America’s best weekly
Haiti nonprofit leader reflects on assassination of country’s president Page A5
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 112 No. 28 Two Sections
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
JULY 14-20, 2021
ONE STEP CLOSER TO A REALITY
Hill District community breaks ground on New Granada Square Apartments by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Let Marimba Milliones tell it, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and start building. A project that was years in the making, construction of the New Granada Square Apartments and Retail structure has officially begun. A groundbreaking was held on June 30, with Milliones, the President and CEO of the Hill District Community Development Corporation, donning the proverbial hard hat and shovel, flanked by numerous supporters who are allin on revitalizing the Hill District once and for all.
“It’s been a long time coming,” proclaimed Rev. Victor J. Grigsby, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, on Wylie Avenue. “And the day has finally come for the groundbreaking that we’ve so patiently and anxiously awaited.” When it’s all said and done, the Hill District will be home to this new five-story, 40 apartment development, of which the exterior’s Kente Cloth facade design was created by artist Charlotte Ka. The 40 apartments will be labeled as “affordable,” with the units priced from 20 to 80 percent of the Area Median Income. Apartments will either be one- or two-bed-
A RENDITION OF WHAT THE NEW GRANADA SQUARE APARTMENTS will look like, once completed, along Centre Avenue in the Hill District. On June 30, the Hill District Community Development Corporation and partners officially broke ground on construction of the apartments, which will sit in between the Hill District Federal Credit Union and Black Beauty Lounge.
HILL CDC PRESIDENT AND CEO MARIMBA MILLIONES
room. Nearly 5,000 square feet of commercial retail space for businesses and restaurants will occupy the first floor. The apartments will be situated between the Hill District Federal Credit Union and Black Beauty Lounge, on Centre Avenue. The Hill CDC said in a release that the New Granada Square Apartments is the largest commercial de-
velopment and investment along the Centre Avenue corridor in generations. “I want to first thank the Hill District community,” Milliones said during the June 30 groundbreaking. “I thank them most for believing. It’s hard to wait for progress. It’s hard to believe that we should aspire for better when people keep telling you, ‘just settle for anything.’ That’s hard.”
Milliones then thanked her Hill CDC staff for having a passion for the betterment of the Hill District. When state Rep. Jake Wheatley, whose district includes the Hill, took the microphone, he made sure everyone knew who had the vision of a new apartment complex on Centre. “First, somebody had to have a dream or a vision to say what they want, es-
pecially in neighborhoods like ours where we don’t have lawyers, doctors, architects who necessarily sit at all our tables in our neighborhoods, so we are at the behest of other people and other people’s dreams and visions,” the state representative said. “But we had someone (Milliones) who was running the CDC SEE NEW GRANADA A3
IN HER OWN WORDS
Higher education and I are going through a break-up, a conscious uncoupling, a disentanglement by Tahirah Walker PublicSource
I may need a divorce. Since 2005, I have been a servant leader at colleges and universities in and around Pittsburgh. As I watched Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and MacArthur Genius Fellow Nikole Hannah-Jones deal with the typical lowballing of Black women I have come to know as the norm in higher ed, my throat felt dry. I found myself disgusted as I read about the controversy over Hannah-Jones being denied tenure for a university position that traditionally comes with that
benefit. I had recently decided to step down from my position as executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion at a college in a neighboring state because the commute and stress had become too much for me. It was a hard decision, but I knew it had to be done for my health and well-being. I was invited to apply for two other positions at institutions I knew well. I jumped through the hoops of fire. I told them how much I would love to come work on their teams. I turned on my digital reputation monitor to watch out for terms that SEE DISENTANGLEMENT A7
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 136
WRITER AND TEACHER TAHIRAH WALKER, photographed inside her Turtle Creek home. (Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource)
A2 JULY 14-20, 2021
METRO
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
The Courier, at Pittsburgh’s...
MANY CAME OUT TO EXPERIENCE the City of Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth Freedom Parade, held June 26, through Downtown Pittsburgh. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
THE NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY ZETA PHI BETA SORORITY INC., LAMBDA LAMBDA ZETA CHAPTER
Publication No.: USPS 381940 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-481-8302 Fax: 412-481-1360 The New Pittsburgh Courier is published weekly Periodicals paid at Pittsburgh, Pa. PRICE $1.00 (Payable in advance) 6 Months—$25 1 Year—$45 2 Years—$85 9-Month School Rate $35
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
New Pittsburgh Courier 315 East Carson Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219
STATE REP. ED GAINEY, center, with Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald, right.
THETA PHI SIGMA CHRISTIAN SORORITY INC., JEREMIAH NU CHAPTER
METRO
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JULY 14-20, 2021
...2021 Juneteenth Freedom parade
PITTSBURGH KINGS & QUEENS YOUTH FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING ORGANIZATION (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)
PITTSBURGH BLACK MEDIA FEDERATION
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
Hill District community breaks ground on New Granada Square Apartments NEW GRANADA FROM A1
who saw a possibility in this sector and when she came to me (with the idea), I’m like, ‘I don’t know how you’re going to do that.’ She said, ‘I’m going to do it with your help. You gotta believe in yourself.’” CHN Housing Partners, a Cleveland-based nonprofit affordable housing developer, decided to partner with the Hill CDC in constructing the New Granada Square Apartments. It’s their first development outside of Ohio. “You liked us despite the fact that we’re Browns fans,” CHN’s CEO, Kevin Nowak, said. “We can’t think of a better place to do our work than in the historic Hill District. We are proud to take part in revitalizing this culturally rich neighborhood with so much potential.” The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency was also instrumental in making the development a reality, as the primary investor. “They are investing right here on our main street in a project that isn’t just housing,” Milliones said of the PHFA. “It’s artists housing and commercial real estate. That’s not the normal type of investment and I thank PHFA for taking that leap on this special type of project and for taking a chance on creatives who are often used to build-up a community and then gentrification pushes them out.” Commitments on investments have also been made by KeyBank, the Urban Redevelopment
Authority, McAuley Ministries, Duquesne Light and First National Bank. Nowak also touted the development’s fulfilling of economic justice goals by directing over 40 percent of the work to minority-owned businesses and more than 15 percent to women-owned enterprises. Mayor Bill Peduto praised the Hill CDC and the Hill District residents for coming up with “its own master plan of how it wants to build back. One of the most critical parts of the plan is this historic block and making it a place where not only arts and culture can thrive, but where people can call home.” Milliones also thanked the Hill CDC Board of Directors. She thanked the URA for “working behind the scenes creatively and worked with us to finesse different challenges that were necessary for us to do a very complex deal.” And Milliones didn’t leave the microphone without thanking CHN Housing Partners, those Cleveland Browns fans they are, for choosing the New Granada Square Apartments, in a city they barely know, as their first development outside of the Buckeye State. “Sometimes it takes someone who’s not from your hometown to see the opportunity,” Milliones said, leaving most of the crowd not knowing whether to clap or cry. “Sometimes it takes someone who’s not from your hometown to invest in you first. That’s real.”
A3
A4
JULY 14-20, 2021
METRO
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
This Week In Black History A Courier Staple JULY 15
1779—Noted Black spy Pompey Lamb supplies the American revolutionary forces with information, which enables them to win the Battle of Stony Point—the last major battle of the Revolutionary War in New York State. Lamb had worked as a fruit and vegetable delivery man for the British Army. 1822—Philadelphia becomes one of the first major cities to open its public schools to Blacks. The first school was a segregated one just for Black boys. One for girls was opened four years later in 1826. The city’s public schools would remain segregated until the 1930s.
JULY 16
1862—Crusading journalist and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett is born in Holly Springs, Miss. Wells-Barnett was a true militant activist. Her editorials so angered IDA B. WELLS-BARNETT Whites in the Memphis, Tenn., area that a mob burned down the building which housed her newspaper. She was also one of the original founders of the NAACP and in 1884 she committed a “Rosa Parks” type act when she refused an order to give up her seat on a train to a White man. It took the conductor and two other men to remove her from the seat and throw her off the train. 1882—Violette A. Johnson is born. She would become the first Black female attorney allowed to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
JULY 17
1794—Former slave and minister Richard Allen officially dedicated the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pa. The church was the first all-Black denomination not affiliated with a larger White congregation. The incident leading to the dedication took place in 1787 when Allen, Absalom Jones and several other Blacks were thrown out of Philadelphia’s St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church when they attempted to pray along-side Whites. The AME Church would go on to become one of the largest Black religious denominations in America. 1862—As the Southern, pro-slavery rebels prove more difficult in battle than expected, Congress passes a law giving President Abraham Lincoln the authority to begin recruiting free Blacks and recently freed slaves into military service during the Civil War. 1911—Frank M. Snowden is born in York County, Va. The Harvard educated Snowden would become a prominent professor at Washington, D.C.’s, Howard University and a leading authority on Blacks in ancient history. His major works include “Blacks in Antiquity: Ethiopians in the Greco-Roman Experience” and “Before Color Prejudice: The Ancient View of Blacks.” Snowden documented that “Ethiopians pioneered religion” and played a major role in the development of the greatness of ancient Egypt. Snowden also showed that Blacks influenced the development of both ancient Greek and Roman societies working in capacities ranging from musicians to scholars. Snowden died in February 2007 at the age of 95. 1942—Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali is born Cassius Marcellus Clay in Louisville, Ky. Ali would join the Nation of Islam and become a major opponent of the U.S. war in Vietnam. He would MUHAMMAD ALI later split with Malcolm X when Malcolm broke away from the Nation of Islam. 1944—The so-called Port of Chicago Mutiny takes place. In the middle of America’s involvement in World War II, an ammunitions depot at Port Chicago, Calif., explodes killing 320 men—most of them Black. It was the worse stateside disaster in U.S. military history. However, when 258 surviving Black soldiers refused to return to work until they received certain safety guarantees, their refusal was labeled a mutiny by military authorities. Fifty of the soldiers were convicted of mutiny and jailed. However, after the war, President Harry S. Truman commuted their sentences.
JULY 18
1753—This is believed to be the day
Lemuel Haynes escaped from slavery in Massachusetts. The product of a Black father and a mother who was normally described in history texts as “a White woman of respectable ancestry,” Haynes would beLEMUEL HAYNES come a renowned figure in early American history. He fought with distinction in American Revolutionary War for independence from Britain and would become the first Black person ordained as a minister by a mainstream Protestant church. He was also the first Black in American history to become head minister at a predominantly White church. 1863—Sergeant William H. Carney was the first Black person to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in battle. The bravery which led to the medal occurred on this day in 1863 at the battle of Battery Wagner. 1918—Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is born in Transkei, South Africa. Mandela would spend 27 years in prison for his struggles against the system of racial oppression in South Africa known as apartheid. When he was finally released in 1990, it was a day of massive celebration for Blacks and progressive Whites throughout South Africa and much of the world. He won hundreds of awards for his anti-apartheid NELSON MANDELA efforts including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. With the downfall of apartheid in the early 1990s, Mandela would become the first Black president of the country in 1994. He was widely praised for not launching a campaign of revenge against his White former oppressors.
JULY 19
1848—Anti-slavery activist and the foremost Black leader of his day Frederick Douglass gives a stirring speech at the First Women’s Rights Convention, which took place in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Douglas helped sway the 260 women and 40 men present to back a women’s right to vote resolution being pushed by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Initially, many of the delegates opposed the resolution fearing it was too radical an idea for the times but changed their minds after hearing Douglass’ presentation. Women would not finally get the right to vote until 1920. 1941—The first U.S. Army Flying Academy for Black cadets is officially dedicated at Tuskegee, Ala. Between 1940 and 1946, 992 pilots were trained. More than 400 would see action in World War II even though many Whites initially felt Blacks were not intelligent enough to fly airplanes. The Tuskegee Airmen, as they became known, would fly with great distinction during the war. They were credited with downing 109 German planes and destroying numerous enemy fuel dumps, trucks and planes. Approximately 150 of them lost their lives during training or TUSKEGEE AIRMEN combat. Finally, in March 2007,more than 300 surviving members and their wives were honored and the airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal. 1952—Joe Louis Reliford broke the color barrier in Georgia State Baseball in Statesboro, Ga. He pinch hit, threw out a runner from left field and robbed the Statesboro Pilots best hitter, Jim Shuster of a home run—all in one inning and at the age of 12. His historical catch is on display in Cooperstown, N.Y., where he is the only batboy among Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees. Reliford is the author of “From Batboy to the Hall of Fame.”
