Shaylah Brown stories, Page 3
Faces of the Valley: Hank Commodore’s mission to spread love and kindness
While recognition continues to pile up for Hank Commodore, the reward he cherishes most is seeing the children he’s helped grow into well-rounded adults. Commodore, 76, has received three city proclamations, the most recent from Pittsburgh. He also has proclamations from New Kensington and Ford City for his charitable work....
Sarah Heinz House event empowers young girls to break barriers in STEM
Women make up 35 percent of STEM positions across the world, according to the National Center for Science and Engineering. During the Reimagining Opportunities to Achieve and Rise (ROAR) event at the Sarah Heinz House on the North Side on Wednesday, young girls were given the chance to see firsthand...
Christmas Giveaway at The Promise Center of Homewood sparks joy across the community
Imagine walking into a room filled to the brim with toys, clothing, electronics and stationery — all free. At The Promise Center of Homewood, for many families and kids, that was their reality on Saturday. During the Christmas Giveaway, children left with bikes, clothing and Barbie dolls, and there were...
African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania luncheon focuses on coming together
The African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania held its annual luncheon on Thursday, celebrating achievements within the African American community and economic development. The event marked the final luncheon for founder and CEO Doris Carson Williams before her retirement. Carson Williams described the afternoon as both exciting and...
PA Humanities project tells the stories of Black Pennsylvania
The voices of Black Pennsylvania took center stage Wednesday at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center during an immersive storytelling experience that showcased a project by PA Humanities titled “Voices of History: Stories of Black Pennsylvania.” The program was inspired by a talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson,...
Hill District tenants demand action from HUD over hazardous living conditions
Tenants of NB Affordable properties in the Hill District gathered at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in Downtown Pittsburgh Wednesday to voice concerns and demand change to their living conditions: infestations of raccoons and rats, no heat, missing floorboards, elevators that don’t work and more. According to One...
Black Market: Holiday Edition pop-up brings unique finds for holiday gifts
The Black Market: Holiday Edition has transformed Downtown Pittsburgh into a festive hub for celebrating Black entrepreneurship. Now in its fifth year, the unique pop-up marketplace debuted last weekend in Market Square, featuring 20 local Black-owned businesses nestled within the Peoples Gas Holiday Market. With a second installment set for...
Westinghouse Academy students celebrated for academic achievements, resilience
On a recent bitter cold Friday, the Westinghouse Academy in Homewood was full of warmth. An assembly, All Lives Matter to Do the Right Thing, presented by Help the Needy Not the Greedy and The Youth Project Inc., honored students for their academic accomplishments and added sparkle to their holiday...
Sharday McGee’s journey of resilience and culinary passion leads to Bouji Bites
Sharday McGee, owner of Bouji Bites, is busy. Whether the corporate finance supervisor turned catering entrepreneur is finishing off a hot honey sauce for her Cajun salmon, making her beloved mac and cheese, or frying nine turkeys for Thanksgiving, a smile is always on her face. McGee wears a Bouji...
Brown Mamas Marketplace a way to support Black women on Small Business Saturday
Muffy Mendoza, founder of Brown Mamas, Inc. and the Brown Mamas Marketplace, is excited about the next iteration of the marketplace on Saturday. It is no coincidence that the event aligns with Small Business Saturday, kicking off the holiday shopping season by supporting Black women. She started Brown Mamas in...
Africanism Gala in Lawrenceville highlights beauty of African diaspora
Demeatria Boccella and her business partner, Darnell McLaurin, are spotlighting the beauty of the African diaspora in Pittsburgh one event at a time. Their Africanism Gala, held at Ice House Studios in Lawrenceville Thursday night, was packed with attendees, leaving only standing room for the showcase of African fashion, music...
Data Justice Project aims to improve lives of Black Pittsburghers
Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood is vibrant — but it also has the lowest life expectancy rate in the city at less than 65 years old. The statistics can stigmatize the neighborhood, according to data experts. While there is currently no explanation for the disparity in Larimer, causes will be investigated in...
