From the arrest of journalists in Minneapolis to the loss of legacy newspapers like the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the future of the news is on everyone’s mind.

Andy Conte knows the power of investigative journalism through his past reporting for the Cincinnati Post and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He is also at the forefront of the future of journalism through his leadership at the Center for Media Innovation.

Since its founding in 2015, the Center has become a national leader in supporting local journalism by advancing technology, training and collaboration between both long-time reporters and student journalists.

Beyond the loss of government accountability that comes with the closing of local news outlets, community cohesiveness is also at risk, according to Andy. “What's most interesting about local news now is how it knits people together,” he says. “And when it diminishes, those connections get frayed.”

Despite the extraordinary challenges facing the industry, Andy is optimistic about the future of news if it is approached with an openness to technology and collaboration between news outlets and trained citizen journalists.

“This current generation of young reporters is the most engaged and interested that I've seen since the Watergate era,” he says. “They want to hold power to account, and they want their communities to be better places because of their work.”

Notes on this episode: Special commentary by Matt Barron, Endowments Director of Civic Participation. Produced by Scott Roller, Endowments Strategic Communications Manager; technical production by Josh Franzos and Tim Murray of Treehouse Media. Subscribe, listen and share episodes on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Communities experiencing the exit of major economic drivers often face a fresh challenge when revitalization opportunities arise: how to ensure that their voice will be heard and respected so new business investments don’t push them out of their longtime homes and neighborhoods.

Raised in Washington D.C., Sonya came to Pittsburgh through an AmeriCorps position that sparked her interest in the intricacies of public policy, especially how it often seemed to lack input from the very people it was meant to serve.

Sonya has spent nearly 25 years empowering individuals and communities so they can share in the success of revitalization efforts. For the past decade she has led Hazelwood Initiative, an organization that works to build futures in communities where economic reinvention doesn’t mean displacement, and residents have healthy homes and thriving green spaces.

Located on the shore of the Monongahela River three miles from Downtown Pittsburgh, Hazelwood is obviously dear to Sonya's heart as demonstrated by her commitment to its people, organizations and environment.

Her work to ensure the residents benefit from the major research and tech entities that have moved into the community’s Hazelwood Green development has gained her much-deserved respect.

Likewise, her emphasis on uplifting the community’s greenways and trails has brought recognition from the United Nations Climate Conference and the National Recreation & Parks Association.

“I think we can be a place where we all prosper,” Sonya says. “And I also believe we can be a place where that cost doesn’t come at the expense of vulnerable people.”

Notes on this episode: Special commentary by Rob Stephany, Endowments Senior Director of Community & Economic Development. Produced by Scott Roller, Endowments Strategic Communications Manager; technical production by Josh Franzos and Tim Murray of Treehouse Media. Subscribe, listen and share episodes on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Gillian and her family settled in Penn-Trafford, an idyllic borough located along the border of Westmoreland and Allegheny counties near Pittsburgh, in part because of its promise of clean air and water.

Shortly after moving into their home, the oil and gas industry encroached on their neighborhood. Legal roadblocks and frustration with the ineffectiveness of government agencies spurred Gillian and her husband to found Protect PT in 2014.

Protect PT’s early grassroots fundraising included selling candy bars and popcorn to cover attorney fees. “I literally ran behind the school bus, handing out flyers to moms after they got their kids on the bus,” Gillian tells Chris. “I became an accidental activist.”

In the past decade, the organization has grown to a staff of nine and expanded its work to include policy analysis and community environmental education. This increased impact has led to international recognition through a partnership with outdoor apparel company Patagonia’s Dublin, Ireland, location.

“One person speaking up is not enough. Communities need to speak up,” Gillian said. “Despite the disparity, despite the amount of money that this industry has, people really have to be fearless and have a sense of conviction.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Senior Director of Climate, Environment & Health Philip Johnson. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

With a dedication to inclusive and diverse programming, she began her arts management journey with a Duquesne University undergraduate internship with the Pittsburgh Opera. Kendra circled back to the city in 2023 after two decades of leadership positions at renowned arts organizations across the United States.

“We’re an economic engine that is utilizing arts and culture as the vehicle to drive excitement, community and activation in Downtown,” says Kendra. “We use data and community input to understand exactly what those who attend our performances and events want from a Downtown experience, and we work with our partners to provide it.”

In the past four decades, that approach has helped the Cultural Trust spur a dramatic transformation of Downtown Pittsburgh’s red-light district of the ‘70s and ‘80s to a vibrant, nationally recognized destination for arts and culture programming. The multitude of historic venues and outdoor public spaces managed by the Trust cover more than a million square feet of Downtown real estate across 14 blocks.

With a $600 million Downtown revitalization plan underway that includes Arts Landing, a 4.5-acre riverside park with performance spaces and public art installations, Kendra and the Trust will have even more opportunities to bring an increased range of arts and culture to residents and visitors alike.

“We work to showcase national and internationally recognized artists as well as our region’s own top-notch creatives in world-class spaces,” says Kendra. “That magic combination gives us one of the most vibrant arts ecosystems in the country.”

Learn more about that creative magic in this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Managing Director of Arts & Culture Jasmin DeForrest. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Mr. Baxter has more than two decades of journalism experience and has built his impressive career on a commitment to challenging that status quo. He leads Spotlight PA’s partnerships with over 90 newsrooms, the largest collaborative distribution network of its kind in the United States.

“Spotlight PA holds our elected officials accountable because they are making decisions that affect everyone’s day-to-day life,” said Mr. Baxter. “We need trusted regional news that fights back against the noise of the national conversation, which threatens to overpower our dialogue with local, county, city and state officials.”

Founded in 2019 to address Pennsylvania’s declining state of local journalism, Spotlight PA has had substantial impact that has made it a model of independent journalism for other states across our nation. The organization’s investigations have saved taxpayers an estimated $20 million dollars and prompted 36 local, state and federal policy changes that enhance transparency across the commonwealth.

Mr. Baxter was awarded the 2025 News Media Industry Executive of the Year by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association for his innovation, integrity and commitment to the future of local news.

“The Spotlight PA model is an opportunity to retake journalism and bring people back into the fold,” he said. “And with that trust comes an incredible power to help people solve the real problems in their lives.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Program Director of Civic Participation Matt Barron. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

In 2007 a group of about 20 women attended an information-sharing conference in Pittsburgh that addressed links between environmental factors and women’s health. After the gathering, they determined that there was a need for continued questions and answers, research and community organizing. Three years later, with support from The Heinz Endowments, Women for a Healthy Environment was born.

“When Women for a Healthy Environment was publicly launched, we were bringing a lot of new information to communities about environmental hazards that they hadn’t heard about,” Michelle said. “Fifteen years later, I feel like our research, education and awareness-building about environmental hazards has helped drive a transformative journey to more awareness, knowledge and organizing.”

The daughter of a police chief and school superintendent, Michelle followed in her parents’ footsteps by choosing a path focused on public service to the community.

In recent years, she has guided Women for a Healthy Environment as the organization expanded its work with a significant presence in Philadelphia. That partnership with the Philadelphia Regional Center for Children’s Environmental Health and the University of Pennsylvania aligns with WHE’s data-focused approach to its work.

Michelle shares how Women for a Healthy Environment is making a national impact on lead removal in schools and homes, why significantly more women than men identify the environment as a primary concern, and how the organization’s Eco-Student Stewardship Program is inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders.