JULY 20
1967—The first Black Power Conference takes place in Newark, N.J. More than 1,000 delegates representing 126 organizations attended. The conference represented a break with the integration-with-Whites thrust of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Instead, delegates called for greater focus on Black political empowerment, economic development, community control and the building of Black institutions.
METRO
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JULY 14-20, 2021
A5
THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOVENEL MOISE
Haiti native and local nonprofit leader reflects on assassination, vows to continue service by Ervin Dyer and Jamar Thrasher For New Pittsburgh Courier
Last week, at the earliest hint of a sunrise, Pittsburgh resident and Haiti native Bishop Leon Pamphile was awakened by a phone call. His brother, Raoul, in Haiti, was on the line with an urgent communication. On that call, Pamphile learned the news that would soon jolt the international community. Haitian president Jovenel Moïse had been assassinated in the middle of the night in his home near Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital city. The 53-year-old business leader took office in 2016. His wife was also injured in the attack and was later flown to a Miami hospital for treatment. The investigation into the assassination continues, but at the time of this writing, the Haitian Times is reporting that several actors, including a Florida-based doctor, were allegedly involved in the assassination of President Moïse. The news continues to unfold, but when Pamphile first heard of the killing of Moïse, he was
BISHOP LEON PAMPHILE, with Haitian residents, in this file photo.
BISHOP LEON PAMPHILE
“disheartened” by the news. Pamphile, one of many Haitian nationals living in Allegheny County, was worried about how the assassination might cause further turmoil in his beloved Haiti, which was already struggling with political stability, COVID-19 and other health and social challenges because of poverty and inequality. “The death of the president creates the highest height of uncertain-
ty in a country already overtaken by violence, gang wars, kidnappings, shortages of gasoline and food,” Pamphile said. Though living thousands of miles away from his native country, Pamphile has maintained deep and compassionate roots to the island nation. For nearly 40 years now, Pamphile, a retired teacher, has been the leader of the Pittsburgh-based nonprofit the Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti, or
The key to controlling your finances is...? Damon Carr has the REAL answer. Read the Courier’s personal finance guru on Page B1.
FLM Haiti. He founded the group to combat illiteracy, unemployment, illness, and to help residents of a rural, mountainous region not far from Port-au-Prince, have a better life. The assassination sent shock waves across the world, but in Haiti it disrupted a flow of life that is already so fragile for so many. For the most part, all activities are now paralyzed in Port-au-Prince, said Pamphile, and people are staying home. He said that the institutions of FLM Haiti — its clinic, schools, and technical center — have closed for now as a way to protect staff and others. FLM Haiti, which typically runs several health and education missions to Haiti each year to aid its work there, has not been able to sponsor a mission there in more than a year and a half because of unrest and concerns over COVID-19. Nevertheless, FLM Haiti’s work there continued. Its school, serving 600 elementary to high school students, employs about 38 teachers; its medical staff of 14 treats more than 300 patients each month. Pamphile, though, is worried the disruption to services could negatively impact the health and well-being of the community. Right now, there are already reports of electrical outages and shortages of propane, which many families use to cook. “I feel like what’s hap-
pening right now, everybody’s affected, whether you’re for or against (President Moïse),” said Pamphile, during a recent radio interview. Though there have been
calls in Haiti for the nation to resume as much normalcy as possible, Pamphile is worried the uncertainty and threat of an escalation in political turmoil could further
impact FLM Haiti’s effort to aid the people of his homeland. On the ground in Haiti, Pamphile is worried critical humanitarian and social aid will arrive even more slowly to Haiti because road closures, threats of spontaneous violence, and he fears aid could come to a complete standstill due the harrowing events that left Moïse dead. Another worrisome and immediate consequence of Moïse’s assassination is the economic void presented to Haitian vendors and merchants. Their business is dwindling because the streets are so empty, said Pamphle. A typical family in Haiti, where many live on less than $2 a day, does not have access to a refrigerator or freezer. It is not uncommon for families to live day-today, depending on street markets to purchase food, water and other necessities to feed their families. In the meantime, Pamphile, the bishop of the Church of God in Christ in Haiti, remains hopeful for his nation and for his nonprofit, even in such trying times. FLM Haiti, he says, will continue to monitor the situation and open its services as safely as it can to provide for the people.
(To donate to FLM Haiti, visit https://www.flmhaiti. org/donate)
A6
METRO
JULY 14-20, 2021
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
CORVETTES UNITED—A “VETTE-TASTIC” TIME HAD BY ALL (Photos by Kenneth W. Ogilvie)
The show did go on! ‘Corvettes Against the World’ brought the best of the best to Pittsburgh by Bill Neal For New Pittsburgh Courier
Neither rain, nor snow, nor heat, nor gloom of night will stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds... wait, wait, wait...hold up, wait a minute! That’s the postal service slogan...my bad. But guess what? It still works here. If you were at the Elite Corvettes of Pittsburgh “Corvettes Against the World” grand event over this past Memorial Day weekend, you would clearly know why. Well, let me put it to you this way — Noah and all the animals on that Arc never saw as much rain. I mean it rained and rained and rained some more. But alas, the show did go on. And what a show it was. BTW and FYI, the Corvettes won! Coming from all over the East side of the map, from Baltimore, D.C., Harrisburg, United Rays of Pittsburgh, Maryland, Dayton, Detroit, Cleveland, Rochester, New York, Toledo, Columbus, and of course, Elite Corvettes of Pittsburgh. In spite of the monsoon, all objectives of the fantastic voyage were met. The coming together of some
of the baddest cars on the planet...America’s car... the corvette. “Unity in the Community” and a brotherhood and sisterhood that reached across state lines. Competition for the gold and best-in-show along with 50 other trophies. And most importantly, a coming-together of community and corporate showcasing the championship spirit that is Pittsburgh, Pa. Special thanks to the Monroeville Mall for their support and participation, the New Pittsburgh Courier for ongoing coverage and participation. Ernie Groover and the Monroeville municipality, the Double Tree Hotel and Monroeville Convention Center, Champions Live Sports Talk Show, and a roaring special thanks to Bowser automotive for their donation of 50-plus trophies and the welcome banner. And as always, a very special thank you to UPMC, Highmark, Goodrich and Geist, Flaherty and Fardo, Domonic Gambino, The Cobb Counsel and Goodrich and Associates and Super Bakery.
BILL NEAL, PITTSBURGH CONTRACTOR AND BUSINESSMAN ERNIE SATO, FOUR-TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMP AND ENTREPRENEUR J.T. THOMAS, ELITE CORVETTE GODFATHER MILTON OLIVER
CHAMPIONS LIVE SPORTS TALK SHOW HOST BILL NEAL, with Elite Corvettes of Pittsburgh Vice President Tia White and President Sheldon Oliver.
AMONG THE WINNERS was Anthony Bolden, in the second photo with navy blue hat, from Michigan.
RELIGION/METRO
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JULY 14-20, 2021
Higher education and I are going through a break-up, a conscious uncoupling, a disentanglement
A7
Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH 91 Crawford Street Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141 Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.sbtmparishpgh.com
East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 Now offering in-person services, with limited capacity and required pre-registration through the website, and virtual services!! Worship Online on Facebook/YouTube www.ELPC.church Summer worship.......10:00 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7:00 p.m.
(Photo by Ryan Loew/PublicSource)
WRITER AND TEACHER TAHIRAH WALKER: “I once reported directly to a White woman who earned six times my salary, a fact I learned when I read the institution’s 990 to the IRS. I struggled to secure affordable housing. She had a residence on campus provided by the institution.”
DETANGLEMENT FROM A1
would flag me as undesirable if I posted them on my social media accounts, like “cops,” “racism” or “Black” or “lives” or “matter.” And then I waited. I wrapped up projects, watched students graduate, cried with ones who didn’t and waited some more. Months went by, and I was faced with the reality that I was going to need to cast a wider net to land a new job in higher education. I typically have not had faculty jobs. Those are very difficult to come by for women of color at PWIs (predominantly White institutions). Fun facts: One time a colleague at a university asked me what a PWI was. Another time a colleague at a university asked me what Title IX was. The things that impact me at a university are not things everyone has to be concerned with, and no amount of diversity training has changed that fact in the last 16 years. The pay has been horrible. I once reported directly to a White woman who earned six times my salary, a fact I learned when I read the institution’s 990 to the IRS. I struggled to secure affordable housing. She had a residence on campus provided by the institution. One time I found myself doing pedagogy and faculty support work for someone who I realized had never actually taught a course or held a faculty position anywhere ever. Add to that the fact that I was on a team of nearly 70 people who had not been able to retain more than one or two workers of color for more than a matter of a few years. I was at the table with an all-White leadership team with only one or two people who had ever actually had to do the work we were leading, much less do the work of considering diversity, equity and inclusion. They wanted to counter the offer. Guess what? I made less money at the new job. I left because I wanted to go where I would be valued and respected. I was tired of arguing with White men about why I should have been tapped for projects where our unit purported to be tackling anti-racism. I left because the ability to make change at a smaller institution was more attractive than being able to say that my favorite world-famous historian, poet and social work researcher were all right across the street inside that literal ivory tower on campus. That would have been a dream if I had not discovered a sad truth. The presumption of incompetence, a cesspool of microaggressions and misogynoir was not unique in higher education. In fact, it was ubiquitous. I questioned why I
hadn’t seen it earlier. Why had I built a career in a place that had never really been built to accept my presence? The answer to this has two parts. I had two great leaders in my first few years in this sector. They fought valiantly for equity and inclusion and they stood by marginalized folks whenever we faced unfair treatment. Like my dominant culture colleagues, I was not perfect. But those two people made sure I never gave up on myself and my worth as a professional. When leadership changed, that did as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that what I had experienced was abnormal. I basked in that naivete for much too long and, when I emerged into the reality of post-secondary education, I jaded like copper. My disillusionment probably solidified just months before, on Feb. 10 to be exact. I had received an anonymous suggestion from a fellow employee letting me know that my DEI programming was lacking. The note began, “I would like to see more programming on White culture...” Ten days of Black History Month programming had been too much for this person. My boss did nothing to address this. I turned to allies on campus. White tenured allies. Together, we put on a workshop about White culture that I hope would have made historian and Princeton University Professor Emerita Nell Irvin Painter proud. I let her book, “The History of White People” guide us, and these folks showed up for me. But the damage had already been done and I could no longer explain away these experiences as idiosyncrasies. I recognized them from the descriptions in Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste.” This is a centuries-old script that plays over and over in American institutions of all kinds. And like the city itself, Pittsburgh’s rich landscape of higher education is only most livable for some. Of course, I am not asserting that there are not times where minorities rise above the oppression. I am also not asserting that people from dominant culture backgrounds don’t experience harm from how they are treated. As award-winning writer and professor Christina Sharpe might say, this is just part of the wake behind a large ship of oppression. Black people work in that wake to mourn our losses and create liberation with literature, music, visual art and so much more. But I have been doing this choppy work in higher education where the waves are ferocious. I have reached a point where I am tired of feeling like I am drowning. So, I am bowing out. If this piece doesn’t burn all bridges, I may seek out some part-time teaching
gigs to remind myself that the classroom is a magical place. I’ll try some consulting. It won’t be easy to piece together my new life as an independent scholar. I’m going to schedule regular therapy sessions. I’m going to listen to my loved ones when they cheer me on, and I’m going to have faith. Before beginning my career in higher education, I served as a secretary and community liaison at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti. Day in and day out, I watched people come there to get lifesaving medical care. Some of them traveled from miles away wounded, feverish, worried and broken. The
hospital was a hub of global and local talent. There were many success stories there. But people didn’t come because of that. They came because they believed there could be something better. Right now I must believe that, too. I may not have it all figured out yet but as my favorite singer-songwriter Pittsburgh’s very own INEZ wrote in her song “Hide & Seek:” “What do you do if you need to run away but your feet won’t move?...You walk. You walk away. You take that first step and then you take the next...you gotta keep moving.” To all the allies who supported me at so many of these miserable moments, I
am deeply grateful. To others out there walking away, safe travels. I wish you a peaceful journey. (Editor’s note: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill trustees voted to grant Nikole Hannah-Jones tenure on June 30, months after she was denied and it became a public controversy. On July 6, Hannah-Jones announced she would be taking a tenured position at Howard University.) (Tahirah Walker is a writer and a teacher, creating her liberation story in the Pittsburgh area. If you want to send a message to Tahirah, email firstperson@publicsource.org.)
Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community! For rate information, call 412-4818302, ext. 128. We want to feature positive youth from our Pittsburgh church community. Please mail their bio and photo to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15219 or email us: religion@newpittsburghcourier. com
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in
“The fool hath said in his heart, There is NO GOD. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none that doeth good. God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that seek God.” - Psalm 53:1-2
REV. WALKER SAYS: Answered with the WORD— Romans 10:9; That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and Believe in your heart that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead, you shall be SAVED. The Fool says, “NO GOD” (Rev. A. Marie Walker is servant pastor of St. John Baptist Church.)
our Church Circuit weekly calendar! Send info to:
New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219
The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.
A8 JULY 14-20, 2021
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
New Pittsburgh Courier
BUSINESS
The new postracial myth: Is it the most sophisticated racist idea ever? J. Pharoah Doss B4
Classifieds
Find what you need from jobs to cars to housing B5-6
JULY 14-20, 2021
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
B
President Biden signs executive orders to promote economic competition by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier
(BlackPressUSA)—President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday, July 9, to promote opportunities in the economy for all and to lower prices for consumers. In a Fact Sheet issued by the White House prior to the President’s announcement, officials said the executive order calls for greater scrutiny of mergers across industries. “President Biden is taking decisive action to reduce the trend of corporate consolidation, increase competition, and deliver concrete benefits to America’s consumers, workers, farmers, and small businesses,” officials noted in the White House factsheet. The order contains 72 initiatives by more than a dozen federal agencies and establishes a White House Competition Council to monitor the agencies’ progress. The President has directed the Federal Trade Commission to ban or limit non-compete deals that keep workers from resigning and joining another firm. “The President believes that if someone offers you a better job, you should be able to take it. It makes sense,” White House
THE ORDER CONTAINS 72 INITIATIVES by more than a dozen federal agencies and establishes a White House Competition Council to monitor the agencies’ progress. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) Press Secretary Jen Psaki asserted. The President also targets big tech companies, whom he said gather too much information on consumers, purchase potential competitors and unfairly compete with small businesses. “Over the past 10 years, the largest tech platforms have acquired hundreds of companies—including alleged ‘killer acquisitions’ meant to shut down a potential competitive threat. Too often, federal
agencies have not blocked, conditioned, or, in some cases, meaningfully examined these acquisitions,” officials wrote in the factsheet. The executive order calls for greater scrutiny of mergers, new FTC rules to curb data collection and surveillance and rules to bar unfair competition on internet marketplaces. The president has also asked federal agencies to find ways to reduce drug pric-
es for consumers. The order urges the agencies to work with states and tribes to import prescription drugs from Canada and increase support for generics. The Department of Health and Human Services must issue a plan within 45 days to fight high prices and price gouging. President Biden also directed the Department of Transportation to issue rules requiring airlines to refund consumer fees when their bags are late or when the plane’s WiFi doesn’t work. The executive order directs the USDA to take steps to empower farmers, helping them access markets and compete with large corporations. The order also encourages the FTC to keep big equipment manufacturers from blocking farmers’ ability to fix their own tractors. President Biden also asked that the Federal Communications Commission take action to reduce the cost of Internet service and give consumers more options. The order calls on the FCC to: • Prevent ISPs from making deals with landlords that limit tenants’ choices. • Revive the “Broadband Nutrition LaSEE EXECUTIVE ORDERS B2
5 helpful tips for women in the workplace by Gina Richardson For New Pittsburgh Courier
THE SACRAMENTO OBSERVER—(OPINION) —We women face many challenges in the workplace. From combatting the gender pay gap to advocating for policies that support our unique needs, we must work tirelessly to address obstacles while seemingly having to be twice as good as our male counterparts to be recognized. Even though some progress has been made, there’s still much work to be done. While you can’t control every aspect of your workplace, you can take personal steps to help yourself grow professionally. Here are five ways women can take action to navigate today’s work environment. 1. Be Authentic—Why do most people use filters when posting pictures to social media? One reason is to hide blemishes. If you want to improve, you must accept and embrace your rough spots. I’ve learned that when I showed up to work with a “filter” on, I
AS WOMEN, WE ALL SUCCEED by helping one another get to the top. Understanding that there’s room for us all to advance in our careers ultimately creates a more positive work environment. didn’t shine. I may have done the job well, but it wasn’t at my level of genius work, as psychologist Gay Hendricks describes in his book “The Big Leap.” Removing my filter and being my authentic self led me to enter the field
of work I really wanted to be in. That’s when I began to excel effortlessly. If you’re not being real with yourself about your career choice and whether you like your work, it’s a disservice to those around you. Being authentic in
who you are and in your goals in the workplace will help you make a difference in the world. 2. Be Admirable—Being admirable isn’t something you set out to do, you just do it. As a child I discovered the power of empa-
thy; it pays dividends to understand the feelings of others. Having high levels of emotional intelligence will help you advance in your career and navigate uncomfortable situations. You can’t get to the top alone, so building positive
relationships with team members is necessary for your business’s success and your own. 3. Know Your Worth— It’s no secret that there’s a substantial wage gap in the workplace between men and women. Women on average make 30 cents per dollar less than men. So, what will you do about it? I learned the hard way in my early years in corporate America when I didn’t highlight my accomplishments, successes, or negotiate my salary. Thinking back on this, I believe I was just happy to get the job. Why? As a young Black woman, people told me that I wouldn’t get a job because of how I looked, dressed, or wore my hair. So when I did get a job, I didn’t question the benefits. Now in my 30s, I know my worth to a company. As women, we too have families we support, just like men. We also work hard and have qualifications on par or that exceed the men we work with. Research SEE WORKPLACE B2
Mind over Money! As a kid, I remember one of the corner stores in my neighborhood had this beautiful mural. It had an image of a Bible, a cross and a little boy and girl with the caption, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” I would see this image daily. So much so, that it became a fixture in my mind. Although I was too young to grasp its meaning at the time. Growing up in an impoverished neighborhood rampant with drugs, I reasoned it to mean stay away from drugs, for it can kill your brain cells. As an adult, I’ve come to understand that the mind is the most powerful force in the universe. Everything that we see from the tall skyscraper buildings, to the computer I type on as I write, to the house I live in, to the car I drive, and everything in between originated in someone’s mind. Imagine if these magnificent individuals with these creative minds wasted their thoughts and creativity. Imagine if these individuals never allowed their minds and creativity to grow because of fear, abuse, laziness, neglect, self doubt, ignorance, self-pity, or circumstances, we wouldn’t have experienced, enjoyed and marveled at some of the world’s greatest creations. Imagine if you and I didn’t put our minds to good use for the betterment of us and our families, how stifled we’d be. The mind is the most powerful force in the universe. Money is perhaps the greatest influencer in the universe. Money isn’t everything. But everything appears to cost money. In the words of Zig Ziglar, “money isn’t everything, but in terms of importance, it ranks right up there with oxygen.” The tall skyscraper building, the computer I type on as I write, the house I live in and the car I drive
may have originated in someone’s mind, but it cost money to create. It costs money for us to enjoy. It costs money for us to maintain and extend its usefulness. To further delve into the power of the mind and the impressions and influences on the mind, I asked psychiatric nurse Meghan Degregory to offer some insight. “On the 4th of July this year, our dog, Roxie, had a minor meltdown. She slinked under our bed and hid all night. She was not a fan of the loud noises that come with fireworks. She came to us as a rescue dog last April. When she arrived at our home, it was clear she’d experienced some form of trauma. There was a period of time that she would not go outdoors for any reason unless we carried her out. The veterinary technician told me that it was my job to help her build her confidence and, hopefully, as time went on, she would get used to the world around her. It became my mission to help her along this path. In learning about her and in my experience with mental health as a psych nurse for nearly two decades, I really gained a great deal of insight into this. Building our dog’s confidence was a huge task. It required much patience, but it was so worth it. She now has a lot less trouble doing new things and bounces back quicker when she runs into problems that trigger her fear-based responses.” “In humans, when one has a history of
woundedness, they may have a wounded response to a situation. For instance, if a person has a history of abuse, they may expect a glare rather than kind eyes from a person. However, when they experience compassion in the eyes of another rather than judgment or disgust, their brain may register the experience as novel and respond in-kind. When this happens, it can trigger a dramatic positive change in one’s processing of things. For, as a person continues to experience favorable treatment and interactions with others, there will be positive change in one’s mindset because of our brain’s ability to adapt. This adaptation only happens when exposed to another response. An alternate reality, if you will.” “People often gain their money-views in a similar fashion. What one learns as a child when it comes to financial wellness is what one will carry into adulthood---if patterns are not changed. This is why counsel, whether psychological or financial, can be so beneficial. It presents one with an alternate viewpoint and allows for growth. I’d encourage anyone interested in personal growth to find a good, solid professional to learn from whether it be in print or a face-to-face session.” “When one is used to disappointment, lack, and trauma, they have a choice to continue on with hope or become defeated and slink through life in a manner that is not ideal or life-giving and possibly even perpetuating
the problem in sharing it with their children. It can be easy to choose the latter and if that is the choice, it is a challenge to change the pattern. However, our brains are amazing organs. They are so adaptable and really do respond to exposure to new, positive ways of being. Human beings really can adjust their responses to stress and trauma to a new, more functional way of living.” Damon here: I started off the article detailing the mind is the most powerful force in the universe. Meghan then detailed how negative life experiences can aid in both human beings and animals completely isolating themselves from the world, robbing them of reaching their full potential and living a fulfilling life. I wanted to explore the mindset because I know that personal finance is 80 percent personal (mental) and only 20 percent finance (math). It is our unique experiences that shape how we think. It is our thinking, attitude, and behaviors towards life that magnifies how we earn, manage and spend money. In order to get our money right, we have to first get our mind right. If you’re struggling to get ahead financially, you have to get to the crux of the problem. It’s all mental. What is it that makes us consistently look for the easy road as opposed to working hard? What is it that causes us to spend money to fill an emotional void? What is it that causes us to think the little man will never get ahead? The mind is a terrible thing to waste. So is money!
