Flourish Ed is a fiscally sponsored educational outreach program in collaboration with the founders of Strong Ambitious Women, Kind-R-Garden and The Pittsburgh Village Project.

The mission of this program is to develop and implement a framework  for conscious teaching and learning in a post pandemic world. We reimagine the present by nourishing a positive self and community image in support of a flourishing future. Through focusing on soft skills and creative resilience, students grow as meaningful contributors and impactful leaders whose radiance promotes the growth of their communities.

Our goal is to reimagine education to be authentic. We aim to empower learners to be creative contributors through a focus on social and emotional wellness and project-based learning, while nourishing a positive self and community image. By cultivating leadership, learners will be active participants in engaging and empowering their social circles to be positive catalysts for change. 

Kate’s Kid Book Bash is a children’s book festival featuring a book sale and signing with some of today’s most influential children’s authors and illustrators. The event, which benefits Reading Is FUNdamental Pittsburgh, will be held at the Kingsley Association in East Liberty. A 2021 date is soon to be announced. The festival is made possible with the support of Pittsburgh independent bookseller Riverstone Books.

TodayPGH is a teacher storytelling platform that began in 2020. It seeks to share powerful stories of diverse Pittsburgh educators to inspire future generations, lift up the profession and build bridges of empathy. This project transcends across school districts and grade levels, opening new windows into the field. TodayPGH hopes to recognize teachers who are working to insert humanity back into education, and transform the field in regards to diversity, equity and inclusion. Teachers are continuing to leave the field at an alarming rate, and this organization wishes to recognize the stories that often go unnoticed and encourage future diverse educators into the field.

One Day is dedicated to our youth who are our future in creating more equitable school environments. One Day currently targets Middle School students across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The pilot chapter began at Dorseyville Middle School in 2020, and we will continue to plant seeds in neighboring schools. Embedded within student councils, students will begin to identify curricular gaps, deliver social justice lessons to elementary students and work towards creating a culturally affirming school environment. Utilizing a mirror (identity), window (perspectives of others) and bridge (action) framework, students will work to create culturally affirming environments. One Day hopes to encourage diverse educational leaders into the field.

Students will also identify curricular gaps and deliver social justice lessons to elementary-age students throughout the year. Through this peer-teaching-peer model, Middle School students will continue to explore topics embedded within a mirror, window, bridge framework focusing on identity, diversity, justice and action as delineated by the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework. The hope is to create a network of Middle Schoolers who can learn from each other across schools such that schools begin to work together in transforming education rather than apart. It also hopes to foster a new generation of teacher-leaders who are committed to education, justice, diversity and inclusion.

Today & One Day’s goals are twofold. TodayPGH will continue to utilize storytelling as a powerful change-agent. Storytelling segments will be written and a podcast will be created-centered around today’s most critical topics. Our new podcast segment will be entitled: One Year Teaching in a Pandemic: What Has Changed? What Hasn’t? This podcast will be driven by teacher and for teachers. In addition, this storytelling is meant to uplift teachers, celebrate success and practice empathy. We hope to recognize the teachers that are creating sunshine in the darkest places within Pittsburgh. Often times, teachers are working around the clock with little to no recognition. This organization hopes to change this mindset. Prior to COVID-19, states have been experiencing teacher shortages. With the extra stress of the pandemic, teachers are continuing to leave this field at an alarming rate. If we do not begin to focus on uplifting voices and listening to stories, we are going to find ourselves in a devastating predicament.

One Day will continue to spread chapters across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The pilot took place at one Middle School this year. Initially, the target will be Middle School students who will continue to plan projects centered around the actionable components of justice. Students will also identify curricular gaps and deliver social justice lessons to elementary-age students throughout the year. Through this peer-teaching-peer model, Middle School students will continue to explore topics embedded within a mirror, window, bridge framework focusing on identity, diversity, justice and action as delineated by the Teaching Tolerance Anti-Bias Framework. The hope is to create a network of Middle Schoolers who can learn from each other across schools such that schools begin to work together in transforming education rather than apart. It also hopes to foster a new generation of teacher-leaders who are committed to education, justice, diversity and inclusion.

Visible Hands creates a cohort of community mental health workers who are
certified to perform ICT, a unique form of community therapy that requires only short-term training, can accommodate groups from 15-200 people, and can be performed successfully in an online format.