Power of 32 Celebrates Community Conversations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


CONTACT: Melissa Marullo

mam@judith-kelly.com

412.281.0995
412.969.2530

Power of 32 Concludes Its First Public Phase

More than 3,000 Residents Attended a Community Conversation

PITTSBURGH, PA (December 1, 2010) Power of 32—the regional visioning initiative for 32 counties in the Maryland panhandle, eastern Ohio, southwestern Pennsylvania, and West Virginia’s mid-central and panhandle—completed its Listening Phase with more than 150 public input sessions since June 2010, including Conversations in Downtown Pittsburgh, Homestead, Carnegie, Monroeville, Mt. Lebanon, Penn Hills, Wilkinsburg, McKeesport, South Park, Franklin Park, Allison Park, Dormont, Squirrel Hill, Natrona Heights, and Sharpsburg.

Community Conversations were the first of three public phases of Power of 32 and represent more than 7,000 hours of deliberative democracy. The number of events, as well as the number of participants, exceeded the initiative’s goal by more than 50%. Originally scheduled to conclude at the end of September, Community Conversations continued through mid-November to assure voices representing all of region’s demographic groups were included.

“Power of 32 is creating an ambitious agenda for our region’s future built on the ideas and concerns of the thousands of people who attended Community Conversations and actively participated in the process,” reports Selena Schmidt, Power of 32 executive director. “Church members, church groups, Rotarians, young professionals, students, teachers, CEOs, seniors, and teens made sure their input is a part of what we work on as a region for the next 15 years.”

More than 120 trained volunteer facilitators led the discussion at the Community Conversation events. Participants, working in groups, considered four discussion questions:

· What does a thriving region look like?

· What key challenges must be addressed for our region to thrive, and what key strengths can we build on?

· What one or two possibilities must be pursued to ensure the region thrives? Why?

· It is 2025. What makes us most proud of our region, and what was key to getting us here?

Thousands of sticky notes captured the responses of each Community Conversation participant. The first step in the second public phase—Framing Solutions—will be to analyze those comments to determine common themes. The common themes, which will be announced in early 2011, will be the focus of facilitated Stakeholder Summits during the first quarter of 2011. By May 2011, Theme Teams composed of topic authorities will develop policy and program options to address the challenges and opportunities of their assigned theme. These options will be prepared for presentation to regional residents for prioritization during the third public phase of Power of 32—Create Regional Agenda—by June 2011.

“Power of 32 is the largest regional visioning initiative of its kind and is supported by 50 sponsors and a Steering Committee of 70 members representing public, private, and nonprofit sectors from across the region,” explains Michael Bernarding, chair of the Power of 32 Steering Committee. “Power of 32 is not just about the power of 32 counties. It’s about the power of 4.2 million people. We’re very pleased with the public response during Community Conversations and expect to engage thousands more people in the process of creating a regional agenda.”

Public officials will play an important role in the implementation of the regional agenda resulting from the Power of 32 regional visioning initiative. As of mid-November, more than 50 elected officials, including Allegheny County Councilman Rich Fitzgerald, signed a pledge “to support the public conversations initiated by the Power of 32 regional visioning project, and to be part of developing a Regional Agenda that results from the process.”

To see a full list of Community Conversations, visit powerof32.org.
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Melissa Marullo
Project Assistant
Judith Kelly + Associates, LLC
Investment Building
239 Fourth Avenue - Suite 1811
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1716
412.281.0995 - phone
412.281.0996 - fax
http://www.judith-kelly.com/

Dignity and Respect Month Kicks Off

WHAT

Dignity & Respect Month Kickoff

WHO

Ruth Byrd-Smith – Director of Allegheny County Minority Women

Candi Castleberry-Singleton – UPMC Chief Inclusion Officer

Denise Jones – Venango County Chief Clerk and County Administrator

Dr. Patrick Swift – Author, Psychologist, NYU School of Medicine Faculty

Susan Williams – Executive Director, Venango Chamber

Dawnita Wilson – Program Director, Inclusion Initiative at UPMC

Dignity and Respect Champion Awardees
http://www.dignityandrespectcampaign.com/drchampions.php

