Family Services
Alphonso Sloan Retired, Police Detective Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Artist, Method Lab Studios LLC
Morton D. Stanfield Jr.
Senior Vice President of Community Development Dollar Bank, Federal Savings Bank
Brian Vincent Starks
Marketing and Community Outreach Liaison Pittsburgh Public Theater
Alfred B. Valentine President
100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania
Wendell E. Wade Jr.
Vice President, Branch and Business Center Manager PNC Bank
Dr. Evon Walters
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement
Community College of Allegheny County
Terrel R. Williams
Teen Outreach Program Manager
Homeless Children’s Education Fund
W. Eugene Wilson
Owner, Cloud 33 Premium Cigar Lounge
Basketball Coach
James D. Wimberly III
General Manager
Block by Block
Dr. Michael Young
Mellon College of Science Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences Carnegie Mellon University
Larimer Community Day 2024!
(PHOTOS BY J.L.
TYLER COULVERSON, TANYAH COULVERSON, TAYLA GILBERT, OF SOUL FOOD CONNECTION
IRENE SPARKS OF BEANIE PAINTS, PAINTING THE FACE OF ERICA...
Praise & Worship
Kayla Portis becomes Sharpsburg’s first Black mayor
our growing Praise and Worship Church Community!
For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature positive youth from our Pittsburgh church community. Please mail their bio and photo to:
Pittsburgh Courier
E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or email us: religion@newpittsburghcourier.com
mote more change." The Courier previously reported on Portis' historic feat when she became Sharpsburg's first Black member of council when she was appointed in February 2021. She then ran for the council seat and won in November 2021. Her four-year term began in January 2022, but now she's added “mayor” to her duties, the leader of this northeast of Pittsburgh borough of 3,200 residents, many of whom have known Portis a long time. Portis, as the Courier reported, is a fourth-generation Sharpsburg resident. She's told the stories of her late grandparents, Charles and Barbara Smith, who experienced discrimination as they raised their own children in Sharpsburg. Decades ago, Charles Smith wanted to become commander of the local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) in Sharpsburg (Post 709), “but was told that he should go to a colored post,” Portis recalled. She said her grandfather replied: “Why should I go to a colored post? I live here.” Charles Smith eventually became the first Black commander of the VFW Post 709. Barbara Smith, who graduated from the old Sharpsburg High School in 1948, maintained an active presence in the Sharpsburg com-
munity up until her death in 2019. Her mural is emblazoned on the outside of the Linden Gym, on Clay Street, in Sharpsburg. Portis graduated from Fox Chapel Area High School in 2003, and Clarion University in 2008. She has two sons—Caleb, 14, and Charles, 12. Quiet as its kept, for all the community work Portis has done over the years, she told the Courier she never thought she would be a person involved in government, or an elected capacity. "I just wanted to implement change, which I have, which is very exciting for me," Portis said. Since Portis has become mayor, she said she's been extremely busy, taking phone calls, texts and emails from residents about this and about that. She recently visited both senior "high rises" in Sharpsburg, the Granada Apartments and Sharpsburg Towers, and wants to have a senior liaison in each building report to her the issues and concerns that residents have. Some seniors have already told Portis their main concern is safety. Making sure there's additional surveillance cameras and that police are rolling through the area more often.
Portis also wants to improve the communication between the mayor's office and young people. She said during the July 25 public
meeting, a 10-year-old girl discussed the possibility of the borough adding some exercise equipment at the local parks.
The increased communication is "definitely welcomed," Portis said. "I feel like you can't really have any type of effective system without communication. Communication is key to just about everything."
Portis is filling the remainder of the term of Brittany Reno, who reportedly resigned for personal and family reasons. In 2025, Portis plans to run for mayor, with the
hopes of winning and serving a full four-year term beginning in January 2026. "My grandparents, they would be so proud, I know both of them are looking down on me for sure," Portis said. With all she's done in the borough, Portis being appointed mayor wasn't a slam dunk. Councilmembers put Portis, Howard Strain, Christopher Cavlovich and Joseph Simbari (who participated via Zoom) through the ringer with questions pertaining to how they would perform as mayor.
And Portis wasn't the first person to be nominated for mayor by a member of council. But eventually, Councilman Ochai had his say. "I would like to nominate Kayla Portis for mayor. I think we have some strong candidates, but in this position I think it takes some experience," Ochai said. "I have confirmation in your actions to see what you're willing to sacrifice...Kayla, I do believe you are the right person for the position. I don't think there's anyone better."
Kamala Harris chooses Gov. Tim Walz
Popular Minnesota governor relates well to rural, conservative voters
school teacher and football coach, and ultimately became governor in 2019. Governor Tim Walz— that's the man who Kamala Harris decided would be her running mate.
Harris, the current U.S. Vice President who is looking to become the country's first woman—and Black woman—president, after much internal thought and reflection, chose Gov. Walz for a number of reasons, but his humble upbringing played a big part in her decision.
“I am proud to announce that I’ve asked Governor Tim Walz to be my running mate," Harris said on her social media accounts in announcing her decision, Aug. 6. "One of the things that stood out to me about Tim is how his convictions on fighting for middle class families run deep. It's personal. As a governor, a coach, a teacher, and a veteran, he's delivered for working families like his own. We are going to build a great partnership. We start out as underdogs but I believe together, we can win this election.”
Here in Pennsylvania, most people thought Harris was going to pick the state's popular governor, Josh Shapiro. After all, he had age on his side (51), the leadership skills, the debate skills, the governing skills, and he could campaign like the dickens to keep Pennsylvania "blue" in the November election, a state Harris needs to win. But in the end, Gov. Walz of Minnesota seems
to have the pulse on rural voters, many of whom vote Republican. But when Gov. Walz comes to town, with his rural background, people seem to move to the blue side. In 2006, he upset a long-term Republican incumbent, Gil Gutknecht, to win a congressional seat in a largely rural, southern Minnesota district. People seem to like his down-to-earth personality and demeanor, and one can't say he doesn't understand what it's like to live in a rural area; West Point, Nebraska, where he was born, has 3,500 people, and Butte, Nebraska, where he grew up, has less than 300 people there now.
Harris believes that Gov. Walz's more moderate record can help her win those important swing states like Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. Hardcore Democrats are in the bag for Harris—it's those conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans that Harris and Gov. Walz need to swing their way. National polls as of Aug. 6 have Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump virtually neck and neck in all three states.
“Four years ago, we stood in Minneapolis to demand justice for George Floyd and accountability for not only the officer who murdered him, but his colleagues who stood idly by. We were honest about Governor Walz’s response, and he heard the calls we made for actual justice," Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network said
in a release, Aug. 6, following Harris' announcement. "Governor Walz tapped Attorney General Ellison to lead the investigation as a direct result of our advocacy in the streets and in the halls over government. I learned then that he was a man who will listen and do what is right by those he represents. A year later, justice like we had rarely ever seen was delivered for George Floyd, his family, and this nation."
Reverend Sharpton added: "We can count on Governor Walz to take that same kind of open approach as Kamala Harris’ vice president. He will be a trusted partner for her as she leads the nation through one of its greatest challenges in history. Governor Walz has already shown he isn’t afraid to take on those who want
to move our country backward. You can already see he is ready and willing to support Kamala Harris as she seeks to become the first Black female President, knocking down one of the greatest barriers in the process.”
“Vice President Kamala Harris has my enthusiastic support—and I know that Governor Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket who will help Kamala move our country forward," voiced Gov. Shapiro, in a statement, Aug. 6. "Lori and I consider Tim and Gwen to be good friends of ours and we are excited for them and for the country to get to know the great people we know them to be. Over the next 92 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians
behind Kamala Harris’ campaign to defeat Donald Trump, become the 47th President of the United States, and build a better future for our country.” Congresswoman Summer Lee, who represents Western Pennsylvania, said on Aug. 6 that even though she doesn't know Gov. Walz, "I think the whole country is looking forward to getting to know him soon." She also said that "we are now able to move forward as a country, we're gonna go into the DNC (Democratic National Convention, Aug. 1922) with, I think, so much more energy than we ever could have imagined, and I think that is not just a plus for the Democratic Party, I think that's a plus for the country."
“He (JESUS) was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him NOT. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Sons of God, even to
Washed in His blood. A Hymn of the Believers.
SHARPSBURG MAYOR KAYLA PORTIS (PHOTO BY NANCI GOLDBERG)
HARRIS FROM A1
MINNESOTA GOV. TIM WALZ
All eyes on the Steelers!
But
let’s not forget about the Bucs!
:10—Steelers training camp at St. Vincent’s in Latrobe is underway, hallelujah and amen. The first four days of camp are behind us and the good news is Justin Fields has looked tremendous, crisp passes, great movement in and out of the pocket, reading the defense very well and being extremely fan-friendly. The flip side is Russell Wilson being a sideline presence only due to a calf injury suffered while hitting a blocking sled. A blocking sled? Whatever person thought
riving at the ball-carrier with explosive speed, something that has been missing from our linebacking corps since the heyday of Ryan Shazier. It also seems reasonable to state Payton Wilson will be an extraordinary coverage linebacker on tight ends every week on the gridiron. I’m just saying... but watch out Pittsburgh, a superstar is on the way.
