Strategy: Identity

Seasons Project- DEMASKUS Theater Collective

Note on Commercial Theater by Langston Hughes

You’ve taken my blues and gone

You sing ’em on Broadway

And you sing ’em in Hollywood Bowl,

And you mix them up with symphonies

And you fix ’em

So they don’t sound like me.

Yep, you done taken my blues and gone.

 

You also took spirituals and gone.

You put me in Macbeth and Carmen Jones

And all kinds of Swing Mikados

And in everything but what’s about me

But someday somebody’ll

Stand up and talk about me,

And write about me

Black and beautiful

And sing about me,

And put on plays about me!

I reckon it’ll be

Me myself!

Yes, it’ll be me.

 

DEMASKUS is a national service-oriented collective of artists and administrators seeking to make known the messages of the marginalized. We achieve this through the production and presentation of quality, compassionate, and inclusive artistic events. Everything around us is changing, but our purpose has not. Now more than ever, we must share profound truths from formally marginalized voices that refuse to go unheard and may even offer solutions and solace in a world in dire need of uncompromising reminders of what makes us most humane.

Most Christians will immediately associate DEMASKUS with Damascus–the Syrian capital that is home to the road where Saul of Tarsus had his transformative encounter with God. God struck Saul blind and confronted him about his past. High-born and scholarly, Saul was prone to violence toward early adopters of Christianity. The Collective’s name embodies the idea of revealing the truths that lie beneath the mask(s) of our own blind behavior and beliefs. Art, at its best, helps us to rethink and reimagine that which we think we know. Consciously removing a metaphorical mask certainly requires self-examination. (Based on an exchange with DTC member the Rev. Dr. Leah Lewis, J.D., alluding to Acts 9:1-8). Another source of inspiration for our work is the historic and notable poem, We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Whatever the masks you wear, we invite you to lay them down and join us on a journey filled with crossroads, but free from the expectations and oppressive standards of others. Our art is about us, made by us at times and is always for us.  There is freedom here. Welcome home.

 

Images: You Wouldn’t Expect Production Photos © Martha Rial
Images: WINE IN THE WILDERNESS- Production Photos © Sager McDill

Impact REdevelopment

IMPACT REdevelopment is a real estate investment company whose goal is to transform transitional areas in the path of progress from vacancy to vibrancy and improve target neighborhoods, while helping people along the way and making things more beautiful for everyone. We rehabilitate residential and commercial properties to raise property values and rental rates, as well as improve business district real estate value. IMPACT manages single- and multifamily dwellings and apartment complexes, focusing on customer service and providing clean, safe and affordable living.

Impact REdevelopment repurposed the vacant 900 Wood St building into a pivotal community asset, providing resources to the small businesses and nonprofits and helping to revitalize Wilkinsburg. The second floor includes a co-working space and conference room which serves as home base for the Launch Wilkinsburg Incubator and small office tenants include the Wilkinsburg Chamber of Commerce and Mansmann Foundation. Plans for the first floor include a coffee and donut shop, job training center, and food retail establishment.

Center for Civic Arts

Center for Civic Arts is led by Jody Guy with a vision to inspire civic engagement through the arts and humanities. They accomplish this by valuing citizens as the creators of culture, and stewards of their environment. CCA expand opportunities for people to connect through arts education, public arts and creative placemaking. Programs include socially engaged art programs, formal and informal arts education programs, public arts, and creative place-making. Civic Arts provides a third civic space catalyzed around the arts, as a place to develop independent thinking, and new perspectives and solutions for communities.

Virginia Dere Swimwear

Virginia Dere, LLC was established because the visionary, Gabrielle Haywood, recognized that the swimwear industry was not meeting the emotional and subconscious needs of women who required a swim suit. To solve the need for more modest coverage without forfeiting style and fashion Virginia Dere created their flagship product, the “Knee-Kini”. Often times, swimsuit shopping causes such anxiety for women, that women don’t want to participate in or attend aquatic events.