“Our work has shown us that our youngest environmentalists are informed and ready,” Michelle says. “We are in good hands.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Senior Director of Climate, Environment & Health Philip Johnson. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

From ancient Greek philosophy to our country’s own Native American history, cultures around the world have embraced variations of the phrase “water is life.” Millions will see the life that the Pittsburgh region has built along its rivers when the NFL draft comes to Pittsburgh in April of 2026.

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Much of the beauty, public green space and vibrant activity along Pittsburgh’s Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers can be traced to Riverlife. The organization was established in 1999 with key support from the Endowments and Heinz family members who recognized the enormous potential of visually and environmentally sound riverfronts.

“For me, the real beauty of what we’ve accomplished is that generations from now, people we will never meet are going to benefit from our work,” Matt says. “It is with this longitudinal view that we have developed our community-informed plans to ensure that folks in 30 or 40 years are going to have a healthy, high-quality experience on our riverfronts.”

Prior to joining Riverlife in 2019, Matt led the creation and implementation of the first Community Land Trust in western Pennsylvania and oversaw $200 million in public and private investment for the thriving riverfront neighborhood of Lawrenceville.

Immerse yourself in Riverlife’s successes, challenges and the high bar it has set as a national leader in riverfront preservation and sustainable development on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Managing Director of Arts & Culture Jasmin DeForrest. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Founded with support from The Heinz Endowments in 2011 and now an independent organization, the Breathe Collaborative and its communications platform Breathe Project have set a national standard for community-centered, data-informed environmental groups.

Two of their innovative tracking systems have gained national attention. Their Breathe Cam project is a 24/7 live video feed showing visual components of air quality in multiple locations. Their Smell PGH app, developed in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab (Community, Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment), gives citizens an easy way to report their air quality experiences.  

With a doctorate in systems engineering and as a professor teaching sustainability and environment policy at Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University, Matt has helped guide a new generation of young people to environmental action.

Matt is co-author of “Ethical and Environmental Challenges to Engineering,” and is smart, caring and deeply dedicated to improving the air we share. Listen, learn and be inspired to act with this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Climate, Environment & Health Senior Director Philip Johnson. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms and YouTube. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

Demeshia is chief executive officer of the Sarah Heinz House, established by food entrepreneur H.J. Heinz’s son Howard Heinz on Pittsburgh’s North Side in 1901 as a resource for boys from immigrant families.

Two years later the Sarah Heinz House had the distinction of being the first organization of its kind in the country to serve both boys and girls at a time when doing so was unprecedented. It has given youth community-building experiences in sports, nature, well-being and life skills ever since. Its accomplishments gained national attention once again when the organization became a charter member of the national Boys and Girls Clubs of America in 1930.

Demeshia joined the Sarah Heinz House in 2023, bringing decades of experience with companies including Massaro Construction and Nike Inc., where she led its skills development programs.

She now leads the Sarah Heinz House in serving more than 1,000 youth annually and in recent years has expanded its programs to include adults over age 60 and to focus on STEM, robotics and workforce development.

“It’s important that we change the manner in which we speak about what opportunity looks like and what success truly is for our young people,” Demeshia says. “Let's not shackle them with our limited understanding of what their opportunities could be. Let’s give them space to dream and become who they are meant to be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Vice President Carmen Anderson. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Subscribe, listen and share new “We Can Be” episodes every two weeks on all major podcast platforms. Use search term “Heinz We Can Be.”

A successful working artist and educator, Tim is also a thoughtful community advocate committed to public art, creative spaces and workforce development. Under his leadership, Industrial Arts Workshop began a decade ago as a mobile sculpture program that brought together high school students to learn safe welding and metal fabrication techniques, as well as artistic process, community engagement and team building.

Now with a permanent home in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood community, a neighborhood with a deep history in the region’s steel industry, Industrial Arts Workshop has served more than 600 students, with many going on to careers in both the arts and the welding industry.

The large-scale welded steel sculptures Tim and his students and have created in prominent locations across Pittsburgh are bringing the region’s industrial past into the future in a bold, beautiful and meaningful way.

Early in his career, Tim’s creation of a 25-foot inflatable figure made from recycled billboard segments was featured at the Burning Man Festival and exhibited in Brooklyn and Pittsburgh. His “dino-geese” painting on the 10th Street bridge on Pittsburgh’s South Side has gained mythological status, inspiring joy – and the occasional tattoo – among fans over the years.

“What's great for me is to see young people engage with public art and to see their curiosity and their imaginations change in the moment,” Tim says. “That is what public art is about: curiosity, questions, imagination and wonder.” 

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Special commentary in this episode by Endowments Senior Program Officer for Arts & Culture Mac Howison. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host and guest photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. New episode every two weeks. 

Tammy is the public policy and advocacy manager for Make the Road Pennsylvania, a nonprofit that builds power for justice in Latinx, immigrant, and working-class communities of color, with a key focus on climate and environmental justice.

Host and Endowments President Chris DeCardy met Tammy at a convening of environmental funders last year when she was the advocacy director at Physicians for a Social Responsibility Pennsylvania. She spoke movingly about her personal experience in helping amplify the voices of those experiencing serious health issues related to fracking.

“It’s hard to talk about families who are losing their children, their spouses, or who have kids doing homework in hospitals because their parent is dying,” Tammy said.

Tammy is fearless in speaking truth in corridors of power – evident when she led a demonstration inside the state capitol building with parents whose children had been impacted by fracking-induced health issues. Two days later, then-Governor Wolf announced Pennsylvania fracking health dangers would be investigated and funded.

“Fossil fuel extraction companies find the product that they want to go after, and then they find the path of least resistance,” Tammy tells Chris. “They go into the communities that they find the most vulnerable and try to extract from there in a way that doesn't disturb the people with the most power. Because they know those with power would resist.”

Be inspired by Tammy and the stories of the communities and families she had helped uplift in this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Chris DeCardy photo: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

By uplifting Black LGBTQ creativity and culture through the exploration of emerging technologies, innovative healing protocols, African cosmologies, and multimedia art, he is sparking important dialogue and reconsideration of the Western artistic canon.

He shares with Endowments President and podcast host Chris DeCardy why this dialogue is important, and how art creates a bridge for empathy and understanding.

“Public artwork does have a psychic impact and can have a subtle kind of influence over people that might see it.” Marques says. “Ideas that may otherwise be passed over can be sparked into thoughtfulness and conversation when people engage with art.”

A celebrated multimedia artist, independent scholar and traditional African cosmologist, Marques has had an impressive impact across the United States and in cities around the globe in the past several years.

From the film “Obi MBu (The Primodial House)” to the groundbreaking glass sculptures and virtual reality of “Myth-Science of the Gatekeepers” to large-scale mural installations featuring effervescent, shining Black bodies that merge with a universe of stars, Marques and Rainbow Serpent’s art have been front and center in cities including Atlanta, Boston, Pittsburgh, Denver, Raleigh and Tampa, to name but a few.

“The work is so political in the way in which it is raising questions around gender, sexuality, race and Blackness,” Marques says.  “I do think that through our art there is continued space for us to contribute to these issues, both here and around the world.”

