Shari Holland ReClaim McKeesport Ambassador “Community means connection and bridge-building! It means having relationships with and knowing others. It means not always agreeing but respecting each other and reaching out to one another and working together” About Me. I am originally from Saginaw, MI but have been happy to call Pittsburgh home for 29 years. Currently I live in the Library District of McKeesport. I have been working as the Behavioral Science faculty member teaching in a family medicine residency program. I am excited to get to know the other ReClaim ambassadors and to learn about their projects, ideas, and their vision for making a difference where they live. My idea for my project is to do something with perennials and grasses that can be low maintenance and over time will continue to be beautiful. What causes and organizations to you support? I support a variety of causes and organizations- public radio and tv, NAACP, Habitat for Humanity, The Thomas Merton Center, Shoulder to Shoulder, PULSE and the Human Rights Campaign to name a few. I’m a longtime member of my church and am very involved. I’ve been involved in the peace and civil rights movement for as long as I can remember. Locally I am involved in the community garden, the Tube City Renaissance Community Development Corporation, the State Health Improvement partnership (SHIP) , the Mckeesport Message Committee and the HIV Working Group through the Mon Valley Providers Council. What is your favorite place in your neighborhood and why? My favorite place in the neighborhood is walking along the brick-lined street to the Carnegie Library. I love to sit at the top of the steps there on a nice day! I think it’s my favorite because it is an accessible and beautiful place for all people. Read more about Shari’s project here!