CANDIDATE FORUM—A.J. Richardson stood out against the other mayoral candidates. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

Whether the topic was economic development, gun violence, or diversity, most of the candidates running for mayor had similar answers to questions posed at a debate on April 6. All of them that it is, except for mayoral candidate A.J. Richardson who was arrested last week for drunk driving.
“I think most of you know I just got out of jail,” Richardson said in response to the opening question about employment opportunities for ex-offenders. “People need to be given second and third chances because if they don’t have that, they’re going to get their hustle on to provide for their families.”
In his comments, Richardson seemed to be advocating for a second chance for ex-offenders, but also himself, and the audience was quick to oblige as they laughed at his remarks and ferociously applauded. However, by the end of the debate as Richardson’s responses veered wildly from his opponents, the audience’s applause died down.
Candidates Jack Wagner, county auditor general, District 8 Councilman Bill Peduto, State Rep. Jake Wheatley, and Richardson were asked to address city-county consolidation, diversity on the police force, education and more over the course of the 90-minute debate sponsored by the African American Leadership Association, Black Political Empowerment Project, Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly and other organizations.
In many situations, such as questions about community development block grants and blight, Richardson reiterated the problems in the Black community without saying how he would address them.  And when it came to a question regarding sole source contracts, which many believe hinder minority contractors, Richardson didn’t have a response at all and said he would have to do more research and consult with experts.
While Richardson proposed increased support for jitney drivers, when asked about improving public transportation, his opponents discussed Port Authority’s service cuts.
“I will advocate for more funding, but it’s not just about more funding. We have an antiquated system,” Wheatley said. “My district has been hurt hardest by cuts.”
One area where all four candidates agreed was with regard to the relationship between employment and crime. The men said increased economic opportunity could lead to a decrease in gun violence.
“If you don’t have a job and you get a job, a lot of your problems go away and no community knows that better than the African-American community where the unemployment rate is double that of anywhere else,” Wagner said.
The candidates also discussed recent issues with the Pittsburgh police, the appointment of a new police chief and the importance of the Citizens Police Review Board. Here Peduto differed from his opponents in advocating for a national search for the next chief and focusing on the importance of holding the city’s public safety director accountable.
The mayoral primary is May 21.

ELIJAH ANDERSON, PH.D.

In the YouTube video “S... White Girls Say to Black Girls,” Black comedian Franchesca Ramsey parrots a series of unintentionally disrespectful statements directed at her by White friends over the years.

EVERETT McELVEEN
(Photo by J.L Martello)

In the two decades since YouthWorks Inc. was created, the nonprofit has provided more than 23,000 at-risk youth with the career training vital to gaining meaningful employment. Now, the organization will be able to expand its reach through a recently announced merger with Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
On April 4, at Goodwill headquarters, the two organizations announced the merger set to begin July 1. Under the merger, YouthWorks will operate as a program of Goodwill offering career exploration and job readiness training to at-risk youth.
“It really expands the opportunities we have for youth and these resources will allow us to focus more on programming,” said Everett McElveen, YouthWorks board chair. “There are always more kids that can be served than there are services that can be provided.”
Recent statewide funding cuts to nonprofits have left many local organizations in the lurch, including YouthWorks, which completed the 2011 fiscal year with a more than $70,000 deficit. The merger with Goodwill, which boasts annual revenues of nearly $50 million, should eliminate the organization’s financial hardship.
“We all know we need to address youth who need a little extra help to become productive citizens,” said Yvonne Campos, Goodwil board chair. “The idea is it expands both of our capacities and our reach. We have very similar cultures; our hearts are in the right place.”
Goodwill provides a number of opportunities for youth to gain employment experience with 30 retail stores throughout the region, a soon to be completed greenhouse, and cafeteria where workers learn about the food service industry. In addition, their programs include a CareerLink center, GED classes, and even driver’s education.
“It’s a perfect partnership between the two organizations,” Goodwill President and CEO Michael Smith said. “We have so many nonprofit businesses that we can offer youth work experience as they’re transitioning out of school.”
Both organizations have a strong commitment to helping youth and families reach economic empowerment. While YouthWorks has been working with youth to move beyond challenges such as poverty, homelessness, and foster care, one of Goodwill’s most popular programs helps disabled individuals overcome barriers to employment.
“Our board started this strategic alliance process two years ago and Goodwill really rose to the top,” Stephanie Bechel, YouthWorks executive director. “They said they were identifying at-risk youth as an area of growth, and Goodwill already offers so many employment opportunities to youth and families.”
In 2012 Goodwill provided services to nearly 60,000 individuals. The organization also employs more than 1000 people throughout the region.

