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Also: Black mental health training starts in April
By Juliet Martinez, Managing Editor
The Feb. 13 Greater Hazelwood hybrid community meeting filled most of the second-floor classroom at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh; a dozen more attended online. Hazelwood residents weighed in on a music festival planned for September on Hazelwood Green. They also learned about an innovative project promoting Black mental health.
C3 music festival production
Brad Parker from C3, the largest music festival producer in the United States, announced an upcoming festival in Pittsburgh. The company has been in business for 20 years and handles all aspects of festival production, from stage building to artist booking.
Mr. Parker said they have a deep commitment to community engagement and impact, aiming to reflect and amplify the local community’s goals and aspirations. The company partners with local organizations and businesses with a goal of creating long-lasting positive impacts in the community. Their festivals can range in size from 10,000 to 150,000 attendees. Their largest festivals include Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.
The upcoming festival in Pittsburgh will take place on Sept. 7 and 8 at the Aurora test track facility, with a target attendance of 30,000 per day.
Mr. Parker said the organization’s top priority is to understand the community’s needs and develop effective programs.
Lollapalooza community engagement manager Louisa Wyatt discussed a C3-funded program, After School Matters in Chicago. It provides free after-school programs and stipends to youth, offering graphic design, poster and mural programs. This meets a need for arts education in Chicago schools, particularly for low-income and black students who lack access.
Mr. Parker introduced the idea of an Immersion Day where students can learn about various roles in the music industry, like building stages and setting up for festivals.
The festival dates will be formally announced in mid to late March, and by then, more details about job opportunities will also be available. Mr. Parker encouraged residents to reach out with questions or concerns by emailing Hazelwoodcommunity@C3presents.com.
He addressed concerns about traffic control and noise pollution, saying comprehensive traffic plans will be put in place and sound studies will be conducted to ensure minimal disruption to the neighborhood.
In response to participant questions, Mr. Parker said the focus of the upcoming festival will be contemporary rock and pop with a diverse and inclusive lineup, and the goal of appealing to a demographic between ages 30 and 50.
The festival is currently planned for 2024, with no commitment to multi-year projects. The branding for the festival, which is still under discussion, aims to incorporate elements of Pittsburgh’s culture.
He encouraged open dialogue and mutual understanding. He also addressed concerns about ticket affordability and accessibility for all attendees by committing to put in place a program to ensure that residents, regardless of their financial status, can attend the show.
He said the event will be fully accessible for those with mobility needs, with a dedicated team to cater to individual requirements. And he said setup would begin eight days prior to the event and teardown would take around five days.
Steel Smiling Black mental health
Kiyomi Knox, community engagement manager at Center of Life, presented about the partnership between Center of Life and Steel Smiling and their initiatives in Hazelwood. This program focuses on Black mental wellness.
Robin Sheffey, Steel Smiling program manager of wellness services, described Beams to Bridges, a 40-hour mental health training and education support initiative tailored for the Hazelwood community. Participants may receive a stipend of more than $800.
Beams to Bridges is a Black mental health workforce development program that will take place at the Spartan Center in Hazelwood from April 17 to Oct. 9. This program offers comprehensive mental health education covering a range of topics and teaches participants facilitation techniques and mental health self-care. The program aims to train participants to facilitate support groups within the community.
Visit www.steelsmilingpgh.org/beams-to-bridges for or email contact@centeroflife.org for more information.
Hazelwood Initiative updates
Hazelwood Initiative executive director Sonya Tilghman introduced the new director of real estate, Nancy Noszka. She is replacing Dave Brewton, who is retiring in mid-March. Ms. Tilghman said that the position of Director of Engagement and Sustainability is vacant and said a job description would be posted within two weeks.
Gladstone Residences
The housing authority opened a waitlist for the 20 project-based voucher units at Gladstone Residences from Feb. 6-13, receiving several hundred applicants in one week. Ms. Tilghman said Hazelwood Initiative and The Community Builders will open their waitlist in March or early April for the remaining 23 units. Anyone interested in living at Gladstone should provide their contact information at www.gladstoneresidences.com. She also said the three new-construction homes on Flowers Avenue should be completed in late summer.
Steelers listening sessions
In March, the Pittsburgh Steelers are holding listening sessions to find out what you want and need from the community sports complex they are planning to build on Hazelwood Green. These are important opportunities to make your voice heard!
Good Friday peace walk
Kris DiPietro announced the annual Way of the Cross Way of Compassion Walk on Good Friday from 9 to 10:30 a.m.