News Around the Neighborhood
An Evening with Ibram X. Kendi: Discussing Antiracism & Children’s Literature
Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures presents Ibram X. Kendi, author of How to be an Antiracist and How to Raise an Antiracist, at 6:00 pmm Thursday, March 9, 2023, at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall in Oakland.
Dr. Kendi is appearing with the release of his new children’s book, The Making of Butterflies, a retelling of work by Zora Neale Hurston from her folktale anthology Mules and Men. His conversation with Dr. Valerie Kinloch, Dean of University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education, will focus on the importance of these works of literature within the framework of his antiracism work. In-person and virtual tickets available at pittsburghlectures.org.
Diversity in The Parks
The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy celebrates diversity every month, but throughout February, the organization recognized Black History Month by celebrating and honoring the impact of African Americans in Pittsburgh’s parks. This includes highlighting the current work of our dedicated team.
As February comes to a close, check out some of the staff spotlights below to learn more about how a few team members prioritize making the parks accessible, with a renewed focus on underrepresented communities and the importance of representation amongst park staff.
“The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s commitment to improving and restoring Pittsburgh’s parks for all remains a top priority for the organization. Every team member is committed, in earnest, to delivering programs and projects that positively impact Black and Brown Pittsburghers and all park-goers.
As a Black, lifelong Pittsburgher that grew up next to McKinley Park, I speak from the heart when I say that we at the Parks Conservancy strive every day to make our parks accessible and welcoming places of pleasure, relaxation, learning, and comfort for everyone. Over the past several years, we’ve doubled down on our commitment to communities like Beltzhoover, the Northside, and the Hill District, to name just a few, to launch new programs and projects in parks where there have been far too few for far too long.
These essential areas of work are being bolstered by resources from Vibrant Pittsburgh and other DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) centric partnerships. Our focus on racial equality and how best to support and encourage all Pittsburghers to use our parks will remain at the forefront of our priorities. This, to me, is what I’m striving to do and what I think we’re all striving to do each day.”
-Ross Chapman, Chief of Operations and Park Equity
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Presented by Prime Stage Theatre
Mar 3, 4, 10, 11 I 8:00PM
Mar 5, 11, 12 I 2:30PM
On a rainy day in London, four children step through a magical wardrobe and discover an enchanted kingdom filled with fantasy, mystical characters, and suspense.
Summer Camp Registration Opens Tomorrow!
Parents and caretakers get ready! Summer camp registration officially opens tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m.! Spaces go fast, so be sure to set your alarm if you want to get a spot this year. Registration will open on our summer camp page.
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s popular summer camps are unique, age-specific programs held in beautiful Frick Park. Led by park naturalist educators, these four or five-day long camps encourage children and teens to learn, play, and grow in our city’s most exciting classrooms: parks!
We have a variety of nature-inspired activities for children ages four to youth entering 8th grade.
Summer camp registration will open on Wednesday, February 22nd at 8:00 am!
Camperships are available for income-eligible families. Click here to learn more!
Assistance for East Paelstine
From Carol Gomrick
WHE Healthy Homes Asthma Program
PHLF: Virtual Tour of Penn-Liberty Cultural District
Thursday, February 23
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
$10
This tour will be conducted via Zoom Conference.
Click here to purchase a ticket. (Because this is a virtual event, please disregard the QR code information in the ticket e-mailed to you.)
You will receive an e-mail with a link to the Zoom event on February 23. (Tickets will not be available after 9:00 am on the day of the event.) Please log in at 5:45 pm so that we can start the tour on time.
The Penn-Liberty corridor in Downtown Pittsburgh was an important retail and commercial center in the 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring excellent examples of early skyscrapers standing cheek-by-jowl with more modest structures. Today, after a decades-long period of decline in the mid-20th century, it is the site of a thriving arts scene, much of it housed in stunning historic buildings that have been restored and creatively repurposed.
In addition to seeing many such examples of historic preservation in action, tour participants will learn of the crucial roles of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and PHLF in creating what has been called the country’s “most impressive and successful” example of urban economic revitalization through the arts.
Upcoming Screening & an Exciting Opportunity
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Wednesday, February 22nd
7:00 pm
Join us for our February Reel Stories screening of Arvin Chen’s warm-hearted and whimsical Taiwanese film, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.
February’s screening presents Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, a 2013 romantic comedy directed by Arvin Chen. The film follows introverted optometrist Weichung who begins to question his marriage after learning his wife wants to have another baby. Weichung soon bumps into his old friend Stephen, who, though also married, lives the unconstrained life of a young gay bachelor. When Stephen teases Weichung for his newly straight-laced lifestyle, dormant emotions stir in Weichung, setting him off on a quest for true romance and desire.
Make sure to RSVP below and don’t forget to enjoy a drink and meal at 40 on North, located at Alphabet City.
Please Join Us Tomorrow for a Celebratory Check Presentation for the Renovation of the Allegheny YMCA
Please join us for a celebratory check presentation
Tuesday, February 7 at 10:30 am
Allegheny YMCA Gymnasium | 600 W. North Avenue
Small group tours will be available following a brief program.
The Allegheny YMCA Gymnasium will be closed for the duration of the event.
A CATALYTIC PROJECT
This project entails the renovation and update of all common spaces, the kitchen, fitness facilities including the wellness floor, pool area and locker rooms, and meeting rooms. 96 single room occupancy (SRO) units will be renovated on the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors with a new configuration that replaces shared bathrooms with private facilities and provides a much-needed community room for the residents. Rooms and corridor renovations will include flooring, painting and ceilings. Additional work will include replacement of mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems and installation of a sprinkler system. Air-conditioning and new elevators will be added. The renovations will use high quality, environmentally friendly materials. The SRO units will be designed with thoughtful floor plans and natural light. This renovation ensures that the entire building is fully ADA assessable.
Other important amenities for the residents of the Allegheny Y include access to the wellness facility and swimming pool, daily NA and AA group meetings within walking distance, access to local feeding programs and a small community garden providing fresh produce.
This Valentine’s Day, Choose Park Flowers That Endure
What better way to show that your love endures than to plant perennials in the parks that will last a lifetime? This Valentine’s Day, make a gift to the Perennial Fund to have flowers planted in a loved one’s name. Better than buying a bouquet that you would toss after a few days, these perennials will bloom year after year, a sign of your perpetual love.
Our dedicated staff and volunteers will tend to your gift to the parks. So let perennials be the perfect reminder of your enduring love this Valentine’s Day.
When you make a gift to the Perennial Fund, your special someone will receive an eCard notification in time for Valentine’s Day.