NEXTpittsburgh recently wrote that Pittsburgh is becoming a "Buzz City". Mayor Bill Peduto was quoted as saying “A lot of what drives a Buzz City is a growth—and interest by people from the outside who begin to pay attention to it—but at the same time, it is what’s happening within the city organically that drives people to start to look at it.” So, the question becomes – what’s happening organically within Pittsburgh? What are the factors at play? Why the buzz? Pittsburgh shows its might and beauty through being a city of diverse and courageous people who adapt, evolve, and innovate - and this is attracting attention. Diversity. In a recent interview, Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh said, “Diversity in the broadest sense —intellectual, cultural, ethnic, racial or national origin — intrinsically enhances artistic and technical innovation. If it is composed of an appropriate mix of people, when a heterogeneous group takes a look at any issue, the members have a much better chance of correcting each other’s hidden biases. That’s why I think multicultural, cosmopolitan areas thrive.” Recently the Knight Foundation’s “Soul of the Community” study conducted by Gallup explored what community qualities influence residents’ loyalty and passion for where they live. By understanding community attachment, we can ultimately attract and keep talented workers, further connect residents to their community, and help develop economic vitality. While "aesthetics" ranked as the top indicator of community satisfaction, a welcoming and open community consistently ranked in the top three. We know that Pittsburgh has lush waterways and beautiful topography, but what is the city doing to develop a welcoming and diverse community? It might surprise you to hear that Pittsburgh has an organization entirely dedicated to this area of fostering diversity. Vibrant Pittsburgh’s mission is to ensure the Pittsburgh region’s growth by attracting, retaining and elevating a diversity of talent, and to promote the region nationally and internationally as a diverse, welcoming, region of opportunities. Vibrant Pittsburgh’s CEO Melanie Harrington said “This is something, I think, that is unique to Pittsburgh – that we are all working together to make this a reality.” Vibrant Pittsburgh CEO Melanie Harrington talks about Vibrant Pittsburgh Pittsburgh has long been at the forefront of promoting diversity and inclusion. The Dignity & Respect Campaign, an awareness and advocacy grassroots initiative that started in Pittsburgh is a good example. The campaign has now spread nationally, encouraging and promoting the message of positive behaviors and inclusion beginning with the core belief that everyone deserves dignity and respect. Pittsburgh is also leading the way in scholarly research regarding race and diversity. In 2002 The University of Pittsburgh established the Center on Race and Social Problems to “help lead America further along the path to social justice by conducting applied social science research on race, ethnicity, and color and their influence on the quality of life for all Americans.” The Center also mentors emerging scholars and disseminates race-related research findings and scholarship. The Center has always served as a leading resource for race-related research which is crucial for community leaders and policymakers interested in gaining a better understanding of racial disparities and finding effective strategies for improving these conditions. It is one of the most well-known and respected centers in the country, and in 2010 it hosted the largest conference on race ever held in America. Innovation. Pittsburgh is over 250 years old and our history of innovation is rich and plentiful. We've made electric lighting possible, are the birthplace of both labor unions and professional football in America, and invented the banana split! Take a tour of Pittsburgh's history of innovation Pittsburgh continues to make history today with a tradition of technical innovation and entrepreneurship. Innovation Works is dedicated to making Southwestern Pennsylvania a center for innovative start-ups and tech investors from around the country. Since their inception in 1999, Innovation Works has invested over $60 million in more than 200 technology start-ups in the region, playing a vital role in Southwestern PA's technology economy. “Innovation Works help researchers commercialize ideas that could change the world .” The companies that have received investment from Innovation Works have created thousands of new jobs and brought additional capital to the region which is estimated at over $1.6 billion. Their website states that “Innovation Works' programs accelerate growth in Southwestern PA by infusing business expertise and funding into early-stage technology companies and those pursuing the next competitive edge. As one of the most active seed-stage investors in the U.S., our knowledge of the needs of start-ups—from