1.11.23 NPC

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

When Dr. Sylvia Owusu-Ansah, EMS director for UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, began organizing a prayer vigil for Damar Hamlin last Tuesday, Jan. 3, it was just hours after Hamlin’s cardiac arrest that he

suffered on national television, during the “Monday Night Football” game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.

CPR was performed, and a defibrillator was used to get Hamlin’s heart beating again on the field, but as he was whisked away in an ambulance, no one was sure what the out-

come would be. The entire world was praying for Hamlin.

But before the prayer vigil began on the Sto-Rox High School football field on Monday, Jan. 9, the hundreds in attendance received word that Hamlin, the heart and soul of McKees Rocks, walked out of the Cincinnati hospital, hopped on a plane and flew back to Buffalo.

“Prayer works,” ex-

claimed Brian Cook Sr., director of communications and marketing at Central Catholic High School, at the now-prayer celebration on the Sto-Rox field. Hamlin was a student and football player at Central, graduating in 2016.

“We at Central Catholic are overjoyed to learn that the health of Damar Hamlin is improving...and he has walked out of the hospital,” Cook said to a

rousing applause from the hundreds in attendance on a cold afternoon. “Now that’s exactly what we were praying for, that’s exactly what you were praying for and that’s exactly what the world was praying for. Prayer works.”

Many in the audience knew Hamlin personally, or his family. They watched him play football as a youth in the “Rocks.” They are familiar with his

mother’s (Nina) daycare center, Kelly and Nina’s, also in the Rocks. They were past the point of devastation when they saw or learned of Hamlin’s episode on Monday, Jan. 2. But they got on their knees and prayed.

“It’s just hard to believe what happened to him,” said Toya Bailey, who is good friends with the Hamlin family. “But I’m thankful to God that he’s back. It brought the world together, literally.”

Bri Starr, who identified herself to the New Pittsburgh Courier as Hamlin’s godmother and cousin, called Hamlin “a star both on and off the field,” and McKees Rocks’ “hometown hero.”

Adrienne Roberts, of McKees Rocks, said that Hamlin’s recovery “shows that anything is possible. If we can come together for something like this, we can come together for the day-to-day stuff.”

The crowd displayed physical signs in support of Hamlin and his now-famous “3,” his jersey number. Many in the crowd wore shirts with “3” on them. Pretty much the entire National Football League wore “Love For Damar 3” shirts this past weekend before and during the games.

thenewpittsburghcourier

SUPPORTERS OF DAMAR HAMLIN (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

Black Information Network

Al Roker and his wife, Deborah Roberts, shared new details about his health struggles as the 68-year-old weatherman made his triumphant return to the Today show on Friday (January 6).

“My heart is just bursting. I’m just so thrilled to see all of you and all of the crew and everybody. Right now I’m running on adrenaline and I’m just thrilled to be here,” Roker told his co-hosts during Friday’s show, per Entertainment Tonight.

The Today star last appeared on the November 4 broadcast as he was in and out of the hospital due to health issues that were much more severe than many realized.

“I had two complicating

things. I had blood clots that they think came up after I had COVID in September and then I had this internal bleeding going on. I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was. And finally, they went in, did this surgery. I had two bleeding ulcers. They had to resection the colon, take out my gall bladder,” Roker shared.

“It’s not lost on us that this is a major, major thing for Al to be here,” his wife said. “He is a living, breathing miracle. He really is.... Al was a very, very, very sick man and I think most people don’t know that.”

Roker had to undergo an intense 7-hour surgery to “correct a bunch of internal stuff,” he said.

“[We] were extraordinarily concerned about Al,”

Dr. Felice H. Schnoll-Sussman, Roker’s gastroenterologist, told Today. “Extraordinarily concerned. He had a life-threatening experience. I mean, there’s just no doubt about that.”

During Friday’s show, Roberts recalled the emotional moment when she felt at ease about her husband’s recovery.

“He was so gaunt and exhausted. He said, ‘I’m going to make a spatchcock turkey for Christmas.’ And I didn’t know whether to burst into tears or just to beam,” Roberts said.

“That was the moment for me, and it will always be the moment for me... I’m sitting here hoping he’s going to make it to Christmas and here he is talking about making a turkey for Christmas.”

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to release her first book

Black Information Network

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to be appointed to the nation’s highest court, is writing her first book.

According to NBC News, Jackson is working on a memoir titled “Lovely One,” which comes from an English translation of her birthname, Ketanji Onyika [Brown].

“Mine has been an unlikely journey,” Jackson said in a statement released Thursday (January 5) by Random House. “But the path was paved by courageous women and men in whose footsteps I placed my own, road warriors like my own parents, and also luminaries in the law, whose brilliance and fortitude lit my way. This memoir marries the public record of my life with what is less known. It will

be a transparent accounting of what it takes to rise through the ranks of the legal profession, especially as a woman of color with an unusual name and as a mother and a wife striving to reconcile the demands of a high-profile career with the private needs of my loved ones.”

“My hope is that the fullness of my journey as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, litigator, and friend will stand as a testament for young women, people of color, and dreamers everywhere,” Jackson added, “especially those who nourish outsized ambitions and believe in the possibility of

achieving them.”

Jackson made history and joined the Supreme Court last year after President Joe Biden nominated her to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer.

Though no release date has been set for her upcoming book, Random House said Jackson tells her story with “refreshing honesty, lively wit, and warmth.”

“Justice Jackson invites readers into her life and world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her,” the announcement reads “from growing up in Miami with educator parents who broke barriers during the 1960s to honing her voice as an oratory champion to performing improv and participating in pivotal student movements at Harvard to balancing the joys and demands of marriage and motherhood while advancing in Big Law—and, finally, to making history upon joining the nation’s highest court.”

This Week In Black History

• JANUARY 11

1965—The extraordinarily talented author and dramatist Lorraine Hansberry dies. Deeply committed to the Black struggle, Hansberry’s brilliant career was cut short by cancer. She was only 35. Her primary works included “A Raisin In The Sun” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.” “A Raisin In The Sun” became the first play written by a young Black woman to be produced on Broadway.

1971—Popular R&B singer Mary J. Blige is born on this day in the Bronx, N.Y. Blige starred in the Lifetime movie “Betty and Coretta” alongside Angela Bassett, Malik Yoba and Lindsay Owen Pierre. She played Dr. Betty Shabazz, the widow of Malcolm X. The film premiered in February 2013.

1988—Scientists (paleo-anthropologists) announce the discovery of the “African Eve”—the mother of all humankind. Based on research in East African involving mitochondrial DNA, the researchers from the Welcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford, England, conclude that the original woman evolved in East Africa approximately 200,000 years ago and that all of humanity can ultimately trace their ancestry to this woman. However, some more recent studies suggest that humankind first evolved in Southern Africa.

• JANUARY 12

1890—Educator Mordecai Wyatt Johnson is born in Paris, Texas. Johnson became the first Black president of Howard University and presided over the prestigious Black institution for more than 30 years. He died in 1976.

1920—Civil rights leader James Farmer is born on this day in Marshal, Texas. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s he was among the top three or four most prominent civil rights leaders. He helped organize the “Freedom Rides” to help desegregate public transportation and founded the Congress of Racial Equality. He died in 1999.

• JANUARY 13

1869—On this day in 1869, one of the earliest post-Civil War attempts at organizing Blacks on a national level occurs. The National Convention of Black Leaders is held in Washington, D.C. Frederick Douglass is elected president. Also, the first Black labor union convention takes place. It was called the Convention of the Colored National Labor Union.

1913—The sorority Delta Sigma Theta is organized on the campus of Howard University by 22 coeds. It develops into one of the most prestigious and influential Black Greek letter organizations in the nation.

1953—Don Barksdale becomes the first African-American to play in an NBA AllStar game.

1966—Robert C. Weaver becomes the first Black member of a presidential cabinet. Lyndon B. Johnson appoints him Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

1987—In what many considered a racist decision, Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham rescinds the gubernatorial decree, which had established the birthday of civil rights legend Martin Luther King Jr. as a state holiday. The decision sets off protests and a national Black boycott of Arizona.

1989—Poet Sterling Brown dies. Brown, a middle-class Black, born into one of Washington, D.C.’s, most prominent Black families, has probably never received full credit for the power, thought-provoking and even revolutionary nature of his poetry. He was a professor at Howard University for nearly 40 years.

• JANUARY 14

1895—A group of African-Americans organized the National Steamboat Co. in Washington, D.C. The group sailed the luxury steamer “George Leary” between the nation’s capital and Norfolk, Va., during the waning years of steamboat popularity in America. The George Leary was a triumph for Black entry into business. 1930—Ernest Just becomes vice president of the American Association of Zoologists. Just was perhaps the most noted Black zoologist in American history. He accomplished pioneering research in fertilization and cell division while also publishing more than 70 scientific papers and books. Born in Charleston, S.C., he was a brilliant student who graduated from Dartmouth magna cum laude. He taught at Howard University in Washington, D.C., for years and helped a group of students organize the Black Greek letter fraternity— Omega Psi Phi. Just died in 1941 of pancreatic cancer.

1972—“Sanford and Son” starring Redd Foxx and Demond Wilson premiers on NBC. The sitcom gains almost immediate popularity among Blacks as well as develop a large following of Whites. The name “Sanford” came from John Sanford—Redd Foxx’s real name.

• JANUARY 15

1908—Alpha Kappa Alpha, the first Black Greek letter sorority, is founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., by Ethel Hedgeman Lyle of St. Louis, Mo. The sorority gradually branched out to other campuses and became one of the leading organizational vehicles for college-trained Black women to make their

mark on American society.

1929—Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the man who was to become America’s greatest civil rights hero, was born on this day in 1929. Actually, his original given name was “Michael,” but it was later changed to Martin. He first rose to national prominence as the country’s premier civil rights leader when he successfully led the 1955-1956 Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott by Blacks angered by the arrest of Rosa Parks for her refusal to give up her seat on a city bus to a White man. In 1957, King was elected to head the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which became the leading organization of the civil rights era. Between 1957 and 1968, he traveled more than six million miles, gave more than 2,500 speeches, was arrested more than 20 times, and physically assaulted at least four times—all on behalf of civil rights for American Blacks. Perhaps his most famous speech was the “I Have A Dream” speech given before a crowd of 250,000 during the March on Washington Aug. 28, 1963. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and the nation now celebrates his birth as a national holiday on the third Monday of each January. But during his life, King also became the target of a massive FBI operation that some feel indirectly paved the way for his assassination in Memphis, Tenn., on April 4, 1968.

During his “I Have A Dream” speech, King summarized the purpose of the march and the Civil Rights Movement: “But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”

1961—One of the original super groups— The Supremes—signed with Black record company Motown on this day in 1961. The name was later changed to Diana Ross and the Supremes and the R&B singers rocketed to international fame.

• JANUARY 16

1901—Hiram R. Revels, the first African-American elected to the United States Senate, died on this day in Aberdeen, Miss. Revels, a politician, minister and educator was of Black and Cherokee descent.

1920—Zeta Phi Beta sorority was founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., by five socially conscious Black women. It became one of the nation’s leading Black sororities. It was founded as a sister organization to Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

1950—Dancer-producer Debbie Allen is born on this day in Houston, Texas. She is perhaps best known for her work on the 1982 musical-drama television series “Fame,” where she portrayed dance teacher Lydia Grant, and served as the series’ principal choreographer. She is the younger sister of actress/director/singer Phylicia Rashad.

• JANUARY 17

1759—Paul Cuffee is born near Dartmouth, Mass. He was one of the most prominent Blacks of the 1700s. Born of a Black father and an Indian mother, Cuffee grew wealthy as a whaling captain, ship builder and merchant. He was an ardent fighter for Black rights and built the first integrated school in the state. But in his later years he became frustrated with the slow progress for Black freedom and began to support a program calling for free Blacks to return to Africa and build a nation of their own. He actually financed and helped a small group of Blacks establish a base in the West African nation of Sierra Leone in 1815. His program ended with his death in 1818.

1874—Armed and racist Whites violently seize control of the Texas state government, bringing an end to Reconstruction and to post-Civil War Black rights and gains in the state. Actually, when it became clear that President Andrew Johnson was a friend of the old South and had no intention of enforcing rights for Blacks, Texas-style armed revolts took place in several Southern states in which integrated governments were violently and illegally driven from office.

1927—Multi-lingual singer, dancer and actress Eartha Kitt is born in a small plantation town called North, S.C. But when abandoned by her mother because her second husband did not want to raise a mixed-race child, she was raised by an aunt in New York City. Kitt became a star of stage and screen, including playing the role of Cat Woman in the Batman television series. The U.S. entertainment industry would not touch her for nearly 10 years after a 1968 White House luncheon during which she angered President Lyndon Johnson’s wife by criticizing the war in Vietnam. Kitt died in December 2008 at the age of 81.

1931—Stage and screen actor James Earl Jones is born on this day in Tate County, Miss. Ironically, you cannot tell from his deep baritone voice today that he had a stuttering problem as a child.

1942—Boxing legend Muhammad Ali is born on this day in Louisville, Ky.

Photo: Getty Images

Khari Mosley to challenge Rev. Ricky Burgess for City Council seat

Supporters call Mosley a ‘we person,’ not a ‘me person’

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Who will represent Pittsburghers, many of whom are Black, in the city’s 9th District on City Council? Will it continue to be Rev. Ricky Burgess, who’s held the position since 2007?

If it’s up to longtime activist Khari Mosley, it will be Mosley himself in the position.

Mosley is the political director for 1 Hood Media. But he’s been around longer than 1 Hood itself in Pittsburgh, dabbling in the political scene but never truly making a run for elected office in the city. Until now.

“For the first time in recent memory, the people are at the center of the political agenda,” Mosley said at an event

announcing his candidacy for the first time in-person, at the Blue Sky Bar in East Liberty, Jan. 5. “The overriding question in my mind was, what are we willing to do to meet this moment? Are we content with what we’ve done so far? Have we done enough already? Is our work done? Or are we ready to continue to do the work we’ve started...a focus on holistic public safety, resilient infrastructure, affordable housing, fair wages, climate protection, food security, equity, inclusion and other key policy areas. This is a question I had to ask myself as I pondered making this life-changing decision. I realized that part of finishing the work we started was me to step up and do my part.”

And that part is run -

ning for a City Council seat that sports a wide range of audiences— Black, White, Asian; affluent to low-income; with issues ranging from gentrification in East Liberty to hope for Homewood to become what it once was economically, some decades ago.