Community Organizations

WHEN
Thursday, September 30
8:30 am – welcome
9:00 to 10:00 am – program

WHERE

UPMC Herberman Conference Center
5150 Centre Avenue in Shadyside

WHY

The Dignity and Respect Campaign believes that inclusion begins with the core belief that everyone deserves dignity and respect. Originally envisioned as an internal UPMC program, the Dignity and Respect Campaign expanded to a community-wide effort in October 2009. Since then, approximately 22,500 people have taken the pledge to treat others with dignity and respect.

http://www.dignityandrespectcampaign.com/takepledge.php

County Executive Dan Onorato’s proclamation naming October as Dignity and Respect Month in Allegheny County will be delivered at the kick-off event. Eight recipients of the Dignity & Respect Champion award will be honored. Plans for the first Dignity & Respect Fall Festival scheduled for Saturday, October 16 at Schenley Plaza will be announced.

For more information

Stephanie Rex – sar@judith-kelly.com
412.281.0995 – office; 724.841.2481 – cell
To Schedule an Advance Interview with Dawnita Wilson – contact Stephanie Rex

9.28.10

Stephanie A. Rex
Project Associate
Judith Kelly + Associates, LLC
Investment Building
239 Fourth Avenue - Suite 1811
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1716
412.281.0995 - phone
412.281.0996 - fax
http://www.judith-kelly.com/

UMOJA Celebrates Dignity and Respect Fall Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact: Stephanie Rex
412.281.0995
sar@judith-kelly.com

Inaugural Dignity & Respect Fall Festival Announced

Event to be held Saturday, Oct. 16 at Schenley Plaza

(PITTSBURGH, PA) Sept. 22, 2010 – UMOJA, which means “unity” in Swahili, is the name of a local African arts company that will celebrate that very concept with the Dignity and Respect Campaign’s inaugural Fall Festival, a bridge between all ages, cultures, and backgrounds expressed through food, music, and fun.

“This festival is an evolution of the Dignity and Respect Campaign and is a perfect way for the entire community to celebrate Dignity and Respect Month” said Dawnita Wilson, Program Director, Inclusion Initiatives at UPMC and the local Dignity and Respect Campaign Manager. “This is a great way for the community to get involved and engaged in driving the message that everyone deserves dignity and respect.”

The first ever Dignity and Respect Fall Festival will take place on Oct. 16, 2010 from 11 am to 4 pm at Schenley Plaza in Oakland. The festival will include giveaways, multicultural entertainment, health and educational information, community resource tables and vendor exhibits, and games for everyone. It is free and open to the public.

Community organizations and performers will be joining together to celebrate each other’s missions of equality and inclusion, in addition to adding different flavors of musicians and dancers representing cultures from around the world.

Activities include rock climbing provided by Venture Outdoors – an organization that works to promote Pittsburgh’s natural amenities, highlight the quality of life, foster a greater appreciation for the environment, inspire an active lifestyle and create a shared sense of community. Yoga classes every half hour and crafts for all ages also will be provided along with several other activities. Steel Dragon will perform at the festival, and originally started out as a lion dance team, but now includes kung fu, and Baiyuan Tongbei. Instructor Chris Young has more than 15 years of martial arts experience in several styles. UMOJA African Arts Company also will provide children’s crafts and face painting, and promotes the indigenous culture of Africa in the U.S.

Exhibitors include GLENDA – an organization that fosters appreciation for gays, lesbians, and all people by working together with diverse communities to make the region a better place; Strong Women Strong Girls, an organization that works to build upon the lessons learned from strong women throughout history to encourage girls and young women become strong women themselves; and the United Way.

Vendors include Ten Thousand Villages – a store that produces handmade gifts, jewelry, home décor, art and sculpture, textiles, serve ware and personal accessories that represent the diverse cultures of artisans in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. TTV works to improve the lives of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 different countries. Proceeds go to food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who are unemployed or underemployed. East End Food Co-op also joins the festival and creates, promotes and works to sustain a healthy, strong and vibrant local community that serves the need for physical well-being, mutual respect, social connectedness and economic vitality. They are Pittsburgh's only member-owned natural and organic food market.

Sponsored by the Center for Inclusion at UPMC and Allegheny County, the Fall Festival features live bands, crafters, dancers and more throughout the day – for the entire family.

The Dignity & Respect Campaign is an awareness campaign designed to join individuals, community leaders, community organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and corporations under the common notion that everyone deserves dignity and respect. For more information call 412.864.3582 or e-mail dandrcampaign@gmail.com.
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