Q&A with Erica Rocchi Brusselars, Candidate for Allegheny County Treasurer

Erica Brusselars

The makeup of that [Retirement] board speaks to the fact that our government still doesn’t look like us. It also speaks to the fact of what happens when leaders, the electorate, or voting groups aren’t intentional about looking for, promoting, and supporting diversity and folks with different experiences and backgrounds. This is the next post […]

Q&A with Sara Innamorato, Candidate for PA House District 21

Sara

As a lifelong Pittsburgher and resident of Lawrenceville for 12 years, I have spent my free time getting to know the identity of each community, sometimes each ward, by listening to the personal stories of my constituent. This is the next post of our 2022 primary election season series ‘Political Q&A’ with progressive candidates throughout […]

Trans Latina Rikkey Outumuro aka Tru Starlet Murdered by Boyfriend in Washington State

Rikkey Outumurro

Her name was Rikkey Outumuro, also known by her stage name Tru Starlet. Rikkey was a 39-year-old Latina transgender woman and performer. She was fatally shot in Centralia, Washington, on the night of Oct. 30 or the morning of Oct. 31, 2021. Rikkey was killed by her 28-year-old boyfriend who shot her at least five […]

Q&A with Sabrina Korbel, Judge, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

Presently, on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, only 30% of judges are women;  only  four  judges  are people of  color;  only  one  judge  is  a  woman  of  color  and  only  two  judges openly identify at LGBTQ.  With nine open seats, we are at a moment in time where  we can change how the […]

UPDATED: Trans Woman Sara Blackwood Killed in Indianapolis on National Coming Out Day 2020

  An Indianapolis trans woman named Sara Blackwood is the latest victim of gun violence in the United States. She was shot to death walking home from work on National Coming Out Day, October 11 around 10 PM. From Fox 59 in Indianapolis According to police, the shooting occurred in the 2500 block of E. […]

Q&A With Nina Ahmad, Candidate for PA Auditor General

We are revisiting our Political Q&A series for the upcoming elections of 2020. We’ve reached out to candidates who are pro-choice and pro-LGBTQ, asking them a series of questions about their campaigns. We’ve sent out about a dozen Q&A’s to folks and encourage you to suggest others. Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for […]

Vote “No” on the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Tax Referendum

Vote No Referendum

Another year, another ballot referendum trying to circumvent the “no taxation without representation” theory of governance. This time it is the Parks Conservancy which wants funding for parks and doesn’t want the hassle of going through the normal City budgeting process. So 2018. The question would ask voters whether they support raising property taxes starting […]

What I Think Allegheny County Should Do to Hold Police Accountable BEFORE They Are Hired

Police Accountability

Just my personal $.02 here. One issue that arises repeatedly when we are discussing police officers who kill civilians is the failure to ‘catch’ the cops who move from police department to police department because of discipline issues or misconduct or just because they are not good cops. There are two sides to this problem […]

In Loving Memory of Bobby Peck (1965 – 2018)

IN LOVING MEMORY OF BOBBY PECK Rory T Peck, known as Bobby, valued human connection above all else and is grieved by the many people whose lives he touched. He pursued a life mission to live and model the interconnectedness of all things. On November 8, 2018 at the age of 53, he passed away […]

Homeless Cats & Urban Residents: A Q&A With the Homeless Cat Management Team

Pittsburgh Cat Food Drive

Last month, we launched a cat food drive to support homeless caretakers in partnership with the Homeless Cat Management Team and CARMAA to support the good folks who are taking care of homeless cats. In that spirit, I reached out to one of the “cat ladies” who has been instrumental in educating me. Last year […]