“I am running to restore faith in the idea that government can get the people’s decision done, improve the quality of life in every neighborhood, and inspire our citizens to believe that Pittsburgh’s best days are yet to come. If we dare to be bold, think big and rise up to meet this moment, there is so much that we can do.”

There was no mention of Rev. Burgess by Mos -

KHARI MOSLEY (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

MONICA MALIK WITH KHARI MOSLEY

SEE MOSLEY

ley in Mosley’s 20 minutes worth of remarks. And some of those who spoke prior to Mosley didn’t mention the reverend’s name, either. But there was an underlying tone that Rev. Burgess isn’t as transparent or accessible to residents as he should, as current councilman.

“I’m excited to have

timism over pessimism and unity over division.”

Reverend John C. Welch was the emcee for the event. He’s obviously supporting Mosley; after all, his wife, the aforementioned Rev. B. DeNeice Welch, ran against Rev. Burgess four years ago.

“This man (Khari Mosley) is cooler than LL Cool J,” Rev. John C. Welch told the crowd.

somebody representing me,” said 1 Hood Media Founder/CEO Jasiri X, “that’s going to put the interests of community over his own ego...over somebody trying to say, ‘Look what I did.’” Jasiri X, speaking prior to Mosley, called Mosley a “we person,” not a “me person.”

No matter the attacks, Rev. Burgess has remained in office. In 2019, he defeated Randall Taylor, Barbara Daniels and Rev. B. DeNeice Welch to keep his seat. Reverend Burgess had about 40 percent of the vote. Taylor, an activist known largely for his fight to keep Penn Plaza from being torn down in East Liberty several years ago, received 28 percent. Following the election, Taylor turned to Twitter to say that it was the second time “60 percent of our community has voted against Ricky Burgess.”

However, Rev. Burgess, nor any City Council candidate, has to get at least a 51 percent vote to win. They just have to outdo all the other contenders. So it’s clear that there are Rev. Burgess supporters out there.

They just weren’t at Mosley’s campaign announcement party.

“We can serve the needs of the people, instill a sense of hope in our neighborhoods, and provide solutions to the challenges we face as a city,” Mosley proclaimed. “This race is about choosing positivity over negativity, op -

“He’s calmer than Coolio. Nothing rattles him...he engages everybody. He sits and listens to those who need to have a listening ear. He’s the next councilman for District 9.”

MOSLEY FROM A4

KHARI MOSLEY, WITH HIS CHILDREN. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

ASHLEY COMANS WITH KHARI MOSLEY

ROLAND FORD WITH KHARI MOSLEY

Each month, these pages focus on health topics and disparities in health that are especially relevant for Black/African American people. The 2023 series of the New Pittsburgh Courier, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, UPMC Center for Equity and Inclusion, and University of

Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will focus on social determinants of health, also known as social and structural influences on health. To help us introduce this topic, we invited Drs. Conti and Bui to give their input. Why will this series focus on social determi-

nants of health?

I have had the privilege of leading the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh for the past year. During this time, I have come to appreciate —even more deeply—the history of the Urban League and how critical this organization is in supporting economic justice and op-

portunities for our Black community members. The Urban League assists with housing, food securi-

ty, employment opportunities, and education, all of which have a profound impact on our health and well-being.

What do you hope that community members will learn from these health pages?

The Urban League’s collaboration with the New Pittsburgh Courier, UPMC Center for Equity and Inclusion, and CTSI is over a decade old now.

Through this collaboration, we hope that these

monthly pages help our community members gain knowledge and increase their understanding of how health inequities are rooted in policies and practices.

By better recognizing the social determinants of health, we can all see the critical roles we play together to strengthen the social fabric of our communities and to promote health equity for all.

How your ZIP code impacts your health

From neighborhood to neighborhood, conditions that affect your health are unequal. Community-driven, cooperative efforts can change that for the better.

Our individual health— and the health of our communities percentis greatly affected by non-medical conditions beyond our control. This includes where we’re born, grow up, work, live, and grow old.

These conditions are often the result of social, political, and economic forces that shape our world, such as slavery, segregation, and redlining.

Called “social determinants of health (SDoH),” the conditions account for about 80 percent of people’s health outcomes. That includes increasing the risk of developing diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart problems, and others.

SDoH are broken down into five areas:

Education opportunities and quality: Are children and teens doing well in school?

Economic security: Are people earning a steady income so they can pay healthcare and other bills?

Social and community conditions: Do people have healthy relationships and interactions with family members, co-workers, friends, neighbors, and others?

Neighborhood and the physical environment: Are there safe places for

people to live free from toxic elements, violence, and other risks? Does the neighborhood have safe green spaces and sidewalks in good shape?

Health care availability and quality: Are timely, high-quality health care services available, affordable, and reachable? This includes things like cancer screenings, medications, and preventative care.

It’s easy to understand the power these conditions have over our health when we consider the impact of a child born into a neighborhood that struggles with economic security.

According to health.gov, children born into low-income families are more likely to struggle with math and reading.

They’re less likely to graduate from high school or go to college. This means they’re less likely to get a safe, high-paying job and more likely to have health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

The stress of living in poverty can also affect a child’s brain development and make it harder for them to do well in school.

Interventions to help children and adolescents do well in school—and help families pay for college—can have long-term health benefits.

For Black people, social determinants of health have existed in the U.S. before our country was formally founded.

Since that time, the determinants have had the greatest impact on Black and Brown communities in the form of major health inequities.

Historically, this inequality has largely been ignored or sidelined by policies shaped by systemic racism.

In the 1960s, for example, paying for the Vietnam War put an end to funding and support for a national plan to reduce poverty levels, racial injustice, and crime. According to Dr. Martin Luther King, the war was another example of race-based domination.

Today, however— thanks to the rise of social media and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic —ignoring health inequities in Black and Brown communities is impossible.

“Social media has become a powerful tool to expose and have conversations about health injustices,” says Dr. Tracey Conti, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

“The pandemic in particular has exposed those injustices, brought them into the light, and resulted in change on the local and national level.”

Dr. Conti, who’s dedicated her career to empowering underserved patients, believes that where people live shouldn’t play such a powerful role in their

DR. CONTI

organizations and is run by East Liberty resident Thomas Washington, Program Director, UPMC Health Plan.

One of the most important features of the center is its computer workstations for public use. The idea is to help improve health outcomes by breaking down one of the largest

Conti continues.

The center also offers two private rooms for telehealth visits, a food pantry to improve food security, and job training sessions. It features temporary childcare for parents who are visiting the center, and other programs and services specifically requested by community members.

Dr. Conti is hopeful the center’s presence will be a starting point for creating deeper trust between East Liberty residents and healthcare organizations like UPMC—and be a model for creating other centers.

health. “Pittsburgh will be an even greater city when every ZIP Code shares the same positive health outcomes,” she says.

According to Dr. Conti, that’s not a far-fetched idea—if the policies that support positive health outcomes are driven by community engagement and collaboration.

A recent example of local collaboration opened in December in the form of the new UPMC Health Plan Neighborhood Center in East Liberty.

The center was created based on input from more than 30 community

employment and medical care barriers for underserved communities: lack of broadband.

“We saw a major disparity in Education Access and Quality during the early days of the COVID shutdown,” says Dr. Conti. “Children in underserved areas couldn’t transition to online school quickly. There was no high-speed internet access and they lacked equipment.

“The same is true when people are trying to apply online for jobs, access medical care, or complete voting-by-mail forms,” Dr.

“The UPMC Neighborhood center is an important resource that was created based on what the community wanted and needed—not what UPMC thought they should have,” she explains. “It was built by listening to the community not directing them. The goal was not to make money, but to improve the conditions that can impact people’s health.”

Will the center be a success and improve the health outcomes for the people it serves?

“East Liberty residents will be the judge of that,” Dr. Conti says. “The center is a small example of community engagement. It shows the power people have when they partner with healthcare organizations to make the conditions of health the same —regardless of where people live.”

Teaching med students to be in relationship with communities

The University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine (UPSOM) recently submitted a proposal. If it’s approved, it will place qualifying Pitt medical students into 32 community-based organizations (CBOs) that focus on underserved areas of our city.

Called the Community Alliance Program, or CAP, the partnership will engage approximately 150 medical students in learning and practicing how to identify, address—and improve—social determinants of health (SDoH).

“Each group of nine to 10 CAP students will work for and form relationships with a CBO,” explains Dr. Thuy Bui, Professor of Medicine, General Internal Medicine at Pitt.

CAP’s goal is for students to learn and support the organization’s work for the duration of their medical training.

This is the first program of its kind in Pittsburgh to require such a lengthy time commitment. “We want CAP to have a positive impact on our community partners and that can only happen over a period of years,” Dr. Bui

notes.

BUI-THUY

“It takes time for CAP students to understand the CBO and its purpose,” she continues, “and time for them to get to know the community members they’re serving. CBO members, too, need time to build trust in the students.”

Most importantly, it takes time for CAP students to build empathy and appreciation for the conditions that impact patients’ health.

During the four-year commitment, CAP students will identify and intervene on social determinants of health.

They’ll develop community engagement skills and advocate for positive changes to healthcare and social care.

Hopefully, the CAP experience will ultimately translate into each student’s future doctoring

skills.

How will it happen? CAP students will learn each patient’s history, conduct a physical, and make an assessment and plan (such as scheduling more tests or prescribing medicine).

The student will then take the next step and determine if social determinants of health may be contributing to the patient’s condition.

Dr. Bui explains.

“Let’s say a patient’s blood pressure is higher than normal. Standard treatments, like medicine, exercise, and diet, aren’t lowering it. What else could be contributing to this condition? That’s when the CAP student will ask questions about what’s going on in the patient’s life.”

“By taking the time to listen and understand the patient, the CAP student learns he’s having trouble paying his rent due to a rent hike,” she continues. “That information changes everything! Now the treatment must include medicine, exercise, and diet to lower his blood pressure—and help dealing with his financial stress.”

CTSI…Collaborating to design research with impact

We are entering our 12th year of this collaboration with the New Pittsburgh Courier, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).

CTSI is committed to ensuring that community priorities are routinely recognized and addressed (reciprocity), that studies anticipate and accommodate participant concerns and needs (receptivity), and that community members contribute meaningfully at every step of the research process (collaboration).

By embedding these concepts in CTSI programs, we seek to enable the design

and conduct of research with impact. The health pages in the Courier are accompanied by a Lunch and Learn series (currently virtual) to hear about the research in greater detail.

In 2023, we hope to bring back the Dinner and Dialogue series, which take place at the University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Centers, and encourage deeper discussion about topics featured in these pages.

These monthly health pages began by sharing the findings from the “Allegheny County Health in Black and White,” a report produced in 2011 by the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Health Department, and the University of

Pittsburgh University Center for Social and Urban Research.

Now, the monthly health pages feature current research on a health topic, community resources, and reflections from the Urban League’s president Carlos Carter. It is fitting that we are focusing the 2023 health pages on social and structural influences on health. We will reflect back on what we reported on over a decade ago, where there has been progress, and where we need more research and action.

Thank you for joining us in this shared learning! Please send feedback and ideas for topics to cover via email to leah.mckown@ pitt.edu.

In this example, the CAP student can advocate on the patient’s behalf by contacting a rent subsidy program —then writing to local and state representatives about the need for affordable housing. The

student can also vote for politicians who support these issues.

If CAP is approved, Pitt’s participating students will take an important first step in providing life-changing medicine.

According to Dr. Bui, “They’ll take a truly holistic approach that not only improves the individual’s health, but also adds to the health of the community.”

CARLOS T. CARTER

Hundreds celebrate Hamlin’s recovery at Sto-Rox football field

Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center were elated to tell how much Hamlin was progressing in the days after the cardiac arrest. Hamlin was in the intensive care unit for a few days in critical condition, but by mid-week, Hamlin was able to communicate to doctors, asking through pen-and-pad, “Did we win?” “Who won the game?”

Doctors responded with: “You won. You won the game of life.”

Prior to Hamlin’s Buffalo Bills teammates taking the field to play the New England Patriots on Sunday, Jan. 8, Hamlin tweeted a photo of him in his hospital bed, wearing a “3” hat and a “Love For Damar 3” shirt, with his par-

ents by his side. His caption? “GAMETIME!!!” Hamlin made his hands into a heart symbol in the photo.

Tre Tipton was a teammate of Hamlin at Pitt. Tipton is from Apollo, Pa., and knows Hamlin well. “Damar is life-changing,” he said at the podium at the prayer celebration, Jan. 9. “We live in a world where it’s becoming a Godless nation, and Damar got the whole world to pray....He has this way about him that any room that he walks into, you know he’s there, without question; D-Ham is in the building. All I can say about a man so special is, he’s not just ‘chasing millions’ (the name of Hamlin’s foundation), he’s reaching millions.”

Dorian Glenn, Hamlin’s uncle, who many

saw in Cincinnati in front of television cameras last week to inform the public that there was encouraging news about his nephew’s recovery, spoke at the prayer celebration on the Sto-Rox field, Jan. 9. “I think the lesson that I took from all of this is that we really got to see the power of prayer in full effect, and coming together in love. We can accomplish a lot more when we come together in love than when we stay divided in hate. Hate doesn’t do anything but create more hate.”

Glenn encouraged those in attendance to “take this time to love your family members, neighbors, co-workers, tell someone you haven’t seen in a while that you love them.”

Cameron Culliver,

president of the StoRox School Board, said at the podium that Hamlin showed “kids, adults, and the community that it’s OK to chase your dream and live your dream. Damar had a dream, he chased

his dream and right now he’s living it. It’s a reminder that there’s no dream that’s too big or too small.”

McKees Rocks Mayor David Flick said that Hamlin does good everywhere he goes, not

because he thinks he’s special, but “because he thinks we are special. I am 52 years old and I’m trying to figure out how I can be more like Damar.”

He also announced that from now on, January 9 will be a holiday in the borough of McKees Rocks. “It will be a day in which we think about how we can do some good...it will be a day where we think about Damar Hamlin and remember what is possible.”

Cook, the Central Catholic director of communications and marketing, added: “To Damar’s family, the Sto-Rox community, the McKees Rocks community...to those who knew him growing up, played with him on the football field...we will always stand in solidarity with you to make sure that Damar makes a full recovery and will be back in full force to be a champion for his community. Why? Because prayer works.”