We are solving that problem with the “Knee-Kini” having bright bold patterns and fashionable designs that gives more coverage below the thigh area. A proprietary fabric will provide the comfortable slenderizing fit and the modest coverage. What makes the Knee-Kini different is that it is specifically designed for women who still want a little color, fun bold patterns but want to feel comfortable and confidently fashionable in public. The Knee- Kini not only provides colorful fashionable coverage below the thigh but also provides another important factor, UPF50+ sun protection as well as chlorine resistant.

Ignite Culture

A mentoring workshop + pitch competition for projects building community culture

New Sun Rising believes that embracing the unique characteristics and knowledge of people is critical to promoting equitable change in our region. By building awareness of our culture, we can better understand the shared values that lead to trust and resiliency.  

Projects which creatively engage, explore, or express culture within their community are encouraged to register for the Ignite Culture workshop on March 24th. Participants will be eligible for awards (taxable) to start their project. While everyone can apply, we strongly encourage projects from NSR Launch communities (Allentown, Beltzhoover, Knoxville, McKees Rocks, Millvale, Northside, Wilkinsburg) and fiscally-sponsored projects.

Registration is full

What to expect

Ignite Culture propels idea development for businesses, projects, and their leaders through a one day ignite & pitch workshop. Bring your new idea to work through with peers. Those who are interested (up to 10) have the option to enter the pitch competition for $5,000 in total financial awards.

Through a one-page business plan, workshop participants will receive mentoring and a quick primer on pitching your idea. Awarded projects must be completed by November 30th, 2018 and help create community vibrancy.

Vibrancy Funds

New Sun Rising is pleased to announce the Vibrancy Funds, a new funding opportunity to launch organizations and collaborations who build culture, sustainability, and opportunity within their community. Led by the generous support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, the fund will support people who promote innovation, engagement, and equity in the Pittsburgh region.

 

Supported by:

Choolaah Indian BBQ

 

Beata Beatus Healing Intensive Creative Arts Program

The Beata Beatus Healing Intensive Creative Arts Program- HICAP- empowers, educates & engages participants in integrative health & wellness techniques partnered with the creative arts promoting self-sustaining healthy habits. Beata Beatus encourages healing & restoration through the authentic expression of gifts and talents, fostering a positive lifestyle; high self esteem & stress relief in adolescent girls. Our end of the program project  – Encouragement Hour – is created to showcase our participant’s creative handiwork in the form of a song, spoken word piece or art piece, which can be placed on a shirt & sold on our website if desired. 
 
Beata Beatus HICAP is an extension of the Clothing line Beata Beatus where each shirt represents scripture and where we proudly advocate our tag line to Wear It – Live It. Through the Beata Beatus HICAP we are effectively showing girls to not just wear what we produce but to live lives that reflect holistic health, growth & prosperity.
 
Beata Beatus – Origin: Latin. Meaning to be blessed and/or happy.
Pronounced  (f) Bey- Ah- Tah  (m) Bey- Ah -Tos  

The Language Access Project

Global Wordsmiths’ Volunteer Initiative, The Language Access Project (LAP), was designed to provide free language translation and interpretation services to local nonprofits (Partner Organizations) working directly with immigrants and refugees. LAP is structured as an internship that provides bilingual university students with comprehensive interpreter training, service learning experience, monitoring and support, mentorship and professional references as well as a stipend or college credit in exchange for volunteer hours. Global Wordsmiths then pairs these trained volunteer interpreters with Partner Organizations at no cost so that these organizations can provide their clients with language interpretation and translation services.

Each intern is required to commit a minimum of five hours per week to LAP during the 23-week cycle. With five interns approved to participate in the fall 2017 pilot program, LAP will provide nearly 1,200 hours of free language services to its Partner Organization for this cycle, Jewish Family and Children’s Services. This represents significant output and provides an invaluable service to clients of JFCS with limited English proficiency, and it serves the Global Wordsmiths’ core mission, which is to improve language access in Western Pennsylvania.

Launch Sto-Rox

Catalyzing community change through social businesses, nonprofits, and collaborative initiatives

Launch Sto-Rox is a cohort of startup organizations whose values align with the Sto-Rox community’s priorities for development. Beginning in March 2018, participants will strengthen their business plan, build their leadership, connect with peer and professional networks, access funding, and engage the Sto-Rox community.