:08—Thoroughly glad to see that despite his option not being picked up for next season at the cheap price of $6.5 million, Najee Harris appears to be ready to play football at the highest level and with a line which should be an upgrade over last season’s starting five, I predict big things from Najee as he plays for a new contract and a big payday. Believe me, under new Offensive Coordinator Arthur
the playoffs. He’s younger, faster, stronger, more athletic and elusive and at this point in their careers, has a stronger arm. With both men leading the resurgence of the offense, I also feel deep in my bones, and at my age I feel a lot of things deep in my bones these days, that George Pickens is a legitimate threat to go All-Pro and light up the field each and every week. And rookie Roman Wilson is going to be a major contributor in his very first season, a sleeper draft pick out of Michigan if ever there was one.
:06—The Pirates traded pitcher Quinn Priester, once a highly regarded pitching prospect, to the Boston Red Sox for Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke...wait, what, no, for infield prospect Nick Yorke, a move that is ba-
Russell Wilson would benefit by doing such a drill earns the Bonehead of the Week hands down.
:09—I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the third-round pick out of N.C. State, rookie linebacker Payton Wilson and the blazing speed he has flashed here at camp so far, chasing down Justin Fields on one particular play as if he had jets strapped on his back. This young man could be the steal of the entire draft if he gets the chance to regularly compete on the field, his penchant for ar-
Smith, expect the Steelers to run the ball effectively and more often than last season, with Jaylen Warren providing the home run spark when in the backfield.
:07—When the NFL season begins for the Steelers on Sunday, September 8, at 1 p.m. against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Russell Wilson will be the starting QB and he will play well, leading the Steelers to a victory on the road. I also believe by season’s end, Justin Fields will be the QB leading them into
sically a Band-aid for Nick Gonzalez, currently banged up and unable to play. This move does nothing to help the Pirates as a trade for Jazz Chisolm Jr., centerfielder, sent to the Yankees for prospects no better than what the Pirates could have given up. Since the Bucs just sent down Jack Suwinski, he of the 9 home runs and .182 batting average, a new center fielder would have been nice. Yorke was buried in the minor leagues behind starting shortstop David Hamilton. Who? My sentiments
exactly. The future is now, not next year or 2026.
:05—As of July 30, Paul Skenes started 12 games and was 6-1 with an ERA of 1.93, the best in baseball. With at least one more good bat in the lineup he would be 9-0. Mitch Keller started 21 games as of July 30 and was 105. He should be 13-4. Luis Ortiz was 5-2 with an ERA of 2.75 and over his last 6 starts (dating back to July 30) had thrown 31 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs. The ownership tried to acquire a bat at the deadline with Bryan De La Cruz from the Miami Marlins, and we’ll see if he’s able to help these Pirates heading into this NL Wild Card race.
:04—The Pirates are teetering on the Wild Card position and with the generational pitching they are getting, this summer could be one to remember. The starting pitching of Skenes, Keller, Ortiz and Jones is going to be extremely hard to beat in a short series, but you have to get to the playoffs first. Do you think the Bucs did enough at the trade deadline?
:03—Let’s move on before one of us blows a gasket in frustration over the Bucs. The Olympics are in full force and watching the basketball team led by Kevin Durant smack down Serbia and 3-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic 110-84, it appears no one can really hang with our men’s team. Same for the ladies of the WNBA, looking to win their 8th straight Gold Medal and cement their legacy as the undisputed greatest juggernaut in the history of the Summer Olympics. Talk about a Dream Team!
:02—Simone Biles, the Games’ and probably the world’s most dominant athlete, tweaked her calf on the first day of gymnastics competition but ended up winning three Gold Medals and one Silver Medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. One of those Golds was with her entire team, including Suni Lee, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera.
:01—For me, the best part of the Olympics is the track and field competitions, just one unbelievably exciting event after
another. Although only lasting ten seconds the 100 meter final is as good as it gets athletically for me. I’m also a devout homer, I only root for Americans to win Gold Medals, I don’t care about anyone else’s sad story and what they had to overcome to get to the Paris Olympics. I wanted Sha’Carri Richardson to bring home Gold, I wanted Noah Lyles to win the 100 and 200 meter sprints and the 4x100 meter relay, I want Ryan Crouser to win his 3rd straight Gold Medal in the shot put. Save your sob story for someone else, I want Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone to beat the Netherlands Femke Bol by 5 seconds and set another world record. So far, Noah Lyles got the Gold in the 100 meters! And Sha’Carri got edged out but still won the Silver Medal in the 100...USA! USA! USA! :00—The next election is less than 100 days away, so let’s all be registered to vote Blue on Tuesday, November 5, and end this nightmare once and for all. GAME OVER.
Pat Freiermuth a No. 2 wideout?
That's just your imagination...
There are probably times when many of us, or maybe all of us, imagined being someone or something in our lives. In 1971, I was 18 years old and imagined being an NFL running back. At the same time, the legendary R&B singing group the Temptations released a song titled, "Just My Imagination.” The song chronicled a man in love with a woman he met on his quest for love. That scenario would have been wonderful except for one thing. The woman he had fallen in love with had no idea who he was. His journey of love and passion was all in his head. The storyteller admits it singing: “But it was just my imagination, running away with me...it was just my imagination, running away with me.” After a spirited practice last week, there was a minor skirmish between Pittsburgh Steelers wideout George Pickens and wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni. After the disagreement, George Pickens became instant trade bait. Does free speech only apply to certain groups of people? When you express your opinion, does that mean you may be in danger of being cut or traded? Many writers express their flawed and misinformed opinions daily and not many people suggest exiling the violators to the
purgatory of journalism, never to be seen or heard from again. For example, mock drafts and fantasy teams are based on theories and opinions, not facts. Meanwhile, the spin machine was back on the road, purring as smoothly as a brand-new Ferrari. Step one was Pat Freiermuth’s love for Pittsburgh profiled in an article posted by Wil Riggs titled: "'I Love Pittsburgh’ says TE Pat Freiermuth." Riggs writes the following: “He is headed into the final year of his rookie contract, and he spoke on Thursday about contract negotiations. 'I trust my agent, and I’m focused on football and the season,' Freiermuth said. 'I’m optimistic. I wanna be here and I love Pittsburgh and love everything about it.'" Riggs continued: “The new offense from coordinator Arthur Smith is very tight end friendly. Not to mention, veteran quarterback Russell Wilson is under center instead of Kenny Pickett. This could be a career year for Frei-
ermuth, which is good for him either way. Either the Steelers see his value and get a deal done, or he has a breakout year and other teams see his value.”
Wow, wow, wow, Riggs wrote that “either the Steelers see his value and get a deal done, or he has a breakout year and other teams see his value.”
Very few people in “Yinzburgh” talked about seeing the value of ex-Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell, and ex-wide receiver Antonio Brown, to name a few. What about running backs Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren? All I hear are birds chirping. What seems to be the problem? Cat got your tongue? Presently, a few of the “measlies” are now anointing Pat Freiermuth as a possible number two outside receiver. Pat Freiermuth runs close to a 4.70 forty. In March of 2022, Jeff Legwold, ESPN senior writer, posted this: "Georgia lineman Jordan Davis, at 341 pounds, runs 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds at NFL scouting combine." “Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis—all 341 pounds of him—finished the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds at the NFL scouting combine." Let that sink in.
What they better allow to sink in is that when any outside receiver or tight end lines up as an
outside receiver and has a forty-yard dash time of more than 4.60 seconds, the defensive coordinator may have the luxury of choosing a defensive lineman or a linebacker drop back in coverage when that receiver is targeted. That receiver may not require a slot corner or even a safety to cover him, especially in dime coverage. Is it possible that a few DBs may be able to cover a few not-so-fleet wide receivers while eating lunch and sipping on a mint julep?
Noah Strackbein recently posted the following. “Pat Freiermuth took over the receiving game for the Steelers on Day 1. The fourth-year tight end is entering a contract year and has a major opportunity to earn himself a bigger role within the offense. Without a WR2 behind George Pickens, Freiermuth should be included in the discussion for the next best pass catcher. On the first day of camp, Freiermuth caught more passes than anyone on the field. His most impressive route came in the middle of the field where he worked himself into the soft part of the zone and found an opening for a 15-yard reception.” Whaaaat, just wait a minute. Was this practice or a playoff game? The Steelers have Calvin Austin III, Roman Wil-
son, and a slew of "warp speed" wide receivers and you mean to tell me that all they can muster up from their list of wideouts is Pat Freiermuth?
For months, the sermon remained the same from the mealy-mouths on an hour-by-hour basis. The Steelers must trade for or sign a free-agent wide receiver to complement George Pickens. At this stage, that probably won’t happen so…… Now, Pat Freiermuth has been elevated by a few pundits from a thirddown, possession-type tight end to a number two outside wide receiver. Has their sanity and their minds been turned into
the lost and found of eternity? Can’t you hear them singing another stanza from, "Just My Imagination?" Eddie Kendricks sang, “I tell you I can visualize it all. This couldn’t be a dream. For too real it all seems.” I hate to burst your bubble yinzers, but Pat Freiermuth will only become a number two wide receiver on a “mock fantasy” team, possibly located on Mars. Keep dreaming and scheming because maybe, just maybe, he might be promoted to a number two receiver in the UFL but never in the league that wears the big boy pants. Just remember, it’s just your imagination....