Listen to this episode of “We Can Be” to launch into Marques’ beautiful, fascinating and moving vision of the world.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. This episode presentation is a partnership between The Heinz Endowments and the  Heinz Family Foundation. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest and host photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

As the United States begins recovery from the historic devastation of Hurricanes Helene and Milton and faces increasingly serious effects of climate change, her leadership is helping address the urgent need for knowledgeable insight and direction.

“It is an emotional moment because you know that people are not going to pay attention to this issue in a deep and real way until you're hit by it,” Colette tells host and Endowments President Chris DeCardy. “But it is also a moment where I am reassured that the work that I've committed my life to is the right work.”

Born and raised in a close-knit family in the Bayou Liberty region of coastal Louisiana, Colette spent time in Ohio at Kenyon College and West Africa after earning her law degree from Southern University Law Center.

After settling into her dream life as a lawyer in New York City, she was drawn back to Louisiana to find and assist family when Katrina struck the southern coastal region in 2005.

She founded the Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy to help Gulf South communities of color in in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. In 2022, the organization transitioned into Taproot Earth, widening its scope to include BIPOC communities worldwide that are withstanding the worst of climate change.

“I think the problem at the root cause of the climate crisis is capitalism and an unjust economic system,” Colette says. “We have a value system that is rooted in extraction, and I think that's wrong. I think we should value creation. I think we should value love. I think we should have a different values system.”

Colette and her Taproot Earth team are uplifting those different – and better – values, community by community in the United States and around the world.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, & produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos & Tim Murray. This episode presentation is a partnership between The Heinz Endowments & the Heinz Family Foundation. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest & host photos: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“It’s a lot different now than it was when President Carter put those solar panels on the West Wing roof,” Sharon tells host and Endowments President Chris DeCardy. "We are really seeing this proliferation and adoption of solar energy just taking off. And now with the Inflation Reduction Act, it's become an even bigger and undeniable game changer.”

From that first White House solar array in 1979 to the $90 billion in clean energy investment that came in the first six months of the 2022 IRA, a new generation of advocates is working tirelessly to bring the health, financial and workforce development benefits of solar energy to light.

Sharon has led solar and climate change programs at both PennFuture, a nonprofit that advocates for the clean energy economy, and the Solar Unified Network of Western Pennsylvania. She trained with Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. She also is a nationally respected and trusted solar consultant who has helped organizations and municipalities seeking to finance and install solar projects.

She talks with Chris about the massive workforce potential the solar sector could see in the next decade and the challenges some communities face in advancing solar. In addition, she describes the eye-opening savings of $19 million over 25 years that a 2024 Pennsylvania Solar Center study found residents of two southwestern Pennsylvania cities could save if they embrace solar energy.

Sharon has clearly found her calling to, as Pennsylvania Solar Center says on its website, “help put solar everywhere under the sun.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest photo: Tim Murray; host photo: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“Those who are already underrepresented in our electorate are most harmed and most disproportionately impacted by voter ID laws,” Lauren tells “We Can Be” host and Endowments President Chris DeCardy. “These laws are undermining our shared democracy and impacting all voters, not just ones from certain states or specific communities.”

Santa Monica, California-based VoteRiders is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure that all citizens can exercise their freedom to vote, with team members or partner organizations in 44 states and more than 10,000 volunteers across the country.

A fair, accessible voting experience is critical for the more than 162 million people expected to participate in the fall 2024 election. VoteRiders – whose names honors the civil rights-era Freedom Riders – focuses its efforts not only on civic engagement and voter ID laws, but also touches on economic, social and racial equity for the thousands it helps navigate the voter ID system every day.

“That ID helps them vote, but it's also a way for them to open a bank account for the first time or get a job in the formal sector or get more stable housing for their family,” Lauren says.

Prior to taking the helm at VoteRiders, Lauren’s leadership experience included work on international democracy and governance programs while with the World Bank and time as national program director at Nonprofit Vote, where she led her team to a record-setting number of voter registrations on voter registration day in 2020.

With nearly 40 states now requiring steps beyond simply registering to vote, some states rejecting student IDs as acceptable for voting, and the promise of false claims about election fraud, VoterRiders is leading the charge for lessening voter suppression and strengthening our democracy.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Host photo by Josh Franzos; guest photo courtesy of Lauren Kunis/VoteRiders. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

The nationally respected expert in maternal and infant health equity is not afraid to speak out against health injustice or to amplify the startling differences between Black and white mothers and babies’ health outcomes – while helping forge a better way.

Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew’s expertise is especially critical in a nation where the number of Black babies who die within one year of birth is three times higher than the death rate of white babies. In Pittsburgh, where Allegheny Health Network is based, female Black infant mortality is higher than in 70% of similar-sized cities.

“When we do things that intervene and decrease those higher numbers for Black women, then we also decrease mortality rates for white women, so everyone wins,” Dr. Pettigrew tells “We Can Be” host and Endowments President Chris DeCardy. “Everything we do for one is going to affect everybody and give opportunities to all.”

With key leadership and teaching positions at University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University and Drexel University College of Medicine, Dr Pettigrew has been building a coalition of medical and social work professionals through the groundbreaking First Steps and Beyond initiative.

The Endowments-supported First Steps and Beyond program centers a unified care strategy that addresses both medical and social needs through an equity and justice-centered approach to care for mothers and babies. And it works, with data from a five-year study in the Cleveland metro region where the program was implemented showing a 20% decrease in maternal and infant mortality in the first year after birth.

Whether appearing on MSNBC, NBC news and PBS, writing “The Colors of My Heart: Embracing My Blackness with History, Family, Fear and Faith,” or founding medical collaboration nonprofit JUSTWONDOOR, Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew, also a U.S. Navy veteran, and her collaborators are leveling the maternal and infant health playing field – and saving lives.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest and host photos by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

After witnessing the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in NYC from her publishing company office window, Jen felt a change inside. "After 9/11, I decided I wanted to do something more with community service," she said. "I just wanted to change my trajectory."

When an AmeriCorps VISTA program placement brought her to Pittsburgh, she soon realized the intersection of two of the most persistent issues our country is facing – food insecurity and access to living wage jobs – provided enormous potential to do good.

She launched Community Kitchen Pittsburgh – an affiliate of Catalyst Kitchens, a national system of non-profit teaching kitchens – in 2013 with an aim of addressing both the need for training and judgment-free life skills guidance.

“For us, you can’t separate joblessness and hunger. They go hand in hand,” she tells host Chris DeCardy, president of The Heinz Endowments. “We work with employers that pay good wages, provide benefits and treat our people well.”

The organization’s wholistic approach is working. It prepares and serves 450,00 meals each year for those experiencing food insecurity, and formerly incarcerated individuals who complete their free-of-charge,12-week training program have a recidivism rate of just 5% – a full 15% lower than the national average.

With an estimated 13% of individuals nationwide – and 21% in the Pittsburgh region - experiencing food insecurity, Jen and her team’s successes at the intersection of hunger and workforce development are a welcome stream of light.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org

“When I was a young farmer growing up in the mid-90s and attending agricultural conferences and trainings,” Leah tells host Chris DeCardy, “it was very rare to see someone who looked like me or reflected my heritage, especially among leaders and experts.”

Based in Petersburgh, NY, Soul Fire Farm started as an 80-acre family farm and has since blossomed into a nonprofit training center for Black and brown people to reconnect with the land and equip them with the skills needed to become leaders in the farming and food justice movement.

