The event featured a panel of local and national speakers who each gave a ten-minute speech on their vision for the future of Pittsburgh.
Speakers' visions included projects from sustainable economies and alternative business models to urban farms and local food systems.
Jessica McPherson from FreeRide talked about the volunteer run and collaboratively operated project that collects old bicycles to be repaired and returned to the community. McPherson envisions alternative economic models like FreeRide bringing people together and promoting healthy communities.
Mike Gable of Construction Junction offered a vision called the "Green Block," a development project envisioned for the Point Breeze neighborhood on Meade St. around Construction Junction and the East End Food Co-op.
There was a lot of excitement about the Green Block project. One woman in the audience, however, raised concerns about the lack of involvement with the existing community in the Green Block project, and whether folks living in the community would be invited to move into the housing that was planned for the Green Block. Rob Baran of the East End Food Co-op said there would be some affordable housing available, but felt the existing community needed to be educated about the benefits of the Green Block.
Maritza Mosquera led participants in a three-minute date that encouraged audience members to fall in love with each other and build commitment.
Maria Graziani of Healcrest Urban Community Farm talked about addressing food insecurity and increasing the availability of organic produce. Her vision for Pittsburgh involves turning vacant land into viable green markets.
Wallace Watson from the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN) talked about faith-based organizing and exercising power to make change reflective of peoples values. Barbara Simpson, also from PIIN, spoke on the changes to the transit system and for additional funding to support Port Authority Transit.
After the panel discussion event participants broke into small groups so that everyone would have a chance to share their highest vision for the city of Pittsburgh. The groups then returned to present a summary of their vision for everyone to discuss.
Concerns persisted that without fundamental collaboration and cooperation from existing communities, laudable green projects will fail to co-create a just and unified city. One group raised concerns about projects led by white middle-class people that take place in predominately black and lower-income neighborhoods. They challenged the value of including black and lower-income community members after a plan has already been made, and emphasized the importance of their involvement starting with the initial planning phase.
Similarly, another group proposed that white men step aside and make room for women and people of color to take positions of leadership. Responding from the panel, Maritza Mosquera expanded on this by describing her vision of supporting the leadership of black women.
(First published in The NewPeople, July 2007)
