As someone whose family has long been located in Pittsburgh, I am fascinated by the area and its history. My time at CMU has only increased my interest in the region. Ironically, I was recently reminded of an extremely innovative person in Pittsburgh who is greatly improving the lives of Braddock citizens with his new policies and programs including green jobs, artistic endeavors, and youth employment. Last year Heinz had this man, Mayor of Braddock John Fetterman, come speak at one of our convocations. For those of you who did not have the opportunity to hear him speak, he told a riveting story of why and how he became involved in Braddock and what steps he has taken to revitalize one of the poorest areas in Pennsylvania.
In looking for some inspiration for a social venture of my own, I visited Braddock on Friday to see the revitalization efforts first hand. I also reread Fetterman's story of Braddock (link below). While what Fetterman is doing in Braddock may not directly relate to any of the projects we choose to pursue this semester, I thought sharing the story with everyone would remind us that one person can make a huge impact on the world around them. A good notion to remember at the beginning of a social venture... Enjoy!
http://monthlyreview.org/2008/12/01/braddock-pennsylvania-out-of-the-furnace-and-into-the-fire
Thank you very inspirational! Another Pittsburgh Social Innovator I greatly respect is Bill STrickland http://bill-strickland.org/
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