Whether in her books – “Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists” and “Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land” – or leading youth education programs, urban plantings, mobilization training and a community-supported agriculture program, Leah and her Soul Fire Farm colleagues are inspiring a new generation of young farmers.

“Stewarding our own land, growing our own food, educating our own youth, participating in our own healthcare and justice systems - this is the source of real power and dignity,” Leah says in this episode, presented in partnership with the Heinz Family Foundation. 

From the recent well-received “Farming While Black” documentary film to working behind the scenes with Sen. Cory Booker in creation of his Justice for Black Farmers Act, Leah is bringing the long history of Black and brown farmers’ sustainable farming practices into the future.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. This episode presentation is a partnership between The Heinz Endowments and Heinz Family Foundation. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

”Science is a way to bridge a lot of our societal division and distrust,” he tells Chris DeCardy, Heinz Endowments president and “We Can Be” host. “People trust science, and we have a responsibility to speak out when we can help.”

In 1987, Dr. Thurston published the first research that showed the association between fine particulate matter and human mortality. He was also a brave voice that spoke up in the aftermath of the 9/11 catastrophe in New York City when statements by municipal officials about air safety did not match the results of research that he and his team were undertaking.

More recently, Dr. Thurston led a groundbreaking, Endowments-funded study focusing on the myriad of health benefits Pittsburgh-region communities experienced after the closing of the Shenango Coke Works on Neville Island. The study has garnered international attention.

He is a professor in the departments of environmental medicine and population health at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine, as well an expert at communicating the scientific complexities of environmental challenges in ways that are more easily understood.

Whether testifying before Congress about the human health improvements that go hand-in-hand with climate change mitigation, or being featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, U.S. News & World Report and on major television news networks, Dr. Thurston is a warrior for cleaner air.

Dive into the fascinating, brilliant and inspiring career of Dr. George Thurston in this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments & Treehouse Media's Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“When we genuinely connect with art, we can dream whole other worlds of possibility,” she tells Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, who takes the wheel as our podcast’s host on the first episode of this new season of “We Can Be.” “

With nearly 25 years of experience at respected art spaces including The Andy Warhol Museum & Wood Street Gallery, Kilolo founded ALMA | LEWIS as an experimental, contemporary art platform for critical thinking, constructive dialogue & creative expression dedicated to Black culture.

Featuring residencies designed to nurture rising & accomplished Black artists from around the world, Alma I Lewis is named after early 20th-century painter Alma Thomas, who has been cited as a “godmother of abstract painting,” & painter Norman Lewis, the winner of the top art prize at the 1955 Carnegie International.

Born in Mississippi, Kilolo’s artistic journey seemed destined from the start. From selling her friends’ art at the lemonade stand in her neighborhood when she was a kid growing up in Bowling Green, Ohio to becoming one of the creative sector’s most respected writers, historians & curators, her path was meant to be.

“From an early age, I just knew that people needed art in their lives,” she says.

Kilolo’s conversation with Chris dives into both the joys & challenges of overcoming the inequities of underrepresented voices in contemporary art.

From curating expositions & writing exhibition books for galleries & museums around the country to working on an upcoming authorized biography of the first Black supermodel, Naomi Simms, Kilolo is helping ensure that the beauty, depth & vision of Black artists and cultural luminaries are a celebrated part of our history.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Chris DeCardy, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Hydrogen hubs have as their centerpiece massive pipeline networks that funnel carbon captured from power plants and factories to injection points for underground sequestration. Some present the process as key to our environmental future, but are the promises of jobs and a reduction in global warming real?

Ohio River Valley Institute (ORVI) was founded in 2020 with an aim of providing data-driven environmental research that advances a more prosperous, sustainable and equitable Appalachia. The organization has become a leading voice in researching and communicating what carbon capture and hydrogen hubs would really mean for our country's future.

“Our research shows that not only are hydrogen hubs likely to be costly, taking funding away from more sustainable, long-term solutions,” Joanne says, “but they are also unlikely to deliver on significant job creation or to be an effective climate solution.”

Joanne grew up in Maine, earned degrees at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, and has held positions with the Center for Coalfield Justice and the Sierra Club. An avid nature advocate, she holds a doctorate in environmental law, and the opportunity to “reveal surprising realities” about Appalachia’s energy future led her to ORVI.

She shares what she has seen about the unwavering sense of pride and place that Appalachians possess; what she has learned about the power of combining data and lived experience in revealing truths; and why she takes care to humanize policy research decisions by keeping the on-the-ground individuals she meets in Appalachian communities front of mind.

“I believe we can be compassionate problem solvers,” Joanne says. Learn how she is doing just that in this episode of “We Can Be.”

This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Senior Program Director for Environment & Health Philip Johnson and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image credit: PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources. 

Danny joins host Megan Andros, the Endowments’ senior program officer for veterans, in diving into the startling findings of his team’s research. Beginning with an initial cohort of 10,000 veterans, the study followed an eventual 6,700 veterans over a three-year period as they transitioned from active military duty to civilian life. 

The resulting data has revealed hard truths about the bureaucratic, financial, health and vocational obstacles veterans often face, and provides a basis for asking: Are we failing our veterans at the moment they need us most?

Despite the enormous leadership skills, technical ability, and work ethic veterans bring to our world, the study found that only 34 percent of post-9/11 veterans were deemed successful in transitioning from military to civilian life at the two-and-a-half-year mark.

The research makes clear that while a wealth of organizations provide services to those exiting the military, the navigation of those services can be dauntingly difficult for veterans.

“Transition is a place where things can go wrong, or it can be a place of great opportunity,” Danny says. “This data helps us understand that by taking action early on, we can help our veterans have better outcomes in the civilian world.”

Danny shares how growing up as a son of a military father influenced his dedication to his veterans research; why focusing on coordinated points of contact for service providers is key; and why it is important to remember that behind each data point is a human being who has served our country.

“I think as a country we can be a place where we acknowledge veterans for their service by taking action to support them when they need us most.”

This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Senior Program Officer for Veterans Megan Andros and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image credit: Tim Murray/Treehouse Media.

Raqueeb founded Black Urban Gardeners (BUGS), a collective of Black men and women who use education and gardening experiences to address the food desert challenges that persist in many Black and brown communities, in 2015. As she came to recognize a fraying generational knowledge of how to garden, she was moved to take action through BUGS and Mama Africa's Green Scouts, a youth program she founded that teaches community gardening and sustainability. 

“We don’t just grow food,” Raqueeb says. “We grow minds and leaders.”

Raqueeb shares her journey from a career in finance and banking to becoming a prominent figure in the growing food sovereignty movement, as well the the inspiration her godfather gave her that led her to understand the health and healing power of working with the earth.

Her work with BUGS – including running a 31,000-square-foot teaching farm in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood – has gained national attention in media outlets including Environmental Health News and Good Morning America. BUGS also garnered recent headlines for the recognition that alt-rock stars Rage Against the Machine gave the organization during their current world tour.

Raqueeb is clear about the historical obstacles that Black and brown communities have long faced in their opportunities to own and work their own land, many of which continue to this day, resulting in food insecurity and limited access to healthy food.

As she encourages others to take charge of their food and health, Raqueeb is optimistic about the future of the fight to end food apartheid.

“Every day I see the health benefits, community, and emotional healing power that Black urban gardeners of all ages experience when they work with the earth.”