QB1—R USSELL WILSON, WITH COACH MIKE TOMLIN, AT STEELERS TRAINING CAMP IN LATROBE, AUG. 1. (PHOTOS BY MARLON MARTIN)
STEELERS TIGHT END PAT FREIERMUTH, AT TRAINING CAMP IN LATROBE, AUG. 1. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)
by TD Bank
The percentage of multi-generational families buying a home together jumped from 11 percent to 14 percent from 2021 to 2023, according to a recent report compiled by The National Association of Realtors (NAR). The report explores how the uptick in this type of homebuying is likely due to it serving several purposes, including the ability for younger generations to care for their elders, to get a home that may have been financially out of reach or even just to be closer to family and enjoy the time they have together. With housing prices having jumped during the peak of COVID-19, it’s not surprising that younger professionals are teaming up with their parents
or even grandparents to make the dream of owning a home a reality.
Multi-Generational Home Buying Benefits
The NAR’s survey found that the most popular reasons among first-time buyers were “cost savings” and the desire for a “larger home,” both coming in at 28 percent. The most popular reason for repeat buyers was “taking care of an aging parent” at 23 percent. Twenty-three percent of firsttime buyers also admitted to never leaving home, while 15 percent said they wanted to spend more time with their parents. For repeat buyers, 19 percent stated that children over the age of 18 moved back home.
The biggest combined statistic for both first-timers and repeat home buyers was the desire to be able to afford a bigger home with both groups combining for 46 percent of respondents using this answer.
Further, the NAR found that Gen X is the most likely generation to be involved in multi-generational home buying. The association defines Gen X as those born from 1965 to 1979, so from ages 44 to 58 roughly. The demographic overlaps two major categories of those looking to buy multi-generational housing —people looking to care for older parents and those whose children might not have left home or came back home recently. Have the Hard Conversations Early
Some of the positives in multi-generational homebuying, can also be topics of discussion and even dispute.
You may have more people chipping in for a mortgage, but how much is each person chipping in and who gets what room or unit in the property?
There’s also shared spaces, so you might want to come up with schedules and times for every member of the family to use common areas.
It’s similar to starting a business with family in that money is involved and things can get heated, so it’s always best to lay everything out early.
Always get professional advice when needed as well, as homebuying of any kind can be incredibly complicated.
Decide on Ownership Rights
Understanding the ownership rights of each family member is important to plan for future changes such as selling the home or if someone passes away. You may want to consider consulting a lawyer to agree on how the property will be owned such as joint tenancy, tenants in common or some other form of ownership.
(This article is based on information available in May 2024 and is subject to change. It is provided as a convenience and for general information purposes only and is not intended to provide legal, tax, investment, or financial advice or to indicate that a particular TD Bank or third-party product or service is available or right for you. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, consider talking with a qualified professional.)
Conservatives’ anti-DEI efforts showcase America’s anti-Black agenda
by Aya Waller-Bey Contributing Columnist
It’s been a year since the conservative-majority United States Supreme Court ruled against race-conscious admissions practices, shattering 50 years of affirmative action precedent in higher education. The decision ushered in a wave of conservative–backed, anti-DEI and anti-Black legislation, as well as lawsuits against several universities and organizations across the country.
The Court’s decision represented a strategic backlash against racial diversity, equity, and inclusion, with everything from attacks on university-sponsored, race-conscious
scholarship programs at North Central University and Duke University to lawsuits against a reparation program created in Evanston, Ill., to support Black descendants of housing discrimination and segregation. Scholars and researchers have indicated that previous anti-affirmative action decisions have led to a chilling effect—a decrease in racial diversity on college campuses among students and faculty. However, the barrage of legal contestations, coupled with rampant misinformation about the purpose and utility of DEI, indicates the affirmative action ruling was not the conservative endgame, but the beginning of their playbook. A few weeks ago, former Detroit TV report-
Are
I post a question on social media every year asking, “Which bill do you hate paying the most?” In my Steve Harvey voice, the number one answer is, “ALL OF THEM.” Bills, bills, bills! We can’t avoid them. Certain bills like groceries, housing, utilities and transportation are a necessity. These bills keep rising. Add to that, modern technology and modern advancements continue to add more and more bills to the list. Internet and streaming services are bills that aren’t considered a necessity but are considered must-haves. Nowadays, people are paying for cable, Internet and streaming services. FREE local radio stations are becoming extinct. Nowadays, people are tuning into satellite radio. Satellite radio comes with a monthly fee. The answer to my question, are bills stressing you out, is an emphatic yes for most people. What surprised me the most is what bill is stressing out Americans the most.
USA Today recently did a comprehensive survey to ascertain what bills were stressing out people the most. Surprisingly, paying for groceries was the number one stressor. Now that’s what I consider, “food for thought!”
In this article, I’m going to delve into some of the findings in the USA Today article, titled “Study: Over two-thirds of Americans are stressed by everyday expenses—these are the most frustrating ones.” Managing personal finances can be
a significant source of stress, and for many Americans, certain expenses are particularly burdensome. A recent survey highlights the top financial stressors that Americans face, shedding light on the challenges of balancing household budgets in today’s economic climate. Groceries: The Leading Stressor Groceries have emerged as the most frustrating expense for Americans. The rising cost of food due to inflation has put a strain on household budgets. According to the survey, 60 percent of Americans cited groceries as their primary financial concern. I was surprised that this is the biggest bill stressor for Americans. After some reflection, I realized that this is the only expense my wife and I go back and forth over every month. I complain that she’s spending too much on groceries. She snaps back, “groceries are expensive. Perhaps you should do the shopping.” I shut up until next month, then complain again. The cycle continues. The essential nature of food and the frequent purchases required to maintain a household has proven to be a major stressor. The pandemic made this issue worse, with disruptions in the supply chain
er and anchor Jeff Vaughn filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired from a Los Angeles TV station group because he is an older, White, straight man. The same week, a conservative group filed a lawsuit against Northwestern University’s law school, claiming it discriminates against White men.
The lawsuits, although filed in different states and industries, have one common denominator: America First Legal, a conservative nonprofit legal group founded and led by Stephen Miller, a senior policy advisor to former President Donald Trump.
America First Legal prides itself on the assembly of strategic lawyers and thinkers willing to go after liberals or the “radical
leading to higher prices and limited availability of certain products. As a result, families have had to adjust their shopping habits, often opting for cheaper, less nutritious options to make ends meet. This shift not only impacts finances, but also health and well-being.
Housing Costs: A Close Second
Following groceries, housing costs are the next significant financial stressor.
About 45 percent of respondents reported that rent and mortgage payments are major sources of financial anxiety. The housing market has been particularly volatile, with prices soaring in many areas due to increased demand and limited supply.
For renters, the situation is equally challenging. Many have faced rent hikes, while others struggle to make payments due to stagnant wages and job insecurity. Homeowners, on the other hand, are burdened with high property taxes and maintenance costs, adding to their financial woes.
Transportation: The Cost of Getting Around Transportation expenses, including car payments, fuel, and maintenance, were cited by 35 percent of respondents as a significant source of stress. The cost of
left.” It’s also the byproduct of disgruntled White supremacists committed to stalling and eliminating racial progress for Black, Latine, and other minoritized and marginalized groups and communities.
Another key player contributing to the attacks on racial and gender diversity is conservative activist Edward Blum, one of the leading anti-affirmative architects. Blum leads the nonprofit Student for Fair Admissions, which led the charge to dismantle affirmative action. He is also a member of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, a
SEE ANTI-DEI B2
owning and operating a vehicle has increased, driven by higher fuel prices and rising vehicle maintenance costs. Public transportation users aren’t immune to these financial pressures, either. Many cities have seen fare increases and reduced services, forcing commuters to find alternative, often more expensive, ways to get around.
The Impact of Inflation
Inflation has played a central role in escalating these expenses. The cost of living has risen steadily, outpacing wage growth and eroding purchasing power. This economic pressure is felt across various aspects of daily life, from utility bills to healthcare costs, further straining household budgets.
Demographic Variations in Financial Stress
The survey also highlighted how financial stress varies among different demographic groups. Younger generations, such as Millennials and Gen Z, reported higher levels of financial anxiety compared to older generations. This can be attributed to factors such as student loan debt, lower starting salaries, and higher costs of living in urban areas where many young professionals reside. Income level also plays a significant role in financial stress. Lower-income households are disproportionately affected by rising costs, with a higher percentage reporting difficulties in manag-
State of the Nation’s Housing 2024: Cost of the American Dream up 47 percent since 2020
by Charlene Crowell (TriceEdneyWire.com)
—Regardless of race, income, or geography, every family needs and deserves a place to call home. It’s a place not only for shelter from life’s many storms; but also, where families come after school or work, celebrate birthdays or holidays—and all the activities that together turn a house into a home. But in recent years, the ability to have a home—as a renter or as a home owner –has been an increasing
financial strain. In the worst circumstances are those who no longer have a place to call home. In 2023, a record 653,100 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January, up 70,600 people in a single year, according to The State
of the Nation’s Housing 2024, an annual report just published by Harvard’s Joint Center on Housing Studies (JCHS). This figure includes an additional 22,800 people living outside or staying in places not intended for human habitation, pushing the
nonprofit membership organization whose mission is “dedicated to challenging distinctions made on the basis of race and ethnicity in federal and state courts.”