SUPPORTERS OF DAMAR HAMLIN, AT A PRAYER CELEBRATION, JAN. 9, AT STO-ROX’S FOOTBALL FIELD. (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO)

HAMLIN FROM A1

“PRAYER WORKS” was the message from Central Catholic director of communications and marketing Brian Cook Sr.

TRE TIPTON was a teammate of Hamlin at Pitt.

REV. WALKER SAYS: The Word Proverbs 29:18—Where there is NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH; but he that keeps the law, happy is he.

Thom Bell, co-creator of ‘The Sound of Philadelphia,’ dies at 79

by the Oakland (Calif.) Post

Songwriter Thom Bell, a classically trained instrumentalist who wrote songs for 1970s singing groups Delfonics, Spinners and Stylistics, passed away at his home Bellingham, Wash., on December 22, 2022. He was 79.

With Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, Bell gained renown in creating what became known as the “Sound of Philadelphia,” writing, arranging and producing songs for those soul groups as well as the O’Jays, Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials and individu -

al artists including Phyllis Hyman, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, The Temptations, Phyllis Hyman, Dee Dee Bridgwater, Elton John, Fatboy Slim, Dusty Springfield, David Byrne, Joss Stone and more.

“Thom Bell left an indelible and everlasting mark on the history of popular music, but even more so, he will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind and loving friend and family man. The music world has truly lost one of the greats,” his attorney wrote in a statement published in Billboard magazine.

Born in 1943 and raised in West Philadelphia, Bell showed early talent as a musician and went on the road with Chubby Checker as a touring conductor in his early 20s. His familiarity with classical and global instruments like bassoons, oboe and sitars made his productions lush and full, influencing Soul music for some time afterwards.

His first production gig was in with the Delfonics, producing the hits “La-La Means I Love You,” and “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” in 1969. In 1972, he produced The Stylistics self-titled first album and later helped The

Spinners achieve hits with “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love.”

His 11-year partnership with fellow songwriter Linda Creed, yielded several more hits, among them “People Make the World Go Round,” and “You Are Everything.”

In 1975, Bell became the first winner in the Grammy category ‘Best Producer of the Year.’

He worked in the 1990s with James Ingram, David Byrne, Angela Winbush and Josh Stone. In 2006, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and won the Grammy Trustees Award in 2016. Bell is survived by his wife, Vanessa, and children Royal, Troy, Tia, Mark, Cybell, and Christopher.

Traditional academia instructs many of us that: Cultural psychology is the study of how cultures reflect and shape the psychological processes of their members. It is based on the premise that mind and culture are inseparable and mutually constitutive, meaning that people are shaped by their culture and their culture is also shaped by them. One of the elements that impact our lives daily is sports. In an interview that I conducted with the late great MLB legend Frank Robinson, I asked him what was his impression of the impact that Jackie Robinson had on baseball. He replied, “Jackie not only had a lasting effect on Major League Baseball, but he also had an even bigger impact on society in general, especially the corporate world. His performance as an athlete caused a few power brokers in the corporate world to pause and ask themselves the question: if Blacks could perform at such a high level on the field, maybe that excellence could be duplicated in the boardroom?”

In professional sports, first and foremost Blacks had to gain access just to compete on the professional gridirons, baseball diamonds and basketball courts. Many decades passed before the names of “negroes” were even mentioned regarding filling management positions. Oh, by the way, I don’t believe in or have Black history moments or months. Because as far as I’m concerned, Black history continues to evolve. Why have I adopted this opinion? Well, because according to my father the late Oprah Elliot Bruce, “When you cease to evolve, you begin to dissolve.”

Over and Under

Dad, you ain’t never lied. This piece is a sort of a partial eclectic review of the evolution of the cultural dynamics of the NFL in general and the Pittsburgh Steelers, specifically. Currently, numerous safeguards have been put in place for the welfare of “many” of the players that perform at the quarterback position.

The reason that I didn’t say “all” of the players that perform at the quarterback position was because the “roughing the passer” penalty has never applied equitably when it came to tackling Black quarterbacks because many of them have always been culturally perceived as “Mandingo warriors,” usually erroneously indicating that they are stronger and have a much higher pain threshold than many of their White counterparts.

On Sept. 27, 2015, the following was posted on usatoday.com: Carolina Panthers quarterback (Cam) Newton was clocked by Saints defensive lineman Tyeler Davison after releasing the ball and argued that Davison should’ve been called for a late hit. In a press conference following the game, the 26-yearold said that now (retired NFL referee) Ed Hochuli told him, “Cam you’re not old enough to get that call.”

Why didn’t Hochuli just be honest and say, “Cam you’re not White enough to get that call.”

What does age have to

do with protecting a player that is left vulnerable every time he drops back to pass? Recently, when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after a tackle in a Monday night game against the Bengals there were a few folks that were in favor of restarting the game, even though a near-fatality had just occurred on the field. Commentator Skip Bayless had this initial opinion of the game being delayed because of the life-threatening injury. Bayless tweeted the following. “Not exactly sure what happened to Damar Hamlin. Players on both teams are shaken. Ambulance out on the field. CPR administered. Can’t remember play being stopped for this length of time. Just said a prayer for him and his family.”

He continued by writing: “I’ve seen so many horrific injuries suffered on football fields yet never have I seen a reaction like this.

In every other situation, I witnessed or covered, the game always went on fairly quickly.” And finally, he finished filling up his “well of nonsense” by writing: “No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game—but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Strahan called the Bayless tweet “inhumane.” Shannon Sharpe, the on-air partner of Bayless, even took a day off in protest of the ill-advised remarks. Why would this response from a White

man that comes from a generational culture that often doesn’t even perceive Black people as human beings be surprising?

I would be surprised if Bayless had an ounce of empathy for a young African American man.

What did Skip Bayless think he was watching, a cockfight or maybe a dogfight? Bayless seems like the type of guy that would become livid when a boxing referee stops a boxing match so that the life of a participant won’t be endangered. How much money did the Las Vegas bookmakers and the betting public lose or stand to gain when the Bengals and Bills game was unceremoniously postponed? Was Skip Bayless on the losing end? What was the over/under of the game?

When I read his quote, I immediately thought of a scene from the movie “Django” where two Black slaves were forced to fight to the death for the amusement of the slave owner, Calvin Candy. There are many NFL fans that imagine themselves as wielding the power of Caesar, sitting high up in the Roman Coliseum on the throne issuing life or death sentences to the participants with gestures of thumbs up or thumbs down, just like the managers of Walmart or McDonald’s do as they lie in wait to terminate the common folk with the untimely gesture of a hefty thumbs down when they miss that extra day of work or are late one too many times.

TOMLIN AND CAPEL ARE STILL STANDING!

:10— Of course they will never, never . . . never ever say it, so I’ll say it. Not for them, I can’t do that. But for those of you that know me, you know I have zero problem shouting out the truth when it needs to be told. I TOLD YOU SO . . . I TOLD YOU SO . . . I TOLD YOU SO!!!

:09— I told you what . . . you say? That Coach Mike Tomlin is worth his weight in gold. That if he for some insane reason were to be gone from the Steelers organization at 12 noon, he would have a new job at 12:05. That every part of offensive football begins with the O-Line including the snap of the ball, and at long last they have arrived! And lastly, injuries on the defensive side of the ball is a

Super Bowl killer, but look what happens when everyone is back . . . in spite of Devin Bush!

: 08— A bit more truth telling if you will. For the closet racists out there that choose to hide on line or behind “1865 Hoodies,” you will have to settle in for another 15-year run of Tomlin undefeated seasons. Oh please, come on. You know who you are and you know where you are. As long as you stay hidden, that’s all that matters!

:07— Say what you want and I am sure you will. The world and Steeler nation more specifically would have been a better and more lucrative place to be if Matt Canada were not the offensive coordinator. That, my friend, is

not the word you have to accept from me. The national experts have been telling you all year!

:06— And finally, if you want to know how valuable the middle linebacker is on any team, the following names will tell you why Devin Bush was a miss and a bust and must go! Jack Lambert, James Farrior, Kevin Greene, Andy Russell and others including Ray Lewis, “The Great” Dick Butkus, Ray Nitschke, and the unstoppable Lawrence Taylor (mic drop!!!)

:05— So you wanted to force yourself to believe that the man that played for “Coach K” and that coached with “Coach K” can’t coach! And while so doing you would somehow conveniently forget the hot mess he inherited from Kevin Stallings . . . he of the

24-41 two-season record. I won’t relive that nightmare for you, but I’ll tell you this. When I hear how bad your players feel about your coaching when I am eating wings at the dearly departed “Savoy” . . . that’s bad! :04— Trust me when I tell ya, or research it for yourself . . . there has never been a slow horse that won the Kentucky Derby. What’s my point you ask? The point is, Little Johnny, you can’t win the race or any game without the horses! I don’t care if your name is Jeff Capel or Bobby

Knight. Now that he has the players, look at the magic happen . . . or is it?

:03— Speaking of the players, let’s start with Jamarius Burton #11 . . . this man is what I call a Connie Hawkins League Hall of Famer. By that I mean he can flat out play. You wanna play straight up indoor ball with all the lights—action—camera—he’s your man. But if you wanna take it to the streets and get your asphalt game on, he’s good there, too. And trust me, there’s a difference! To that point “Coach C” has brought some players to town. And for-real players don’t care if you’re from Clemson, Duke, North Carolina or from around the way. They will give you work!

:02— For the crew Blake Hinson, Nelly

Cummings, Federiko Federiko . . . say what? (never mind just get to a game) at which time you will see Pitt Basketball is back and seats are filling up fast. And it goes without saying when “Big John” Hugley returns to the lineup and the twins D. J. Graham and D. G. Graham get fully invested in the American way of nasty ball, there’s gonna be a lot of alumni humble pie to be eaten!

:01— I’ll leave you with the most important part of this. Both men, Mike Tomlin and Jeff Capel, maintain the utmost in professionalism and first-class character in spite of the doubters and the words coming from the hidden contingent.

:00—GAME OVER.

THE STEELERS’ DIONTAE JOHNSON holds on as he’s being tackled by Cleveland Browns players, Jan. 8, at Acrisure Stadium. (Photos by Courier photographer Brian Cook Sr.)

DOWN GOES WATSON—The Steelers get to the Cleveland quarterback, Jan. 8, at Acrisure. (Photos by Brian Cook Sr.)

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.:

5 things I’ve learned curating the MLK Collection at Morehouse

by Vicki Crawford Morehouse College

For the past 12 years, civil rights historian Vicki Crawford has worked as the director of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection, where she oversees the archive consisting of iconic sermons, speeches, writings and other materials belonging to King.

Few archives of historical papers compare with the importance of the Morehouse King Collection. Aside from King’s life, the collection chronicles many of the major events that occurred during the civil rights movement.

Since joining Morehouse, Crawford says she especially enjoys introducing younger generations to King and helping them understand the powerful lessons of the struggle for social justice, particularly how everyday people organized and worked for social change.

Of the countless things she has seen, read and learned about King’s theology and civil rights activism, Crawford details five of the countless aspects of his life that stand out.

An avid reader King read voraciously across a wide range of topics, everything from the “The Diary of Anne Frank” to “Candide.” Of course, he also read about

theology and religion and philosophy and politics. But he especially enjoyed literature and the works of Leo Tolstoy.

The Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection includes approximately 1,100 books from King’s personal library, many with his handwritten notes throughout.

Some of the titles: “Col-

lected Works of Mahatma Gandhi,” “Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar,” “Deep River: Reflections on the Religious Insight of Certain of the Negro Spirituals” by Howard Thurman, “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison, “Kinfolk” by Pearl S. Buck and “Moral Man and Immoral Society: A Study in Ethics and Politics” by Reinhold Niebuhr.

Others include “Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom,” “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson, “Prison Notes” by Barbara Deming, “Killers of the Dream” by Lillian Smith and “Here and Beyond the Sunset” by Nannie Helen Burroughs.

A celebrated writer

Following the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott, which started in 1955,

King became a national figure whose ideas and opinions were heavily sought out by book publishers, newspapers and magazines.

He became a prolific writer and authored countless letters—arguably the most famous being “Letter from Birmingham Jail”—as well as several books, among the most notable “Why We

Can’t Wait” and “Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?”

But many Americans may not know that he wrote a regular column in Ebony magazine, the leading Black national publication at the time. In his “Advice for Living” column, he took questions from readers and

REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. relaxes at home with his wife Coretta and first child Yolanda in May 1956 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

CROWN PRINCE HARALD AND KING OLAV OF NORWAY congratulate King after he receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo in 1964. (Bettmann) IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH taken between 1944 and 1948, Martin Luther King Jr. attends a weekly chapel service in Sale Hall at Morehouse College. (Courtesy of Morehouse College.)

GANDHI WALKS WITH SAROJINI NAIDU in 1931. (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images)

addressed a wide range of subjects, including personal questions about marital infidelity, sexual identity, birth control, race relations, capital punishment and atomic weapons.

A follower of Gandhi

In 1959, King and his wife visited India, where King’s commitment to the nonviolent teachings of Gandhi expanded and deepened. King always carried a note with him on a scrap of paper that read “Gandhi Speaks for Us. …”

A lover of music Music formed an important part of King’s life, beginning with his childhood experiences in Ebenezer Baptist Church, where his mother, Alberta Williams King, was the church organist. Alberta King introduced young M.L., as he was called, to music as a child. He later sang solos and sang with the church choir. While a student at Morehouse

College from 1944 to 1948, Martin Luther King Jr. sang in the renowned Morehouse College Glee Club as well as the Atlanta University-Morehouse-Spelman Chorus.

Following his marriage to Coretta Scott in 1953, King expanded his world of music even more. He met Coretta in Boston, where she was studying to become a concert soprano at the New England Conservatory of Music. Coretta introduced King to classical music. He came to appreciate both sacred and secular music and enjoyed jazz and blues as well.

Some of King’s favorite hymns and gospel songs included “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” “How I Got Over,” “Thank You, Lord” and “Never Grow Old.”

King was also a friend to Aretha Franklin and her father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

King felt that music was

a powerful element in activism and nonviolent protest.

A Nobel Prize winner

At the age of 35, King was the youngest person, the third African American and the 12th American, to win the coveted Nobel Peace Prize for his steadfast belief that nonviolence was an integral part of obtaining full citizenship rights for Black people in America.

On Dec. 10, 1964, King announced that he was donating the Nobel Prize money to the civil rights movement.

