2021 in Summary Posted on May 16, 2022 by Grounded Strategies 2021 in Summary Frequent volunteer, and doctoral student at Point Park Universtity, Aram Kolesar shares an annual summary of Grounded's work in 2021.Written by Aram Kolesar Over the past year, Grounded Strategies’ work on vacant lots has flourished. In 2021, we embarked on new initiatives, broke ground on new sites, and expanded existing projects. As we continue to survey our projects and consider directions for the years ahead, we invite you to take a look at some of the great programs…Read More
Garden Lead Safe in 2021 Posted on February 8, 2021 by [email protected] While we're currently at the tail-end of winter, many folks I know are eagerly anticipating the arrival of spring. Perhaps none more-so than gardeners. These faithful Earth-tenders gain motivation from various places, but the majority of folks engaging in this 'hobby' (or way of life if you prefer) do so for the satisfaction of literally being able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, as with most things, context is critical. Our soils bear the burden of historically high…Read More
Reducing Toxics in the Home Environment: Lead Posted on October 27, 2020 by [email protected] The last week in October (25th-31st, 2020) is National Lead Poisoning Prevention week! During this time, there's a great deal of focus on reducing the threat of lead hazards in our environment. As you may know, lead is a naturally occurring chemical element that exists at low levels in a variety of earth materials. It is also a potent neurotoxin with negative impacts on a variety of systems within the body: in fact, there is no level of lead that…Read More
Grounded Statement on Racial Violence Posted on June 1, 2020 by [email protected] Grounded works to promote equitable access to quality greenspace within marginalized communities. We acknowledge that our work is not separate from the larger concerns of racial violence, stigmatization, and oppression. The context for our work, and the communities we work alongside, emerges from a long history of racial segregation, targeted divestment, redlining, and disenfranchisement of land from Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. We envision a region of thriving communities working together to sustain equitable change. The baseline for…Read More
One on One with Mark Rawlings, Northside ReClaim Ambassador Posted on May 26, 2020 by Grounded Strategies In 2014, Grounded Strategies launched ReClaim Northside, a program purposed to reclaim vacant land parcels and create high-quality community greenspace. In the process, more than 5,400 vacant lots in the Northside were surveyed, and 14 community residents were recruited and trained as Ambassadors. Among the 8 unique projects created throughout the Northside, the Terraced Side-lot Bioswale by Ambassador Mark Rawlings is an exceptional example of community-empowered design. Ten years ago when Mark first purchased his home in the Troy Hill…Read More
Any Exposure is Bad Exposure: A Comparison on Lead Safety & COVID-19 Safety Practices Posted on March 25, 2020 by Grounded Strategies As we learn more about the Coronavirus and how to limit exposure, proper health and safety precautions are on everyone's minds. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) is recommending we wash our hands for 20 seconds, avoid touching our faces, and regularly disinfect hard surfaces like countertops or doorknobs. You may know that these are important measures to take to mitigate risk of catching the virus, or spreading it to other more vulnerable people…Read More
What’s New in Youth Engagement at Grounded? Posted on February 24, 2020 by [email protected] Since embarking on my journey at Grounded in September of 2019, I have been having some fun and making a difference in several communities. By and large, one of my favorites is Hazelwood. As a Greenfield native, I grew up just around the corner playing and learning about life in Hazelwood with friends and family. My engagements as a Grounded staff member have ranged from formal building projects to networking events and (many) teaching sessions. In one of my…Read More
The Role of Greenspace in Pittsburgh’s Transportation Equity Conversation Posted on February 3, 2020 by [email protected] Currently, the City of Pittsburgh's Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) is developing a Mobility Vision Plan for the next 50 years! While on its surface this may not seem like an environmental justice issue tied to vacant or disinvested land, the implications of this plan are incredibly far-reaching. As the main entity tasked with managing the city's transportation infrastructure, DOMI governs many aspects of your movement through your day-to-day life. In addition to the roads most of us use…Read More
Herbal Medicine Making Posted on January 7, 2020 by Grounded Strategies In an introductory course lead by Melissa Soto of Cutting Root Farm and Apothecary and hosted by the Garfield Community Farm, participants learned how to extract the medicinal supplements of plants through mediums like syrup, honey, alcohol, oils/salves, and teas. For the purpose of the course, we prepared medicine from the fruit of Rhus typhina, commonly known as staghorn sumac, which is easily identified by its bright red and fuzzy, cone-shaped clusters of fruit. The staghorn sumac is fairly common…Read More
TRUSS: Masoud’s Takeaways Posted on December 28, 2019 by [email protected] The second annual Three Rivers Urban Soils Symposium (TRUSS) was a wonderful event where soils experts from around the United States gathered to collectively discuss the unique characteristics and challenges of urban soils. An eclectic gathering of "dirt-worshippers" and "tree-huggers" all deeply concerned with revitalizing our urban environments through careful stewardship of soils, the presenters included individuals from academia, farmers, remediation specialists, and worm ranchers (among others). Even though the attendees and presenters came from such a diverse array of…Read More
RVP Reflection Series: Shequaya’s POV Posted on November 4, 2019 by wpengine The Grounded team attended the Reclaiming Vacant Properties (RVP) Conference in Atlanta at the beginning of October. During their time at the conference, the team learned valuable information that they would like to share! The following video is Shequaya sharing her experience at the conference.Read More
RVP Reflection Series: What did Masoud see? Posted on October 31, 2019 by [email protected] Throughout my experience at the Reclaiming Vacant Properties (RVP) conference in Atlanta this year, I encountered a storm of new, fresh, and different ideas about how to address many of the concerns generated by cycles of disinvestment within 'rust belt' cities. Beyond these techniques though, I think the far more valuable treasure gleaned at this event comes in the form of contacts and relationships with other folks performing similar work in parallel with Grounded across this country. Their insights, challenges,…Read More