The same group sued the Atlanta-based venture capital firm Fearless Fund, alleging that the firm’s grants reserved for Black, women-owned businesses discriminate against business owners of other races. Arian Simone, the company’s president and CEO, is a native Detroiter. These lawsuits represent just a small portion of emerging anti-Black and anti-DEI attacks across the country, and we would be wrong to think that having a democratic governor in Michigan will provide an impenetrable safeguard against legal action. Ultimately, conservatives continue to stoke fear through racist rhetoric that promotes scarcity sentiments. They spread misinformation that suggests race-conscious approaches
to higher education access, business grants, scholarships, and reparations means that they lose centuries-worth of resources and opportunities. The result is that the far-right is increasingly embedding themselves into school boards, state-level, and federal government to protect White interests. These protections are outlined in the extremely detailed and racist policy playbook, Project 2025. In the nearly 900-page Mandate for Leadership,
ing their expenses. Geographic variations were noted as well, with residents in certain states experiencing higher living costs and, consequently, more financial stress.
Strategies for Managing Financial Stress
While the financial landscape may seem daunting, there are strategies that individuals and families can employ to manage their expenses more effectively:
Budgeting: Creating and sticking to a budget can help track spending and identify areas where cuts can be made.
Emergency Savings: Building an emergency fund can provide a financial cushion in times of unexpected expenses.
Seeking Professional Advice: Financial advisors such as myself can offer guidance on managing debt, investing, and planning for the future.
Utilizing Assistance Programs: There are numerous government and non-profit programs designed to help low-income families with housing, food and healthcare costs.
the authors share their plan to “eliminate and remove DEI, gender equity, reproductive rights, and other language out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contract, grant, regulation, and piece of legislation that exists.” The document contains other directives, including the elimination of the Department of Education, which will only exacerbate the racial inequality and inequity experienced by Black, Latine, the poor, women, LGBTQ individuals, and all those already marginalized and oppressed by the historical and current socio-political landscape.
This is death by a thousand cuts. With each anti-DEI bill, book ban, and lawsuit claiming anti-White or anti-White male discrimination, slices of civil rights and civil liberties are cut into the increasingly fragile constitutional fabric. Conservatives and people on the far-right will continue to weaponize the conservative-majority Supreme Court and young, conservative federal judg-
es appointed by Donald Trump to advance their goals of colorblindness and White supremacy. To combat these racist and anti-DEI assaults, we must enact coalition-building efforts to eliminate institutional and industry silos that buy these bigots time to sharpen their tools and coordinate their attacks. We also must vote our interests, at every level of government, to limit the reach and scope of efforts that blatantly curtail Black advancement.
(Aya Waller-Bey completed her B.A. in Sociology with a Social Justice concentration and minor in African American studies at Georgetown and earned her MPhil in Education at the University of Cambridge in England. She also completed an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, where she’s currently a Ph. D. candidate studying trauma narrative in college essays. She has presented her research at local and national talks and symposiums, conducted storytelling workshops, and written op-eds for international publications.)
unsheltered population to an all-time high.
The report also documents that of the 22.4 million renters who pay over 30 percent of household income for housing, 12.1 million of these consumers pay more than half of their income on housing and utilities. And nationwide, renters with the lowest incomes have just $310 left over each month to cover all their non-housing needs.
“Rents have been rising faster than incomes for decades,” says Alexander Hermann, a Senior Research Associate at the Center. “However, the pandemic-era rent surge produced an unprecedented affordability crisis that continues.”
More than half of Black (57 percent), Latino (54 percent), and multira -
need to save more than a full year’s salary to amass sufficient cash,” states the report.
Beyond the nation’s 47 percent jump in housing costs since 2020, households of color now have additional hurdles to overcome before achieving their own American Dream.
For example, increasing costs and numbers of climate disasters have led to corresponding increases in home insurance costs. In 2023, the number of billion-dollar disasters reached a record 28, affecting 60.5 million housing units. In reaction, and according to Forbes, the average annual cost for insurance on a house valued at $350,000 is $1,678. However, insurance costs in Alabama, Florida, Kansas, and
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cial (50 percent) renter households remain cost-burdened since 2022. As a rule, affordable housing should cost no more than 30 percent of household income.
Renters seeking to transition to homeownership face daunting financial challenges as well.
“Whether it’s the high downpayment or the monthly mortgage payments, the costs of buying a home have left homeownership out of reach to all but the most advantaged households,” says Daniel McCue, a JCHS Senior Research Associate.
According to the report, a consumer purchasing a home with an affordable FHA loan that requires only a 3.5 percent down payment would incur a monthly payment of $3,096, and an annual income of at least $119,800, only one in seven (6.6 million) of the nation’s 45 million renters can qualify for that mortgage payment.
“In the event a buyer could not qualify for a low-downpayment loan, the required cash would be $89,600 for a 20 percent downpayment and 3 percent closing costs on the same property. Assuming the buyer earns the national median household income of $74,800, they would
The USA Today article referenced a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding the
three
spending categories for Americans. They are housing (33.3 percent), transportation (16.8 percent) and food (12.8 percent). Together, they represent 63 percent of a typical person’s
It’s actually worse than that. Have you ever heard a weather forecaster say, “It’s 90 degrees outside but it feels like 100 degrees?” That’s the picture I’m painting here. Those figures represent 63 percent of a typical person’s income, but it feels like 75 percent of a person’s income. Here’s why. These published reports use gross income or income before taxes and other payroll deductions. Truth is, you can’t budget off of gross pay. You have to budget off of
net pay or the actual amount of money deposited into your bank account. When working with clients, I teach a concept I call “Budget Sculpting.” This is a process where I recommend spending limits in various categories. I use net income, the money you receive in your paycheck when detailing these recommenda-
Mississippi average more than $2,000 per year. Residents in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma pay more than $3,000 yearly.
Further, historic racial wealth disparities contribute to the nation’s large racial homeownership gap, Intergenerational transfers of wealth that often help Whites with downpayments and/or mortgage financing remain an exception rather than the rule for many Blacks, according to JCHS. And access to affordable credit remains a nagging deterrent to homeownership.
“Addressing these challenges will not be easy,” says Chris Herbert, Managing Director of the Center. “But with concerted efforts by policymakers at all levels of government, together with the private and nonprofit sectors, we have the ability to increase the supply of quality, affordable homes in thriving communities across the US.” (Charlene Crowell is a senior policy fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)
tions. For housing, my recommendation is 30 percent of net pay. For transportation, my recommendation is 12 percent of net pay. For food, my recommendation is 10 percent of net pay. This is a more realistic script to follow. It totals 52 percent of your take-home pay. This affords you the opportunity to do other things like save, invest, do fun activities and have a life.
The financial stress experienced by many Americans is a complex issue influenced by various factors, including rising costs of essential goods and services. By understanding the primary sources of this stress and adopting practical strategies to manage expenses, individuals can better navigate their financial challenges. Ultimately, proactive financial planning and seeking available resources can help alleviate some of the burdens and improve overall financial well-being. (Damon
AYA WALLER BEY
Charlene Crowell
ANTI-DEI FROM B1
Guest Editorial
Voters must decide what matters most
What a difference a day—or in this case, a week—makes in a world that has grown smaller because of the internet, social media and a news cycle that never takes a break.
On Sunday, July 21, President Joe Biden announced he would discontinue his bid for a second term in office, describing his decision to withdraw as being in “the best interest” of the Democratic Party and America. He also endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the nominee.
And less than 24 hours later, Harris was off and running on the campaign trails.
Since becoming the presumptive candidate for the Democratic Party, Harris has shocked Americans, the world and most notably, the man who she will face in the November showdown for the White House—former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump.
But while Trump has chosen to continue along the path of disseminating insults, disingenuous accusations and a fury of statements that one would be hard-pressed to validate, Harris has taken a different route—one which appears to be more substantive in terms of the issues facing Americans, while energizing both her party and voters.
Since her emergence as the likely Democratic nominee last week, Harris has raised a whopping $200 million. In the same seven-day period, she’s made significant inroads with both younger voters and independents, according to the latest polls and particularly amid the slew of activity on social media fueled by those under 40.
In an ABC News/Ipsos poll conducted last week, Harris’ favorability rating was 35 percent.
One week later, that number has risen to 43 percent. Americans also say they’re more enthusiastic about Harris becoming the Democratic nominee at 48 percent, compared to 39 percent who say they are enthusiastic about Trump being the Republican nominee. Perhaps most important are those who have no stated allegiance to or connection with any political party: independent voters. For them, based on the same poll, 49 percent expressed enthusiasm about Harris as compared to 36 percent about Trump—a number which has dropped slightly from 40 percent following the recent attempted assassination on his life.