(Vicki Crawford, Professor of Africana Studies, Morehouse College This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.)

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. rides a Montgomery bus up front with Glenn Smiley of Texas. (Photo by Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, center, is flanked by guests Martin Luther King Jr. and wife Coretta Scott King during a one-month visit to India in 1959. (Bettmann)

PROPERTY IS POWER

What to know about home inspection as a homebuyer

As a homebuyer one of the most critical steps of the purchasing process is obtaining a home inspection. At Kellum Mortgage, we’re here to help you every step of the way on your home buying journey. Here, we’ve compiled the key elements of a home inspection. While each of these steps is important, they should not be overwhelming. With a team of professionals by your side, including your realtor and inspector, you’ll be able to make your home purchase knowing you’re aware of most large faults and with a plan to rectify them.

• Select a home inspector

• Schedule and attend your home inspection

• Review your inspection report

• Determine your next steps after the inspection report

What is a Home Inspection?

A home inspection protects you, the buyer, from future trouble with your new home. Ideally, an inspector will discover anything wrong with the home during an inspection. This allows you and the seller to determine how you will handle repairs before you finalize the purchase. At the very least, it gives you a better picture of the home you are purchasing and whether it is in working order or will need repairs down the road. So, even if you do wind up having to pay for these pre-determined repairs, knowledge is power and it’s best to know the full picture. No one likes unwelcome surprises when purchasing a hoe. Having your home inspected in a timely fashion helps to avoid these surprises, serving as a key advantage of a home inspection.

Let’s dive into

the steps:

• Select a Home Inspector

• Referrals from friends

• Sites such as Angi

• Your real estate agent and professional organizations Schedule and Attend Your Home Inspection Your home inspection will take place shortly

Four steps to achieving financial freedom

by JP Morgan

ANTHONY O. KELLUM

after the seller has accepted your offer. You will want to have the home inspected as soon as possible, usually within a 10-day window. Typically, you will include a contingency in your offer regarding the results and outcomes of the inspection. So, don’t worry about making an offer before having the home inspected. As the homebuyer, you are responsible for setting up the home inspection. While only the inspector needs to be present, we recommend that you accompany the inspector and walk through the home with him or her. This gives you a chance to ask questions along the way.

What to Expect on Inspection Day

On inspection day, you and your home inspector will walk through the house looking at

SEE HOMEBUYER B2

Financial independence means different things to different people. For some, it means having a savings account that’s flush with cash, or building generational wealth that will change their family’s future. For others, it’s a life free of credit card debt and mortgage payments, or a life full of travel. The definition is uniquely yours—depending on your long-term financial vision.

Achieving financial independence is attainable with clear steps and a strong focus. It starts with setting goals; creating and managing your budget; paying down debt and saving; and evaluating your progress regularly.

Whatever financial independence means to you, today is a good day to start developing habits that will help set you up for a solid financial future. To help you start, here are four simple steps that you can take today to better manage your money and give you better peace of mind.

Step 1: Set achievable goals. The first step to

achieving financial independence is to define what that means to you. What does your ideal lifestyle look like? Does a specific idea or goal come to mind?

If so, think about it as something you can work toward. Perhaps it’s early retirement or eventually downsizing to a less expensive living situation, which leaves more flexibility in the near-term.

Step 2: Create and manage your budget. Once you’ve set goals, create a budget. Your desired lifestyle will help you decide how much money you need to allocate to assets like savings, retirement and investments to reach your goals on time. View budgets as a living document that fluctuates over time as spending evolves from month-to-month.

life events and market cycles might affect your path forward, and help you adjust your strategy to stay on track.

Step 3: Pay down debt and start saving. It’s difficult to be free of financial hardship when you’re burdened by debt, and rising inflation and interest rates have fueled a 13 percent cumulative yearover-year increase in credit card balances. Paying down debt is an essential component of your financial independence, and more than eight in 10 (83 percent) Americans prioritize paying down debt rather than saving for the future.

Having a better sense of your future desires will help you set more achievable goals—shortterm, midterm and longterm‚—a crucial first step to achieving financial independence. Know what you’re working toward and then you can plan around that—your budget, debt management and investments.

This could be a good time to work with a financial advisor for a more holistic approach to your finances. Your strategy is unique to you, so your advisor should evaluate your full financial picture and offer research-based recommendations on investing, banking and lending needs. Your advisor will also explain how certain

While paying off debt is important, establishing savings is also a critical component of financial freedom. It can be the cushion you need for unexpected expenses or emergencies that arise. Building savings doesn’t just happen though, you have to be intentional about putting money aside. Big goals start with small progress: If saving seems overwhelming, start small

Compounding Interest is your staircase to WEALTH!

Damon, I came across this meme and I wanted to get your thoughts. It reads as follows:

If you invest $40 per week into an Exchange Traded Fund that mirrors the S&P 500 which has an average yearly return of 10 percent:

• 1 year later you’ll have $2,193.00

• 5 years later you’ll have $13,287.00

• 10 years later you’ll have $34,626.00

• 30 years later you’ll have $357,097.00

• 50 years later you’ll have $2,526,696.00

Albert Einstein once said Compounding Interest is the 8th Wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn’t, pays it.

~ CJ McCoy

Damon says: What is compound interest? A quick Google search defines compound interest as the addition of interest to the principal sum of a loan or deposit, or in other words, interest on interest. It is the result of reinvesting interest, rather than paying it out, so that interest in the next period is then earned on the principal sum plus previously accumulated.

In layman’s terms, it’s the accumulation of interest, earning interest, earning interest, earning interest, etc. It keeps going and going, thus growing and growing like the Energizer Bunny.

Albert Einstein, who coined the phrase compounding interest was the 8th wonder of the world, is a renowned genius. Even he was confounded by the exponential growth potential of money once it started compounding.

Here’s a mathematical illustration of compound interest. Let’s say you invest $1,000 and earn a 10 percent return over the course of a year. In one year,

it’s now worth $1,100. Now the $1,100 will begin to earn interest. In effect, the $100 interest is now earning interest. This compounding effect will continue up until you withdraw the money.

If you were given the option to take $1 million right now or take one penny and allow it to double (compound) daily for 30 days, which option will you take? I share this question with my Facebook audience yearly. Most people take $1 million right now. When I first heard this scenario, I too opted for the $1 million right now. Boy was I wrong!

If you had one penny that doubled in value and compounded daily, that one brown dusty, crusty penny would compound and amass to be worth over $5 million in 30 days. That’s $5,368,709.12 to be exact. That’s the power of compounding interest. That’s the reason why compounding interest confounds experts, scholars and geniuses like Albert Einstein. Crazy, right!? I know you don’t believe me. I didn’t believe it when I read it. I created a spreadsheet to double check the math. Don’t take my word for it! I invite you to Google it.

My goal as a money coach and financial writer is simple: Teach everyday, hard working people with dreams, goals and ambition how to win with money.

When I say everyday people, I’m excluding actors, sports figures, musicians, entertainers and executives who earn upwards of $500,000 per year. Although

they, too, can benefit from the content I share if they want to turn their high earnings into wealth and keep it growing for generations to come like the Rockefellers.

In truth, making compounding interest a friend instead of a foe is the end game of sound financial planning—or at least, it should be. But before one can really benefit from the power of compounding interest, you must first lay a solid financial foundation so that you DON’T access, use up, or exhaust the money you have compounding prematurely. To lay a solid financial foundation, one must first earn a decent income, get their spending under control, live below their means, establish an emergency fund, and keep debt levels low to non-existent.

Easier said than done, I know! So, I write about topics and coach clients on things like “How to create a budget” and “How to create wiggle room within your budget” so that you can grow and leverage the wiggle room in your budget to establish an emergency fund, pay off debt, save and/ or invest for housing, cars, vacation, college, retirement, and wealth. Saving and investing money is the cornerstone to financial stability and wealth-building!

Compounding Interest is the staircase to wealth. Problem is, we as a people do a terrible job at saving, investing and taking advantage of compounding interest. We instead continue to PAY compounding interest on credit cards, furniture loans, personal loans, student

loans, car loans, and mortgages to name a few.

I’m reminded of a story I share often. It’s a true story about a man named Earl. Earl resides in the Marylad area. Earl is still living and sharing his story at the time of this writing. He’s an elder Black man who worked as a parking attendant. During Earl’s working career, he never earned more than $12 per hour. He never earned more than $20,000 per year. Earl is married with 3 children. He worked, sacrificed, and put all of his children through private school. Earl, being dyslexic, wanted his children to get a quality education. Putting 3 children through private school is an amazing feat in and of itself. But that’s not the most amazing part of his story. Today, Earl and his wife are empty nesters. They are completely debt-freeincluding their home. What’s most impressive is that Earl has an investment portfolio valued at over $500,000. How was he able to amass $500,000 never earning more than $20,000 per year? Suffice to say Earl started investing early and benefited from the power of compounding interest. If Earl can do it, we all can do it!

Rapper and Billionaire Jay-Z said he made more millionaires than the lotto. I don’t know the truth of Jay Z’s claim. However, I can tell you with confidence that the stock market, by way of compounding interest, has definitely made more millionaires than the lotto. If only more of our people would save and invest their hard-earned dollars instead of playing the lottery.

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

Sponsored

Achieving financial independence takes time and it’s important to regularly look for areas of improvement and determine what’s working and what’s not.

Fair access to financial services is vital to closing the racial wealth gap

by Marc H. Morial

For New Pittsburgh Courier

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—“In 2022, in the United States of America, you can be turned away at a bank because of the color of your skin. The wealth and income disparities between White and minority households are a consequence of the unequal access and treatment minorities have faced. From accepting slaves as collateral for loans, to Jim Crow, to redlining, to the subprime mortgage crisis’ predatory practices, to the current crypto crisis, Black and brown Americans have never had equal access to or fair treatment in financial services.”—Sen. Sherrod Brown

Recently, I had the opportunity to testify to the Senate Banking Committee at a hearing entitled, “Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking,” to shed light on racism in the banking industry and urge passage of the Fair Access to Financial Services Act.

Throughout our work, we have seen the dire consequences of an American financial system that has systematically cut off and shut out individuals, families, businesses, and communities of color from access to capital.

When people of color suffer racist engagement in the financial marketplace, it causes substantial monetary and non-monetary harm. Depending on how the racist behavior occurs, be it systematic, digital, in-person, community members often are unaware they received disparate treatment or a discriminatory outcome. This stems from a centuries-long strain of the Black and minority community with banking institutions. The exclusionary and biased practices have been widely documented, including the banking industry’s tendency to disproportionately open and operate branches in White/non-minority communities.

In addition to the reluctance to operate in communities of color, another source of racial discrimination may be bank employees’ discretionary practices in charging costs and fees. Bank employees wield discretionary power in racially executing bank policies—they determine how much a customer pays in costs, and customers may face varying fees depend-

ing on who they talk to at the bank. The concerns about racial discrimination and bias in the banking workforce are also not new and are illustrated in analyses of data from mortgage lending lawsuits brought to the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, which illuminated widespread discriminatory practices, including loan officers who “referred to subprime loans in minority communities as ‘ghetto loans’ and minority customers as… ‘mud people.’

The consequences of these acts are reflected in the data: in the National Urban League’s State of Black America® 2022 Equality IndexTM, Black Americans are less likely to be approved for mortgages than white Americans, at a disparity rate of 41 percent.

Traditionally, decision-making authority at banks has been the bastion of middle- and upper-class White males. A clear solution to this issue is to invest and strengthen Black-owned banks, of which there is an incredible need. In our 2022 State of Black America Report we found that the number of Black-owned banks has dwindled immensely over the years. Between 1888 and 1934, there were 134 Black-owned banks to help the Black community. Today, there are only 19 Black-owned banks that qualify as Minority Depository Institutions.

Due to historic undercapitalization, Black banks are small, with average assets of $363 million compared to $4 billion for all U.S. banks. The small number of Black banks and their small

asset size limits their overall impact. A century of data proves that Black banks matter. When there is a Black bank in a community, Black people are more likely to be able to buy a home or secure a small business loan. These institutions help minorities build wealth by providing mortgages, small business loans, and financial services when others will not. That is why the work of uplifting Black banks is so vital.

There is work being done at the federal level and additional bipartisan solutions that Congress and the Executive Branch can take to address these ills and barriers. The National Urban League has partnered with both to be part of the solution, because just as redlining and disinvestment in communities of color is contagious, so is “Greenlining” and reinvestment in those communities.

In March of this year, the Treasury Department certified the National Urban League’s small business lending subsidiary, The Urban Empowerment Fund, as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), bolstering its ability to deliver vital capital to urban communities. The Fund provides direct loans to Black and other minority-owned businesses in tandem with select Urban League Entrepreneurship Centers, which are currently operating in thirteen Urban League affiliate cities.

Perhaps one of our greatest achievements to date, however, will be the opening of the National Urban League’s new headquarters, the Urban League Em-

powerment Center. Our new home is not just a home for us, it is a $242 million, 414,000-square-foot investment in the community. Our Empowerment Center is one of the most significant economic development projects in Harlem’s recent history. And in constructing it, we are leading with our values. In addition to affordable housing, we are using minority and women-owned contractors and businesses throughout the building’s conceptualization to construction – from our owners’ representative to our construction firms to our professional services firms. Our project—built in one of the toughest real estate markets in the world—is on time, on budget, embraced by the community, and slated to open fully by early 2025.

In 2010, Congress passed, and the President signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Not only did this bill prohibit some of the most outrageous practices witnessed by predatory banking lenders, but it also created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). We are disappointed by recent actions and court rulings aimed at preventing the CFPB from using its existing authority to protect consumers from racial discrimination when seeking mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, bank accounts or other financial services. Just two years after banking executives named themselves allies in the fight against systemic racism, these lawsuits feel like a betrayal to communities who have been too long discriminated against by these institutions. The Fair Access to Financial Services Act has an opportunity to build upon the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 and regulatory protections by ensuring that all Americans have equal access to goods and services offered by financial institutions and that they are held liable if they do not comply with these standards. The legislation would prohibit banking and other financial institutions from conducting discriminatory practices and services on the basis race, color, religion, national origin, or sex—closing the gap and fulfilling the spirit of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that all people in this country have access to economic equity and empowerment. Congress must take action to advance and pass this critical piece of legislation.

