She Has No Choice: Monica Johnson Feeds Nearly 900 People in the Hill District, Neighboring Communities
Rob Taylor Jr. - Courier Staff Writer She has no choice Monica Johnson feeds nearly 900 people in the Hill District, neighboring communities For Hill District native Monica Johnson, she has no choice but to give back to her community. She doesn’t spend time thinking what people can do for her, she told the New Pittsburgh Courier, a few weeks after providing 878 people throughout the year 2024 with a hot meal, whether it was for Thanksgiving or prior. It’s about what she can do for others. MONICA JOHNSON WELCOMES EVERYONE TO
Amachi Pittsburgh Celebrates 20 Years of Helping Youth and Families
When the light bulb turns on, it's a wonderful sight. That's according to Anna Hollis Kander, the executive director of Amachi Pittsburgh, who watches the proverbial light bulb turn on time after time with her high-schoolers involved in Amachi's "Ambassadors" program. The Amachi Ambassadors program is geared toward Pittsburgh-area high school students who have an incarcerated parent or family member. It's one of the many programs Amachi Pittsburgh has to help children and families through the tough time—whether it's months or years—of navigating life without their loved one(s) due
Incomparable Roger Humphries gets street named after him in Pittsburgh
In some online biographies of Roger Humphries, it states first that he is “an American jazz drummer.” “Just” an “American jazz drummer?” Ask the great sculptor Thaddeus Mosley, and he’ll tell you, “that’s the greatest drummer in the world.” Pittsburgh City Councilman Khari Mosley, son of Thaddeus Mosley, told the story on Sept. 27 to all in attendance where Arch Street meets East Jefferson Street, North Side, just off Federal Street. Khari Mosley’s father found out that Khari’s best friend was the nephew of Humphries, and when Humphries’ nephew said
Rod Doss receives mayor’s ‘Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award’
It’s hard to say “New Pittsburgh Courier” without saying “Rod Doss.” When the “Pittsburgh Courier” became the “New Pittsburgh Courier” after John H. Sengstacke purchased the newspaper in 1966, the Courier’s offices, which originally were in the Hill District, soon settled on the South Side, at 315 East Carson Street, about a 10-minute walk from the Smithfield Street Bridge. The next year, 1967, saw a well-dressed, well-kept, twenty-something African American man walk into the office as the Courier’s newest advertising sales executive. Sixteen years later, in 1983, that same
Kayla Portis Becomes Sharpsburg, PA’s First Black mayor
SHARPSBURG MAYOR KAYLA PORTIS (PHOTO BY NANCI GOLDBERG) The U.S. Census says there are about 180 Black people who currently live in Sharpsburg, PA, or 5.6 percent of the borough's population. But don't let the small percentage fool you—in the past eight months, African Americans have been making historic moves in Sharpsburg politics. Kayla Portis, 39, a Sharpsburg Borough council member since 2021, made history on July 11 by being appointed Sharpsburg's first Black mayor. And following an open interview process with Portis and other candidates on that July 11
Dr. Alicia B. Harvey-Smith, PTC president stands strong on her record; ‘I Finish What I Start’
Dr. Harvey-Smith is the president of Pittsburgh Technical College, or PTC for short. Today, the school is pretty much no more. The school’s Board of Trustees decided in June 2024 to close the college altogether in August following declining enrollment and a host of investigations and local TV news stories that, according to some at the college who spoke with the Courier, including Dr. Harvey-Smith, portrayed the college in a very bad light. In the fiscal year 2019, the college had a debt of $46.4 million, the
Courier’s Diane Daniels wins ‘Distinguished Neighbor Servant Leader’ award
DIANE DANIELS AND HER SUPPORTERS … (PHOTOS BY J.L. MARTELLO) She’s written for the New Pittsburgh Courier for decades. She’s very, very, very well-respected in the Pittsburgh (and of course, McKeesport) communities. Her business acumen, her community service, and her tireless ability to be everywhere all the time has been recognized with the “Distinguished Neighbor Servant Leader” award from the City of Pittsburgh Mayor’s Office and City Councilman Khari Mosley, of the Ninth District. COUNCILMAN KHARI MOSLEY AND MAYOR ED GAINEY WITH DIANE DANIELS Before Daniels could even get to the podium
Kenyon Bonner named VP, Chief Student Affairs Officer at the University of Virginia
Kenyon Bonner, a vice provost at the University of Pittsburgh, will join the University of Virginia as vice president and chief student affairs officer in January 2024. (Photo by Emily Faith Morgan, University of Virginia Communications) Kenyon Bonner, vice provost for student affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and a member of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s “Men of Excellence” Class of 2017, will step down from his position to become vice president and chief student affairs officer at the University of Virginia, the Courier has learned. Joseph J. McCarthy, Pitt’s
Rev. Cornell Jones Receives Inaugural Fred Rogers Institute Award
The people who everyone gives up on are the ones who I’m drawn to.’ When you do good, it seems like good always comes back to you. Andrea Flack-Wetherald could have just let the deadline pass. She could have just turned on the TV, or scrolled through Facebook. Instead, she was determined to fill out a number of questions and even create and submit a video about how much Rev. Cornell Jones deserves the inaugural Fred Rogers Institute Helper Award. Flack-Wetherald, who no longer lives in Pittsburgh, described how, when she
Dr. Kathi Elliott, Gwen’s Girls Executive Director Wins Pittsburgh Steelers’ Changemaker Award
Gwen’s Girls CEO touts early success of diversion program for Allegheny County youth Kathi Elliott, Ph.D., the CEO of inspirational nonprofit organization Gwen’s Girls, was surprised as “all get out” when she was named the recipient of the Pittsburgh Steelers' Inspire Change Changemaker Award. The annual award is presented to an individual for their work in support of social justice in the Alleghany County region. The NFL franchise reserves the Changemaker Award for those making a difference in their community across Inspire Change’s four focus areas: education, economic advancement,