However, for some, the unuttered or whispered issue with which voters will have to contend is whether their choice for president will be determined by an unspoken caste system that has shaped America for centuries and continues to impact our lives.
As the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson posits in Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent, “the hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not.”
She goes on to say that beyond race, class or other factors, a powerful caste system influences people’s lives and behavior and the fate of nations like Nazi Germany, and which continues to include India and America.
Still, with under 100 days remaining until the general election, it really doesn’t matter what the polls, political pundits or spokespersons for the opposing sides say.
As Americans cast their vote in November, they will have to decide if they want to embrace Trump’s call for a return to the past—“the good old days”—or are willing to hitch their star on a yet-to-be-determined but certainly more inclusive future as presented by Harris. But even more, we will see if Americans have finally shed the shackles of race and gender or if we continue to remain enslaved by such rigid and hierarchical rankings of humanity.
(Reprinted from the Washington Informer)
Amazing Black women
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Being a Black woman, I tend to have an interest in what some people say about Black women. Check Simone Biles at the Olympics! Wow! Skip to the orange man at the National Association of Black Journalists. He appeared out of place from the time he was asked the first question. He went on the attack instead of being grateful that he was even invited to be in the presence of Black women journalists. I can’t imagine any one of the journalists having the slightest personal interest in him. They were there for business. They were giving him an opportunity that many were not rushing to invite him on their programs or to speak at their conventions.
Unfortunately, orange man has a habit of attacking anybody who tries to get a straight answer from him. The journalists took their precious time to allow him to explain himself. While many of us were not happy that he was given precious time but wanted to be “fair” and at least present him with an opportunity to allow the crowd to hear him and ask for the support of Black people. Instead, he questioned the intelligence of Black women—including the brilliant Black woman who is now the candidate giving him a run for his money. He had the nerve to accuse Vice-President Kamala Harris not to acknowledge her Blackness! He was reminded that Vice-President Harris attend-
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
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ed Howard University (Historically Black University), joined a Black women’s sorority, has lived her life as a Black woman and has never denied being Black!
I know so many extremely qualified by education, experience and common sense who would run circles around the orange man who tried to compete with them. They don’t sit around arguing with childlike behavior, wrong information and stupid arguments. He makes no sense in his arguments. Now that he finds himself thinking he might have to debate his presidential opponent, it’s obvious he is scared to death. It’s ironic that Kamala is the prosecutor, and her opponent has 34 criminal convictions already! All of his bluster and insults about women he finds himself in a situation in which he is not in charge. His opponent is a brilliant Black woman, who has her facts, talent, accomplishments, and issues together. She knows how to do research to get the right information and she knows what to do with it. He just grabs anything he hears somebody say or he just makes up something that sounds
good to him, but is abhorrent to everyone else.
I cannot believe a man who grew up with every advantage in life had to steal his family’s money—even his nephew’s share who suffered a debilitating disease –and tell his relative “Let him die, and move down to Florida.” Shocking! Even poor people do what they can to assist a helpless relative. After attending a convention where one would think he’d be happy to be given an opportunity to put his best foot forward. I’m sure he didn’t give anyone a reason to vote for him! He just accepted the invitation to show us how he really feels about us. He always thinks he’s the smartest person in the room, when in fact, he’s fooling himself. He was rude to the journalists who were gracious enough to allow him to be on the stage with them.
I worked on the Shirley Chisholm team when she ran for President, and I know what a challenging time she had. She didn’t give up, and while she didn’t win that race by the number of votes, she won the hearts of so many. She serves as a role model for all women. We tend to use our education, talent and opportunities to help others and bring them along. It’s in our nature!
(Dr.
10 big lies Trump and the GOP tell about Kamala Harris
Donald Trump spoke to the National Association of Black Journalists, and it went exactly as you might expect—a hot mess. After attacking ABC reporter Rachel Scott as “rude,” Trump threw out a flurry of lies and misinformation about Vice President Kamala Harris.
So, allow me to debunk some of his lies, and a few others, about Kamala Harris.
1. She’s not really Black. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black,” Trump told NABJ, “and now she wants to be known as Black.”Not true. “I’m Black, and I’m proud of being Black. I was born Black. I will die Black,” Harris told the Breakfast Club in 2019. She didn’t change her identity. Her father was always Jamaican. And she’s always been connected to the Black community, which is why she graduated from Howard University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
2. She’s a failed border czar. “She’s the worst border czar in the history of the world,” Trump told NABJ today. First, she was never a border czar. Her job was to focus on the root causes of immigration. Second, if she was the border czar, she could take credit that border crossings are lower now than they were when Trump left office. Third, if you want a more secure border, then blame Trump, who killed the bipartisan immigration deal because he didn’t want to give President Biden a win before the election. And by the way, whatever happened to Trump’s wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for?
3. She’s a “DEI hire.” Trump told NABJ that Harris “could be” a DEI hire, echoing racist remarks from Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett, who said, “100 percent, she was a DEI hire.” DEI hire has become the new GOP slur, replacing “affirmative action candidate,” which replaced the N-word, but they all mean the same thing. Harris has been a district attorney, an attorney general, a United States senator, and a vice president. Trump was a game show host when he ran for president. Yet Republicans don’t question his credentials or those of his
Keith Boykin
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running mate, J.D. Vance, a 39-yearold freshman senator who just got to Congress last year.
4. She’s not eligible to run. Republicans claim Harris is ineligible to be president because her parents were not born in America. First of all, she was born in Oakland, California, and the Constitution doesn’t require that your parents be born in the U.S. Second, Trump’s own mother was born in Scotland, but I guess those made-up rules only apply to Black candidates.
5. She’s a “San Francisco liberal.” Republicans have released a new ad attacking Kamala Harris as a “San Francisco liberal.” They’re so stuck in the past that they’re resurrecting an attack line from 1984 when Jeane Kirkpatrick coined the term “San Francisco Democrats” as a not-so-subtle homophobic slur. But that was 40 years ago; it’s time for new material, guys. If Harris was such a San Francisco liberal, why did Donald Trump donate $6,000 to her past campaigns?
6. She’s soft on crime. Republicans claim that Harris is not tough enough on crime, but she’s a prosecutor, but they’re literally supporting a convicted criminal as their presidential nominee. Case closed.
7. She’s a cop who locked up thousands of innocent Black men. Now, come on, folks, she can’t be “too tough on crime” and “too soft on crime” at the same time. But here’s the truth. As a district attorney, Harris implemented a “Back on Track” program to help young, nonviolent offenders with education and job training. When she was attorney general, California became the first statewide law enforcement agency in the country to mandate officers wear body cameras. And she’s a longtime opponent of the death
penalty, even when it wasn’t easy. True, prosecutors make tough decisions that piss people off on both sides, but to caricature her as “too tough” or “too soft” on crime is just too simplistic.
8. She slept her way to the top. Donald Trump was a failed businessman with six bankruptcies, five draft deferments, three baby mamas, and two divorces when he ran for president. And after paying $130,000 in hush money to a porn star and $150,000 to a Playboy Playmate that he slept with while his wife was pregnant, twice-divorced, convicted felon, and adjudicated rapist, Donald Trump is the last person to be talking about anyone’s sexual history.
9. She never accomplished anything. As a prosecutor, Kamala Harris put murderers and abusers behind bars. As attorney general, she went after the big banks and won $20 billion for homeowners. As vice president, she took on the big drug companies to cap the cost of insulin for seniors. And we’ve now seen 15.7 million new jobs and the lowest Black unemployment and poverty rates in history since she took office.
10. She can’t win. Democrats have won the popular vote in seven of the last eight presidential elections. They won with Obama, a Black guy with a Muslim name, and Hillary Clinton, a White woman who had been vilified for decades. Unfortunately, the skewed electoral college system gave Republicans the victory in two of those eight contests, but the results still prove that the country is on our side. It just means we have to turn out in record numbers to overcome the electoral college bias.
That’s it for now. Many more lies to debunk in the coming months. But if Trump has something to say about Kamala Harris, as she said in Atlanta this week, say it to her face.
(Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator.)
(“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.)
Letter to the Editor
The emperor has no new clothes
Dear Editor: Are we willing to take the chance and not vote in the upcoming presidential election?
John. H. Sengstacke
In one of my favorite children’s stories, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” it takes a child to tell the truth—that the emperor has no new clothes. The emperor has been fooled by some unscrupulous weavers into believing that he is wearing clothes made of a fabric that is invisible to anyone who is stupid or unfit for his position. Since no one wanted to be thought stupid or unfit for his position, everyone, including the emperor, pretended he could see the emperor’s new clothes. Who will be brave enough to tell the truth during this election? The Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln; it is the party of Trump. And who is Trump—a disrespecter and assaulter of women, a liar, and a felon. And that’s not the worst. He is an admirer of dictators and vows to be a dictator, at least “for a day.” Listen and believe him when he tells his supporters this about voting: “You won’t have to do it anymore. … You got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote..” He plans to take away a sacred right that people have even died to obtain—the right to vote He already has made every effort
to change the federal judiciary including the Supreme Court into his personal Court system. Instead of viewing Bill Barr as the United States’ Attorney General, he viewed him as his personal attorney. When Trump was president, he viewed people within his administration who did not agree with him as disloyal and as enemies. He has also vowed revenge to all who have not done as he wanted or commanded. If elected, Trump will be an emperor, and he is hoping that no one will reveal that he is wearing the same old clothes. We can’t afford to not vote. Cynthia A. Baldwin White Oak, Pa.