This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Vice President of Sustainability Andrew McElwaine and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image credit: Brian Cook/Golden Sky Media.

“Art matters because it shows us a bit of the world we might not otherwise see,” Jeffrey says. “It takes us places we might not go because it makes us think, because it makes us know other people, because it makes us laugh and cry.”

In his more than 20 years with PBS NewsHour, Jeffrey has reported on a wide range of national and international arts- and culture-related issues.  He created PBS NewsHour's online "Art Beat” segments and its monthly book club, "Now Read This," a collaboration with The New York Times.

An Emmy and Peabody award-winner, Jeffrey is a talented creative in his own right, too. He wrote the well-received poetry collection “The News” and contributed to a newly released collection of essays titled “Are the Arts Essential?”

From the impressive security detail of an interview with Angelina Jolie and the eloquent warmth of Patti Smith to being moved by the Dallas Street Choir, whose members are without permanent homes, Jeffrey shares meaningful behind-the-scenes moments in his storied career. Those moments have cemented his dedication not only to tell stories of art and culture, but also to consider our individual roles in critical societal issues.

“Reporting on the arts in a global community matters,” he says. “It matters because it offers a truer and fuller version of the world.”

This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Vice President of Creativity Janet Sarbaugh, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

As the first Black president in Carlow’s nearly 100-year history, Dr. Humphrey brings a life-long love of teaching and a wealth of experience, including positions at the University of Pittsburgh and St. Louis University.

From playing school in her free time when she was a child to an ongoing belief that we must “treat teachers like the gold they are,” she has dedicated her professional life to helping students understand their true worth.  “It’s important that students know: ‘You are somebody. Your dreams are possible,’” she says.

Renowned for her efforts to “build the whole student” through programs that foster leadership, communication, social and “real world skills,” Dr. Humphrey’s dedication to young people comes naturally: She has 107 nieces and nephews, as well as twin sons of her own.

Dr. Humphrey believes in both the moral and financial importance of a progressive, equitable and diversity-focused higher education curriculum, and in the long-term benefits of mentoring students who are the first in their family to attend college.

“When you change the life of a first-time student, you are changing generations,” she says.

Experience her vibrant energy and learn about her inspiring, life-changing work in this episode of “We Can Be.”

This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Vice President of Learning Michelle Figlar, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

While the “We Can Be” podcast will continue with new episodes and hosts in the coming months, this episode includes Grant’s  reflections on the 70-plus guests he hosted over the past four seasons and spotlights why supporting those who speak truth to power is crucial.

“Challenging the conventional trains of thought takes bravery,” he said. “Sometimes advocates make people in power uncomfortable, and I think that’s OK.”

Grant shared the deep gratitude he feels toward the Heinz family and why the work of those in the social change community is critical to our country.

“Philanthropy does what government can’t and won’t do,” he said. “Government doesn’t invest in innovation and risk-taking, and philanthropy can – and does. It is an important part of making sure our communities continue to thrive.”

Helping envision – and build – a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable community was a cornerstone of Grant’s accomplishments while with the Endowments and will inform his upcoming work on the West Coast with the Conrad Prebys Foundation.

“A great community is one that makes room, in a conscious and deliberate way, for everyone.”

“We Can Be” has been hosted by Grant Oliphant, former president of The Heinz Endowments, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. 

Jenn is executive director of the Einhorn Collaborative, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to addressing America’s crisis of connection by increasing opportunities for empathy and civility.

Her work is especially needed in these times. This past summer, a U.S. News and World Report piece reported that out of 17 countries surveyed, the U.S. had the highest percentage – 88 percent – of respondents say that they felt our society was more divided now that it was prior to the start of the pandemic.

Jenn is clear that such findings are not the whole story, however, and is doing her part to elevate examples of everyday humans building bridges and fostering deep, meaningful relationships with those different from themselves.

She’s doing just that as a co-producer of the documentary feature film “The Antidote,” which centers on the moving stories of real-life people who are making the intentional choice to lift others up, and is now available on Amazon Prime.

She breaks the “kindness equals weakness” myth, and shares the “three B’s” – bonding, bridging and building - that may be the key to keeping both our society and democracy functionable.

“What we do is just as important as how we do it,” Jenn says. “What we’re in need of is not simply the ritual of acting kind. We can can dig deeper and be kind.”

Be kind and listen – and share – this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Michael is distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State University, with joint appointments in the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and the Department of Geosciences and the Earth.

He is the author of five best-selling books, including the recently published “The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet” as well as “The Tantrum that Saved the World: A Carbon Neutral Kids’ Book” and “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars.”

In 2019, Michael received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, often called the “Nobel Prize for the Environment,” and in 2020, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

He has written or co-written more than 230 climate-focused academic papers, and is a widely sought-after commentator on the science, societal and political aspects of climate change.

Michael tells podcast host Grant Oliphant that it is indeed still possible to avert the most devastating impacts of climate change, and believes indisputable science and a burgeoning youth environmental movement are key to our future.

“The forces for action have now aligned,” he said.

Learn what we need to do next on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries may be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image by Joshua Yospyn, courtesy michaelmann.net. 

He does it with with a deep respect for the region where he grew up, and an understanding that with the beauty and grandeur of that region also comes unfulfilled promises of hydraulic fracturing-related prosperity.

Sean was born and raised in West Virginia, and is a senior researcher and writer with the Ohio River Valley Institute. The Institute was founded in 2020 with an aim of providing sound research that will help promote a more sustainable, equitable, democratic and prosperous Appalachia.

His book, newspaper column and blog—all titled “The State of My State”—have been widely shared and cited, and have captured the attention of the U.S. Department of Energy, where Sean was asked to present earlier this year.

Sean shares with host Grant Oliphant the painful battle regarding “wish and hope” that he has heard families in Appalachia express.  He says that while they often “wish their kids and grandchildren would stay when they are grown and have families of their own, the lack of opportunity makes them also hope they don’t.”

Hear about eye-opening data and the post-fossil fuel economic plan playing out now in a community in Washington state that is giving hope that a similar blueprint for Appalachia is possible—all on this new episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image: Steve Stolee.

In early 2021, Environmental Health News published Kristina’s “Fractured: The body burden of living near fracking,” a four-part series that revealed the health impacts of shale hydraulic fracturing—or fracking—on families living near fracking sites. Research for the series, conducted in the summer of 2019, included a nine-week collection of air, water, and urine samples from five southwestern Pennsylvania households, all including at least one child.

Kristina’s “Fractured” series garnered national attention, and has become a key piece of evidence for lawmakers urging action on environmental health issues.

Prior to joining the Environmental Health News team in 2018, Kristina gained national acclaim for her work as a staff writer for MTV news, and has had bylines on stories in The Washington Post, CNN, Slate, Vice, Women's Health, and The Advocate.

Kristina’s journalism is, as she tells host Grant Oliphant, “a way of reporting that helps society learn how to fix itself. It's not advocacy or fluff or good news, it's forward-looking, serious and critical.”

Of her reporting on environmental topics, including climate change, the health risks of fracking, and “super pollution” air events, Kristina says: “I believe that true, well-told stories have the power to change the world for good.”