(Damon Carr, Money Coach can be reached @ 412216-1013. Or visit his website @ www.damonmoneycoach.com)
NATIONAL
B2 JULY 14-20, 2021
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
Pa. Supreme Court judge rips Cosby prosecutor: ‘He broke the rules’ by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier
(NNPA)—While social media and many who still have not understood the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Bill Cosby’s conviction continue to mislabel their decision as a “technicality,” the chief justice remarkably refuted those claims. He also blasted Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, saying the case was a case of “bait and switch.” “[Steele] didn’t just break the deal [Cosby had with former prosecutor Bruce Castor], he broke the rules,” Chief Justice Max Baer told Philadelphia’s local ABC News affiliate. “What we said is we’re not gonna let the commonwealth, the state through the district attorneys to engage in that kind of reprehensible bait and switch,” Justice Baer asserted. He emphasized that the court’s decision wasn’t to protect Cosby but the “13 million Pennsylvanians against that kind of conduct.” Justice Baer concluded that it wasn’t the Supreme Court’s duty to find guilt or innocence on the part of Cosby. However, what the court did find was an illegal prosecution on the part of Steele. “What we found was what the
THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT state did was inappropriate,” Justice Baer insisted. Cosby won his freedom on June 29 after spending nearly three years in prison after a 2018 conviction of indecent aggravated assault. The comedian and his team have since argued with those who have called the decision by the Supreme Court to overturn his conviction a technicality. “You’re sitting in a room trying to explain something, and there is a knock on the door. You say, ‘who is it?’ [The response is], ‘It is the truth.’ So, people start jumping out of the window,” Cosby told the Black Press
in his only extensive interview since his release. “The court’s decision was not a technicality,” said Cosby. “These people sound like they haven’t read what the judges have written. It’s not a technicality. These [detractors] don’t want to know anything. It’s like the woman who said she knows five women that I drugged and raped. Well, where are they?” Steele responded to Justice Baer. Despite former prosecutor Bruce Castor providing written affidavits directly to Steele and offering his testimony in pre-trial hearings, Steele incredulously claimed he
didn’t know a previous deal existed between the commonwealth and Cosby. “To be very clear, prosecutors, in this case, did not believe there was an agreement not to prosecute or immunity for the defendant at the time we moved forward on the case, and we do not believe it now,” Steele told ABC News. “If we had believed there was an agreement or immunity, we would not have moved forward in our attempt to bring Cosby to justice.” Meanwhile, Cosby has already begun plans to resume his stand-up career.
He plans to appear at an autism event in August to entertain those supporting that cause. The “I-Spy” legend is also taking part in a documentary about his life and trials produced by former ABC Good Morning America producer Michelle Major. “There’s a big smile on my face,” Cosby insisted. “A big smile on my face because I was there. “I know what happened, and I’m watching and hearing these fascists and Nazis, and I watched them really come out of the woodworks as termites. The infestation of when [former President] Donald Trump came through, and they just let it all hang out. That’s who they are. “That’s who their ancestors are. They want their ancestors to be people who came here for religious freedoms after being persecuted – but by whom? Things weren’t right in dear old England. “They got on these ships, but you were criminals, and people signed on to look after wealthy people’s findings. Christopher Columbus got as lost as a White man can get, but got off the boat, took a flag, and said he would name this and so forth and so on.” (Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)
Eric Adams positioned to become New York City’s second Black mayor by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier
(NNPA)—Eric Adams grew up poor. As a teenager, he was abused by the police but later decided to join New York’s Finest ranks. After serving as a police captain, and in the state Senate and as Brooklyn borough president, Adams is positioned to become only the second African American to lead the biggest city in America. Adams won the Democratic primary for mayor, and political watchers in the Big Apple give Republicans virtually no chance of beating Adams in the fall, which would put him in exclusive company with the late David Dinkins as New York’s only Black mayors.
“While there are still some very small amounts of votes to be counted, the results are clear: a historic, diverse, five-borough coalition led by working-class New Yorkers has led us to victory in the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City,” Adams said in a statement. “Now, we must focus on winning in November so that we can deliver on the promise of this great city for those who are struggling, who are underserved, and who are committed to a safe, fair, affordable future for all New Yorkers,” he declared. Born in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1960, Adams counts as the fourth of six children for his mother Dorothy, a house cleaner and cook, and his fa-
Biden signs executive orders EXECUTIVE ORDERS FROM B1
bel” and require providers to report prices and subscription rates to the FCC. • Limit excessive early termination fees. • Restore Net Neutrality rules undone by the prior administration. The Administration also wants more scrutiny of banking mergers, with the President urging the DOJ and financial regulators to update their guidelines. “Excessive consolidation raises costs for consumers, restricts credit for small
businesses, and harms low-income communities. Branch closures can reduce the amount of small business lending by about 10 percent and leads to higher interest rates,” officials wrote in the factsheet. “Even where a customer has multiple options, it is hard to switch banks partly because customers cannot easily take their financial transaction history data to a new bank.” (Stacy M. Brown is NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent.)
5 helpful tips for women WORKPLACE FROM B1
your earning ability in a certain field or position to understand the requirements and salary ranges. Highlight all of your experiences and accomplishments, no matter how big or small, because it all made you into the woman you are. 4. Be Confident—You need confidence to complete tasks, build, and lead teams. As women, our self-esteem often is directly related to the confidence we exude. If we’re proficient in our craft, we should own that we’re a subject matter expert in our field. Don’t pull back on assertiveness just so you won’t appear bossy. Your company needs your confidence, creativity, and direction to move forward toward success.
5. Be a Leader—Some of the best leaders have been women. I’ve had the pleasure of learning from leaders who were true to themselves and great motivators. These leaders may or may not have had “leader” in their title, but they taught me that each of us can lead by example and help others achieve goals. As women, we all succeed by helping one another get to the top. Understanding that there’s room for us all to advance in our careers ultimately creates a more positive work environment. (Gina Richardson is a Senior Financial Educator at SAFE Credit Union. She can be reached at mediainquiry@safecu.org.) (This article originally appeared in the Sacramento Observer.)
ther Leroy, a butcher. The family later moved to the working-class neighborhood of South Jamaica, Queens, where New York police officers badly assaulted Adams and his brother. Adams has pointed to that encounter as a 15-year-old as motivation for a law enforcement career. He earned an Associate in Arts degree in data processing from the New York City College of Technology, a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Marist College. According to his official bio, Adams paid his way through his collegiate studies through several jobs, including work in the mailroom of an accounting firm, as a mechanic, and as a clerk in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. He graduated from the New York City Police Academy in 1984 as one of the highest-ranked students in his class. After initially serv-
“IF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY fails to recognize what we did here in New York, they’re going to have a problem in the midterm elections, and they’re going to have a problem in the presidential election,” said Eric Adams. (Photo: ericadams2021.com) ing with the New York City Transit Police Department, Adams was transferred to the New York City Police Department with the merging of the city’s police forces. In 1995, Adams co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, an advocacy group that rose to nationwide prominence speaking out against police brutality, racial profiling, and departmental diversity.
According to his bio, Adams also served as president of the Grand Council of Guardians, a statewide fraternal society for African Americans in law enforcement. “I grew up poor in Brooklyn & Queens,” Adams wrote on Twitter. “I wore a bulletproof vest to keep my neighbors safe. I served my community as a State Senator & Brooklyn Borough President. And I’m honored to be the Dem-
ocratic nominee to be the mayor of the city I’ve always called home.” Adams also put his party on alert. “If the Democratic Party fails to recognize what we did here in New York, they’re going to have a problem in the midterm elections, and they’re going to have a problem in the presidential election,” he said.
Zaila Avant-Garde becomes first African American to win Scripps National Spelling Bee (NNPA)—Zaila Avant-garde twirled around in a spin, her smile radiating from the clear braces covering her teeth as confetti fell from the ceilings. The 14-year-old from Harvey, La., had reason to twirl and spin, and most importantly, she had more than enough reasons to smile. After spelling the word “Murraya,” a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees, Zaila became the first African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The contest has existed for nearly a century. “Now I get to get a nice trophy, which is the best part of any win,” Zaila exclaimed in an ESPN interview right after her history-making victory. Zaila also took home the $50,000 first prize. “Not only has she competed in spelling bees for two years, she already holds three Guinness World Records for dribbling, bouncing, and juggling basketballs. All before the ninth grade,” New York Times writer Maria Cramer noted. In an interview with “Good Morning America,” Zaila remarked that she hopes that more African American students would participate and fare well in the Scripps Spelling Bee. “It is a gate-opener to being interested in education,” Zaila proclaimed. Celebrities and others praised Zaila for her victory. “Three Guinness World Records and now the national spelling bee champ! Congrats, Zaila—your hard work is
paying off. We’re all proud of you,” former President Barack Obama tweeted. “There’s a Black girl from New Orleans named ZAILA AVANT GARDE currently competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee today, and no one talks to me about anything else,” movie producer Franklin Leonard tweeted just before Zaila’s victory. “Remember to twirl like Zaila Avant-garde today,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated. The website www.latestcelebarticles. com celebrated the victory by adding Zaila to the A-list. The site’s authors detailed Zaila’s journey, noting that she was the region-
ZAILA AVANT-GARDE
al spelling champion in New Orleans in 2019. She is the IJA Juggling Silver Medalist and Kaplan Hexco Bee Champion, according to her Instagram bio. Zaila achieved her first world record in 2019 for the most bounce juggles with three basketballs in one minute at 231. Zaila classified spelling as a “side pastime” despite having practiced for seven hours each day. “She is a basketball prodigy who aspires to play in the WNBA one day and owns three Guinness World Records for simultaneously dribbling several balls,” the website noted. The Spelling Bee championship came down to Zaila and Chaitra Thummala, a 12-year-old from San Francisco. Chiatra spelled the word “fewtrils,” and Zaila followed up by spelling “retene.” Chiatra misfired on the word “neroli oil” and opened the way for Zaila to claim the title. An official told her to spell “Murraya” and explained that it meant a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian trees having pinnate leaves with imbricated petals. “Does this word contain like the English word ‘Murray,’ which would be the name of a comedian?” Zaila asked. She then asked for the language of origin before nailing it. “I got it,” Zaila exclaimed.
OPINION
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
JULY 14-20, 2021
B3
Once upon a time
Guest Editorial
Supreme Court decision is a blow to voting rights The Supreme Court’s recent decision on voting restrictions in Arizona is a blow against civil rights. The high court further gutted the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act by making it much easier for states to enact restrictive voting laws and much harder to challenge laws that are increasingly being passed in Republican-dominated states. The 6-3 ruling was the second time in a decade that conservatives on the Supreme Court have weakened components of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a landmark Civil Rights-era law. In an opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, the court reversed an appellate ruling in deciding that Arizona’s regulations—on who can return early ballots for another person and on refusing to count ballots cast in the wrong precinct —are not racially discriminatory. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a moderate Democrat from Arizona, assailed the decision in a statement, saying it would “hurt Arizonans’ ability to make their voices heard at the ballot box.” The ruling comes in the aftermath of former President Donald Trump’s lie that last year’s election was stolen. The falsehood spread by Trump and his allies that the 2020 race was stolen from him spurred Republicans in states such as Georgia and Florida to pass tougher rules on voting under the cloak of election integrity. Many legal experts generally say the recent Supreme Court decision will make legal challenges under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act more difficult. The ruling could also embolden more Republican-led states to pursue further voting restrictions. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton, who supports the ruling, said: “States can be confident that they can go full speed ahead to strengthen elections and protect voting rights with security measures such as voter ID and other sensible measures to make it harder to steal elections.” After the Supreme Court ruling made it harder to challenge Republican efforts to limit ballot access in many states, President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats must be pushed to pass legislation that would protect voting rights. Democrats on Capitol Hill have already tried to respond with a sweeping voting and elections bill that Senate Republicans united to block. A separate bill, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which would restore sections of the Voting Rights Act that the Supreme Court previously weakened, has been similarly dismissed by most Republicans. But these setbacks, combined with the Supreme Court’s decision, must fuel a sense of urgency among Democrats to act while they still have narrow majorities in the House and Senate. (Reprinted from the Philadelphia Tribune)
Founded 1910
Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Allison Palm
Rob Taylor Jr.
Jeff Marion
Office Manager
Managing Editor
Circulation Consultant
John. H. Sengstacke
Editor & Publisher Emeritus (1912-1997)
(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Once upon a time there was a country called the United States of America. In the history of humankind, it was a relative newcomer. The United States (US) was hypocritically established under a set of principles and laws that, upon their face, were worthy, but impractical to implement given the mindset of many of its citizens. Even the author of its most important documents, who exalted the God-given freedoms of MEN, enslaved men, women, and children, and ignored the rights of White women. Essential to its Declaration of Independence the US affirmed, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These were empty words for enslaved persons. Comprising 25 percent of the US and a third of the Southern population, their dehumanization was codified in the Constitution as three-fifths human. They were denied rights given by God and, for most, the only man-given right was the right to work for free—no life beyond enslavement, no liberty, and no pursuit of happiness. Nearly 90 years after declaring independence and 150 years before that, the US established itself as world economic power on the backs of enslaved persons. Even after the emancipation, extra-legal maneuvers allowed former slaveowners to re-enslave formerly enslaved in
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.