E. Faye Williams is president of The Dick Gregory Society.)
Maintaining a
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—It is rare for a sitting U.S. president to step aside and not run for reelection. The magnitude of this type of decision cannot be easy for any individual to make, especially when faced with heavy personal and political consequences. Lyndon Johnson made the tough decision in 1968, and Joe Biden did the same in 2024. Both leaders were seasoned elder statesmen during their time in the U.S. Senate. They served as vice presidents, eventually becoming U.S. Presidents. Johnson and Biden achieved major legislative achievements as presidents stemming from their dealmaking experience as Senate lawmakers. Both leaders fought for interests critical to the Black community during their respective terms in the White House. The policy continuity question must be asked whenever there is a change in the White House from one administration to the next. Presidents are human beings who evolve personally and politically over time, even throughout their terms in office. This often occurs based on the wise counsel and advice they may receive within their administration or from the community at large. Whenever we cast our ballots in presidential elections, we must be mindful that a president’s successor may not champion the positive gains made during the previous administration. Despite initial differences, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln forged a relationship throughout the Civil War based on a shared vision. Fifteen years after Lincoln’s death, Doug-
David W. Marshall Commentary
lass described him as “one of the noblest, wisest, and best men I ever knew.” Lincoln was willing to eventually listen to a Black man despite being a product of his past environment. Lincoln’s assassination just after starting his second term prevented the continuity of racial awareness Lincoln received from Douglass when Vice President Andrew Johnson took over. As president, Johnson was unexpectedly tasked with the job of implementing Reconstruction. He favored a lenient version of Reconstruction and state control over voting rights while openly opposing the 14th Amendment. Although Johnson supported the end of slavery, he was a White supremacist. “This is a country for White men, and by God, as long as I am President, it shall be a government for White men,” he wrote in 1866. The fight for full citizenship for Black Americans took a major step backward due to the succeeding Johnson administration’s unwillingness to embrace the vision shared by Douglass and Lincoln. Where Lincoln had Douglass, Lyndon Johnson had Martin Luther King. Lyndon Johnson was a Southern racist who often used the N-word and was another product of his environment. With two decades in Congress, Johnson was a reliable member of the Southern bloc, helping to stonewall civil rights legislation. However, with the influence of Martin Luther King and other civil rights activists, Johnson became the greatest champion of racial equality to occupy the White House since Lincoln. Johnson also made history by nominating former NAACP Chief Counsel Thurgood Marshall as the first Black to serve as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. With all the excitement surrounding Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign, nothing should be taken for granted concerning her election. It will be a tough election to win. The November election is a battle for the future of our nation. Therefore, the Democrats must take a page out of Mitch McConnell’s playbook when it comes to the federal judiciary. McConnell knew that most of the contentious issues in our society would eventually be addressed by the courts. As Senate majority leader, McConnell strategically held up judicial nominations during the last two years of the Obama administration. When Donald Trump succeeded Obama, Trump was then able to fill the open vacancies with conservative federal judges at an accelerated pace. Trump had more than 100 vacancies in the lower courts, including 17 in the U.S. Court of Appeals. Where Lyndon Johnson had Martin Luther King in his ear, Joe Biden had Black women activists. In an open letter to Biden, more than 200 Black women called for him to select a Black woman as his running mate. He gave us Kamala Harris and fulfilled his promise to diversify the federal judiciary. Biden, like Mitch McConnell, intimately understood how the Senate process works. According to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, President Biden has appointed 59 Black judges, including 38 Black women now serving lifetime appointments on the federal bench. More than 40 percent of these judges come to the bench with significant experience protecting and advancing civil and human rights. President Biden has appointed more Black lifetime judges than any previous president in a single term. No president has ever appointed a slate of judges consisting mostly of women or racial and ethnic minorities. This includes the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court—Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Before President Biden, only eight Black women had ever served at this level of our federal judiciary.
We have an opportunity with the election of Kamala Harris to continue the work Joe Biden started in diversifying the federal judiciary. It will also require keeping control of the Senate. As America went from President Lincoln, who listened and acted, to President Andrew Johnson, who stuck with the White supremacist program, the nation didn’t have a choice in Lincoln’s death. In November, we all have a choice.
(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.)
Anti-war protest, negative peace, and existential threats
When World War II broke out in Europe in 1939, the United States adopted a policy of isolationism. Most Americans were anti-war, but two distinct anti-war attitudes emerged: the conditional view and the absolute view. While the conditional anti-war viewpoint condemned armed action, it did support defensive wars. The absolute anti-war position maintained that human life was so valuable that war should never be conducted, not even in self-defense.
Then, on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Four days later, on December 11th, Nazi Germany declared war against the United States. The majority of Americans abandoned their anti-war stance and rallied behind the war effort against Japan and Nazi Germany. Those who were devoted to the absolute anti-war position continued to condemn war, but many found their opposition to war against Hitler reprehensible. The absolute anti-war activists saw no justification for war due to the moral equivalence they made between America’s flawed republic and Hitler’s fascist state. Making no distinction between the United States and Nazi Germany, or even the lesser of the two evils, was a moral failure, placing those anti-war activists on the wrong side of history.
Anti-war activists recently assembled in Washington, DC, to oppose Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress as well as protest Israel’s war in Gaza. The war began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel from Gaza, murdering over 1,000 civilians and seizing over 100 hostages. Israel declared war with the goal of recovering their hostages, eliminating Hamas’ military capabilities, and removing Hamas from power in Gaza.
ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) organized the anti-war protests.
ANSWER is a far-left, anti-imperialist umbrella group made up of numerous anti-war and civil rights organizations. It formed after Al-Qaeda’s terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. ANSWER’s first major demonstration occurred two weeks after 9/11 to protest the impending invasion of Af-
Kamala
J. Pharoah Doss Check It Out
ghanistan, which harbored the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization.
Supporters of Israel’s war in Gaza argue that Israel has the right to defend itself. According to the anti-war rebuttal, Israel is a settler-colonial, apartheid state that occupies Palestine, and Hamas acted in self-defense, whereas Israel’s military reaction was motivated solely by revenge. Because the absolute anti-war perspective rejects self-defense and retaliation as justifiable reasons for war, the protesters called for a permanent cease-fire to prevent further civilian casualties in Palestine. (Estimates suggest that Israel’s military response resulted in the deaths of over 30,000 innocent Palestinians, many of whom were women and children.)
By demanding a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, anti-war activists hope to resolve a humanitarian crisis widely regarded as one of the worst of the twenty-first century.
The problem with this viewpoint is twofold: it establishes moral equivalency between Hamas and Israel by insinuating that Israel’s military reaction was no different from Hamas’ terror attack, and it fosters a negative peace. A negative peace arises when a third party forces the warring parties to stop fighting but fails to address and resolve the underlying causes of the conflict.
But the biggest problem with this viewpoint is that it fails to distinguish between fighting a defensive war and defeating an existential threat.
As previously noted, the absolute anti-war view condemns defensive wars, but because these protesters are based in America, they fail to understand existential threats. Even after Nazi Germany declared war on the United States, those opposing the war believed that Germany lacked the means to invade the mainland. When ANSWER was founded after 9/11,
they believed Al-Qaeda couldn’t completely destroy the United States, and the invasion of Afghanistan was not a question of defense or national security; rather, it was a demonstration of destruction to warn other terrorist groups of the consequences of attacking America.
The anti-war protesters do not believe Hamas has the military capability to cause serious damage to Israel. Israel may have declared a defensive war, but it has instead undertaken a campaign of collective punishment and genocide to break the will of Palestinian resistance. This entire line of criticism originates from anti-war protesters viewing the Gaza conflict as a David vs. Goliath battle, but in their anti-colonial worldview, Israel is Goliath. Israel would be a Goliath if Hamas were operating alone, but they are not. Hamas is part of an Iranian coalition that believes Israel has no right to exist and is determined to eradicate it from the earth.
Israel is not simply defending itself. Israel is fighting for its existence. During Netanyahu’s congressional speech, he detailed Hamas’ attack on October 7th, and he explained that on October 8th, Hezbollah, an Islamic paramilitary group based in Lebanon, attacked Israel with thousands of missiles. Hezbollah continued its missile onslaught for months, forcing 80,000 Israelis to evacuate northern Israel. Netanyahu described the latest drone attack on Tel Aviv by the Houthis, a Yemen-based Islamic military organization. Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are Iranian proxies. Netanyahu stated that Iran is responsible for all of the terrorism, turmoil, and chaos in the Middle East. So, when Israel battles Hamas, Hezbollah, or the Houthis, it is fighting Iran.
Following Netanyahu’s speech, US Vice President Kamala Harris warned him that, while Israel has the right to self-defense, the humanitarian crisis generated by the war requires an immediate ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
There’s an old saying, “The bystander observes the battle from the moral high ground,” but from that lofty perch, the bystander’s moral compass frequently points in the wrong direction.
