Community Leader Mixer

Are you a community Leader or aspiring to be one? Join us for food, conversation, and a panel discussion on opportunities for leadership and employment in the Northside. If you haven’t RSVPed yet, you can do so by clicking here.

Context

GTECH is currently running the ReClaim Northside program. Through this program, we’ve trained 14 Northside residents on tactics for reclaiming vacant lots in their neighborhoods. Much of what this program focuses on is giving residents the information and skills they need to become a community leader. What we’ve realized is that many of these skills (connecting, public speaking, organizing, etc.) are also relevant to employment. So, we’d like to dig a little deeper and learn what barriers and opportunities exist for community leadership and employment in the Northside.

The Panelists

Lisa Freeman

Lisa Freeman began the Pittsburgh Struggling Student Association in 2013 to help improve the quality of education at Manchester Elementary School that her children were attending. She has been a previous GTECH ambassador for the North Side, as well as, continuing to intersect her passion for gardening and education through the Mud, Math, & More! summer  math  camp  for  struggling  learners  at  Pittsburgh  Manchester  K-­‐8,  one  of  several  Northside  schools  that  has  been  ranked  among  the   bottom  15%  of  schools  statewide  by  the  PDE.   Ms. Freeman’s long term success and interest for connecting neighbors to resources has made her a long-standing community leader in the Northside.

Dillon Moore

Dillon Moore joined the staff at Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board (3RWIB) in May 2014. Much of his work involves building an understanding of the regional labor market, workforce development system, and the public policy issues that surround these topics. Dillon also helps manage data analysis and program evaluation efforts of 3RWIB. In the past year, 3RWIB completed a comprehensive study of issues and opportunities for employment on the Northside. Dillon has held previous positions in research at the University of Pittsburgh’s Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership and Center for Metropolitan Studies. He also has experience in research abroad in East and Southern Africa. Dillon has a bachelor’s degree in Geography from West Virginia University and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Ebony Harris

Ebony Harris is a long-time resident of the Northside and began LEVELS Coaching for Empowerment and Purpose in 2014.  She received  a Neighbor-to-Neighbor grant for a  quality  of  employment  project  that challenges participants  to  delve  deeper  into  the  overall  vision  of  their   lives.   Her workshops   focus  on   entrepreneurial  journeys  and  self-­‐investment to reach  and  sustain  self-­sufficiency,   accomplishing  goals  such  as  homeownership,  entrepreneurship,  and  making  career  advancements. Ms. Harris was inspired to reach others through empowerment and purpose with positive life skills, including her campaign #PMP2015 – Create-Engage-Transform!, as well as, infusing her love of beauty by organizing collaborative fashion shows in the area.