PUMP names Josiah Gilliam as new Executive Director

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned PUMP announced that Josiah Gilliam will be the new Executive Director, effective Jan. 9.   Gilliam most recently served as the Special Initiatives Coordinator in Mayor Ed Gainey’s Administration for the City of Pittsburgh. Previously, Josiah served as the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Coordinator for the Peduto Administration after working to develop an action plan for the initiative in partnership with the Sprout Fund and Heinz Endowments through his role at the Homewood

Children’s Village. Before that, he worked in various impact areas within the Pittsburgh nonprofit community with focuses on food insecurity, workforce development and career training, and web and digital communications.

A 2017 honoree of PUMP and Pittsburgh Magazine’s 40 for 40, Gilliam has served on PUMP’s Board of Directors since 2019, most recently as Vice Chair and Chair of the Public Policy and Advocacy Committee.

“The Board of Directors led a national search to ensure we found the right steward for PUMP’s future,” said PUMP Board

PUMP

to improving the Pitts-

community for everyone.”

“PUMP is doing a lot of amazing work in Pittsburgh. Our priority is to engage our network and the broader Pittsburgh community about the organization’s future and determine how to best position PUMP for an exciting new era. Thanks to the team and board, we survived the

tough first years of the pandemic and still made great strides programmatically, in particular, our increased focus on civic engagement. Organizationally, we must continue to take the lessons of Covid seriously and deliver excellent and impactful experiences, build out additional partnerships and programs, invest in organizational resilience, and build our capacity,” Gilliam said.

Gilliam graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government and an Associate’s degree in Spanish Language and Literature.

Rate of unemployed Black women rises amid decline in overall unemployment

(Black Information Network)—Black women saw an uptick in unemployment in December despite the overall rate of job loss declining in the U.S., new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals.

According to CNBC, the unemployment rate for Black women increased from 5.2 percent to 5.5 percent from November to December while the rate for all U.S. workers declined from 3.7 percent to 3.5 percent.

During that same time period, Black unemployment

remained consistent at 5.7 percent, and Black male unemployment dropped from 5.4 percent to 5.1 percent.

Latino men and women also saw unemployment increases in the final month of 2022, growing from 3.6 percent to 4 percent and 3.6 percent to 3.7 percent, respectively.

Despite overall improvements across labor markets since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, industries that have an overrepresentation of Black female workers haven’t

What to know about home inspection for homebuyers

HOMEBUYER FROM B1

and testing various home components and making detailed observations. The idea is to make sure everything works correctly and safely. If it doesn’t you can work on a plan for fixing it. They include having adequate carbon monoxide detectors, improper plumbing and electrical installations, and safety components, including the foundation, roof, and chimney. Infestations, including mold, insects, or rodents. Mechanical components,

such as HVAC system and appliances, plumbing and electrical systems.

Review Your Inspection Report

After completing the inspection, your home inspector will deliver a full home inspection report for your review. This report will outline both minor issues and larger issues you may want to address before closing on your home. You and your real estate agent will want to look it over together to decide what to do next.

Determine Your

Next Steps After the Inspection Report

With the report in hand, you have a few choices. You can purchase the home as-is, ask for repairs to be made at the seller’s expense, or decide not to purchase the home. If you decide to request repairs, you can negotiate with the seller on which party will pay for the repairs. When deciding what repairs to request, think about the coast of the repairs and the amount of work that will go into them. For example, if there are elec-

trical or plumbing issues, we recommend asking the seller to pay.

No matter what results you home inspection turns up, the inspection is important and hopefully not too stressful. With your home inspection report in hand, you should hopefully have peace of mind because you know the key details about the home you are buying.

shown the same gains, Michelle Holder, a senior fellow at Washington Center for Equitable Growth, told CNBC. These industries include university positions, which are down 24,000 roles due to strikes, and jobs in leisure and hospitality.

“Those are two industries

that have not recovered well during the pandemic,” Holder said. “This is what is constraining Black women’s ability to get back to the state that they were with regard to the American workforce before the pandemic.”

Financial freedom

by committing to putting aside one dollar every day.

At the end of the month, deposit that $30 into your savings account and start the next month with the same strategy—you’ll be shocked at how much you’re able to save over time if you stick with it. And with automatic tools like Chase’s Autosave feature, you can schedule transfers from your checking account to your savings account, at an amount and frequency that’s most comfortable for you.

Step 4: Evaluate your progress. Assessing your spending with what you planned to spend on a regular basis will help you better manage your spending habits, adjust your savings

and monitor progress toward your long-term financial goals. It will also provide valuable insights into the areas where you’re spending the most money and if there is opportunity to revise. Review your budget regularly and monitor and evaluate your spending habits at least once a month.

Remember, achieving financial independence takes time and it’s important to regularly look for areas of improvement and determine what’s working and what’s not. Over time, you’ll find that managing your finances will become easier and more effective, creating a better financial future.

(Sponsored content from JPMorgan Chase & Co.)

Chair Sarah Spiegel. “With his extensive experience in community building, we are incredibly excited to announce Josiah as our new Executive Director. We are confident in his commitment not only to

but

burgh

JOSIAH GILLIAM

Guest Editorial

Remember the riot at the Capitol

President Joe Biden presented the nation’s second highest civilian award to 12 Americans involved in defending the Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.

Biden presented the Presidential Citizens Medal during a White House ceremony on Friday marking the second anniversary of the assault on the Capitol.

Among those honored are seven members of law enforcement, as well as election workers and election officials. The Presidential Citizens Medal is awarded to those who “performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens.”

A posthumous award was given to the family of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died after the attack. Also awarded was Officer Eugene Goodman, who was credited with directing rioters away from the Senate floor while lawmakers were evacuating the building.

Also honored were two other Capitol Police officers, Harry Dunn and Caroline Edwards; Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell; Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges and a former officer, Michael Fanone.

Biden also recognized Michigan’s secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson and Rusty Bowers, a former Arizona House speaker, who resisted pressure to overturn the election results; and Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss, election workers in Fulton County, Georgia, who were subjected to threats and harassment after ensuring votes in the county were properly tabulated.

Also honored was Al Schmidt, a former Philadelphia election official who faced public pressure by Trump to stop counting valid ballots. Gov-elect Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, has chosen Schmidt, a Republican, to be his administration’s secretary of state.

It is important to honor those who bravely defended American democracy. Some risked their lives, others risked their livelihoods. They safeguarded the will of the American voters in the 2020 presidential election.

It is also critical that we remember and more importantly hold accountable those who dishonored the nation on Jan. 6 with an assault on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump that interrupted the congressional certification of Biden’s victory.

Some of the individuals involved in the attack on the Capitol have already been charged and convicted. Others like Trump and some top aides have yet to be held accountable for their actions.

As we mark the second anniversary of the violent insurrection, some would like to move on and forget or ignore the assault on the nation’s Capitol. But to prevent another attack on our democracy from ever happening again, there must be accountability.

(Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)

From glee to dismay

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Rarely does anyone with a moderate degree of wisdom or life experience reject advice informed by years of data collected through the observation of generations of ‘regular’ human beings.  We call such advice “Common Sense’ and, sadly, common sense is a flower that doesn’t grow in everyone’s garden.  It is normally dispensed in the form of unique ‘sayings’ that are descriptive of or related to immediate or eventual circumstances in the human condition.

Hearing or remembering these ‘sayings’ has always caused me to give pause to rash or reactive responses.  Consideration of these ‘sayings’ has saved me from untold grief and regret.  Through them, I’ve learned that listening for knowledge is much less agonizing than gaining knowledge through the pain of experience.

One such ‘sayings’ that I have found invaluable in my life is, “Be careful what you wish for, you may just get it.”  It is advice that I am sure has crossed the minds of those connected with the current election of the new Speaker of the House of Representatives.  Republican Congressman, Kevin McCarthy, former Minority Leader in the House and presumptive House Speaker, is learning just how applicable that ‘saying’ is to his life.

McCarthy’s obsession with attaining the lofty position of Speaker is well-known.  The aim of his political malleability and willingness to flip-flop on significant issues has always been predicated on his desire

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

to become Speaker.  Unfortunately, the depth of his obsession has become the tool of his own social and emotional abuse.  At this writing, all he has to show is eleven unsuccessful attempts over a period of three days to secure his aim and his true inability to lead.

Initially, I watched the selection of Speaker with the glee of watching a political opponent unable to achieve a goal that would jeopardize most of the social and political gains I’ve fought for so many years.  Somewhere in the middle of Day 2, my glee transformed into dismay at the realization that the segment of the Republican party, infiltrated, as it is, by racists, fascists, and those hell-bent on the destruction of democracy, was inching closer to securing the power over which it obsessed.  Two years after the violent physical assault on the foundation of our democracy, that party moves closer to achieving its destructive aim through surreptitious means.

Make no mistake, I do not accuse all Republicans with the purposeful aim of deconstructing our democracy, but silence when witness to attacks on the principles, values, and traditions of our democracy demonstrates their acceptance.  In-

stead of full support of actions that provide for greater participation and inclusion in personal freedoms enjoyed by some, they have chosen to exclude others based on race, gender, gender identification, and other factors irrelevant to the exercise of humane interaction.

The members of the Republican party that have squeezed concessions from McCarthy in exchange for their support have indicated their lack of intent to govern.  They offer no legislative strategies in response to persistent inflation, gun violence, homelessness, or other quality-of-life issues which plague the average American.  Instead, they have voiced their intent to pursue scorched-earth attacks on political enemies.  They have promised frivolous congressional investigations on Democrats in the Executive and Legislative branches.  They exploit the (racist) Southern Border immigration issue without seeking real resolution.  They present an ongoing threat to personal freedoms that contradict their own worldview.  Reportedly, McCarthy has even conceded, without basis or cause, to the future impeachment of President Biden and other cabinet members.

For the achievement of an arrogant, vanity-based obsession, McCarthy has sold his soul to the Devil.  Doing so, he is opening the door to those who are intent on the elimination of personal freedoms.

(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of The Dick Gregory Society (thedickgregorysociety.org; drefayewilliams@gmail.com) and President Emeritus of the National Congress of Black Women)

One nation, indivisible

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—It strikes me that the days we’re living through represent a metaphor for our national dilemma. January 6th and the weight of history that date carries are in the rearview mirror, at least on the calendar. Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream still is on the horizon.

America’s existential challenge is to put the former behind us permanently so we can finally achieve the latter and be what we pledge allegiance to—one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. After the attack on the Capitol, I sat down to figure out how we might finally do that, and my answers have filled a book.

As my mother’s family has for four centuries, I live south of the Mason-Dixon Line close to the Chesapeake Bay, which was a literal superhighway for slavery. Casual conversations about the likelihood of another Civil War are frequent at my favorite waterside bar. Combine that with the political fault lines running through many families and friendships (including my own) and we feel more divided than indivisible. It’s clear why so many fear for our republic’s survival.

I have always been an optimist about America. Even for me, witnessing a failed coup shook my usually hopeful outlook.

Like many whose Southern roots

Ben Jealous Commentary

run deep, I often turn to the past for answers. What I discovered in questioning our current differences revived my faith that the United States always will overcome our troubles and emerge even stronger on the other side.

In the 1880s, formerly enslaved men and former Confederate soldiers in Virginia—home to the Confederacy’s capital—banded together to fight for the future of their children. They built a political party called the Readjusters. Their demand was simple: readjust the terms of Civil War debt so that we can maintain free public schools for all.

Not only did they win that victory, they also won control of the state’s government and achieved several more: they abolished the poll tax, they abolished the public whipping post, they created the first public Black college in the South, and they expanded Virginia Tech to make it the working person’s rival to the University of Virginia. The Readjusters’ short-lived mul-

tiracial populist movement eventually was attacked violently by White supremacists and defeated politically by wealthy special interests spreading vile disinformation; their party is all but erased from history books.

Still, they defined the future of Virginia and our nation by planting early seeds for FDR’s New Deal coalition and by creating a bold legacy in public education that endures to this day. Moreover their example reminds us that the spirit that moved Dr. King to dream hopefully about Black and White children has always run deep in our nation, and always will. When we lose faith in our neighbors, that hope reminds us that the path to a stronger nation is to remember we still have more in common than we don’t, and to act on the beliefs we share.

If men who had been enslaved could find common cause with men who fought to keep them enslaved to build a better future for all their children, we should never lose faith that we can unite for the sake of ours.

(Ben Jealous is incoming executive director of the Sierra Club, America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization; former national president of the NAACP; and professor of practice at the University of Pennsylvania.)

President Biden praises jobs report; ‘We are moving in the right direction’

In December, the United States added 223,000 jobs, exceeding expectations by more than 21,000, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.5 percent.

The unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in 54 years. Last year, 4.5 million new jobs were created. President Joe Biden stated that his first two years in office saw the highest levels of job growth in history.

“We are witnessing the transition to steady and stable growth that I have been predicting for months,” Biden said.

“We still have work to do to bring down inflation and help American families feeling the cost-of-living squeeze. However, we are on the right track.”

According to the White House, the unemployment rate for Black and Hispanic Americans has dropped to near-record lows.

Stacy M. Brown

Commentary

power and breathing room for American families,” Biden said.

“Real wages are up in recent months, gas prices are down, and we are seeing welcome signs that inflation is coming down as well. It’s a good time to be an American worker.”

“We have more work to do, and we may face setbacks along the way,” the president said, “but it is clear that my economic strategy of growing the economy from the bottom up and

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

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for disabled people hit a new low, while hourly wages for all workers rose slightly in December after five months of increases in real wages.

Allison Palm Office Manager

Ashley Johnson Sales Director Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor

H. Sengstacke

Manufacturing employment increased by 8,000 jobs last month, bringing the total number of manufacturing jobs created since Biden’s election to 750,000.

In addition, administration officials say that people in their prime working years have continued to join the workforce faster than in previous recoveries.

“These historic job and unemployment gains are giving workers more

middle out is working.”

“We are just getting started,” he said.

“This month, we are capping the cost of insulin for seniors at $35 per month. We are lowering energy and utility bills for Americans,” Biden said.

“And shovels are hitting the ground all around the country to rebuild our infrastructure, supply chains, and manufacturing here at home.

“That is how we will build an America in which we can all be proud, where working families have good jobs and more breathing room, and the economy grows from the bottom up and middle out over time.”

(Stacy

M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent)

Federal program for the homeless

Dear Editor, In response to your commentary “The unhoused on our streets”—since part of the problem of homelessness is the high cost of living in certain areas, New York City, Los Angles, etc., why not establish a federal program to assist homeless people,

who are willing, to re-locate to other parts of the country. Other cities and towns who want to increase their population. Other cities who have jobs available that can’t be filled. Other cities that have a lower cost of living. Janice C. Brehm Wilmerding, Pa.