Commentary a status that recreated systemic slavery. At a snail’s pace, social consciousness, mass guilt, and economic necessities eased the difficulty in the progression toward achieving various social amenities. In every US war, enslaved persons and their progeny were allowed to fight and die for national interests. In percentages no less than Whites, Black “citizens” made productive contributions to the national good. For their entirety in the US, Blacks and other “citizens” of color learned about the value of the vote. After all, the US was a democracy operating on the premise of “majority rule.” Although they were locked out of the voting process by extra-legal procedures like counting beans or bubbles in a bar of soap, or by the indifference of futility and frustration, they witnessed and took note of the power and influence that others derived from voting. Taking note led to action, and Blacks and other citizens of color began to pursue an equal measure of participation and reward. It looked like their efforts would bear
fruit until an Orange Ogre appeared spouting “Grievance Politics.” This Orange Ogre convinced a small, but active group that their lives were being unfairly imposed upon by people of color, or folks who spoke a different language, or folks seeking a better life in the US. The Orange Ogre convinced his followers that the remedy to their frustration of seeing others enjoying the fruits of the US was to reject the principles of democracy which had shaped it and brought any greatness it had achieved. Under his tutelage, they developed alternate realities where truth and facts do not matter. He taught that the undemocratic theft of elections and the unfair retention of power were means to a positive end. And the world would, once again, be the great place for those not cursed with abundant melanin. This fairy tale is far too similar to our own reality. It’s not amusing or frivolous. We are at a historic crossroad and our children’s future is in the balance. Whether straight facts or fairy tales, you must understand the significance of the problem. Our voice and our right to vote are being challenged into oblivion. YOU must accept a sense of urgency that is proportional to the threat. You must beware of that “GREAT” place to which the Orange Ogre wants to return.
(Dr. E. Faye Williams is President of the National Congress of Black Women and host of “Wake Up and Stay Woke” on WPFW89.3 FM.)
The insurrection and the lost cause (TriceEdneyWire.com)—A violent insurrection engulfed the U.S. Capitol just six months ago. One United States Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died and other Capitol police are still healing. Investigators are still going through video and social media documenting the attempt to disrupt congressional affirmation of President Joe Biden’s victory. Just six months ago. But many Republican leaders are already trying to rewrite the history of that day and what led up to it. Some are downplaying the seriousness of the attack on Congress. They portray the invasion as a tourist outing. Some far-right activists are trying to shift blame away from the Trump supporters who were clearly responsible for inciting and carrying out the attack. The people spreading lies about the Capitol insurrection are the spiritual heirs to the Daughters of the Confederacy. They are the ideological descendants of those who spent decades lying to the American public about slavery and the Civil War. Promoters of pro-Confederacy propaganda known as “Lost Cause” ideology had a purpose. They wanted people to view the defense of slavery and the “southern way of life” as a noble cause. They wanted to create justifications for the brutally enforced segregation and subjugation of Black people during the Jim Crow era. They created and promoted in textbooks and media a false version of history. And they used that false version of history to keep a grip on power that they did not deserve to hold. Republicans who deny or downplay the insurrectionists’ attempt to overturn the presidential election are creating their own Lost Cause ideology. They are trying to portray Stop the Steal ac-
Ben Jealous
Commentary tivists and insurrectionists as patriots pursuing a noble cause—the defense of “election integrity” and the “purity of the ballot box.” What we have here is layer upon layer of lies. Trump’s claim that his victory was stolen by Black and brown voters in corrupt cities was the lie that fueled insurrectionists’ rage. It was repeated endlessly on right-wing media. It is still repeated by Trump and his supporters to portray President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as illegitimate. The stolen-election lie is being used to justify new voter suppression laws aimed at preventing future Democratic wins. It is a lie that Trumpists will use to mobilize White right-wing voters in 2022 and 2024. Lies about the Jan. 6 insurrection began while it was still under way. Rightwing figures claimed without evidence that the attack was not led by Trump supporters but by unnamed leftists. Some claim that it was all planned by Trump’s “deep state” enemies in the FBI. And now we have an added layer: the frantic campaign against “critical race theory.” The manufactured panic about critical race theory demonstrates why right-wing funders spent billions of dollars over the past few decades building
an infrastructure of political and media networks. Think tanks, media outlets, political organizations, religious-right groups, AstroTurf operations, and Republican politicians have all swung into action, sounding alarms about the supposedly dire threat of students, soldiers, and employees learning to think critically about the racism in our country’s past and our institutions. They are recycling the red scare propaganda used against Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights activists, warning of Marxist infiltration and indoctrination in schools, businesses, government agencies, and even the military. Conservatives who until the past few months proclaimed themselves champions of free speech and academic freedom have turned on a dime and are supporting laws banning teaching or discussing racism in the classroom. The campaign against critical race theory is designed to scare White parents and other Americans into fearing the growing presence of Black and brown people in positions of influence and power. It is designed to inflame fears and provoke fearful people into action to “protect” themselves and their loved ones. It is designed to bury our understanding of history in an effort to control the future. Its perpetrators are playing with fire. We cannot successfully face our future by lying about our past, ignoring the realities of the present, or outlawing the truth. Our path forward must be as a multiracial, multiethnic, religiously diverse democratic society united by a shared commitment to the principles of equality, fairness, opportunity, and justice for all. (Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way.)
‘Critical Race Theory’ and the real deal in U.S. history (TriceEdneyWire.com)—I truly understand why most Whites and their “Black” allies are so angry with the Critical Race Theory approach to teaching American History. After all, for some 400 years they and their ancestors have gotten away with misinforming and often lying about that history in educational institutions throughout the country. For instance, from elementary to high school to three years in the U.S. military, I was never taught the real deal about this country’s history, especially when it came to people of African descent. My introduction to Black History came when I was a 20 year-old freshman at Howard University. On the first day of class our history professor, Dr. Harold Lewis, said, “ALL of your lives you have mainly studied the history of people of European descent. In this class you will study the history of the rest of the people in the world.” Thus began my learning the true history of this country. For instance, I learned that 24 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, including Thomas Jefferson, were enslavers
A. Peter Bailey
Commentary of African men, women and children. Despite this, they signed a document that stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…” When reading this one can only conclude that Jefferson and his cohorts didn’t consider enslaved Africans as human beings. Further along in the much-hallowed Declaration, the signers attacked the King of Great Britain with the following: “He has plundered our seas ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns and destroyed the lives of our people…” Which is exactly what proponents of the Critical Race Theory insists they did to African people. By the way,
many, if not most, of the other 32 signors of the Declaration of Independence may not have been slave owners but they did provide the ships that transported African men, women and children to North and South America and the Caribbean. Thus, they benefited financially. Black folks who celebrate historical days honoring enslavers of African people are ignoring what Amos N. Wilson wrote in his book, “The Falsification of Afrikan Consciousness: Eurocentric History, Psychiatry and the Politics of White Supremacy”…The History of the oppressed, as written by the oppressor, shapes the consciousness and psychology of both oppressed and oppressor. It helps to legitimate the oppressive system and to maintain and imbalance of power and favor of the oppressor….” We, as Black folks, will greatly benefit educationally, psychologically and financially if we celebrate and honor, among others, the warriors and events cited in Lerone Bennett Jr’s book, “Great Moments in Black History: Wade in the Water.”
B4
JULY 14-20, 2021
The GOP plot to take back the White House and more he GOP’s relentless war on alleged rampant voter fraud targets, not thousands, as many critics have noted, but millions of eligible voters. The Brennan Center for Justice found that the majority of the five million eligible voters that could be banned from the polls under the new restrictive laws rammed into place in a dozen states by GOP governors and GOP controlled state legislatures were Black, Latino, or American Indian, low income, and young voters. The SCOTUS decision upholding the Arizona GOP voter restrictions, the Georgia and Texas tough new restrictions and the vote suppression measures proposed in two dozen more GOP controlled legislature states will add even more millions who can be dumped from the voting booth. In 2008, these voters provided the decisive margin for President Obama’s White House victory in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia, and Colorado. In 2000 and 2004, Bush won five of these six states. In every case, he needed a solid turnout from older, White, conservative, overwhelmingly male voters to win. That changed radically in 2008 with Obama’s
Earl Ofari Hutchinson
Commentary win. GOP strategists were determined that there would be no repeat of this in 2012 and unleashed their voter suppression campaign. Attorney General Eric Holder counter-attacked with Justice Department lawsuits, court actions, and injunctions to try to halt the GOP effort to suppress the vote. Holder’s fight back against the GOP’s ham-fisted efforts to shoo as many poor, minority, and young voters away from the polls in November and beyond almost certainly is a major reason for the GOP’s furious political mauling of him. GOP-controlled House committees launched investigation after investigation into Holder for everything from alleged perjury to malfeasance of office during his Justice Department tenure. For the GOP, its voter suppression smokescreen was about numbers; two numbers to be exact. One number is the popular vote. Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore got a bigger share of the popular vote than Bush in 2000. He got that because of the heavy turnout in key states of the GOP’s prime vote suppression targets, Blacks, Latinos, and the young voters. In a super tight 2012 race, the five million voters that the Brennan Center documented as potential victims of the GOP’s disenfranchising rash of voter ID and registration laws, could have tipped the popular vote to GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney. The five million vote estimate turned out to be an undercount since some estimates put the number at more than 20 million possible eligible voters that potentially are affected by the torrent of GOP-driven requirements. Gore’s popular vote win in the presidential contest in 2000 showed a popular vote majority is meaningless without securing the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. This is the second number the GOP’s voter suppression campaign aims to attain. The states that have clamped on the new voter restrictions would consistently provide 171 electoral votes in presidential elections. That’s more than sixty percent of the total needed for a presidential candidate to bag the White House. The one crucial state that Obama did wrest from the GOP in 2008 and 2012, Pennsylvania, has been a special target of the GOP’s suppression war. If the state’s new stricter, voter ID law had been in place in both years, the margin of Obama’s victory in the state would have been much smaller, if at all. In 2016, the vote suppression campaign bore fruit for Trump who won both the popular vote and the state’s electoral votes. He won because of a marked downtown in the Black and Hispanic votes in the state’s urban areas. The GOP claims that its only concern is to ensure clean and fair elections, nabbing vote fraud lawbreakers and upholding constitutional precepts of rampant voter fraud. These are phony, self-serving fraudulent excuses. The rabidly partisan Republican National Lawyers’ report in 2010 found a total of 400 election fraud prosecutions over a decade nationally. That’s less than one per year per state. The underwhelming instance of fraud uncovered in Florida, which has drawn much public attention, is no aberration. Studies that examined alleged voter fraud in Ohio and Wisconsin in the 2002 and 2004 elections found only a handful of actual cases of voter fraud. More than nine million votes were cast in the two states in both elections. That as has been shown was the same in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. Holder made his most dogged challenge to the GOP voter suppression campaign in Texas which had enacted a rigid voter ID law. He bluntly called it a new poll tax, which is the racist weapon Southern states used for decades to keep Blacks from the polls. It took decades of protests, marches, litigation, and a Supreme Court decision to finally dump the poll tax. The GOP banks that its new voter suppression tactics will hold up for years and through many elections to come, starting with the 2022 congressional elections and the big prize, the White House in 2024. The GOP is dead set that there will be no repeat of 2020 in the coming national elections. This is the final in a four-part series on the GOP’s War on Voting Rights. The series is based on my forthcoming book, Bring Back the Poll Tax!—The GOP’s War on Voting Rights (Middle Passage Press). It will be officially released on August 6, 2021, the 56th anniversary of LBJ’s signing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
FORUM
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
The new postracial myth: Is it the most sophisticated racist idea ever? Ibram X. Kendi’s latest essay in The Atlantic was titled—Our New PostraJ. cial Myth: The postracial idea is the most sophisticated racist idea ever produced. Kendi quoted former Vice President Mike Pence, “It is time for America to discard the left-wing myth of systemic racism. America is not a racist nation.” Kendi said: We’ve heard this before. Then he announced: “America is not a racist nation” is the new “America is a postracial nation.” We are witnessing the birth of a new postracial project. What was the old postracial project? In 2008 Barack Obama became the first Black president of the United States. This historic event came with a pertinent question: Did Obama’s victory mean America was a postracial society? But what did postracial mean? Kendi stated (after Obama’s victory) journalists were explaining what “postracial” meant. The postracial era, as embodied by Obama, is the era where Americans begin to make race-free judgments on who should lead them. Other journalist asked if Obama’s election meant America would end its racism against Black people. Postracial skeptics answered no and pointed to racial disparities to dismiss the postracial claim. For these skeptics, the term postracial should describe a society in which racial disparities were nonexistent. So, the old postracial project began in
Pharoah Doss
Check It Out 2008 and was defined in two ways. 1). Race-free judgments in elections 2). Promote Obama’s success as proof America ended racism The problem with this premise is that the term postracial didn’t originate in 2008. And the definitions of postracial that emerged after Obama’s election were so awful that one might assume they were created to be rejected. The term postracial first appeared in the New York Times in 1971 describing a political situation in the American South where race relations were not the biggest election issue and racism was not the preventive force it had been during the previous decades. Furthermore, in 1978, Black sociologist William Julius Wilson wrote a book called: “The Declining Significance of Race.” In no way was Wilson’s book a postracial treatise, but it demonstrated that economic class had gradually become more important than race in determining the life trajectory of Black Americans. However, Kendi stated in his essay, “The people who promulgated the original
postracial project in 2008 aren’t necessarily the same ones resurrecting it today.” When Kendi said, “we are witnessing the birth of a new post racial project,” he was referring to conservatives that reject the notion that America is a racist country. Kendi maintained, “Many Americans search for nonracial explanations for racial inequity, particularly class and its proxy, education. But presenting class as the answer avoids the question of why people of color are unduly poor and White people are disproportionately rich.” Kendi believes the new post racial myth is sophisticated because by eliminating the explanation of racism for racial inequality conservatives will invent their own racist ideas to explain the racial inequalities all around them. According to this logic William Julius Wilson’s book, “The Declining Significance of Race” is a racist idea because, as Kendi stated in his essay, “The cause of racial inequity is either racist policy or racial hierarchy. The race problem is the result of bad policies or bad people.” But it’s a scientific fact that dozens of nonracial explanations for racial disparities exist. For Kendi to reject nonracial explanations for racial inequities because he’s certain they’re caused by racist policies or bad people may not be the most racist idea ever produced, but it certainly is the most unsophisticated.
