The Pittsburgh Convos by Storyburgh

Caroline Fisher, a self-described storyteller, curator, creator, equal parts class clown, and teacher's pet, shares her journey from a childhood rooted in academics and a love for learning in Pittsburgh's Mount Lebanon, to a dynamic career path that eventually led her back home. After graduating from Davidson College and pursuing a master's in education at Wake Forest, she began her teaching career in Boston. Despite finding it fulfilling, the demanding lifestyle of a teacher in the US led her to seek a change.She moved to New York City without a clear plan, eventually landing a community manager role at Vayner Media, a social digital agency. This was a significant culture shock, transitioning from academia to the fast-paced advertising world. She then worked at Bonobos, a men's retail brand, and later at Victoria's Secret as a live content specialist, traveling globally to create content. Despite a seemingly glamorous life in New York, she found herself deeply unhappy, realizing the identity she was "cosplaying" didn't align with her true self.This realization prompted her return to Pittsburgh, where she now works for Pittsburgh Tomorrow as the Head of Storytelling. This organization aims to build a brighter future for Pittsburgh by addressing population decline, attracting new residents, and fostering community engagement. She emphasizes the importance of collective action, bold leadership, and overcoming the city's self-deprecating nature to promote its unique strengths and opportunities.- Pittsburgh Tomorrow's Mission (23:07):

As Head of Storytelling at Pittsburgh Tomorrow, her job is to counter Pittsburgh's population decline (more deaths than births, negative job growth since the 80s) by attracting growth and telling positive stories about the city.- Focus Areas of Pittsburgh Tomorrow (59:18):

The organization focuses on four key areas: engaging with youth, welcoming newcomers, catalyzing leadership, and telling Pittsburgh's story to the outside world, particularly highlighting "Pioneers" (first movers and problem-solvers).- Importance of Action and Collaboration (30:38):

Caroline emphasizes the need for a "bias towards action" rather than just studies and discussions, fostering bold leadership, and encouraging collaboration among Pittsburgh's many nonprofits to achieve shared goals.- Attraction, Retention, and Engagement (45:31):

She conceptualizes Pittsburgh Tomorrow's strategy as attracting new people (including foreign-born citizens), retaining current residents by making the city more discoverable and helping them find community, and engaging "Pittsburgh lifers" to contribute to the city's future.- Addressing Challenges and Community Involvement (55:33):

Caroline stresses the importance of not leaving people behind as technology evolves, advocating for equitable opportunities, and encouraging individual Pittsburghers to take a stake in the city's future by getting involved and supporting local businesses.*** Adapted summary as generated by YouTube Glasp Extension and Google Gemini AI

Daniel Rossi-Keen, a dedicated husband, father, and community advocate from Aliquippa, PA, recently shared his insights on community development, the challenges facing non-profits, and his hopeful vision for Southwestern Pennsylvania.

- A Journey to Community Advocacy (03:10): Daniel moved to Aliquippa in 2011, driven by a passion for grassroots community building and economic growth.

- Aliquippa's Past and Present (05:25): He recounted Aliquippa's history as a steel town, once home to J&L Steel, which employed a third of its 30,000 residents before its collapse in the 1980s. While a direct replacement for those jobs hasn't emerged, the recent establishment of Shell's petrochemical facility in Beaver County presents a complex new chapter.

- RiverWise's Mission (11:13): Daniel founded RiverWise to empower Beaver County residents, giving them a voice and the agency to shape their community's future. The organization collaborates with a wide range of groups, from non-profit leaders to local governments.

- The Hope and Challenges of Funding (17:34, 59:39): Riverwise actively worked on "community benefits plans" to help environmental justice communities secure federal funding. However, Daniel highlighted the significant hurdle of short-term funding for non-profits, noting that Riverwise, despite its success, operates with just over 10 months of funding certainty. This precarious situation makes long-term commitment to communities incredibly difficult.

- Lessons for Non-Profits (48:19): Daniel advises aspiring non-profit leaders to embrace "experimentation and iteration," demonstrating their ability to work even without initial funding. He also stressed the importance of collaboration and learning from others to avoid reinventing the wheel.