HEIR APPARENTS—Pittsburgh mayoral candidates, from left: Jake Wheatley, Bill Peduto and Jack Wagner, wait to ask Hill District residents to vote them into the city’s top elected office. (Photo by J.L. Martello.)

The sound of Wesley Center AMEZ Church’s choir was lively enough to inspire dancing from some of the homeless center residents across the street and definitely enthused the audience inside as, for the second time in just three days, candidates for Mayor of Pittsburgh, city council and school board asked Hill District residents to support their bids for election.
The forum, sponsored by the Hill District Ministers Alliance, focused on addressing the economic and human development issues facing African-Americans in the Hill and throughout the city.
After a warm welcome by Wesley Center pastor Rev. Glenn Grayson, thanking the assembled clergy, guests and his choir, Pittsburgh School Board Director Tom Sumpter, who is running unopposed, made his opening statement before fielding the first of the alliance’s prepared questions, as well as those from two district students and from the audience.
Sumpter said he planned to continue working to craft policy that would close the achievement gap for Black students and deliver a quality education for all students while maintaining the district’s fiscal integrity.
Tonya Payne, who is running to regain the District 6 City Council seat R. Daniel Lavelle won from her four years ago, told the audience she wanted to address the unfinished business of gun violence and homelessness. But ensuring inclusion for Blacks in the district’s economic development dominated her and Lavelle’s time.

“When I was on Council I created a one-stop shop for employment and made sure we were talking to the developers at Consol before any work started,” she said. “I did the same thing at the Casino. We have to do that every time development comes to our neighborhood.”
Lavelle said he was responsible for ensuring that 20 percent of the jobs at the Consol Center went to Hill residents and that a union represents them. And he said he was committed to working with churches and community groups to make sure more Blacks are prepared to benefit from new job and business creation.
“We can’t just leave it to the schools, we all have to be involved,” he said. “We can help folks like Kris Kirk and Reggie Good who are taking brothers  off the streets and getting them Marcellus Shale jobs.”
That dovetailed into the mayoral candidates’ segment of the forum with all agreeing that, while they don’t control the school district, it should do more to prepare students, especially Black students, for the energy industry jobs that don’t require a college or advanced degree.
Councilman Bill Peduto told of his grandparents working in the steel mills their whole lives.
“That city is gone. The city that’s coming is the one I’ve worked to rebuild since I met with business owners in East Liberty in 1996,” he said. “We’ve had $2 billion in growth in my district, but that needs to happen everywhere, and it can.”
State Rep. Jake Wheatley, D-Hill, said he’s passed legislation requiring minority participation in state contracting, and that his record on Black inclusion is much better than Peduto’s or former Auditor Gen. Jack Wagner.
“And that Marcellus program of Kris Kirk’s, that was started with funding from Jake Wheatley,” he said. “I’m going off the script here, but here’s the thing; if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll get the same results. I’m here to make a difference.”
When the applause subsided, Wagner, who touted his management experience as a US Marine, in the private sector, in city council and in state government as the key for getting the city to work for its residents, got off the best laugh line of the evening saying he appreciated Wheatley’s work.
“I like Jake. He is a tremendous asset in Harrisburg. And I hope he stays there,” he said.
Wagner added his administration, and authority and board appointments would reflect the city’s Black population. He said the police bureau should actively recruit from the military to find experienced Black candidates.
All three candidates again said they would move to remove guns from the streets; Peduto touting his “Lost and Stolen” gun law and Wagner reminding the audience that he passed an assault-weapons ban while on council in 1993.
The mayoral candidates are scheduled to meet again addressing Black community issues with the Black Agenda forum April 19 at Mt. Ararat Baptist Church, the African American Chamber of Commerce May 2, and with the Community Empowerment Association May 15.
(Send comments to cmorrow@newpittsburgh­courier.com.)