Listen to how she is doing just that on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

A former Marine Corps sergeant who served as an infantryman in Iraq and Afghanistan, Thomas joins host Grant Oliphant for a timely conversation about his journey from active duty service in Afghanistan to being honored with a Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award for his resolute reporting on sexual assault in the military.

Thomas first gained widespread journalistic acclaim for a series of self-penned pieces in The New York Times that chronicled what he has called the “mental health and moral injury” – including what was eventually diagnosed as a traumatic brain injury - caused by an attack in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province when he was 24.

Thomas went on to found The War Horse in 2016, and the following year co-authored the well-received Shooting Ghosts—A U.S. Marine, a Combat Photographer, and Their Journey Back from War with Finbarr O'Reilly.

“When reading my reporting, I don’t want people to think that it’s ‘poor me,’ or ‘woe is me,’ because veterans don’t want pity,” Thomas says. “We want to have a conversation.”

Aiming to bridge the military – civilian divide through well-researched stories that hold truth to power, Thomas and The War Horse team have done just that, publishing investigative pieces that have served as catalysts for significant national policy change.

Thomas says: “We aim to strengthen our democracy by improving our country’s understanding of the true cost of military service.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Guest image credit: The Carey Institute for Global Good. 

Social change movements have been part of our country’s DNA for hundreds of years, encompassing the abolitionist movement of the 1800s, the suffragist movement that culminated in women gaining the right to vote in 1920, and the civil rights movement that gained widespread support in the 1960s and whose work continues to this day.

Whether you are a social change activist, involved in the nonprofit or philanthropic world, or just have an interest in what it takes for the arc of justice to bend, Nell’s conversation with host Grant Oliphant will inspire and re-energize.

Born and raised in Minnesota, with a professional background that includes time at PBS national headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, and at the Central Texas Food Bank in Austin, Nell has been president of the Austin-based management consultant group Social Velocity since its founding in 2008. “Reinventing Social Change” was published in 2021.

A fan of Janelle Monáe and Robert Frost, Nell brings a sense of joy and optimism to her work, which she encourages in others:

“We are infinitely more powerful – in creating social change, or really in doing anything – when we approach it from a place of joy.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. Image: Justin Edgington

And if that were all he was, it would be more than enough.

But Barry is also a Buddhist monk, a personal physician to the Dalai Lama, and the founder of both the Human Values Institute in Japan and the United States-based Altruism in Medicine Institute, which teaches resilience to health care workers through training in compassion and mindfulness.

He shares his fascinating and moving journey with “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant, including how the Dalai Lama told him that his path would be “50-50—one half medicine and the other half spreading love and compassion.” Barry listened and has followed that auspicious path for more than three decades.

“If we can learn to focus our mind even a little bit, we will be more successful in training our minds to be more compassionate—and therefore happier,” Barry says of his work teaching mindfulness to nurses, doctors and police forces in an effort to help them cope with the stress and trauma of their professions. 

He has been profiled in media outlets around the world, including PBS and CNN, and shared his wisdom with audiences throughout Europe and North America, as well as in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Russia, and Mongolia, to name but a few.

Barry, whose brain has been studied by both Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin as part of their quests to understand the effects of long-term meditation, believes that “socially engaged Buddhism” has enormous potential for all of us.

“When you’re being compassionate, “he says, “you feel good.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

The wide valleys, imposing mountains and steep ridges that make up the topography of Appalachia wind across all or parts of 12 states, stretching from New York to portions of Mississippi and Alabama.

In the middle this impressive terrain is Huntington, West Virginia, the home of both Brandon and Coalfield Development, which he co-founded in 2010 with his high school best friend.

Brandon and his team bridge the divide between those dedicated to a declining fossil fuel economy and those who believe in the family-sustaining jobs that a renewable energy economy provides. 

That’s just one of the reasons he was honored with a 2019 Heinz Award and has been interviewed by the BBC, CNBC and the New York Times.

He has led Coalfield Development in the revitalization of 200,000 square feet of formerly dilapidated property, helped create 300 new jobs, and brought $20 million in new regional investment to Appalachian communities.

As Brandon tells host Grant Oliphant: “Change is hard,” and the coal industry “uses fear with incredible precision.”

He and the Coalfield Development family counter that fear with fact-based data, comprehensive job and life-skills programs, and—most of all—heartfelt dedication to the long-term health and economic well-being of the Appalachian communities they call home.

“Bridging divides is about human interaction,” Brandon says, “and when that happens, barriers go down.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Digital generosity platform GivingTuesday was created in 2012 to be, in her words, “an antidote to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the two days right after Thanksgiving that shamelessly celebrate mass consumption.”

Instead, Asha and co-founder Henry Timms envisioned a simple, open-source, customizable digital giving campaign that could help thousands of nonprofits raise funds in a unified day of giving.

Now, nearly a decade on, GivingTuesday (originally launched as part of New York City’s 92nd Street Y cultural center) has become a worldwide success, proving that Asha’s concept of what she calls “radical generosity” is more than simply a possibility—it is reality.

Born in India and raised on the Lower East Side of New York City with a uniquely non-linear life path, Asha brings a world of experience to her role as the CEO of GivingTuesday.

As Asha tells host Grant Oliphant: “I focus on things that I find interesting and meaningful, and I immerse myself deeply in them.”

Hear about her meaningful, ground-breaking work in digital generosity on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

The internationally renowned demographer and senior fellow in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute is acutely skilled at taking complicated data and helping us understand what it says about who we are and where we are going as a country.

William is also is a research professor with the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and Population Studies Center, has authored more than 200 publications, and has been a consultant to the U.S. Census Bureau. His work has been covered in dozens of media outlets, including The Economist, Forbes, The New Yorker, NPR’s “All Things Considered,” NBC, CBS, ABC, and The Washington Post.

His current research agenda involves examining 2020 U.S. census practices and results, tracking voting trends associated with the 2020 presidential primary and general election, and monitoring demographic aspects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Black and brown citizens, and an increasingly progressive young population will dominate spending power, population increases, and, eventually, the care of our older citizens,” William says of the latest census data.

Having this data is just the first step, however. “It will take political leadership—on both national and regional levels—to help educate us as to why this is so important, and why this is good for us.”

We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

One of the great anomalies of modern American society is the disconnect between the intellectual capital, innovation, and wealth creation associated with its leading research universities and the persistent challenges and inequality confronting the communities in which those centers of innovation reside.

There is a better way – one in which universities focus their research and problem-solving expertise on those challenges that surrounding communities identify as most urgent. It’s a way that includes deep and long-term partnerships between community representatives, universities and philanthropy.

Funded by The Heinz Endowments with its largest-ever single grant and guided by a committee of community leaders, the newly launched Center for Shared Prosperity at Carnegie Mellon University is creating a template for that better way. 

Illah is the K&L Gates Professor of Ethics and Computational Technologies at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute, the author of “Robot Futures,” and co-author of “AI and Humanity,” both from MIT Press. 

In addition to heading Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh, Raqueeb also leads Mama Africa’s Green Scouts, a grassroots organization that works with black youth in underserved communities to encourage awareness of green education, environmental sustainability and social justice.

Illah and Raqueeb share what they believe the Center for Shared Prosperity could mean for both the university and surrounding communities, and how other cities across the nation with major research institutions may use the initiative as a guide for systemic change.

“I see this as the opportunity for all of us to come together in a genuine, long-term way to make  permanent change in the structure of the system,” says Raqueeb.

