WORKSHOPS Weaving Community to Rebuild Social Trust Social trust starts in our neighborhoods. It is the faith that people will see each other, act with a sense of shared humanity, and do what they ought to do. This past year showed how much our trust in each other has eroded, with a bitter election, an unchecked pandemic, rising and unequal economic pain and overdue demands for racial justice. As we look to rebuild social trust so our nation can move forward, where do we start? How do we help our neighborhoods and local institutions more deeply understand one another and strengthen their connections? This workshop explored ways for weaving communities and building bridges of trust as we chart a path ahead. PRESENTER: Fred Riley, Executive Director, Weave: The Social Fabric Project
Valerie Kinloch
Presley Gillespie
Muffy Mendoza
Fred Riley
PANELISTS: Valerie Kinloch, Renée and Richard Goldman Dean, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh; Presley Gillespie, President, Neighborhood Allies; Muffy Mendoza, Executive Director, Brown Mamas
A Collaborative Effort: The Homewood Community Development Collaborative and the Pitt CEC
Digital Bridge Building to Meet Critical Community Needs Through Strategic Partnership
Mutual benefits, reciprocity, authentic relationships, impact, sustainability, anti-racist practice, asset-framed and driven, partnership, trust building and strengths-based are words that speak to Pitt’s approach to engagements through the Community Engagement Centers (CECs). The Homewood Community Development Collaborative leads efforts to enhance the quality of life. This panel discussion centered on Homewood priorities and discussed ways that Pitt engagements have aligned with Homewood’s vision for itself.
This partnership engaged 12 seniors within the community by teaching computer skills to combat loneliness and isolation. Since the pandemic, digital literacy has become a necessity, especially for older adults. The challenge has been addressing the digital divide and engaging virtually due to limited skills or lack of access to technology.
SPEAKERS: Walter Lewis, Mubarik Ismaeli, Monique McIntosh, Jerome Jackson, Reverend Ware, Jerome Gloster, Daren Ellerbee
Collaborative Partnerships in the Time of COVID: Care and Connection Partners Care and Connection Partners have come together to share best practices and resources to serve clients effectively during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This group shared strategies and lessons learned for effective community-engaged collaboration to better support clients, including group roles, cocreation of materials, communication, resource navigation, advocacy and information sharing.
SPEAKERS: Kirk Holbrook, Alka Singh, Justin LeWinter, Kenzie Eggert
Elevating Family and Community Voices: Highlighting Culturally Humble Approaches This workshop highlighted why and how elevating family and community voices is essential to designing and implementing effective community programs while exploring how participants can use these strategies in their own work. The workshop bright spotted strategies that work, including a video series highlighting immigrant mothers from three cultures whose stories, though unique, share a love of their home culture and a deep desire for those who are working with their children to honor that culture. SPEAKERS: Ivonne Smith-Tapia, Colleen Young
SPEAKERS: Mary Ohmer, Neashia Johnson, Carol Hardeman, Tamra Burchfield, Marlene Williams, Raymond Robinson, Carrie Finklestein
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University of Pittsburgh Community Engaged Scholarship Forum Post-event Report
