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Happy 90th Birthday, Mary Elizabeth Clark! SEE PAGE A9
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 115 No. 12 Two Sections
MARCH 20-26, 2024
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
New ‘Science Center’ coming to the Hill District Old MLK Cultural Center on Herron Ave. to become The Citizen Science Lab’s headquarters
THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S PRESIDENT AND CEO, DR. ANDRE SAMUEL, AND GRANTS AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER NIKKI FEAGIN ACCEPT THE AWARD FOR BEING CITIZENS BANK'S "CHAMPION IN ACTION" FOR 2024. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Sometime next year, don't be surprised to see rockets being launched in the Hill District.
The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that the old Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center building that has long been vacant, but is still standing at 636 Herron
Avenue, will be converted into the new headquarters for The Citizen Science Lab. Andre Samuel, Ph.D., The Citizen Science Lab's Founder, President and CEO, told the Courier
exclusively that a number of additions will occur on the building, and he's especially excited about the courtyard space, where they'll "be outside launching rockets, flying drones,
and piloting robots. Who's not going to walk by and say, 'Can I check this out?'" The official groundbreaking of the new headquarters, which is
near the corner of Herron Avenue and Milwaukee Street, will occur either in May or June of this year. All new construction SEE SCIENCE A4
Banning discrimination based on hair styles top priority Reps. Mayes, McClinton launch ‘CROWN Act Coalition’ during Pittsburgh event by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Prohibiting discrimination based on hair type, hair texture or hair style is one step away from a reality in Pennsylvania. State Rep. La'Tasha D. Mayes, who represents the 24th House District, and Pa. House Speaker Joanna McClinton, both African American women, are leading the charge to pass the CROWN Act in Pennsylvania. The CROWN Act has already passed the Pa. House by a vote of 18221. Now it just has to get through the state Senate. On Friday, March 8, the Pennsylvania CROWN Act Coalition was formed and announced during
an event in Downtown Pittsburgh. Among those in attendance were Pittsburgh's First Lady, Michelle Gainey, state Rep. Aerion Abney, City Councilman Khari Mosley, former Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh President and CEO Esther L. Bush, and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. The coalition will work to combat hair discrimination and educate stakeholders about the CROWN Act, according to a release from Rep. Mayes' office. "CROWN" is an acronym for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair." The CROWN SEE DISCRIMINATION A8
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A COALITION – STATE REPS. LA’TASHA D. MAYES AND JOANNA MCCLINTON, WHO ALSO SERVES AS THE STATE HOUSE SPEAKER, ANNOUNCE THE “CROWN ACT COALITION” DURING AN EVENT AT THE UNION TRUST BUILDING, DOWNTOWN, MARCH 8. (PHOTO BY MARLON MARTIN)