 

MEET THE TEAMS

The Joinery supports the development of small businesses and projects through co-working, office, and production space.

Strong Ambitious Women motivates young women to develop self-esteem and a positive identity.

Zellous Hope Project inspires hope for low-income men with barriers to seeking and obtaining employment.

PittMovers provides moving assistance with a personal touch for clients within Allegheny County.

Right Vibez fuses power yoga and dub (instrumental reggae) for a unique energizing and restorative experience in a transformative setting.

Digital Bridges closes the digital divide by using technology and digital literacy skills to decrease poverty and nurture strong social connections.

1st Layer is a branding, design, and printing shop incorporating workforce development training for teens.

Peddler’s Paradise creates a unique space for artisans and craft makers to connect and sell their products.

Gazette 2.0 provides crucial communication resources for the community.

 

ABOUT

Launch Sto-Rox is a Vibrant Communities program of New Sun Rising, held in partnership with the McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation and Focus on Renewal, and supported through the generous support of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation.

Hilltop Huskies

Our mission is to strengthen and heal our community through football, education, and mentorship. Using team building to develop and promote accountability and leadership skills that fosters growth and a future success in the youth. Our goal through sports-mentorship activity is to get as many young men and women off of the streets and show them a better path.

Black Tech Nation

Black Tech Nation is a budding social good organization aiming to be a voice and an advocate for more black representation in tech. We pride ourselves on being a fun and informative safe space for black tech professionals, or as we like to call ourselves, “black unicorns”, to connect, share, and exchange resources. Our goal is to influence the tech industry to become more diverse and close some of the barriers to entry that plague countless black tech professionals across the country. Through our strategy, “Gather. Connect. Affect.” we plan to make Pittsburgh the model city for true tech inclusion..

Gather: So far we’ve created a personal online network of 150+ black tech professionals, which we plan to grow to 500+ members through various events, heavy outreach, and online & community engagement by March 2018.

Connect: We partner with tech companies and diversity groups alike to create socially conscious work cultures that make everyone, specifically black techies, feel comfortable in typically white, male dominated work spaces. It’s a complicated issue that we’re ready to tackle through purposeful and culturally sensitive programming.

Affect: Thanks to Pittsburgh’s City Council, The Mayor’s office, and some of Pittsburgh’s black elected officials, we’re on our way towards implementing policies around hiring and tax incentives for companies interested in creating diverse workplaces that are inclusive to black tech professionals.

Black Tech Nation is also working with local institutions and Ph.D faculty to conduct research and find data on black tech professionals in our region, including employment numbers, salaries, positions, retention rates, resource pools, and more. This report will be made public by late 2018.

If you or your organization would like to partner with Black Tech Nation in any capacity, email info@blacktechnation.com.

Millvale Food + Energy Hub

New Sun Rising and Moose MODE, Inc. have transformed the 10,000 square foot former Moose Lodge into the Millvale Food + Energy Hub.  This solar powered facility serves as a cafe, food rescue, co-working, public event, resource provider, and gathering space for enhancing community resilience.  As a project which prioritizes reuse throughout renovation and operations, the Millvale Food + Energy Hub helps to advance goals of the community-led Millvale Ecodistrict and Triboro Ecodistrict.

The vision of our partners is to create an inspiring, informative, and inviting place for people to explore ways to create a more sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous future for everyone and the planet.

Rent the Millvale Food + Energy Hub

Learn about the Solar Workforce Development + Education Program

Learn about our Solar DC Microgrid

Tenants

 

Funding

  • First National Bank, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Neighborhood Allies, Borough of Millvale, The Heinz Endowments, The Hillman Foundation, Allegheny County Economic Development

Focus on Renewal

NSR helped to strengthen the services, programs, and facilities of Focus on Renewal through an Action Plan to support the Sto-Rox community. The consulting project, also supported by the McKees Rocks CDC, included internal stakeholder analysis, scans of previous studies and reports, a community-led survey process, and Vision Labs with domain experts to synthesize findings and inform recommendations.

Photo credit: Will Halim, Storyburgh