The slow rise of America mediocrity House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—The first speech given by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to the newly-seated 118th Congress was a proud moment in history. In life, our elders often play important roles in our development and the fulfillment of our purpose. We often look to those elders for wisdom, knowledge, and direction when elevating to the next levels of life. For Jeffries, those elders include but are not limited to Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, and Jim Clyburn, who played critical roles in his progression to the next level as house minority leader. Early in his speech, when acknowledging them, he said, “Thank you, Madam Speaker for all that you have done. It’s an honor to stand on your broad shoulders as well as the shoulders of the great Steny Hoyer and the great Jim Clyburn. Two consequential leaders in their own right.” As the American people witness the continuation of great legacies, we should sincerely appreciate those who paved the way before us.

After 14 failed ballots to elect the next House speaker, the contrast between the Democratic and Republican caucuses cannot be any clearer. Unity and professionalism were seen on one side versus infighting and dysfunction on the other. The message is evident: the Democratic caucus is in good hands due to the smooth transition of leadership. It is also clear that Hakeem Jeffries is a true and inspiring leader. True leaders often work to build productive partnerships with individuals and groups representing diverse interests. Jeffries made it clear that the Democrats will look to find common ground with the Republicans on behalf of the American people. Time will tell if any number of Republicans accept the offer when the nation’s best interests call for compromise. A true political

David W. Marshall Commentary

leader understands that despite having two major political parties that differ in ideology, America is a melting pot where our diversity is a strength. The nation’s diversity should never be downplayed or ignored. We benefit when people representing all backgrounds and cultures are allowed to contribute their best. Jeffries’ speech spoke of how the late John Lewis reminded members of Congress that we might have come over on different ships, but we are all in the same boat now.

He continued by listing what can be referred to as the ABCs of democracy. Jeffries said, “House Democrats will always put American values over autocracy, benevolence over bigotry, the Constitution over the cult, democracy over demagogues, economic opportunity over extremism, freedom over fascism, governing over gas-lighting, hopefulness over hatred, inclusion over isolation, justice over judicial overreach, knowledge over kangaroo courts, liberty over limitation, maturity over Mar-a-Lago, normalcy over negativity, opportunity over obstruction, people over politics, quality of life over QAnon, reason over racism, substance over slander, triumph over tyranny, understanding over ugliness, voting rights over voter suppression, working families over the well-connected, xenial over xenophobia, “Yes we can” over “You can do it” and zealous representation over zero-sum confrontation.” While the story of the 118th Congress is just beginning, it is a moment of transition, and Hakeem Jeffries has already given the Democratic, Republican, and Independent voters much to consider for 2024.

What happens in Congress during the next two years of Republican control should concern all Americans. Individuals who support and sympathize with the reasons and purpose behind the Jan. 6 insurrection are not limited to the foot soldiers who vandalized the Capitol building. Supporters and sympathizers also include members of Congress whose power and influence have gone unchecked by Kevin McCarthy. In an interview, Michael Fanone, a former Washington D.C. Metropolitan police officer present at the Capitol on Jan. 6, said thenHouse Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told him that he couldn’t “control” the fringe members of the GOP regarding their opinions of the insurrection. As a result of concessions made by McCarthy in exchange for the speakership, members who downplayed the reality of that day are now in line to have more representation on House committees, including the influential House Rules Committee. They can offer more amendments on the House floor. They can now create an investigative committee to probe the “weaponization “of the federal government. One of the most disturbing concessions allows any member to call for a motion to vacate the speaker’s chair. After days of begging, pleading, and bartering, the most rebellious group in the GOP controls the House speaker and the Republican Party. To avoid having a House speaker beholden to the most hardline Republicans, it would have taken only six moderate Republicans to switch their votes for Hakeem Jeffries.

The destruction to the Capitol building by rioters has since been repaired. Walls, doors, and windows can easily be fixed. But can the potential damage to Congress as an institution and functioning governing body be repaired as easily after the next two years? Or will two years become four years? In this toxic environment, it was never realistic to believe six Republicans would turn and support Jeffries as House speaker. After two years of chaos, thereby making the political contrasts even more apparent, it is not that hard to believe enough Democratic, Republican, and Independent voters will find a way to make Hakeem Jeffries House Speaker after the 2024 elections.

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

In 1958, sociologist Michael Dunlop Young wrote a dystopian book called The Rise of Meritocracy. Young depicted a future where merit, defined as intellectual talent and achievement, will be the central organizing principle of society. Merit will replace previous divisions of social class, creating a world where the merited power-holding elite will oppress a less merited underclass.

The book popularized the term “meritocracy,” but the term was supposed to be negative.

As time went on, those who wanted a society based on performance and achievement adopted the word “meritocracy” and promoted it as a traditional value, while those who wanted a more equal society were against “meritocracy” because they thought it led to inequality.

In 2001, it disappointed Michael Dunlop Young that the term “meritocracy” entered the English language with no negative connotation.  Young said, “It makes good sense to appoint individual people to their jobs on their merit. It is the opposite when those who are judged to have merit of a particular kind harden into a new social class without room in it for others.”

It’s important to note that Michael Dunlop Young believed that merit-based advancement was good, and he distinguished that concept from the oppressive merited power-holding elite he depicted in his book. But the opponents of “meritocracy” make no distinction and have declared war on all forms of merit.

In 2015, Harvard law professor Lani Guinier wrote a book called The Tyranny of the Meritocracy. Guinier proposed redefining merit. She wanted the term

J. Pharoah Doss Check It Out

to focus on collaboration instead of hyper-competition that rewards the wealthy. In 2019, Yale Law Professor Daniel Markovits wrote a book called The Meritocracy Trap. Markovits argued that “meritocracy” was a modern-day aristocracy responsible not just for rising economic inequality but also for political dysfunction.

People who disagree with these thinkers say that any alternative to “meritocracy” will make mediocrity the norm and excellence irrelevant.

A recent battle in the war on merit took place at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax, Virginia, when a large group of students were not told until late fall that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation named them “commended students.”

What is a “commended student”?

Each year, 1.5 million students compete in the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking a standardized test. 50,000 of the highest scoring students qualified for recognition, but only the top scorers get to compete for a Merit Scholarship Award. Another 34,000 students qualified as “commended students.” The “commended students” don’t qualify to compete for Merit

Scholarships but their scores make them eligible for other awards. Unfortunately, all the students who applied for college early could not mark their “commended student” status on their applications.

Parents of these students want the school administrators fired, but Fairfax County Public Schools called the delay a “one-time human error” and denied claims that Thomas Jefferson officials intentionally kept information from 261 “commended students.”

The problem is the parents don’t believe it was a one-time error.

Arsa Q. Nomani, a contributor to City Journal, wrote “For years, two administrators at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology have been withholding notifications of National Merit Awards from the school’s families, most of them Asian, thus denying students the right to use those awards to boost their college admission prospects and earn scholarships.”

But why?

Nomani explained, “This episode has emerged amid the school district’s new strategy of ‘equal outcomes for every student, without exception’.” In other words, if all of the students aren’t “commended” it violates their no exception policy. Nomani also mentioned that school administrators implemented an “equitable grading” policy that eliminates zeros, gives students a grade of 50 percent for just showing up, and assigns a cryptic code of “NTI” for assignments not turned in.

Nomani called the district’s new strategy a race to the bottom. Except it’s not a race, it’s the slow rise of American mediocrity.

Putting the ‘con’ in conservative

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—George Santos, a 34-year-old Republican congressman-elect, has gained notoriety before even coming to Washington. He was elected to the Congress from a Long Island, New York, district this fall on a resume and a campaign constructed on breath-taking fabrications.

He lied about where he lives. He lied about where he works. He lied about creating a nonprofit organization called Friends of Pets United. He lied about where he went to high school. He lied about graduating from college. He lied about being a landlord owning 13 properties. He lied about having four employees shot in the Pulse nightclub shooting. He lied about his mother’s career. He lied about his mother’s death, claiming that she was a victim of 9/11 when she died in 2016. He lied about being of Jewish heritage. And he probably lied about his income and his wealth. He claimed assets of a million, and income of $750,000. He loaned his campaign $700,000. But he was evicted in 2015 and 2017 for failing to pay rent and hauled into court for not paying his debts. It remains to be seen where the $700,000 came from.

Santos painted himself as an example of the American dream, son of an immigrant family who by grit and hard work made his way to employment at Goldman Sachs. Only the dream was a delusion. Goldman Sachs has no record of his employment. This paragon of conservative virtues turned out to be simply a pretty shoddy conman.

When an investigation by the New York Times revealed his serial lies, he admitted to “embellishing” his resume. His attorney allowed that campaign

Jackson Sr. Commentary

money—some of which appears to have been used illegally to pay rent for Santos—may have been spent “unwisely.” Santos told the New York Post that he may have added a little bit of fluff to his resume, but—echoing Richard Nixon’s famous statement in the Watergate scandals—“I am not a criminal.” (Nixon at least chose to resign, whereas Santos fully expects to be sworn in when the new Congress convenes next week.)

The Republican district attorney of Nassau County, New York has opened an investigation of his lies, stating that no one is above the law. The federal U.S. attorney in Brooklyn is reportedly investigating his financial finagling. A newly elected Republican congressman in a neighboring district, Nick LaLota, has called on the House Ethics Committee to investigate.

Democrats in the House have called on Santos to resign and are pushing to haul him before the Federal Election Commission and the House Ethics Committee. But this is not the Democrats’ responsibility. It is the responsibility of the Republican leaders in the House. And they have been notably absent without leave.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who is desperately seeking enough Republican sup-

port to be elected speaker of the House, has said nothing. Santos has endorsed McCarthy, and McCarthy needs every vote he can get from his own caucus. Moreover, with a thin Republican majority of four in the House, Republicans don’t want to risk losing the seat if Santos were to do the honorable thing and resign.

In any case, the current Republican members of Congress are not exactly exemplars of honesty or champions of truth. Virtually all lined up behind Donald Trump, ignoring his serial lies in office, numbering more than 30,000 according to fact checkers. Santos, not surprisingly, embraced Donald Trump’s Big Lie, the claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. More than 180 other members of the new House Republican caucus echoed that Big Lie. Santos has made it clear that he has no shame and no plan to withdraw. Will Republicans act to police their own membership and to stop this obvious fraud upon their own voters? If they refuse to act, they can tie up the Ethics Committee and neuter the FEC.

If Santos gets a pass, Republican leaders will be telling voters just who they are and what they will stand for. Honesty is for suckers. Partisan advantage trumps decency. To gain power, Republicans are prepared to spread Trump’s Big Lie. They don’t hesitate to lie about their opponents. And Santos shows they are prepared to put forth and stand by candidates who lie about their own families, education, employment and lineage.

The party won’t police itself. It is left up to voters to do it for them.

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—When 25-year-old Maxwell Frost of Florida takes his seat in the U.S House this month, he will be the nation’s first Gen Z member of Congress. That—in and of itself—is a major milestone and accomplishment. And what makes it even better is that Frost is a young Black man who won on a great platform focused on ending gun violence, addressing climate change and providing universal health care.

I can’t wait to see what Frost accomplishes in Congress. And I’m equally excited about what other folks in his generational cohort will bring to Congress when they arrive. There’s just no question that young people who have formed their entire identities in the 21st century will transform government.

These are young people who have spent their whole lives being connected, via the Internet, to people and events around the globe. Studies show this gives them greater acceptance of diverse cultures, and contributes to a higher level of empathy and sensitivity toward others. Past generations grew up acutely aware of the struggles of folks in their own neighborhood; to Gen Z, the challenges people face in Asia or Central America are as real as the ones they face in Florida. This is a deeply valuable perspective to bring to a high position in government.

This is also a generation deeply moti-

Svante Myrick Commentary

vated from their personal experiences to address the horror of gun violence and school shootings, which gives me hope that as more of them enter Congress, sensible gun safety legislation will finally win out. It’s a generation that grew up with Obamacare, creating a minimum expectation for what the government can and should do to ensure health care for people. It’s a generation that cannot afford to buy homes, and will demand changes in housing policy. And it’s a generation faced with harsh economic realities created by corporate greed and economic injustice across the board, which could play out in the push not only for a higher minimum wage but for a whole range of other economic policy changes as well.

On a personal level, harsh economic realities have already hit home for Maxwell Frost. A lot has been written about his inability to rent an apartment in Washington because he was forced to finance much of his campaign with credit cards, affecting his credit rating. I can

relate. When I was 24, I left a job, cashed in my savings and my (tiny) 401K to run for mayor of Ithaca. It was a huge gamble that I’m glad to say paid off —but like Frost, I came into office without financial security.

And I want to say two things about that. The first is that yes, we need more elected officials who understand what financial insecurity is like. But second, we need to make it possible for more young people without family wealth to consider running for office in the first place. That means raising the pay for the local offices where most young public servants get their start, so they can afford to consider public service as a career. And it means finally changing campaign finance laws so candidates don’t have to come up with a small fortune just to be competitive in an election.

This is all possible, and I’d like to say probable, as more young people enter the political sphere. I love the creativity of young elected officials who are not wedded to the status quo or traditional ways of doing things. Maxwell Frost is the first Gen Z member of Congress, but he won’t be the last. Celebrating that is a great way to start the new year.

(Svante Myrick is President of People For the American Way. Previously, he served as executive director of People For and led campaigns focused on transforming public safety, racial equity, voting rights, and empowering young elected officials. Myrick garnered national attention as the youngest-ever mayor in New York State history.)

Jesse

IMMEDIATE MUNICIPAL MANAGER POSITION

NOTICE: The Borough of Homestead has an Immediate Municipal Manager position open.

Municipal Manager must have minimum of 5 years’ experience in human resources, finances, and government management.

Please send resume to manager@homesteadborough.com

YOUTH PROGRAM MANAGER AT VENTURE OUTDOORS

Connect your passion for working with children with your love of the outdoors! Join Venture Outdoors as a Youth Program Manager. Manage a team, work with kids, and connect others to nature. Full-time, $50K annually plus benefits. Read more and submit your resume by February 6 at ventureoutdoors. org/about/employment-opportunities/.

DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Pittsburgh Arts &Lectures: Development and Operations Director, responsible for fundraising and financial oversight at dynamic literary organization. Salary: $60$75K, healthcare, PTO, and 403b match. Learn more at pittsburghlectures.org/careers.