Stimulus aid to cities presents an opportunity to fight crime with summer jobs (TriceEdneyWire.com)—“The Harlem Youth Action Project was a city-fund- Marc H. Morial ed attempt to keep some of the smarter kids off the street … the next time I saw Jet magazine there I was, all the way in the top left-hand corner of a news photo, leaning over Dr. King with my trusty tape recorder in my hand, looking for the last word. I was anything but a Power Memorial junior; I was starting to feel like what I thought of as a Public Safety released just over a week man.”—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar When I was sworn in as Mayor of New ago, the Administration noted that young Orleans in 1994, I was taking the helm of people are disproportionately likely to be a city that led the nation in violent crime. involved in gun violence, either as perpeAlthough I had many bold and ambitious trators or victims. Youth employment proplans for the city, confronting violent crime grams, including summer jobs programs, can reduce their involvement in violence had to my first priority. A major component of my anti-crime by as much as 45 percent. That’s why cities across the nation have agenda involved summer jobs for teenagers, which not only would give young peo- an obligation to use the funding they reple an alternative to criminal activity, but ceived through the American Rescue Plan to create summer jobs. also provide income to families in need. Of the $350 billion directed to state and With a lot of hard work, our program was successful. Violent crimes and murders local governments, more than $45 billion dropped by 60 percent, the unemployment is directly targeted to metropolitan city rate was cut in half, and New Orleans’ governments where violent crime is most serious. poverty rate fell dramatically. One study cited by the Biden AdminisToday the nation finds itself facing antration showed that violent crime arrests other rise in violent crime. We’re also faced with another opportunity to reduce dropped dramatically among students not only the crime rate, but the unemploy- who took part in Chicago’s “One Summer Chicago Plus.” The program offered an ment and poverty rates, too. The Biden Administration has recog- 8-week summer job at minimum wage, nized the importance of summer jobs for an adult job mentor, and for some youth, youth in combating a rising crime rate. In a cognitive behavioral therapy-based curits Comprehensive Strategy to Prevent riculum. The researchers wrote: “Summer jobs and Respond to Gun Crime and Ensure
To Be Equal
programs can reduce a hugely socially costly outcome at a relatively low cost; we estimate that so we estimate that social benefits are likely to justify program costs, and may outweigh them by as much as 11 to 1.” A Brookings Institution study of Boston’s Summer Youth Employment Program found a 35 percent reduction in arrests among participants. More importantly, the effects appear to be lasting. These programs do more than keep young people occupied; they teach valuable social and emotional skills that can alter the course of a young person’s life. Youth who participated in Boston’s program showed improved attitudes toward their communities. They were more likely to report that they had a lot to contribute, and that they felt connected to their neighborhood. They also were more likely to report knowing how to manage their emotions, how to ask for help when they needed it, and how to constructively resolve conflict with a peer. Boston has already announced that it will use American Rescue Plan funds to expand the Mayor’s Summer Youth Program. As the nation emerges from the economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s crucial that we avoid past patterns and practices that created the economic despair that contributes to violent crime. Summer jobs for youth are a proven solution.
The movement for justice will not be deterred (TriceEdneyWire.com)—The rightwing majority on the Supreme Court just undercut the Voting Rights Act again. Having gutted the section that required pre-approval of state voting laws to protect the rights of minorities to vote in Shelby v. Holder, Republican appointed justices now have castrated the backup clause—Section 2—which bans racial discrimination in election practices in Brnovich v. DNC. The result will open the floodgates even further to the wave of partisan laws that Republicans are pushing in states across the country to suppress the votes of African Americans and other people of color. The right-wing justices continue their assault on the meaning and power of the Voting Rights Act, a triumph of the civil rights movement that Justice Elena Kagan, writing in dissent, noted represents the “best in America.” The reaction against the civil rights movement continues. Every movement for equal justice under the law in this country has been met with a brutal reaction. When reformers tried to limit the spread of slavery into new states coming into the republic, the slave states seceded, launching the Civil War, the deadliest war in American history. After losing the war, when the federal government began reconstruction to free the slaves and guarantee equal political and economic rights to all, the reaction was brutal, with lynching and terrorism
Jesse Jackson Sr.
Commentary —led by the Ku Klux Klan and others —spreading to suppress the newly freed slaves. In the end, segregation—America’s version of apartheid—spread through the south and the hope of the civil rights amendments was crushed. Now, after the civil rights movement, the Voting Rights Act and the election of Barack Obama, the reaction has been fierce. Across the country, Republican legislators have sought to make it harder for African Americans and other people of color to vote. The long lines that mark inner-city voting sites are a graphic demonstration of the success of those efforts, for many people can’t take the hours off from work to cast a ballot. In each era, the lawless reaction—and blatant violations of the Constitution—have been ratified by disgraceful decisions in the Supreme Court. The court ratified segregation in Plessy v. Ferguson, inventing the doctrine of separate but equal—a concept that existed only in the judge’s imaginations not in the realities of any of the former slave states.
Voter suppression following the civil rights movement was ratified in Shelby v. Holder and now in Brnovich vs. the DNC, that have essentially gutted the Voting Rights Act, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement. The so-called “conservative” justices on the Supreme Court are rewriting the laws passed by Congress to serve their own partisan purposes. Now the excuse is to limit voter fraud, even though there is no evidence of such fraud other than in the ravings of partisan politicians. This struggle will continue. Clearly Republicans across the country have decided that rather than seeking to win the votes of African Americans and other peoples of color, they would rather pass measures to suppress their vote—from discriminatory changes in voting practices, to gerrymandering of districts, to (most dangerously) empowering Republican legislatures to overturn the results of an election. Once more people of conscience must stand up and organize to protect the right to vote and to counter those who would suppress it. Once more, right wing justices have written another shameful chapter of judicial ignominy that must simply be overturned. Once more Congress must act to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act to counter the brazen efforts of the court’s right wing to neuter it. Once more, those standing in the way of equality under the law will find that the movement for justice will not be deterred.
New Pittsburgh Courier
CLASSIFIED
B5
JULY 14-20, 2021
www.newpittsburghcourier.com
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
QUANTITATIVE ANALYTICS & MODEL DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONAL The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. seeks a Quantitative Analytics & Model Development Professional in Pittsburgh, PA. within the Market Risk Management department, be responsible for performing advanced quantitative analyses and/or model/tool development to support business decision-making or risk management, as well as documenting analyses and results appropriately and supporting internal/external communications. Support market risk models on mortgage related assets and modeling of interest rate risk on bank balance sheet with major exposures to mortgage/MBS products as well as interest rate derivatives hedging the balance sheet, among other assets/liabilities. Support independent review of bank stress testing processes. Specific duties include: (i) support the line of business by analyzing and developing new model/tool frameworks; (ii) refine, monitor, review and/or validate existing models/tools; (iii) work with large and/or complex datasets to create or test models/tools; (iv) perform quantitative analysis and develop reports; (v) perform qualitative and quantitative assessments of all aspects of models or quantitative tools including theoretical aspects, model design and implementation as well as data quality and integrity; (vi) analyze complex data and associated quantitative analysis and summarize results; (vii) make recommendations based on findings from data analytics; (viii) use quantitative tools and techniques to measure and analyze model risks; (ix) evaluate identified model risks and reach conclusions on strengths and limitations of the model; (x) conduct on-going communication with model stakeholders such as developers, owners and reviewers; and (xi) prepare detailed documents on quantitative models/tools for internal/ external communications and/or regulatory compliance, using applicable templates. Master’s degree in Computational Finance, Mathematical Finance, Economics, Mathematics, or Statistics plus 3 years of experience in a position requiring quantitative modeling and documentation is required. Experience required with the following: (i) developing, maintaining and/or validating behavior models for mortgage/MBS prepayment risk, including model performance testing and risk assessment; (ii) maintaining interest rate term structure models, including performance monitoring, model update and risk assessment; (iii) usage and interpretation of analytical reports in the Quantitative Risk Management (QRM) balance sheet management system and risk management process for Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book (IRRBB); (iv) maintenance of valuation models on interest rate derivatives commonly used for bank balance sheet hedging (swaps and swaptions); (v) documentation of model testing results and defending the results for independent review and validation; (vi) programming in VBA, SQL and statistical tools (R or SAS); and (vii) performing analytical work for bank stress testing processes. 40 hours/week, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Interested individuals apply online at www.pnc.com using keyword R064201. PNC provides equal employment opportunity to qualified persons regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or other categories protected by law. ASSOCIATE PRODUCT MANAGER, ENGINEERING APPLICATION SOFTWARE DESIGNER Duolingo, Inc. has multiple openings for Associate Product Manager, Engineering Application Software Designer in Pittsburgh, PA. Duties include: Drive product features through entire creative cycle: ideation, specification, development, release, analysis, & iteration; Lead innovative software changes & manage tradeoffs, spanning across ergonomics, learning, audio, displays, & optics; Guide product engineering by providing them w/ relevant input guided by qualitative & quantitative research focused on discovering feature ideas & validating them before development; Define success metrics & drive implementation in close collaboration w/designers, engineers, researchers, & other cross-functional teams; Develop deep understanding of customer segments & advocate for unmatched user experience through market research experimentation, user testing, & data analysis; Build product growth guidelines that drive customer success & work closely w/various stakeholders to execute the guidelines by planning & prioritizing objectively; Identify key drivers of product optimization to increase activation, expansion, & retention & drive execution through iterative testing & learning; Strategically evolve & grow existing products & services to deliver a better user experience constantly. Reqs.: Bachelor’s degree or foreign equivalent in Computer Science or related field. Must have knowledge of following: (1) Java, JavaScript, Python, C, HTML, React & Figma; (2) Algorithms; (3) User Experience Design; (4) Combinatorics; (5) Discrete Mathematics; & (6) Data Structures. Email resume to jobs@duolingo.com with Job No. AssocProdMgrEng2021 & title “Associate Product Manager, Engineering Application Software Designer” in subject line. QUALITY ENGINEER POSITION American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.’s Pittsburgh, PA, office seeks a Quality Engineer to perform Functional and Automation testing and be involved in understanding, writing, and executing test plans and test cases using programming languages (Java) and logical comprehension as well as understanding of the business requirements and functionality of the application. Send CV with cover letter, references, and salary requirements to: American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., Attn: Sarah Lauterbach, Re: Quality Engineer, 77 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. SOFTWARE ENGINEER – IT PLANNING & ALLOCATION POSITION American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.’s Pittsburgh, PA, office seeks a Software Engineer – IT Planning & Allocation to be responsible for the delivery and integration of applications within the Merchandise Planning and Allocation area. Send CV with cover letter, references, and salary requirements to: American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., Attn: Sarah Lauterbach, Re: Software Engineer – IT Planning & Allocation, 77 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. ANALYST – CUSTOMER INSIGHTS POSITION American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.’s Pittsburgh, PA, office seeks an Analyst – Customer Insights to provide insight into customer-specific KPI trends, segment profiles and customer behaviors to all areas of the business including marketing, strategy, and merchandising. Send CV with cover letter, references, and salary requirements to: American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., Attn: Sarah Lauterbach, Re: Analyst – Customer Insights, 77 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.
CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
THE INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS LOCAL 6, PITTSBURGH PA. Will Be Accepting Applications Starting Wednesday July 21,2021 at 9 am Until Monday August 2,2021 at 5 pm Or when the first 250 completed applications have been processed ON-LINE ONLY at NEIEP.org (Join The Team) For more information contact. ocowan@neiep.org
SONNY BOY
1 5 9
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Carnegie Mellon University seeks Associate Director, International Development in Pittsburgh, PA responsible for the identification, cultivation, solicitation & stewardship of donor prospects, w/particular emphasis on international constituents in China & East Asia. Must be willing & available to travel domestically & internationally to various locations (in China & East Asia) up to 25%. Apply online at https://www.cmu.edu/jobs/ ENTERPRISE EFFECTIVENESS CONSULTANT Highmark Health seeks Enterprise Effectiveness Consultant in Pittsburgh, PA to drive all aspects of engagement delivery, incl. gathering & analyzing info, formulating & testing hypotheses, developing recommendations, building reports & deliverables, & presenting findings & recommendations to bus. unit mgrs & execs. Apply at https://careers.highmarkhealth.org, using keyword J182743. CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS
4 2 8
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
Help Wanted
ASSOCIATE EMPLOYEE RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE Port Authority is seeking an Associate Employee Relations Representative to provide labor analysis and technical support to the Employee Relations Department by maintaining and administering the grievance tracking and corrective action database. Generates reports, analyze, interpret data and provide recommendations. Conducts discipline and grievance hearings to ensure consistent, system-wide adherence and applications. Assists in interpreting and administering Collective Bargaining Agreements, company policies and procedures. Represents Port Authority in various legal proceedings. Essential Functions: •Utilizes PeopleSoft HRMS to perform the following: o Enter, update and maintain discipline, grievance and terminations o Prepare, update and maintain department records •Collects, enters, maintains, analyzes, interprets, and distributes data and information from a wide variety of internal and external sources regarding issues related to all Collective Bargaining Agreements. •Provides statistical analysis of trends of employee grievances and disciplinary activity. Prepares quarterly and annual statistical reports of types and frequency of actions taken concerning grievance, discipline, arbitration, and related labor relations activities in order to identify problem areas. Job requirements include: •High School Diploma or GED. •BA/BS degree in Industrial Relations/Labor Relations, Human Resource Management, Business Administration or related field from an accredited school. Experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis. •Minimum of three (3) years Human Resource experience, with a minimum of one (1) year employee or labor relations experience. •Demonstrated level of experience in Windows, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. •Professional and effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. •Exceptional organization skills. Preferred attributes: •Oracle/PeopleSoft experience.
PART-TIME STEM INSTRUCTOR Sarah Heinz House Incumbent will teach STEM and Robotics classes to preschool and elementary school aged children. Associates or Technical Degree with 1 year of relevant experience or High School Diploma or equivalent with 3 years of relevant experience required. Experience coding in a block-based programming language and building educational robots, previous teaching/ tutoring/coaching experience, and a passion for teaching and learn STEM topics is required. To see the full job description and apply, please visit: https://www.indeed. com/job/stem-instructor
FACILITIES ENGINEER URBAN ACADEMY OF GREATER PITTSBURGH CHARTER SCHOOL TITLE: Facilities Engineer REPORTS TO: Maintenance & Facilities Director JOB FUNCTION: Under the general supervision of the Maintenance & Facilities Director, the Facilities Engineer has the primary responsibility for cleaning the Charter School in such a way to promote health and safety while reducing the spread of infection. It is the role of the Facilities Engineer to follow daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedules at the Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School including, but not limited to, the classrooms, kitchen, office areas, bathrooms, storage areas, entrances, and external grounds area. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES •Follows and completes the center’s daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning schedule. These duties include: o Collects and bags all garbage from the center, placing the tied bags in a closed dumpster. o Disinfects and cleans garbage and trashcans, and changes bags daily. o Washes and sanities bathrooms fixtures daily with germicidal solution. o Using germicidal solution, wet mops all washable floors daily including kitchen, bathroom, office, and classroom. o Washes bathroom, kitchen, classroom, and other windows (in side and outside) and walls using germicidal solution as scheduled or needed. • Vacuums all carpeting daily. • Sweeps and clears entrance spaces, daily. • Dusts, washes, and sanitizes other surfaces as specified in schedule. • Performs other cleaning duties as specified in schedule. • Refills paper towel, tissue, toilet paper and hand soap in all dispensers. • Changes light bulbs, as needed. • Maintain the grounds area by sweeping the sidewalks, trimming, and mowing of grass and the like. • Participates in emergency drills and environmental safety activities, as requested. • Attends and participates in center pre-service and in-service trainings. • Performs other duties as specified in job description addendum or as assigned. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by a person in this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties that may be performed in such a position. EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE Experience in the custodial field desirable. Knowledge of proper cleaning methods required. Knowledge of the challenges and strengths of low-income families. Effective oral and written communication skills commensurate with the responsibilities of the position are required. URBAN ACADEMY STATEMENT Urban Academy will be a POWER model for urban primary education and provide an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, cultural energy, and broad educational access. Respond to: Brandon D. Coney Chief Operating Officer Bconey@urbanacademypgh.org 412.361.1008 x215
We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: APPLICATION DEVELOPER HM Health Solutions Inc. seeks Application Developer to work in Pittsburgh, PA & to be responsible for analyzing, designing, coding, testing, & implementing app enhancements w/no supervision. Apply at https://careers.highmarkhealth.org, using keyword J177057.
0 7 3
Sarah Heinz House is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. PART-TIME ROBOTICS/STEM OUTREACH INSTRUCTOR Sarah Heinz House Incumbent will Manage STEM outreach programs and coach middle school VEX IQ robotics teams. Associates or Technical Degree with 1 year of relevant experience or High School Diploma or equivalent with 3 years of relevant experience required. Experience coding in a block-based programming language and building educational robots, previous teaching/tutoring/ coaching experience, and a passion for teaching and learn STEM topics is required. To see the full job description and apply, please visit: https://www.indeed.com/job/ robotics-stem-outreach-instructor Sarah Heinz House is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. URBAN ACADEMY OF GREATER PITTSBURGH CO-TEACHER FOR GRADES K-5 SPECIAL EDUCATION Please send resume and all Three Clearances to sharris@urbanacademypgh.org no phone calls please. ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings
URBAN ACADEMY OF GREATER PITTSBURGH BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING Friday, July 16, 2021 11:00 AM Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/97670021201?pwd= RnBwVmJna0ZhM0VZdmg5Y2NTYXJPZz09 Meeting ID: 976 7002 1201 Passcode: UA437437 LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices
Amy Giammanco Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 AGiammanco@portauthority.org EOE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR POSITION The University of Pittsburgh’s University Center for International Studies (UCIS) in Pittsburgh PA, seeks an Associate Director (AD) for the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (REEES). The AD leads new area-related programming, major grants, and partnerships focused on the humanities, social sciences and professional fields such as law and public policy and collaborates with other UCIS units to develop cross-regional initiatives. Apply at join.pitt.edu, #21004291. EEO/AA/M/F/Vets/Disabled. SENIOR MANAGER POSITION American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.’s, Pittsburgh PA, office seeks a Senior Manager – Supply Chain Planning & Execution to help develop our overall supply chain plan to ensure optimal product flow through global supply chain and logistics processes. Send CV with cover letter, references, and salary requirements to American Eagle Outfitters, Inc., Attn: Sarah Lauterbach, Re: Senior Manager – Supply Chain Planning & Execution, 77 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.
