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March 19, 2014
For the past seven months, we, the Coro Fellows in Public Affairs, have immersed ourselves in various sectors of society-government, non-profit, and business—with the goal of using Pittsburgh to understand complex social issues within a deeper and richer context. Since we began the program, we have developed a deep, complex understanding of the regional issues confronting the City’s citizens, institutions, and leaders.
During our Community Affairs week, we collaborated with local leaders and change makers to identify three current strategies that have potential for positive impact in the Northside’s 18 neighborhoods. After we shared our strategy to over thirty of them, they began to forge collaborations and partnerships for future projects.
During our Urban Affairs week, we interviewed city leaders and hosted a dialogue with local residents on the topic of how to make Pittsburgh the most livable city for everyone. We interpreted our findings and shared them with Mayor Peduto in an open letter.
This week, we are traveling to Harrisburg for State Affairs week. We have divided ourselves into teams based on issues that we believe are important to Pittsburgh: Marcellus Shale, Education, Economic Development, and Social Welfare. By interviewing PA Senators and House Representatives that cover the cross section of these issues, we aim to gain a better understanding of how state affairs helps and hurts local conditions in Pittsburgh.
We are ripe for National Affairs week. National Affairs week brings together the skills we’ve built and understandings we’ve drawn from our experiences to a whole new level. We have the opportunity to see the whole system: the international and national decisions and policies that impact and have impacted our regional and local contexts and how the regional and local contexts impact what’s happening on the national and international agenda. We have set up appointments with former Pittsburgh Mayor, now Senior Fellow at the Urban Land Institute Tom Murphy, Think Tank researchers and policy makers, NGO leaders and presidents. National Affairs Week, to us, serves as the inspiration and challenge to develop solutions that holistically answer the complex issues that affect the communities of Pittsburgh.
We need to raise money to be able to do this. We are asking you to make our learning possible by providing a donation. You can also support us by attending our Mixer for Young Professionals on April 2nd!
It is our ultimate goal to apply our knowledge and experiences in D.C. to the Pittsburgh region. The insights we gain will not only fuel our work but our motivation to make our city and region a better place.