Illah agrees: “I believe that we can be pioneers for justice together.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupa. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Our country has perpetuated structural race and class inequities for more than two centuries. But what if we could design cities – their structures, infrastructures and public spaces – in ways that lessen that inequity and foster a more just community?

Toni Griffin has been studying, teaching and putting into action this concept of “just cities” for the past decade, most notably with the Just City Lab, a research platform for developing community-informed and values-based planning methodologies and tools.

Toni is the co-editor of the 2020 book “Patterned Justice,” a fascinating look at the process communities can take in identifying the unique values, assets and opportunities that they can enlist in making their neighborhoods more just. Through her New York City-based UrbanAC consulting firm, she has led trans-disciplinary planning and urban design projects for clients in cities with long histories of spatial and social injustice.

In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Toni to the United States Commission of Fine Arts, and she is a trusted advisor of mayors and civic leaders in several cities, including Washington, D.C., Memphis, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Toni shares how she came to recognize patterns of injustice common in cities around the United States; what Pittsburgh’s porches, stairs and playgrounds can tell us about inequity; the importance of a common “patterned language”; and why we must consider how spaces affect our mind, body and soul when creating equity-centered city and neighborhood design.  

“Thoughtful, community-informed design,” Toni says, “can have a role in dismantling – and facilitating —  solutions to the physical, social, economic or environmental systems and structures that are at play in making our cities unjust.”

“We Can Be” is taking a brief break, and will return in the coming weeks with new episodes. Our podcast is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Trabian is a former vice president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, retired tech entrepreneur,  New York Times best-selling author of “Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading and Succeeding,” and – in his words – “a doting father of two brilliant, Black twin girls who will live in a better world that we are making together for them.” 

Throughout his impressive career, Trabian has considered how the assessments we make of others are often built on the inherently biased negative attributes that we perceive them to have, missing their positive traits and ignoring their enormous potential. 

Since 2013, he has guided BMe’s network of innovators, leaders and champions who invest in the promise of their communities. The success of BMe’s leadership fellowship program for Black men and women is proving the transformational power of asset framing, and has in the process helped more than 2 million families secure educational, economic, human rights, and health and wellness opportunities. 

Trabian shares with Grant the ways asset framing can inform the national dialogue on police violence against people of color, how John Legend’s contribution to “Reach” inspired him, and why he believes we can truly be a land of liberty and justice for all.

“I sincerely believe that we can embody and exemplify fully realized liberty and justice,” Trabian says. “We have a duty and responsibility to model the type of behavior that we want to see in the world.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

It has since been published in five languages, and as the Black Lives Matter movement swelled in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police this past spring, “White Fragility” again topped the bestseller lists.

Robin challenges us to consider the deeply embedded racism that many white people have, and the “white fragility” that they must overcome for substantial progress on personal and societal racism to happen.  

In recent months, she has been a sought-after guest on nearly every major network’s news programs, a culmination of her two decades of work as an educator, facilitator, consultant and anti-racism advocate.

Robin is much more than one book, though. She earned her doctorate in multicultural education from the University of Washington – where she earned tenure and is now an affiliate associate professor – and has written several other books, including 2012’s “Is Everyone Really Equal?” and 2016’s “What Does it Mean to Be White: Developing White Racial Literacy.”

She joins host Grant Oliphant for this episode of “We Can Be,” and shares the most puzzling reasons she hears from white activists about why they feel they aren’t racist; the ways white progressives unknowingly hinder our nation’s racial progress; and changes that need to happen in our criminal justice institutions.

“We don’t need to overhaul our criminal justice system,” Robin says. “We need to revolutionize it.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Gabriel Solis. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

D.S.’s art – and his work in mentoring and promoting other artists – is more vital now than ever. It is no secret that COVID-19 has hit the creative community with particular force, causing canceled exhibits and fundraisers, closing venues, and putting many arts education programs in jeopardy.

This, of course, is happening at the exact time when we need the unflinching honesty and beauty of art more than ever, and as the Black Lives Matter movement gains momentum and makes crystal-clear the inequities faced by Black and brown communities.

D.S. is the curator of #ACTIVISTprint, a collaborative public art program of The Andy Warhol Museum, and presents an ongoing digital assemblage of his own work through his #KINSELCOLLECTION on Instagram.

He brings a deep devotion to family and equity to his art, concentrating in the mediums of painting, public installations, and performance. A book about his work, “Totems, Shrines, & Sacraments: Street Sculptures by D.S. Kinsel,” was published earlier this year.

In this podcast episode, D.S. shares with host Grant Oliphant about whether he considers his work to be protest art, his connection to his hometown’s considerable art legacy, and why agitating with art is a vital part of society’s progression.

“How can people evolve,” D.S. asks, “without a bit of agitation?”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Photo credit: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Doing just that has been her life’s work, first as a lawyer who founded Oakland, California’s  Urban Strategies Council, where she pioneered new approaches to neighborhood revitalization, and later as senior vice president at The Rockefeller Foundation, where she headed their domestic and cultural programs.

She currently serves as Founder in Residence at PolicyLink, which has become one of the nation’s most respected policy and research entities. PolicyLink has been instrumental in building a potent broad-based movement for equity, engaging hundreds of partners in cities, suburbs, rural communities, and tribal lands across America.

Angela is co-author of “Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America’s Future,” and is an in-demand commentator for some of the nation’s top news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon and CNN. She is no stranger to podcasts either, having recently launched her own podcast, “Radical Imagination.”

Angela joins host Grant Oliphant to discuss The New York Times “Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations” op-ed she co-authored; her upbringing in racially segregated St. Louis, Missouri; the lasting influence of PolicyLink’s Equity Atlas; and what the concept of “radical imagination” means to her.

“Radical imagination is fueling change,” Angela says. “And when we embrace it, true and transformational solidarity is possible.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image courtesy of PolicyLink; photo credit, Peter DaSilva. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

While these are undeniably stark statistics, they are being addressed head on by Jacqueline Patterson, the senior director of the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Program., and coordinator & co-founder of Women of Color United. Jacqui joins host Grant Oliphant for this new episode of “We Can Be.”

As a nationally-respected expert in the field of environmental justice for black and brown people who heads the NAACP’s largest program, Jacqui brings attention and a demand for action to the intersection of human rights and the environment. Before joining the national office of the NAACP in 2009, she lent her considerable energy to advocacy work for women’s rights, those affected by HIV & AIDS, and racial and economic justice.

In this episode, she shares why poor environmental conditions adversely affect the basic civil and human rights of communities of color, including education, health, and housing, and create an endless loop of challenges – and opportunities for what she believes can be “transformational solutions.”

“The earth was designed divinely to give us all we need to live in great abundance,” Jacqui says. “If we do it right.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image courtesy of NAACP. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

David has been a steady force in some of the most front-and-center issues of our time – including cyber security, child and inmate safety, the battle against opioid abuse, and equity in the algorithms fueling our digital lives.

Nominated by President Barack Obama to be the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, he made national headlines in 2014 for indicting members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army for hacking into and stealing trade secrets from major corporations. Now, as the leader of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, he will help ensure the trillions of dollars the U.S. government has earmarked for COVID-19 relief are spent wisely and effectively.

The upcoming election has kept David’s cybersecurity work in the forefront of the national conversation. “If we can do our income taxes digitally, put our medical records online, or go to the moon on a cyber platform,” he says, “then surely we can find a way to safely vote on a cyber platform.”