Harris ‘Definitely Earned It’ (DEI)
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Vice President Kamala Harris has a political career that is classic textbook. She leveraged her legal training at the University of California into a position in the District Attorney’s office. Then she ran for San Francisco District Attorney, beating the incumbent in a runoff election. She came out on top of a crowded Democratic primary for California Attorney General, and narrowly defeated her Republican opponent for the office in 2010. She overwhelmingly beat her Republican opponent when she ran for re-election in 2014. When she ran for the United States Senate in 2016, she garnered twice as many votes as the next-highest vote getter, and in the final election earned mor than 60 percent of the vote.
The Vice-President’s electoral history is well-know, and I recount it for a reason. Kamala Harris earned increasing responsibility by running for office and winning. There is no diversity, equity and inclusion in electoral politics. The only way you move up is to get more votes than your opponent. If there is any DEI in the Harris record, it’s Definitely Earned It.
Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett made headlines by describing our Vice-President as a “DEI hire”, describing her as “checking all the boxes”. Her electoral record refutes that fact. The Vice President didn’t just drop out of a coconut tree, to paraphrase her. She has worked for every office she has earned. To be sure, she was selected to serve as President
Julianne Malveaux Commentary
Biden’s running mate. But she would not have been selected had she not been elected so many times. If the rabid Republicans stuck to describing our Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as DEI, that would be an ill-placed slur. But former President Trump and his equally woman hating Vice President have stooped even lower, describing our Vice President as “garbage”, ‘bum” and “crazy.” Throw a little “San ‘Francisco liberal” in there to complete the predictable cocktail of slurs and attacks. No one is surprised by the Trump slurs, as the former President is amazingly consistent in his approach to his opponents. Indeed, the inarticulate nature of his slurs leads one to question his mental competency and suggest that he be tested for his comprehension. One wonders how his verbal vomit will survive any international negotiations.
Trump’s Vice presidential nominee JD Vance has the same relationship with truth as his boss, Mr. Trump, does. In making his case against “childless cat ladies”, he accuses Democrats, including
Vice President Harris, of being “anti-family”, but it is Democrats that have advocated profamily policies, including the child tax credit that would lift millions of children out of poverty. Like Trump, Vance does not mind telling outright lies. Kamala Harris is used to the lies, the slurs, the White male disdain. She’s had to deal with that through much of her career, as most women in power have. Trump is an expert at disparaging women, attacking their looks (Carly Fiorina, E. Jean Carroll), their clothing (Nicky Haley), their mental acuity (Nancy Pelosi) and more. All I say to these rabid Republicans is,” bring it”. Vice President Kamala Devi Harris is time enough for you. Mr. Vance has described the Harris candidacy as a “gut punch” to the Trump-Vance ticket. Instead of campaigning against a Biden they’d described as “old” and feeble, they’ve got an opponent who is young, energetic and vital. Instead of debating the Biden who failed to challenge Trump on his incessant lies in the late June debate, he will be debating the prosecutor who sliced and diced Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Vice President Harris is not a gut punch, she is a knockout punch. She has definitely earned the nomination of her party, and indeed the presidency. DEI, indeed! Definitely earned it! (Dr. Julianne Malveaux, a DC based economist and author, is a columnist for the Trice Edney News Wire. Juliannemalvaux.com)
Project 2025: The blueprint for America’s democratic demise
by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24)
Trump is “America’s Hitler.” Those aren’t my words. They’re the words of Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance. That’s what he and many others used to say about Trump before they succumbed to his influence. Now, they’re proclaiming their loyalty by bowing down and kissing the ring of an insurrection inciter, a racist, a sex predator, a twice-impeached, four-time indicted, now convicted felon, and former disgrace of a President. Recently, the Republicans held their national convention. Despite the delusional and deranged policies Trump has been shoving down our throats, he was met with thunderous applause.
Let me paint a picture of a second Trump term, according to MAGA Republicans and Trump’s closest cronies.
Journalist and historian Anne Applebaum aptly noted, “Often, for autocrats, the second time in power is worst.” That’s a chillingly accurate description of what we’d face with Trump, especially with the tyrannical policies in Project 2025.
If you haven’t heard, Project 2025 is a 920-page blueprint for a second Trump term, straight out of a dystopian novel. It’s packed with the horrifying policies MAGA Republicans dream of imposing.
It’s the MAGA Republicans’ plan to take control of this country and our lives. It demolishes checks and balances, tramples personal liberties, and outlines a Trump power grab ripped from a dictator’s playbook.
Trump wants to fire up to 1 million people in the federal government and replace them with a bunch of extreme MAGA Republicans who would do Trump’s bidding instead of the American people and the Constitution.
And let’s talk about your wallet because you can forget about that with Project 2025. MAGA Republicans want to increase taxes on the middle class, gut social security for young Americans, slash Medicare, let employers stop paying overtime, and more.
They also aim to obliterate the Department of Education and eliminate the Head Start program. As a former Head Start educator and school principal, I find this vile and inexcusable.
Project 2025 also wants students in public high schools to take a military entrance exam in an effort to draft them into the military. However, it leaves private school kids untouched.
The cherry on top? They’re hell-bent on banning abortion and restricting access to birth control and Plan B. As someone who knew life before Roe v. Wade and almost died from a stillbirth, we simply cannot go back.
Now, Trump knows this plan is insane and unpopular, and has recently tried to distance himself from Project 2025, claiming he knows nothing about it. But Project 2025 is crawling with former Trump officials and cabinet members.
All MAGA Republicans are trying to do now is lie about Project 2025 so they can win the election and begin to implement this draconian plan—just like authoritarians in other countries did when trying to grab onto power. But we cannot ignore their true vile intentions.
So, what’s next?
Trump used his first term to destroy the guardrails of democracy, stack the courts with loyalists, and make the truth seem like “fake news.”
So, while our democracy survived a first Trump term, it won’t survive a second one.
Don’t take my word for it. Trump said he will become “a dictator on day one.” This isn’t just a scare tactic by Democrats; it’s simply what Trump has already told us will happen if he wins. So, believe him when he says he’ll be a dictator.
There is simply too much at stake to focus on anything other than the choice we have in this election: democracy or dictatorship.
I’m choosing democracy every day.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES Help Wanted
DIRECTOR OF VISUAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
– University of Pittsburgh Physicians seeks a Director of Visual Electrophysiology to work in Allegheny County, PA. Direct the visual electrophysiology service for pediatric ophthalmology. Lead and develop the service and staff. Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Doctorate degree (Ph.D.), or equivalent, in Visual Electrophysiology, Biomedical Engineering, or related field plus seven (7) years of visual electrophysiology or related clinical science experience: delivering pediatric and adult visual electrophysiology services; developing and managing a full visual electrophysiology service; teaching and training students, trainees and technical/ clinical staff; applying scientific and engineering principles in the research and development of technologies and clinical protocols in visual electrophysiology. Onsite work required, with some telecommuting permissible. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 2400025D in the “Search Keyword/ Job ID” field and click Go. EOE.
Carnegie Mellon University seeks Associate Teaching Professor in the School of Computer Science/Software & Societal Systems Department in Pittsburgh, PA, responsible for designing & delivering our Master of Software Engineering (MSE) Programs, which includes teaching courses in Software Engineering as well as curriculum development. Apply at: https://www.cmu.edu/faculty-office /faculty-recruitment/facultycareers.html.
URBAN ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL is seeking positions for Special Education Teacher Associate Dean of Students Student Success Advisor Co-Teacher
Please send all clearances and three references to jobs@urbanacademypgh.org
URBAN ACADEMY FACILITIES ENGINEER
Full time, Monday through Friday Salary and benefits Daily facilities duties as assigned apply to jobs@urbanacademypgh.org
SOUTH FAYETTE TWP. SCHOOL DISTRICT is seeking Food Service Member Building Custodian Deadline August 16, 2024 Complete job description available at: www.southfayette.org EOE
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS POSITION
Silver Eye Center for Photography, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in individual donor engagement in a small nonprofit organization. Please see detailed description and instructions to apply at silvereye.org.
Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, seeks a Power Supply & Traction Power Engineer who will work in Pittsburgh, PA, and unanticipated locations throughout the United States. The employee will have to relocate, but travel is not required from any particular location. Specific duties include: (1) performing grounding design, load flow, harmonic, power flow, voltage drop, arc flash studies using specialized software; (2) developing test procedures and reports in support of design verification and validation during the project life cycle. Apply at: https://careers.hitachi.com.
PPG Industries, Inc., headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, has work-athome Application Developer Specialist – HR IT position (w/ ability to telecommute w/approp. telecommuting sys.; remote worksite must be w/in commuting distance of Pittsburgh, PA for weekly trips to corp. office) to provide analytical & tech. expertise spec’ly w/in corp. payroll & benefits bus. functions, incl. serving as tech. lead in analysis, design, dvlpmnt, & implmntation of bus. solutions. Must be willing & able to travel domest’ly to other PPG & vendor sites up to 10% of time. Apply online at careers.ppg.com.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES Help Wanted
SENIOR PLANNER CORRIDORS
Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking a Senior Planner Corridors to work in PRT’s Planning and Service Development Department within the Corridor Planning Section. This person will be responsible for working with internal and external stakeholders to improve the agency’s transit services to increase ridership, expand access to opportunity and services, and create a more reliable system. This position will lead and manage planning work on transit priority projects as identified in PRT’s 2021 long-range plan, NEXTransit, such as new bus rapid transit and light rail transit. This is a unique opportunity for someone passionate about transit planning, transit design, and strategic development to work with an interdisciplinary team to improve transit for the Pittsburgh region today and in the long-term.