- A Hopeful Vision for the Future (1:03:40): Despite the challenges, Daniel remains optimistic about Southwestern Pennsylvania's future. He sees a growing sense of productive frustration, emerging coalitions, and increasing leadership within communities. He believes the region is at a "tipping point," poised for growth if it can continue to foster leaders willing to invest in long-term solutions and embrace the courage to fail publicly.

*** Adapted summary as generated by YouTube Glasp Extension and Google Gemini AI

In this episode, Teresa Nightingale and I talked about the latest primary elections, cannabis reform, and sex work advocacy. She is a mom, an activist, a double cancer survivor, a nerd, and also a Yinzer Anna Nicole Smith who’s preoccupied with politics, gaming, dinosaurs, and being a good neighbor. As a dedicated Democratic committee member for Ward 15-2, she shares insights on the recent primary election where Cory O'Connor narrowly won the Democratic committee vote for Allegheny County. She discusses the division within the Democratic committee and the pushback against progressive politics in some areas.Teresa and her husband have been instrumental in passing an ordinance to lessen the penalties for marijuana consumption, reducing it from a misdemeanor charge to a summary offense and a fine. She continues to advocate for further cannabis reform, working with various organizations to support this cause.With the same token, Teresa is collaborating with Pittsburgh City Council, particularly Barb Warwick, to introduce an ordinance to lessen the penalties for adult consensual sex work. The proposed ordinance aims to help those involved avoid severe legal consequences, similar to the cannabis ordinance. Teresa emphasizes the importance of community support and collaboration with city council members to pass the ordinance.

Pastor Jennifer McCurry, now serving as Program Director of Religious and Spiritual Life at Carnegie Mellon University, reflects on her journey through ministry, community work, and interfaith dialogue. From local storytelling to global church perspectives, she shares how relationships and experiences have shaped her spiritual leadership.Highlights:Community roots (00:11–03:58): McCurry and the host first connected through Pittsburgh’s Homeless Advisory Board. She later led a 2017 storytelling project on personal transformation, which included public art and an interfaith worship event.Campus ministry (04:28–07:33): Now at CMU, McCurry helps students explore diverse spiritual and ethical identities, engaging with both religious and secular groups.Interfaith work (09:59–26:53): She fosters collaboration across faiths through events like Christian-Jewish dialogues and a shared Ramadan celebration that emphasized food, respect, and community.Call to ministry (27:23–33:10): A serious car accident in college helped clarify her vocational path and deepened her spiritual practices.Formation and perspective (36:55–48:22): Her ordination followed chaplaincy training and becoming a new mother. Reflection on cultural differences in preaching between the U.S. and Indonesia were also discussed.**Summary AI generated: Glasp Extension. Truncated version. 05/25/2025

In Season 2, Episode 2 of Storyburgh, Jo Deming reflects on her journey as a community organizer, consultant, and storyteller rooted in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhoods, particularly Perry South and Perry Hilltop. She was also a storytelling coach for one of Storyburgh's DMZ event in 2024 and played a major role in recruiting numerous storytellers for another event.

Jo talks about her deep commitment to fostering inclusive community spaces, often inspired by her own church community that emphasized care, play, and shared meals beyond weekly worship. She shares how raising children in a screen-saturated world presents new parenting challenges, and how she tries to counter that with real-world engagement, like inviting families to shared dinners and encouraging participation in activities like sports and mock trial.

Much of the conversation focuses on community development work. Jo discusses her past roles, including working with the Housing Alliance and her efforts to support legislation around housing trust funds and inclusionary zoning. She also recounts collaboration between Perry Hilltop and Fineview in resisting displacement caused by redevelopment, emphasizing the importance of building trust across racial and class lines to develop shared community goals.

Currently, Jo runs a consulting business called Hope and Action, where she helps nonprofits navigate complex issues and develop adaptable plans amid uncertainty. She sees her role as a guide and connector—someone who helps people stay grounded while working toward practical, community-centered change.