Estate of MR. NICKOLAS M. VENEZIALE, JR. , Deceased of 33 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Estate No. 02-20-04067, Ms. Cheryl Asche, 33 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Administrator, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108 Estate of ELAINE B. ROSENFIELD, Deceased of Mt. Lebanon, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Estate No. 02-21-04737, Elyse G. Rosenfield, Executor,306 Ridge Point Circle, Bridgeville, PA 15017 or to Harry Geyer, Executor, 132 Angena Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 or to AUBREY H. GLOVER, Atty; BRENLOVE & FULLER, LLC. 401 Washington Avenue, Bridgeville, PA 15017 Estate of ANTOINETTE MCCANN ,Deceased of Pittsburgh, Estate No. 05128 of 2021, Anthony McCann, Adm, or to c/o Jacqueline H. Brangard, Esquire, Scolieri Law Group, P.C. 1207 Fifth Avenue, Suite 200 Bldg., Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Estate of CHARLES NICHOLAS LOCHNER, III, AKA CHARLES N. LOCHNER, AKA NICK LOCHNER, Deceased of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA, Estate No. 022104693, Catherine A. Lochner-Trejchel, Administrator, c/o Christopher M. Trejchel, Atty., 104 Carlye Drive, Cranberry Township, PA 16066. Estate of MR. HERBERT A. MATHIAS, Deceased of 3301 Rosebriar Avenue, Glenshaw, PA 15116, Estate No. 02-21-04626, Mr. Todd Mathias, 3301 Rosebriar Avenue, Glenshaw, PA 15116, Executor, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108 Estate of WALTER JAMES LOWRY, Deceased of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No. 05082 of 2021, Thelma C. Spells, Administratrix, 1533 Bidwell Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15233
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140
E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication
B6
CLASSIFIEDS
JULY 14-20, 2021
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT Port Authority of Allegheny County REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 21-07 Port Authority of Allegheny County (Authority) is requesting proposals for the performance of the following service (“Contract Services”): LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM SERVICES The work under the proposed Agreement(s) consists of Light Rail Transit Engineering Services (LRTS) in the following categories: 1. LRV (Light Rail Vehicle) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) System Design; and 2. Way and Facilities Systems Design The Contract Services will include, but are not limited to, engineering studies, preliminary and final designs, preparation of construction and procurement bid documents and engineering support during bidding and construction for projects identified during the term of the Agreements. While it is currently the Authority’s intention to enter into agreements with a pool of two firms for each category, this number may be adjusted up or down, at Authority’s sole discretion, based upon the number of proposals received and Authority’s evaluation of same in relation to its light rail transit services needs in each of the categories. The required services will be issued on a work order basis as they are approved to proceed by Authority. The Agreement will be for a 5-year period with the option to extend the term of the Agreement up to 2 additional years at the sole discretion of Authority. A copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be available on or after July 6, 2021 and can be obtained by registering at the Port Authority ebusiness website: http://ebusiness.portauthority.org and following the directions listed on the website. Please note that Proposers must register under the ebusiness categories of ENGGAE – Engineering Gen Arch. And Eng., ENGPLAN – Engineering Planning/Studies, ENGPM – Engineering Project Management, and ENGSC – Eng. Systems/Communications for this RFP. Proposers may also register in other categories for any future RFPs issued by Port Authority. If you have specific questions regarding this RFP, please contact Fred Buckner at (412) 566-5467 or via email fbuckner@PortAuthority.org. An Information Meeting for interested parties will be held at 9:30 a.m, prevailing time, July 20, 2021 via Microsoft Teams video conference and/ or conference call to answer any questions regarding this RFP. To join by Microsoft Team video conference: • https://bit.ly/3dAmdBk To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: • 412-927-0245 United States, Pittsburgh (Toll) • Conference ID: 586 578 723# Electronic proposals must be both received, and time stamped by a representative of the Purchasing and Materials Management Department through Authority’s Ebusiness website at or before 2:00 p.m., prevailing time, August 6, 2021, at http://ebusiness.portauthority.org. Proposals received or time stamped by a Purchasing and Materials Management Department representative through Authority’s Ebusiness website after the advertised time for the submission of proposals shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. Each Proposer shall be solely responsible for assuring that its proposal is timely received and time stamped in accordance with the requirements herein. Please note that a sealed Summary of Costs should NOT be submitted with the Proposal, but will be submitted at a later date as requested by Port Authority. This Contract Services may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) of the .S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The proposal process and the performance of the requested services will be in accordance with guidelines and regulations of the FTA “Third Party Contracting Guidelines”, FTA Circular 4220.1F, as amended, and all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Port Authority of Allegheny County, in compliance with 49 C.F.R., Part 26, as amended, implements positive affirmative action procedures to ensure that all Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (“DBEs”) have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts and subcontracts financed, in whole or in part, with federal funds, if any, provided under or for the proposed Agreement. In this regard, all recipients or contractors shall take all necessary and reasonable steps in accordance with 49 C.F.R., Part 26, to ensure that DBEs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services. Port Authority of Allegheny County, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, also requires that certified Diverse Businesses, (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontract for, the Contract Services. In this regard, all Proposers, and the Contractor, shall make good faith efforts, in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services. Further, proposers and the Contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sex, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts or subcontracts for these Contract Services Port Authority of Allegheny County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. NOTICE OF PROGRAM AVAILABILITY Allegheny County, through its Department of Economic Development, wishes to announce that applications are available for the Allegheny Housing Development Fund (AHDF) 2021 Program Year (July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 – Or until the 2022 Application is published). The Allegheny Housing Development Fund may provide project funds from one or more of the following sources: 1.HOME Investment Partnerships Program 2.Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) 3.Affordable Housing Trust Funds (Act 137) 4.Other Funds, as available Note that this application is required if you are proposing housing and CDBG is the sole source of funds you are requesting. AHDF provides funding for projects that may include the following: 1. ew construction of low/moderate income multi-family or senior rental housing. 2.Conversion of existing properties into low/moderate income multi-family or senior rental housing, such as old schools, warehouses, and municipal buildings. 3.Rehabilitation of vacant, existing multi-family rental housing developments for rent to low/moderate income tenants, either families or seniors. 4. ew construction of single-family units (detached) or townhomes (attached) for purchase by low/moderate income buyers. 5.Rehabilitation of existing single-family or townhome units for purchase by low/moderate income buyers. 6.Projects with multiple funding sources, such as Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HUD mortgage loans or other funds from a non-County of Allegheny source. 7.Programs to provide purchase assistance for households wishing to become homebuyers. Applicants need to complete the AHDF application whether or not state or other funds are also being pursued, and other applications may not be substituted for the AHDF application. Projects considered for funds under this program are intended to stabilize neighborhoods whose viability have been and continue to be damaged by the economic effects of properties that have experienced or are continuing to experience disinvestment; or to locate housing in areas of opportunity that provide low/moderate income persons with improved access to transportation options and enhanced school and/or employment opportunities. Projects with funding only from the County without other sources are typically not awarded funding. Funds awarded will be secured by a mortgage (or mortgages) placed on the property for a period of five to forty years. Funds are not provided in the form of grants. Affordability provisions run concurrently with the term of the mortgage(s). Applicants are encouraged to identify all members of their development team in the application, such as architects, engineers, attorneys, marketers and general contractors. Team members that are not identified via this application’s procurement process will be required to be procured via the Allegheny County procurement process, including public advertisement for professional or construction contracts of $30,000 or more. Recipients of AHDF funds will be bound by Federal, State and County regulations including, but not limited to, those related to fair housing, equal employment opportunity, prevailing wage law, relocation and property acquisition, leadbased paint, provision of opportunities to Minority-, omen- and Disadvantaged-owned business enterprises (M/W/DBE) and to Veterans Owned Small Businesses (VOSB) and Section 3 opportunities. The majority of the funds utilized require that households with incomes of no more than 80% of the Area Median Income be served. AHDF funds should be leveraged with other development dollars secured by applicants. HOME funds for rental projects require that tenants have incomes below 60% of AMI. Application available: https://www.alleghenycounty.us/economic-development/developers/ index.aspx or contact N Wetzel Allegheny County Economic Development at (412) 350-3724 or by e-mail @ nwetzel@county.allegheny.pa.us . Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submission of an application in no way guarantees an award of funds. COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER
SONNY BOY
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
LEGAL ADVERTISING
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
Bids/Proposals
COMBINED NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ANDNOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (“FONSI/ RROF”) July 14, 2021 City of Pittsburgh Office of Management & Budget Community Development Division City County Building 414 Grant Street, Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, the rban Redevelopment Authority City of Pittsburgh, and the City of Pittsburgh. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or about July 30, 2021 the City of Pittsburgh (City) will authorize the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) and the City to submit a request to the .S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release of the following federal funds to undertake a rental housing development known as Fifth Dinwiddie Apartments: (a) HACP Moving to ork funds under the 1937 Act as modified by the 1996 and 1999 Consolidated Appropriations Act; (b) Low Income Housing Tax Credits under IRS Code Section 42; (c) 2019 Housing Opportunity Funds (HOF); (d) Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement funds (PHARE); and (e) Section 8 Project Based Voucher (PBV) program under the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998 as modified by the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016. The release of the aforementioned funds will be for the purposes of developing Fifth Dinwiddie Apartments at 121 Dinwiddie Street, which includes 23 units with PBV subsidy to assist low income households. The overall project consists of two new structures joined by a skybridge which will include a total combination of 171 for rent residential units and commercial retail space on vacant parcels, which are currently surface parking lots. The developer is Bridging the Gap Development, LLC. The Moving to ork funds is approximately $2,000,000. The 201 HousingOpportunity Funds (HOF) and the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancements funds (PHARE) are estimated at $500,000 and $1,000,000, respectively. The total projected cost for the project is approximately $58,246,874. FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT 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 .S. mail. Please submit your request by .S. mail to City of Pittsburgh, Office of Management and Budget, 414 Grant St, City County Building Room 501, Pittsburgh, Pa 15219 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 Office of Management and Budget Community Development Division 414 Grant St Room 501 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-255-2211 OR Whitney.Finnstrom@pittsburghpa.gov All comments received by July 29, 2021, will be considered by the City of Pittsburgh prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which otice they are addressing. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Pittsburgh certifies to HUD that William Peduto 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 and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh to use funding sources (a) through (e) identified under Request for Release of Funds above. 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 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 Public Housing in Pittsburgh at PittsburghPIH.ER@hud.gov or (412) 644-6932 and Community Planning and Development Division to Mr. Phillip McKeough, at Phillip.E.McKeough@ hud.gov or (412) 644-5846. Potential objectors should contact the HUD Field Office of Public Housing in Pittsburgh via email to verify the actual last day of the objection period. William Peduto Mayor City of Pittsburgh
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed bids will be received in the Bellefield Avenue Lobby, Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue until 11:00 A.M. prevailing time August 3, 2021 and will be opened at the same hour in the administration building cafeteria: Window CleaningVarious Locations General Information regarding bids may be obtained at the Purchasing Office, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, RM 34 Pittsburgh, PA 15213. The bid documents are available on the School District’s Purchasing web site at: www.pghschools.org Click on Our Community; Bid Opportunities; Purchasing - under Quick Links. The Board of Public Education reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or select a single item from any bid. We are an equal rights and opportunity school district
LEGAL ADVERTISING Estate Notices
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, ORPHANS’ COURT DIVISION, ESTATE OF RONALD E. HUTCHINSON, deceased, Case No. 4751 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on June 16, 2021, a Petition was filed by Polly V. Dugas to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Ronald E. Hutchinson, deceased, in the real estate located at 1647 Monroeville Avenue, Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania 15145, and determine that fee simple title is in Petitioner. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order adjudging that the title of Ronald E. Hutchinson is in Petitioner.
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, ORPHANS’ COURT DIVISION, ESTATE OF HELEN GUMINSKY MCKAY, deceased, Case No. 4751 of 2021: Notice is hereby given that on June 16, 2021, a Petition was filed by Robert McKay to terminate the interests of the heirs and devisees of Helen Guminsky McKay, deceased, in the real estate located at 420 Cedarhurst Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15210, and determine that fee simple title is in Petitioner. If no exceptions to the Petition are filed within 30 days, Petitioner will seek an Order adjudging that the title of Helen Guminsky McKay is in Petitioner
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS!
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA FY 2020 ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE (A.I.) Notice is hereby given by Allegheny County Economic Development that it has prepared an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (A.I.) for the period of the current Five Year Consolidated Plan of FY 2020 through FY 2024. A copy of the draft of the 2020 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (A.I.) is available for public review and comment. The A.I. will be available from Thursday, July 15, 2021 through Friday, July 30, 2021, a period of fifteen (15) days. The draft A.I. is online and may be viewed on the Allegheny County website at https://www.alleghenycounty.us/ economic-development. All interested residents and organizations are encouraged to review and comment on the “Draft AI.” Any written comments may be mailed to Allegheny County Economic Development, at the above address. Email comments may be sent to Nathan.Wetzel@ AlleghenyCounty.US After the review period is over, all comments will be taken into consideration and if necessary, revisions will be made. The A.I. will be submitted to the County Executive. If authorized by the County Executive, the A.I. will be submitted to the .S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Federal regulations require communities that receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to complete an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice every five years. This document therefore coincides with the Allegheny County Five Year Consolidated Plan of FY 2020 2024. The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice identifies potential impediments to fair housing choice, in which individuals of similar income levels in the same housing market may have limited housing choice because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or familial status. The AI reviews public and private policies, practices, and procedures which may be affecting housing choice and recommends actions to address any identified potential impediments. Lance Chimka, Director Allegheny County Economic Development HUNT ARMORY: A COMMERCIAL BUILDING LOCATED AT 324 EMERSON STREET The URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY of Pittsburgh will receive bids from qualified contractors for the roof replacement and façade renovation of the Hunt Armory: a commercial building located at 324 Emerson Street; in the Shadyside neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh, and all work incidental thereto required to complete the Hunt Armory Roof Replacement and Façade Renovation, until 11:00 a.m. prevailing time on the 3rd day August, 2021, via Ion ave T echnology (IWT) bid procurement website (https://ura.ionwave.net/ Login.aspx). Contract documents will be available after 1:00 pm on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, only on IWT. Paper copies will not be available for pickup. Contract documents will not be mailed. Bids will only be accepted through IWT. A pre-bid meeting will be held ON SITE (324 Emerson St) on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Please email Paul Martinchich, Engineering Project Manager pmartinchich@ ura.org to obtain additional information for this meeting. All interested parties are strongly encouraged to attend. All meeting attendees should park at the northern end of the street near the loading dock.
America’s Best Weekly 315 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Classifieds 412-481-8302 Ext. 140 E-mail: ads@newpittsburghcourier.com Deadline/Closing/Cancellation Schedule for copy, corrections, and
cancellations: Friday noon preceding Wednesday publication
COURIER CLASSIFIEDS GET RESULTS