Essential Functions:
• The Position will lead, manage, and produce conceptual design activities for PRT mostly through direct oversight of consultants through corridor and other transit projects, primarily in planning, project development, and pre-preliminary engineering stages.
• Develop and coordinate designs for transit centers, layovers, enhanced transit corridors/ Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail, and other modes.
• Supports full design and construction of capital investments that improve the rider experience and maximize the value of PRT property to the communities we serve. This includes coordinating with relevant municipal agencies and managing public engagement through at least the planning phase of projects.
Job requirements include:
• BS/BA Degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Transportation or Transit Planning, Public Administration or Policy, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Geospatial Science, Geography, or directly related field from an accredited school.
• Minimum of four (4) years of experience in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Transportation or Transit Planning, Public Administration or Policy, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Geospatial Science, Geography, or directly related field.
• Experience coordinating with transit agencies, municipalities, state, and federal government organizations with relevance to transportation and transit.
• Technical knowledge of light rail, heavy rail, commuter rail system elements and bus rapid transit design and operations including knowledge in the interactions of rail, city infrastructure and roadways.
• Experience using Adobe Creative Suite, Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Understanding of how to use social media and online engagement tools.
• Familiarity with transit facilities planning.
• Must be willing to take on duties outside of regular business hours for purposes such as, but not limited to, updating social media channels/ website, attending community and/ or PRT meetings and assisting with Communications functions.
Preferred attributes:
• Graduate Degree in Urban Planning, Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Transportation or Transit Planning, Public Administration or Policy, Geographic Information Systems, Computer Science, Geospatial Science, Geography, or directly related field from an accredited school.
• Experience working for a public sector agency, particularly in transit or transportation function with direct coordination and management of consultant contracts.
• Knowledge of Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s transit system.
• Experience working collaboratively with the public, especially communities of color, newcomers, or other marginalized populations.
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience applying sustainable infrastructure and development practices. This could include maintaining professional certifications such as Envision, LEED, SITES, etc.
• Demonstrated leadership with multi-discipline teams to execute transitrelated projects, delivering projects on time and to budget.
• A working knowledge of relevant software programs for the purposes of geospatial analyses (e.g., Esri), transit routing, and/or transit scheduling.
• AICP certified, PTOE Certified, or other applicable Professional Licensure or intent to earn applicable certification or licensure.
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to:
Danielle Jacobson
Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 DJacobson@RidePRT.org EOE
AUGUST 7-13, 2024
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
Petition to Determine Title to 204 Florien Street, Verona, PA 15204, formerly owned by Joanna M. Lancaster, deceased, filed July 15, 2024 by Ronald Duane Barber, No. 4609 of 2024. Peter B. Lewis, Counsel, Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
LEGAL ADVERTISING Fictitious Name
FICTITIOUS NAME
REGISTRATION
Notice is hereby given pursuant to the provisions of the Fictitious Names Act of Pennsylvania that an application for Registration of a fictitious name (was/will be) filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for the conduct of a business under the fictitious name of WHS4EVER ALUMNI ASSOCIATION with its principal office or place of business at P.O. Box 8746 Pittsburgh, PA 15221 The names and addresses, including street and number, if any, of all persons who are parties to the registration are: Richard L. Morris 7144 Thomas Blvd, Pittsburgh PA 15208, Loretta Reed 1311 Corkwood Drive, Monroeville, PA 15146, Toni L. Allen 5340 Waterford Street, Pittsburgh, Pa 15208
LEGAL ADVERTISING
Bids/Proposals
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT INVITATION FOR BIDS: The Allegheny County Housing Authority is requesting bids from qualified contractors for:
CONTRACT: ACHA-1680 DECK
REPLACEMENT at NEGLEY
GARDENS; Bids must be accompanied by a bid bond, certified check, or bank cashier’s check, payable to the Allegheny County Housing Authority in the amount of five percent (5%) of the bid amount.
DOCUMENTS: Bid documents & specifications for consideration, will be available on/after Wednesday, August 7, 2024, on the Pittsburgh Builder’s Exchange, or the McGraw-Hill websites. Complete IFB Documents can be downloaded from the Housing Agency Marketplace: https:// ha.internationaleprocurement.com/ or from the Pittsburgh Builder’s Exchange, or the McGraw-Hill websites. FEE: No Charge for Emailed / Electronic Transfer documents.
PRE-BID CONFERENCE SITE
WALK THRU: (non-mandatory)
Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 10:00AM EST at NEGLEY GARDENS, 804 Creek Street, Tarentum, PA 15084
QUESTION SUBMITTAL DEADLINE:
Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at 10:00AM EST
BIDS DUE: Wednesday September 11, 2024, at 10:00 AM EST at the Allegheny County Housing Authority (ACHA) Central Office, 301 Chartiers Avenue, McKees Rocks, PA 15136
BOROUGH OF BELLEVUE ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA NORTH JACKSON RETAINING WALL ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Bids for the North Jackson Retaining Wall Project will be received by Bellevue Borough online via PennBID, until 10:00 A.M. local time on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at which time Bids received will be opened electronically and posted on PennBID’s website. The Project includes the following Work: Replacement of Retaining Wall in the alley located between North Jackson Avenue, North Avenue, North Sprague Avenue, and Orchard Avenue in Bellevue Borough, Allegheny County, PA.
Bids will be received for a single prime Contract. All documents and solicitation details are available online at no cost on PennBID –https://pennbid.bonfirehub.com/. Bids shall be accepted online through the PennBID Program. Additional bidding requirements are found in Section 00 21 13, “Instructions to Bidders”, of the Bidding Documents. All bidders must submit bid security of a Certified Check or Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the Base Bid. A pre-bid conference for the Project will be held on Monday, August 19 at 10 a.m. at the project site (Alley between N Jackson and N Sprague – behind 220 N Jackson Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202).
Attendance at the pre-bid conference is strongly encouraged but not required.
All bids shall be irrevocable for 60 days after the bid opening date as provided by the Act of November 26, 1978 (P.L. 1309, No. 317), as amended by the Act of December 12, 1994 (P.L. 1042, No. 142).
JIM KELLY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
BOROUGH OF BELLEVUE
4
3 6 2 9 4 1 5 7
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
The Sports & Exhibition Authority will receive sealed bids for Heating System Repairs as identified below for the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The contract for this work will be with the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Inquiries regarding the bidding should be made to the Sports & Exhibition Authority 171 10th Street, 2nd Floor,
. Additional information on the project can also be found of Accu-Copy’s website at https://accu- copy.com/plan-room.
This Advertisement applies to the following Bid Package: Project: David L Lawrence Convention Center Bid Package Name: Heating System Repairs Bid Package Available:
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR ADMINISTRATION OF CLEAN SLATE E3 OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS
RFP #800-23-24
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Administration of Clean Slate E3 Out-of-School Time Programs
The documents will be available no later than August 5, 2024, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 A.M. on August 28, 2024. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 A.M. on August 28, 2024, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor Procurement, 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: Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor, Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2890 412-456-5007 Fax
A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on August 20, 2024, at 10:00 A.M. Please see the meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 859 1720 7328 Passcode: 018224 +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 its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP
2:00 PM, Monday, August 19, 2024 David Lawrence Convention Center 1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd Pittsburgh, PA 15222
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR CAMERA MAINTENANCE AUTHORITY-WIDE
RFP #350-24-24
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):
Camera Maintenance Authority-Wide
The documents will be available no later than August 5, 2024, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 11:00 A.M. on August 28, 2024. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 11:00 A.M. on August 28, 2024 in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor Procurement, 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: Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor, Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2890 412-456-5007 Fax
A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on August 20, 2024, at 11:00 A.M. Please see the meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 853 6514 5656 Passcode: 124926 +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 its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation.
Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the
of Pittsburgh
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Bedford Dwellings EnVision Center-New Dedicated Heating Plan
IFB#600-21-24
The documents will be available no later than August 5, 2024, and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 10:00a.m. on September 6, 2024, 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 10:00 am on September 6, 2024, in the lobby of 412 Boulevard of the Allies. 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 2024 at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor, 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: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-643-2832
A pre-submission meeting will be held in person; on August 13, 2024, at 10:00 A.M. Please see meeting information below: Pre-Submission Meeting Address: 2305 Bedford Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219
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 its website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, 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.
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time August 21, 2024 and will be opened at the
LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time August 21, 2024 and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria:
GOFIT Backpack Vacuums with Filters
General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasingunder Quick Links.
The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.
We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time August 21, 2024 and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: Window CleaningVarious Locations
General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links.
The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.
We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links.
The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid. We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH
Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time August 21, 2024 and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: ICE MELT
General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 349 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links.
The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid.
We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