ENGINEERING INTERN

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking an Engineering Intern ($16 hour) to provide engineering and project management support to Engineers, Architects and other staff members as directed by Supervisor for capital projects related to maintenance, modification, repair and/ or reconstruction of PRT structures, bridges, tunnels, subways, roadways, busways, facilities, passenger stations and light rail transit system.

Essential Functions:

• Assist the Engineering Department in providing engineering support to resolve technical problems and methods regarding building codes, structural codes, permit procedures, and municipal construction requirements as apply to ongoing maintenance, facility modification, repair and/or reconstruction. Assists in obtaining permits, as needed.

• Performs field inspections including monitoring and coordination of contractors and consultants, and maintains accurate records pertaining to design and construction progress, schedules, costs, quality control, work activities, conditions and as-built documents.

• Participates in the review of construction drawings and specifications for and assists with the coordination of activities of outside engineers and contractors hired by PRT. Provides cost estimating for projected work activities.

Job requirements include:

• A college degree or be enrolled in a college degree program in Engineering. Current enrollment in a graduate degree program in engineering or a related field.

• Ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word and Excel.

• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to prioritize multiple work objectives and schedules.

Preferred attributes:

• Experience in the use of computers for the purposes of developing and reviewing technical documents.

• Experience in using Microsoft Office Suite software programs such as PowerPoint, Excel, and Word.

• Experience in overseeing and inspecting construction work.

ENRICHMENT TECHNICIAN:

The Citizen Science Lab (TCSL) is a non-profit hands-on laboratory where inquisitive minds and science enthusiasts can explore the life sciences.

DUTIES: Facilitate science and STEM themed education programming in school and out-of-school-time settings. Part Time, during school yearAdditional hours during summer months. Position will require some weekend and evening work throughout the year.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Relevant experience in youth enrichment and/or STEM education including informal settings such as after school programs or summer camps.

Currently enrolled or completed study in an institute of higher learning in one or more of the following fields: Biology, Chemistry, Robotics, Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical), Biotechnology, Drone Technology, Fabrication (3D printing, CAD design), Physics or Environmental Sustainability

PAY: $15 / HOUR

INTERESTED PARTIES MAY FORWARD A RESUME TO rozrfreeman@hotmail.com.

PROJECT ACCOUNTANT

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (Moon Twp, PA) to handle client invoice prcssing & anlyss, prjct revenue rcgntion & prfrmnce anlyss for multi company’s offices. Res. for compliance w/ client prposal & cntracts, inclding prjct set-up, rate ver., rel. data entry, invoice prep & sbmittal, & prjct close-out prcedres. Maintain reglr comm. w/ Prjct Mngers, Prncpals & VPs who are invlvd w/ cstmers to meet all bdgt, job cost & invcing needs as req. Prvde rprting & prtcption in monthly prjct review mtings w/ CFO, COO, Profit Center VPs, Prncpals & Prjct Mngers inclding review of accnts recvable, wrk in prgress & prjct bdgts. Hndle prper GAAP compliant revenue rcgntion. Prvde assistnce as req for prpsal & pricing sbmittals.

Coordinate mnthly financial prjct review to anlyze billing rates, expnse markup & write-offs for prper revenue rcgntion & prftblty. Assist w/ ERP (Deltek) system imprvemnts & documentation. Bachelor’s in Accounting or Business Admin. If interested, please contact mkosmach@cecinc.com.

RESPIRATORY THERAPIST, CRT

UPMC Mercy seeks a Respiratory Therapist, CRT to work in Pittsburgh, PA (Allegheny County) Provide respiratory therapy services and life support to patients with deficiencies and abnormalities of the cardiopulmonary system, under the general direction of a physician and by prescription. Perform additional job-related duties as assigned. Must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Care from a CoARC-accredited program, or equivalent. Must be Board Certified or Board Eligible by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Must hold a valid PA Respiratory Therapist license or eligibility, and BLS or CPR. Apply by following these steps; visit http://careers.upmc.com and enter 2300001D in the “Search Keyword/Job ID” field and click Go. EOE/Disability/Veteran

ASSOCIATE COUNSEL –PROCUREMENT & TRANSACTIONAL MATTERS

Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking an Associate Counsel – Procurement & Transactional Matters to Provide proactive and effective legal representation for Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) and its officers and employees in a wide range of legal matters, including procurement, contractual and other transactional matters relating to the efficient operation, good governance, and business interests of PRT.

*Please note this is a hybrid position.

Essential Functions:

• Regularly meet and communicate with relevant Division and Department management and staff to provide legal advice relevant to the preparation, revision and/or amendment of various legal documents including requests for bid documents, requests for proposal documents, construction contracts, professional services contracts, contracts for equipment and material purchases, and software licenses/agreements. Participate and assist in negotiations of contract provisions with representatives of third parties. Participate in resolution of bid protests and assist in drafting bid protest decisions and responses.

• Regularly meet and communicate with relevant Division and Department management and staff to provide legal advice relevant to the preparation, revision and/or amendment of various real estate related legal documents and interests, including license agreements, permanent and temporary easements, leases, sales and purchase agreements and deeds. Coordinate and provide guidance and oversight to PRT’s contracted real estate consultants in relation to requests for use of or access to PRT property by third parties.

Job requirements include:

• Degree of Juris Doctorate and membership in good standing of the Pennsylvania Bar.

• Valid Pennsylvania License to Practice Law.

• Minimum of three (3) years substantive experience handling procurement, real estate and/or related transactional matters for a large or mid-sized private or public entity or government agency, either in an in-house capacity or in an outside counsel capacity.

• Admission to Pennsylvania State Courts.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze issues and communicate legal advice, both in written and oral form, to non-lawyers.

• Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word, Teams, Outlook, and Westlaw software.

• Professional and effective communication skills.

Preferred attributes:

• In-house or outside counsel experience providing procurement, real estate or related general transactional advice and support to a federal, state or local public transit agency or similar municipal entity.

• In-house or outside counsel experience processing and preparing final responses to records requests submitted under Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know Law.

• Admission to U. S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

ASSOCIATE COUNSEL –CLAIMS & LITIGATION

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking an Associate Counsel – Claims & Litigation to represent Pittsburgh Regional Transit as the attorney of record in civil, labor, criminal and administrative matters; provide legal advice and counsel to Authority personnel; provide legal services and counseling regarding internal and external legal matters.

*Please note this is a hybrid position.

Essential Functions:

•Provide proactive and effective legal representation for Pittsburgh Regional Transit and its members, officers and employees in a wide range of claims litigation matters, including personal injury and property damage claims as assigned and under the direction and guidance of the Director of Legal & Consulting Services, Chief Legal Counsel, Counsel – Claims & Litigation Matters and/or other designated Legal Department attorney(s).

• Prepare legal documents including pleadings, discovery requests and responses, motions, briefs, etc., as litigation needs dictate.

• Interview witnesses, parties, etc. for the development of facts relative to matters asserted against Pittsburgh Regional Transit or by Pittsburgh Regional Transit, as the issue or issues dictate.

• Draft, review, analyze and interpret legal documents, including civil complaints, answers, discovery matters, contracts, construction documents, etc.

Job requirements include:

• Degree of Juris Doctorate and membership in good standing of the Pennsylvania Bar.

• Valid Pennsylvania License to Practice Law.

• Minimum of three (3) years substantive experience in civil litigation with emphasis on discovery, trial preparation and trial of civil matters, including personal injury and property damage cases, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County or comparable forum.

• Admission to Pennsylvania State Courts.

• Demonstrated knowledge of Pennsylvania Rules of Civil and Appellate Procedure and applicable statutes.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze issues and communicate legal advice, both in written and oral form, to non-lawyers.

• Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Westlaw legal research software.

• Professional and effective communication skills.

Preferred attributes:

• Experience prosecuting and defending litigation matters on behalf of a Pennsylvania government agency or Pennsylvania municipal entity.

SUPERVISING INTERNAL AUDITOR

Pittsburgh Regional Transit is seeking a Supervising Internal Auditor to supervise the activities of Internal Audit within the framework of policies, objectives, and procedures established by the Director of Internal Audit and Chief Legal Officer.

*Please note this is a hybrid position.

Essential Functions:

• Exercises general supervision of all supporting auditors in order to promote productive (meet targets and other deadlines) and professional conduct.

• Ensures that professional standards are met in the planning, execution, data accumulation and documentation stages of audits and projects.

• Promotes reasonable adherence to established audit plans, budgets, and schedules or to assure adequate explanation for deviations.

Job requirements include:

• BA/BS Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or directly related field from an accredit school.

• Minimum of five (5) years auditing experience.

• Minimum of three (3) years proven supervisory experience.

• Experience with planning and executing complex audit assignments, conducting portions of extensive audit assignments in accordance with recognized professional standards.

Performing surveys of functions and activities in assigned areas and identified key control points in the system under review.

Determining the direction, and audit theory for audits, develops comprehensive audit programs and sampling plans, and proposes staff and time requirements for performance of audit.

• Experience directing, counseling and instructing supporting auditors assigned to the audit and reviews their working papers for adequacy and accuracy, reviews and edits audit report and finalizes all reports.

• Must have the ability to travel to various Pittsburgh Regional Transit locations, and occasional evenings and weekends as needed to perform audits.

• Effective and professional communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability in the use of Windows, Microsoft Word, and Excel.

Preferred attributes:

• Master’s degree in a financial or business-related field.

• Minimum eight (8) years Internal Auditing experience.

• Knowledge of Government Auditing Standards (GAS)

• CIA, CFE, CPA or other related professional certification program that would enhance the performance of their internal auditor duties.

• Experience using audit software.

• Experience with business process improvement (BPI)

SCHOOL COUNSELOR (K-8) AND DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP INSTRUCTOR

Falk School, a coeducational K-8 laboratory school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, seeks an experienced, dynamic School Counselor (K-8) and Digital Citizenship Instructor, for the next academic year beginning August 2023.

LEGAL

Joe Sekely

Employment Department

345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527

JSekely@RidePRT.org EOE

For full detailed position announcements and consideration for these positions, please go to https://www.join.pitt.edu under faculty positions and upload your materials. The review of applications will begin in early Spring (semester) 2023 and continue until the position is filled.

The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and diversity.

EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled

Estate of CHARLES W. STRUTHERS , deceased, of Pittsburgh, No. 8139 of 2022 John Struthers, Executor, 5100 N. Apache Hills Trail, Tucson, AZ 85750 or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219

Estate of ELLEN T. CRAMER, deceased, of South Fayette, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania No. 02-22-08004. Kristine Cramer, Executrix, 10 S. Fayette Street, Cuddy,PA 15031 or to Kimberly Lowder, Executor, 103 Boxwood Drive, Bridgeville, PA 15017, ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC., 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of EDWARD J. SMELKO, Deceased of 105 Lilmont Drive, Swissvale,PA 15218, Estate No. 02-22-08096, Paul E. Smelko, Executor,108 Lilmont Drive, Swissvale, PA 15218, William C. Price, Jr., Price & Associates, P.C. 2005 Noble Street, Pittsburgh, PA 1218

LEGAL

Estate of CONSTANCE E. RUSSELL

Deceased of 4750 Clairton Blvd, Apt# 136 Pittsburgh PA 15236 , Estate No. 02-2208259, Deborah L. Watkins, Executor, 11305 Althea Rd, Pittsburgh PA 15235,

Estate of GLORIA J. MEINERT, Deceased of McCandless Township, Pennsylvania ,Estate No. 02-22-08151, Keith M. Meinert, Executor, 10235 Meinert Road, Wexford, PA 15090 or to ROBIN L. RARIE, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017

Estate of AGNES MELLINGER, Deceased Clairton , No. 8228 of 2022, . Linda M. Fitzpatrick-Podroskey, Petitioner, has filed a Petition to Determine Title to Real Estate at 626 N. 6th St., Clairton, PA 15025, pursuant to 20 PA § 3546, John R. Axtell Peter B. Lewis, and Neighborhood Legal Services, 928 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel.

compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to:

Missy Ramsey Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 MRamsey@Rideprt.org

REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS (1) – CDBG PROJECT

On or about Wednesday January 11, 2023, the City of Pittsburgh will submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended to undertake a project known as Demolition – 1613 Broadway PLI 2022 – 1 for the purpose of demolition and blight removal, described below. The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Permits, Licensing, and Inspections (PLI) has received requests or complaints from residents, neighborhood groups, and the local council member office regarding 1613 Broadway Avenue in the Beechview neighborhood of Pittsburgh. PLI conducts thorough inspections of the structures to determine the extent of damage, potential for collapse, impact to adjacent structures, and impact on the public right of way. PLI scores each structure on the integrity of the roof, walls, foundation, decorative features, exterior stairs, decks/porches/balconies, and other façade features. This activity is the demolition of 1613 Broadway, Pittsburgh, PA 15216. This structure has been deemed to be unsafe and in need of emergency demolition. The project will utilize $125,000.00 from the Allegheny County Department of Community and Economic Development, through its Act 152 Blight Removal Program, as well as $350,000.00 in FY 2020 CDBG funding for blight removal. The project will begin Spring of 2023 and conclude in Summer 2023 The total estimated cost of the project is approximately $475,000.00.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (2) – CDBG PROJECT

The City of Pittsburgh has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR). The ERR will be made available to the public for review either electronically or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to City of Pittsburgh, Office of Management and Budget, 414 Grant St, City County Building Room 501, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, by phone (412) 255-2211, or by email to Whitney.Finnstrom@ pittsburghpa.gov.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to: Whitney Finnstrom City of Pittsburgh, 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (412) 255-2211 OR Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov

All comments received by Thursday, January 26, 2023 will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to proceeding with the demolition. Comments should specify which Notice (Request for Release of Funds 1 or Finding of No Significant Impact 2) they are addressing.

ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that Ed Gainey in his capacity as Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to use development funds.

OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Pittsburgh certification for a period of fifteen (15) days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Pittsburgh; (b) the City of Pittsburgh has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh at Phillip.E.McKeough@hud.gov /(412) 644-5846 regarding HUD CDBG funds.

Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Community Planning and Development in Pittsburgh via email or phone as given above to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Ed Gainey Mayor City of Pittsburgh

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Meetings

PUBLIC NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Professional Services Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time, in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. Official action on the Committee’s recommendations will take place at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors at a later date. The public may view the meeting via livestream by visiting www.alcosan.org.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation, a 501(c)(3) corporation, on behalf of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is requesting Technical Proposals and Price Proposals (together, the Proposal package) for Regional Travel Demand Model Update/ Enhancements Consultant Services

The selected firm or team of firms will assist SPC with developing a new, calibrated suite of travel models for the SPC region, incorporating current data and latest modeling best practices.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) will be released by SPC on January 11, 2023. Copies may be downloaded from the SPC Website (www.spcregion. org) or may be obtained by e-mail request to Chuck Imbrogno at imbrogno@spcregion.org.

Electronic submissions will be required via SPC’s SharePoint site. Full submission details are provided in the RFP document. Proposal packages are due on February 3, 2023.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Public Notice

ANNOUNCEMENTS

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS NOTICE OF INTRODUCTION OF PROPOSED CODE ADOPTION ORDINANCE

Please take notice that a proposed Code Adoption Ordinance was introduced by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Wilkins at a regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners held on the 9th day of January, 2023. A copy of the proposed Code Adoption Ordinance and the Code may be examined in the office of the Township Manager. A summary of the proposed Code Adoption Ordinance of the proposed codification is as follows:

Ordinance No.: 1111

AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE, ADOPT AND ENACT AN ORDINANCE CODIFICATION FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA; TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPEAL OF CERTAIN LEGISLATION NOT INCLUDED THEREIN; TO SAVE FROM REPEAL CERTAIN OTHER LEGISLATION NOT INCLUDED THEREIN; AND TO PROVIDE PENALTIES FOR TAMPERING WITH THE CODE.

This proposed ordinance provides:

1) For the approval, adoption and enactment of the codification of a complete body of legislation for the Township of Wilkins, as revised, codified and consolidated into title, chapters and sections, such codification being designated as the “Code of the Township of Wilkins.”

2) That the provisions of the Code are intended as the continuation of legislation in effect immediately prior to the adoption of this ordinance.

3) For the repeal of inconsistent ordinances or parts of ordinances of a general and permanent nature which are not included in the Code, except as specifically saved from repeal.

4) That certain ordinances, rights and obligations be expressly saved from repeal.

5) That ordinances of a general and permanent nature adopted subsequent to preparation of the code but prior to its adoption are deemed part of the Code.

6) For the adoption and ratification of changes and revisions made during preparation of the Code to the previously adopted legislation included therein, and for the inclusion of certain new legislation. Such changes, revisions and new legislation include:

a) Nonsubstantive grammatical and style changes.

b) Nomenclature changes

c) General revision of penalty provisions

d) Removal of specific permit and license fee amounts and authority for such fees to be set by resolution of the Board of Commissioners.

e) Adoption and ratification of other substantive changes and revisions made so as to bring provisions included in the Code into conformity with the policies and intent of the Board of Commissioners. Such changes and revisions are specifically enumerated and described in the ordinance.

7) For the interpretation of provisions.

8) That titles, headings and editor’s notes are inserted for the convenience of persons using the Code and are not part of the legislation.

9) For the filing of at least one copy of the code in the office of the Township Manager where it shall remain for use and examination by the public. 10) For the incorporation of future additions, deletions, amendments or supplements into the Code.

11) That Code books be kept up-to-date under the supervision of the Township Manager.

12) That notice of introduction of the ordinance and Code be published according to law and that enactment of the ordinance, coupled with filing of a copy or copies of the Code and publication of such notice, will be deemed due and legal publication of all provisions of the Code. 13) For penalties for anyone convicted of altering or tampering with the Code. 14) That the provisions of the Code and the ordinance are severable. 15) That the effective date of the Code and of the ordinance be February 27, 2023.

Please take further notice that the Board of Commissioners intends to adopt the proposed Code Adoption Ordinance on February 27, 2023 A copy of the Code Adoption Ordinance proposed for adoption is on file in the office of the Township Manager, Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania, where it is available for public inspection during regular office hours.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Prevailing Wage Act” of August 15, 1961, P.L. 987, as Department of Labor and Industry, the prevailing minimum wage predetermination requirements as set forth in the Attachments apply to this Project. The County of Allegheny County hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises / women business enterprises [MBE/WBE] will be afforded the full opportunity to submit bids on the grounds of race, sex, color or national origin in consideration for an award. It is a condition of the bidding process/contract that all responsive bidders/contractors shall follow the minority business enterprises/women’s business enterprises [MBE/WBE] procedures set forth in the project manual/contract documents.

Corey O’Connor Controller County of Allegheny

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB) FOR ROOFING SERVICES AUTHORITY WIDE

IFB#300-02-23

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby requests bids from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s):

Roofing Services Authority Wide IFB#300-02-23

The documents will be available no later than January 3, 2022 and signed, sealed bids will be accepted until 9:00 AM on January 24, 2023 The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only be accepting physical bids dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 AM on January 24, 2023 in the lobby of 100 Ross St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Bids may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the IFB. Sealed bids may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

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

Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Mr. James Harris Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor, Suite 200 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2832

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting; on January 12, 2023 at 9:00 AM. Please see meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 871 5280 6796 Passcode: 978547 +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’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/ RFPs documentation.

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.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HONOREES TAMIA MITCHELL, DAWN GORDON (Photos by Courier photographer Dayna Delgado)

HONOREES KELLY PROTHO, THERESA POINDEXTER

Pittsburgh’s Black women take center stage

Sellout crowd for

‘Women of Excellence’ 2022

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Honoring Black women never gets old.

Especially when women like Theresa Poindexter said she got “chills” hearing her name called by the celebrity host, Sheldon Ingram, during the New Pittsburgh Courier’s latest iteration of its “Women of Excellence” Awards Ceremony, Dec. 15, 2022.

“It was an absolute honor to be amongst such powerhouse women,” Poindexter said. “I’m happy that I was able to be recognized for all that I’ve done for the community as well.”

The Sheraton Hotel at Station Square played home to the “Women of

Excellence” celebration for the second straight year, and the 2022 version welcomed a sold-out crowd of almost 600 people in attendance.

Honoree LaTanya J. Brown, a director at Pittsburgh Regional Transit, said it was “amazing” that Black women were honored for their achievements. “I feel like we work so hard to get where we’re at, and I feel it’s nice to get recognized.”

In a twist, this time the honorees made a grand entrance into the Sheraton ballroom and walked across the stage while being applauded. This gave the crowd a better chance to see their loved one and salute them, as they eventually made their way to their seat.

Reverend A. Marie Walker gave the invocation, and then dinner was served. Brother Marlon Martin served up his usual R&B mix of music to add some “flavor” to the dinner session. Ingram, of WTAE-TV lore, then spearheaded the program. But before that, he pulled off a “Women of Ex-

cellence” first — he took the hand of the legacy honoree, Esther L. Bush, and they danced near the front of the stage for about two minutes. Bush, the former President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and Westinghouse High School graduate, showed the crowd how the “Bull-

dogs” can really groove.

Courier Sales Director Ashley Johnson saluted the event’s sponsors, followed by the introduction of Courier Editor and Publisher Rod Doss, who pulled out a few dance moves of his own...

By 8:30 p.m., the big moment had arrived. It was time to bestow the awards to the 50 Women of Excellence, along with Bush, the legacy honoree. Dawn Gordon was one of the honorees, who told the Courier that “it was very humbling to be a part of a class of such amazing, distinguished Black women, celebrating each other.”

Gordon, a Johnstown native, has been in Pittsburgh since 1993 and is the principal of Martin Luther King PreK-8, on the North Side.

Roxanne Easley, the force behind Roxanne’s Catering for the past 17 years, was another honoree. She told the Courier that the event gave her a chance to better understand exactly the professions that the Black women are in, rather than just seeing the women around

town.

Bush was then introduced by Doss, to a standing ovation. Of course it was a standing ovation; Bush has been a tireless force in civil rights and equity for African Americans for pretty much her entire adult life. Seeing Bush command the stage was inspiring for Easley. “It’s an opportunity for us to look up to her, and as we’re looking up to her, we look at the work that we need to do on the ground now,” she said.

As the ceremony ended and hugs and congrats were flooding the ballroom, Gordon had this piece of advice for the next generation of Black women: “Find your passion,” as she did around age 20 when she knew that education and social work were hers.

“Never give up,” said another honoree, Easley. “The opportunities will come, the money will come, but you can never give up if you believe in what you’re doing.”

HONOREE DR. MALEEA JOHNSON, center, with family.

HONOREES RONNIECE SHEALEY-SIRMONS AND GAIL E. JACKSON (Photos by Courier photographer Dayna Delgado)

ESTHER L. BUSH — THE LEGACY HONOREE

ESTHER L. BUSH

Esther L. Bush served as President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh for 27 years until her retirement in 2021. She is pictured with Courier Editor and Publisher Rod Doss, WTAE-TV reporter/host Sheldon Ingram, and B-PEP Chairman and CEO Tim Stevens.

WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE

DUQUESNE LIGHT COMPANY SPONSORSHIP TABLE

VISIT PITTSBURGH AND MCAULEY MINISTRIES SPONSORSHIP TABLE

HONOREE MAYA ADAMS

HONOREE LATARA J. JONES

HIGHMARK SPONSORSHIP TABLE

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AND EXURBIA HOME HEALTHCARE SPONSORSHIP TABLE HONOREE TERESA M. HAWTHORNE, second from left, with family.

HONOREE DEBORAH STARLING, with family.

ADAMS

MAYA

Chief Operating Officer Exurbia Home Healthcare

SOME OF THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER FAMILY—Seated: Cathryn Calhoun, Michelle Johnson, Nichole Lincoln. Standing: Damon Carr, Erin Youngue, Rob Taylor Jr., Warren King, Jacquelyn McDonald (Photos by Courier photographer Dayna Delgado)

COURIER SALES DIRECTOR ASHLEY JOHNSON

REVEREND A. MARIE WALKER

MICHELLE L. BERRYMAN Western Regional Manager of Toll Operations Pennsylvania

BLACKBURN, Ph.D.

Turnpike Commission

DANIELLE

Director of Large Group and Strategic Accounts Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

ANGELA BLAIR Director of Enterprise Talent Highmark Health

LATANYA J. BROWN

Director of Service and Delivery at Collier Garage, Pittsburgh Regional Transit

REV. DR. LAWANA L. BUTLER Executive Director Heuer House

DR. PAULINE CALLAWAY-LONG, D.SC. CEO Life On the Go (L.O.N.G.) Informations Systems, LLC

MARCIA CARTER

Peri-Operative Registered Nurse at Allegheny General Hospital

Allegheny Health Network

KENYOKEE C. CROWELL

SVP and COO, Enterprise Clinical Organization Highmark Health

TEAIRA COLLINS CEO and Founder Lion of Judah Enterprises

CARMELLA A. DEARMON

33rd District Commander American Legion Post 527

KEIHA R. DRUMMOND Educator at City High Charter School/ Entrepreneur, SKNDP LLC

ROXANNE EASLEY Owner and Operator Roxanne’s Catering and Easley Event Staffing

LATRICE EBO, BSN Clinician Therapist Pittsburgh Mercy Behavioral Health

ANNE GERMANY, BSN, RN, CCM Health Ministries Leader Mt. Ararat Baptist Church

CYNTHIA A. GILMER Director of Secondary Curriculum Environmental Charter School

VICTORIA L. GOINS

Vice President of Programs and Services Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh

DAWN GORDON, MSW, LSW, M.Ed. Principal of Martin Luther King PreK-8 Pittsburgh Public Schools

TERESA M. HAWTHORNE Founder Turn Up Your Life Motivation, LLC

MIKEY HOOD

Correspondent & Host of Pittsburgh Today Live KDKA

GAIL E. JACKSON

Retired from Pittsburgh Corning Corporation/ Substitute Teacher at Pittsburgh Obama High School, Pittsburgh Public Schools

ARDANA ‘AJ’ JEFFERSON Executive Director Homeless Children’s Education Fund

REV. JUNE JEFFRIES

MALEEA

INIKA JONES

Pastor New Life Baptist Church

DR.

JOHNSON Director of the Office of Equity & Inclusion Carlow University

Child Health and Safety Manager Private Industry Council-Head Start/Early Head Start of Beaver County

JAEL JONES Senior Program Manager of Impact Relations Neighborhood Allies

LATARA J. JONES

Drug and Alcohol Counselor, 5th Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County/ Adjunct Professor, Duquesne University

DR. TOYA JONES

Director and Faculty, Bachelor of Arts Social Work (BASW) Program University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

AYANNA LEE-DAVIS

Lead Counsel

Legal Department/Business Transactions Group FedEx Ground Package Systems, Inc.

EBONY LUNSFORD-EVANS

Director of Nursing, Forbes Road Personal Care Home/ Personal Care Home Administrator, Village of Pennwood

Owner Farmer Girl Eb LLC

DENISE S. MEYERS

TAMIA MITCHELL

Managing Director of Systems Improvement and Continuous Quality Improvement, A Second Chance, Inc.

YOLANDA J. MURPHY

THERESA POINDEXTER

Research Specialist, University of Pittsburgh/ Clinical Trial Ambassador, Hillman Cancer Center

TYRA OLIVER Assistant Counsel Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Chief Counsel

Nurse Educator and Administrator T.L.P. Assisted Living, Healthcare and Training LLC

REV. NIKKI PORTER

Minister of Music and Head of Staff, Eastminster Presbyterian Church/ Gospel Recording Artist

KELLY PROTHO Senior Applied Learning & Development Specialist Allegheny County Department of Human Services

STACEY E. RANDOLPH Emergency Preparedness Training & Exercise Coordinator and Allegheny Medical Reserve Corps Director Allegheny County Health Department

ANGELA

MONICA TILLMAN SMITH

ANDREA CLARK SMITH

DEBORAH STARLING

ALEXIS JAMES STEALS

MICHELLE MARIE STEWART

Director,

REV. AISHA I. TATE, M.DIV.

Pastor,

MELISSA K. WHARTON

Senior Vice President and Deposit Product Manager

TriState Capital Bank

University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center—Homewood/Founder & Content

Creator, Executed in Excel Lens Consulting

Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church/ Founder, The House of Glory

DR. TAMMY WASHINGTON

Program Manager of Portfolio Delivery & Operations, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield/ Entrepreneur, The SMG Lady, LLC

NICOLE R. WEBSTER Corporate Citizenship Manager Accenture

Founder, President & CEO of The Church Online, LLC/ Co-Founder, President & CEO of Wharton Curtis, LLC