risk capital to business expertise—enables us to guide hundreds of entrepreneurs every year on the right path to commercialization.” According to a review by Ernst & Young, Pittsburgh ranks 3rd in the number of venture deals per capita compared to similar regions and those that are more active technology hubs. In a recent press release, Rich Lunak, President & CEO of Innovation Works said, “When we benchmark Pittsburgh against the kinds of communities we look up to, we are making great strides to reach the high levels of entrepreneurial activity we want to foster…This shows that our great companies are able to attract the capital they need to grow and the roster of investors in our local companies is a Who’s Who of top investment firms from across the country.” Pittsburgh is also pursuing catalytic change in the non-profit and environmental sectors. GTECH Strategies is a non-profit founded in 2007 with a mission to cultivate the unrealized potential of people and places to improve the economic, social, and environmental health of our communities. Their vision of turning wasted resources into useful commodities for communities has landed them in the media’s spotlight. In 2008 GTECH received the prestigious Echoing Green Fellowship, an international award that honors the work of entrepreneurs and their vision for community and social change. According to GTECH’s website, this “catalyzed the growth of GTECH into a change-making organization and a community leader on both a regional and national level…This enabled the organization to expand their reach, increase the team, and focus on applying innovation and environmental equity to the community development system.” Crystal Tackett served as a ReClaim Northside Ambassador in 2014. She envisioned a community garden with a kid's play space, a place where art can be created, and a "free veggie" basket for the community! Evaine Sing, Operations and Program Director at GTECH, believes that “One of Pittsburgh’s greatest strengths is its network of people who care. The work to make Pittsburgh better and brighter that is completed through collaborative and cooperative efforts is happening on an unprecedented level in this city.” Sing also commented, “When people come together the way those in Pittsburgh do, there is more trust, learning, collective action and ownership of change than can be seen anywhere else. It is an exciting time to work in the non-profit sector and an amazing time to live here to see the impact.” Courage. “Pittsburgh is, in so many ways, the poster child for regional resilience,” said Kathryn Foster, director of the University of Buffalo (UB) Regional Institute. “From the post-war smoky city when Pittsburgh was an industrial powerhouse, bolstered by the Allegheny Conference and other local stakeholders, the city transformed itself over the subsequent decades into a beautiful, viable place.” Resilience is associated with flexibility, adaptability, and the courage to begin again. “These concepts inform a very simple definition that we can begin to apply to regions: The key to the concept is the ‘bounce-back,’ that ability to recovery from stresses,” Foster continued.
Despite all that has happened to transform Pittsburgh over the years, we continue to show a remarkable courage and optimism for the future. Grant Oliphant, president of the Heinz Endowments, said “This is a moment when everything is on the table and we have a chance to do things differently than they’ve been done in decades…This resurgent, emerging community has a chance to move to the next level.”
Who's Building the Buzz about the 'Burgh? We are. It goes well beyond our history, our rich cultural neighborhoods, and even our well-earned national accolades. It’s the diversity that makes our community vibrant and strong. It’s the fact that our community actively fosters innovation in everything from tech start-ups to grassroots community-building initiatives. But most of all, it's the courage that we've shown in our ability to adapt, evolve, and reinvent ourselves time and again. No wonder there's a buzz.
0 Comments
I believe that we have a big part in creating our own happiness. Yes, there are things that are outside of our control, however we exert influence in our world and are able to take daily steps towards our goals of self-improvement. I think too often we get trapped in a mindset of helplessness by either feeling like we're not sure what the next step is, or feeling like our goals are out of reach. This article was a really helpful reminder for me to take things one day at a time. If you're not sure what's next, work on one of the 22 habits that you can't shake. Then, you are at least working toward a happier you, which is a goal we should all get behind! Here's the list from the article in case you don't have a chance to read it in depth:
|
Molly B. AllweinThis is where Molly shares her thoughts, resources, and inspirations! Archives
August 2015
Categories |