Delina’s EthioCafe serves traditional Ethiopian coffee on the go
Meaza Tesfahun, owner of Delina’s EthioCafe, runs a mobile cafe based in Cranberry, Butler County. Often, you might find her vending her authentic Ethiopian coffee in the parking lot at the Meeder housing development, a local farmers market, or outside of a church. On a breezy fall morning in late...
Daylight saving time may come with the winter blues; here’s how to navigate it
The clocks have turned back and with shorter daylight hours and colder temperatures on the way, the seasonal shift can bring feelings of the blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is defined as a type of depression that often comes with the fall and winter months. These cases are considered...
Amachi Pittsburgh celebrates 20 years of breaking cycle of incarceration
Amachi Pittsburgh is breaking the cycle of incarceration by helping youth thrive and achieve their goals. The organization provides support to youth who have parents who may be incarcerated or are at high risk of incarceration. Through mentorship and care, their work has changed the trajectory of children’s lives. On...
Racist text messages circulated to Black Americans reach Pittsburgh
The Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh has condemned racist threats targeting Black Americans. Across social media, many people have reported receiving text messages with derogatory language referencing slavery and picking cotton directed toward Black Americans. In a statement, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh expressed their great disappointment in messages...
Black, Hispanic reaction to Trump win mixed
Despite former President Donald Trump capturing nearly 20% of the Black vote and 42% of Hispanics nationally, local Black and Hispanic reaction to his victory was strong and mixed. Carlotta Paige of Latrobe, chief operating officer of the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition in Greensburg, is not surprised how Westmoreland County or...
Dominican opera singer Zuly Inirio is making classical music more equitable
With her emotion-evoking operatic range and soprano heights, Dominican opera singer Zuly Inirio is challenging whose voice is embodied and heard throughout the genre. She first saw an opera — “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi — at 15 while attending a Christian high school in Miami. “I fell in love...
Breast cancer diagnosis in Black women and the need for early detection
Alexis Russell, 40, and her husband, through their contracting firm, Russell General Contracting, are working on the historic restoration of notable buildings across the city, including the August Wilson House, the New Granada Theater and the Greenwood Smithfield Building. Russell’s day may include meetings, contract reviews, emails and site visits...
Viola Davis makes a Pittsburgh stop for Black and brown men voter summit
Actress Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder,” “Fences”) took the stage Tuesday night at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty not to discuss her latest project, but to discuss trauma and healing. “We want an America as good as its promise, though that is a promise that...
Rae Mason fosters friendly, at-home feeling at hotel in Upper Burrell
When she was 18, Rae Mason would greet guests at her family’s hotel, take their coats and hang them in the coat room, exchanging the jackets for tiny tickets. Then she would people-watch as they headed to the bar area for the night’s entertainment. When her father, John E. Mason,...
After Obama’s push for Harris, Black men still seem divided on how they’ll vote
When James Hill considers the weight of his singular vote on Nov. 5, he can’t help but think of his grandmother. Hill, 30, of Pittsburgh’s North Side said his grandmother grew up in the rural South and never dreamed possible that a Black woman would run for president. “Moments like...
Charles ‘Teenie’ Harris Archive gallery gets permanent space at Carnegie Museum of Art
Charles “Teenie” Harris photographed a young Roger Humphries, at age 4, in black and white, sitting behind a miniature drum set with two drumsticks in his hands, playing in a classroom. Humphries was tagging along with his older brothers before he was of age to attend school and sat in...
EXPlore: Pittsburgh Tech Week kicks off with diversity in AI discussion
People of color make up about 37% of the tech industry, while white people account for a little over 60%, according to a 2023 Techreport. Intersectionality of AI & Inclusion was the topic of discussion on the opening day of the EXPlore: Pittsburgh Tech Week on Monday at Google’s Bakery...
Get Out the Vote bus tour, along with Black fraternities and sororities, mobilizes voters in Hill District
On Friday afternoon in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, the Freedom Is At Stake GOTV Bus Tour made a stop at Freedom Corner to mobilize voters and spread awareness about the importance of voting. The group partnered with several organizations to bring the event to fruition, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.,...