*AI generated: Glasp Extension. Truncated version. 03/18/2025*

It is a conversation exploring the Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN), its funding, and the broader implications of AI and robotics in the region. Josh Lucas provides insight into the network's goals, funding challenges, and the local tech ecosystem. Here are the key takeaways:

• The Pittsburgh Robotics Network (PRN) receives funding primarily from the *Build Back Better initiative* of the Biden administration. About four years ago, the region secured a $62 million grant, though ongoing federal budget reviews could impact future funding.
• PRN is not just a trade association but an **economic development organization**. Its focus is to grow the local technical community without burdening startups with heavy financial commitments.
• The network currently includes over **125 robotics and autonomy companies**, of which around 80-90 are based locally. These companies span robotics, AI, and deep tech.
• Despite its growth, the Pittsburgh region struggles to unite its resources effectively. Fragmentation and competition for limited resources hinder collaborative progress.
• The PRN is developing a **Deep Tech and Commercialization Institute**, funded by an ARC grant, to help entrepreneurs commercialize their technologies more effectively. The initiative will have two curriculum tracks tailored to the needs of deep tech startups.
• The challenge of *commercializing robotics* and AI technologies is significant. Many companies still rely on traditional manufacturing methods and face difficulties scaling production.
• Josh discusses concerns about AI's potential negative impact, noting that if Pittsburgh doesn't lead in developing these technologies, it risks losing out on future economic opportunities. He believes AI's rapid evolution could result in job displacement and affect traditional industries.
• There is skepticism about the ability of public institutions, like schools, to keep pace with the rapid changes brought by AI. Josh suggests that AI-powered education might surpass conventional teaching in the future.
• The region's approach to technology development is contrasted with broader national and global dynamics, including the impact of AI on jobs, infrastructure, and societal norms.

Overall, the conversation touches on the tension between innovation and ethical responsibility, emphasizing the need for Pittsburgh to balance rapid technological advancement with community development and inclusivity.*AI generated: Glasp Extension. Truncated version. 03/18/2025*

Angelica Daniele, founder of Yoga Recovery PGH and co-owner of Yoga Factory, shares her journey as an innovator, leader, and entrepreneur dedicated to community service. She joined the ownership team of Yoga Factory in October 2022, after seven years of teaching and managing there. The studio expanded to two locations, fostering supportive yoga communities. Angelica highlights various yoga styles like Yin, Slow Flow, Rocket, and Vinyasa Flow, emphasizing their physical and mental benefits.

During the pandemic, she adopted Reiki, an energy healing modality, which aids in mental, physical, and trauma healing, often leaving clients feeling lighter and more relaxed.

Yoga Recovery PGH integrates yoga with addiction recovery, promoting mindfulness, meditation, and holistic methods. This nonprofit provides a supportive, non-medical environment for those in recovery, enhancing their healing process through mind-body connection and mindfulness practices.

Links:

Syreeta Gordon is a dedicated birth and postpartum doula, known for her compassionate support for mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Through her work at Kangaroo Birthing and Maternity, she offers both emotional and practical assistance, aiming to alleviate the burdens new mothers face. Inspired by her own journey and driven by a passion for maternal health, Syreeta empowers mothers to navigate their birthing experiences with confidence and support.

Muffy Mendoza, founder of  @BrownMamas  shared her journey and the profound influence of her mother, Diane. Reflecting on motherhood, Muffy described a pivotal shift in her perspective upon returning to Pittsburgh, inspiring her to establish Brown Mama, a grassroots organization.

Central to Muffy's narrative was her mother's emphasis on "black excellence" and the importance of striving for greatness. Muffy's advocacy for homeschooling, despite initial skepticism, emphasized the value of in-person interaction alongside online options.

Throughout, Muffy highlighted the evolution of Brown Mama and the challenges faced by grassroots initiatives. Her narrative illustrated resilience, determination, and a commitment to empowering mothers and fostering community in Pittsburgh's African-American families.

More about the organization: https://brownmamas.com/