David shares the grown-up book he read at age seven that spurred his lifelong devotion to fighting for the rights of the less-powerful; combating the often-inherent race bias involved in algorithms; facing being called a traitor by fellow Catholics for speaking up on behalf of children abused by church personnel; and the guiding tenet he has that drives his work: “When I get up in the morning, I still see myself as a civil rights advocate.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Credit for guest image above: University of Pittsburgh. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Valerie has penned “Harlem on Our Minds: Place, Race, and the Literacies of Urban Youth” and “Crossing Boundaries ― Teaching and Learning with Urban Youth,” and is the editor of the recently published compilation “Race, Justice, and Activism in Literacy Instruction.”

She is the Renée and Richard Goldman Dean of the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh, where she is the first female, African American dean in the school’s history.

Valerie currently serves as vice president of the National Council of Teachers of English, and prior to coming to the University of Pittsburgh, she served as the associate dean of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement at Ohio State University.

In this episode, Valerie shares personal history that has led her to dedicate her life to education, equity, human rights and justice; how the poet June Jordan came to inspire and move her; why abolitionist teaching has the potential to “restore humanity for all of our kids in school”; and the core belief that keeps her fighting for what’s right: “If we’re not innovating and agitating, we can’t possibly disrupt inequitable education systems.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Credit for guest image above: University of Pittsburgh/Aimee Obidzinski. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Regardless of climate science deniers, Jonathan says there is no contesting the reality of what we are facing. “Climate change is real,” he says. “Mother Nature is slapping us in the face about it.”

Jonathan earned his doctoral degree in atmospheric sciences from the University of Wisconsin, where he launched the Climate, People, and Environment Program and founded the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment.

He has served as the founding director of the Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota and as the executive director of the California Academy of Sciences, widely regarded as the greenest and most forward-thinking science museum on the planet.

Jonathan was honored with a 2014 Heinz Award in the environmental category, and in 2018 took the reigns as the executive director of San Francisco-based Project Drawdown, which bills itself as ““the world’s leading resource for climate solutions.”

Jonathan shares surprising facts about the history of climate change, why he believes the world-wide education of girls plays a key part in the future of the movement, and the invaluable advice his mother instilled in him about the importance of active listening: “You’re born with two ears and one mouth, and you should use them in that ratio.”

Listen to Jonathan’s honest, straight climate talk on this episode of “We Can Be.”

 “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image: Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“Putting judgments and preconceived conclusions aside, and being open to listening through the space of the other person or group’s lived experience can lead to a better sense of understanding,” Edgar says.  

He is president of the board of directors for Native Americans in Philanthropy, serves as vice president of programs and advocacy at the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and heads the consulting group Leverage Philanthropic Partners.

Edgar describes his experience growing up as a member of the Lumbee tribe in North Carolina; the systemic trauma his family and community have faced; the love he has for his mother, who set an indelible example about caring for others and our planet; and the key role the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s stand-off against the Dakota Access Pipeline had on sharpening his dedication to justice.  

He is not afraid to ask difficult questions of business, philanthropy, individuals and communities, and holds great hope for what we can become. “Once we un-learn messages that white is better and white is always right,” Edgar says, “we can begin to see that we are all related.”

 “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image above by Kisha Bari. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Tony began his journalism career covering pop culture, eventually serving as the Post-Gazette’s Pop Music and Culture Editor. He is a former editorial board member at the Post-Gazette, and is the current vice president of the board of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

He has modestly described himself as “a distracted former political science major,” but he is so much more than that.

Tony shares stories of his early days as a pop culture writer in the ‘90s, including the David Bowie/Nine Inch Nails show that changed his career; his reception as the Post-Gazette’s first Black columnist; and the column he wrote that most moved him – and cemented his decision to “always be on the side of the underdogs.”

The era we are living in “feels different than any other I’ve lived through, like positive change is possible,” Tony tells host Grant Oliphant. “We are seeing a revolution in attitudes.”

He is writer in a time when there is no shortage of things to write about, and his words are trying to help fuel the revolution toward justice.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme & incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Kurt Weber/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“Infinite Essence,” Mikael’s exhibition of large-scale photographs presenting glittering Black bodies as gorgeously ethereal universes, has moved audiences at every stop.

His recent book, “Limitless Africans,” featuring portraits of 50 LGBTQ+ individuals of African descent who are thriving around the world, is a best seller that has garnered rave reviews from NPR, VICE Media, and The New York Times.

Mikael tells “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant that when taking photographs, he aims to create a “space of freedom” between himself and the models, and hopes those viewing the finished images “both see and feel that freedom.”

As the Black Lives Matter movement turns into a powerful and visible global movement, Mikael’s art has taken on an even more profound significance, challenging old narratives about both Black and LGBTQ+ bodies, and making clear their power, dignity, and inherent beauty.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos; header image: "Sam," 2018, Mikael Owunna; ©Mikael Owunna. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

The world’s hopes of beating COVID-19 ride on the wide-spread availability and use of an effective vaccine, and Todd knows first-hand the push-back that doctors and communities may face. He gained national renown in 2017 when he posted a video on social media urging parents to vaccinate their children against the human papillomavirus, resulting in an aggressive, organized online attack from anti-vaccination activists from around the world.

In addition to his work with Shots Heard Round the World, Todd is CEO and president of Kids Plus Pediatrics; a 2016 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year; and for the past nine years he has been named one of America's Top Doctors by U.S. News & World Report.

He is an in-demand expert who speaks around the country on health issues related to children and their families, and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Time Magazine and The New York Times.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. You’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Emmai is CEO of the media production entity Ya Momz House, which has produced work for clients such as Wiz Khalifa, The Roots, Martha Stewart, and NBC. He serves on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and is a dedicated husband and father with an impressive social media presence.

His photography is front and center in his ongoing Optic Voices project, which has opened eyes to race relations, equity movements, oppression, homophobia and xenophobia. Emmai and his camera have been working especially hard during these past few months, creating a record of life during COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Emmai is a positive force who is using his art and voice to expose truths during historically trying times. Hear about the recent photo that moved him most, why “it’s OK to not be OK” during times like this, and what he’ll tell his kids when they ask, “What did you do?”

We’ll be back later this summer with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. You’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; guest image by Joshua Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Melding technology, logistics and civic engagement to fight hunger and promote sustainability, 412 Food Rescue has become the fastest-growing food recovery entity in the country, diverting more than 10 million pounds of perfectly good food from waste to organizations that help those who are food insecure.

Born in the Philippines and currently residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Leah earned her master’s degree in public policy from Carnegie Mellon University, where she holds the position of Entrepreneur in Residence. Leah and 412 Food Rescue have been featured in media pieces by NPR, Fast Company, Martha Stewart Living, and The Washington Post.

In addition to a 2020 Global Leadership Award from Vital Voices, an honor whose past winners include Hillary Rodham Clinton, Melinda Gates and Malala Yousafzai, Leah has received a 2019 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge award, given annually to five women from around the world who are advancing the United Nation’s sustainable development goals.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. You’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image courtesy of Vital Voices. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

A San Francisco Bay Area resident, John grew up in the rural dairy farm community of Glenn Falls, New York, and holds a doctorate in atmospheric science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s in chemistry from Harvard University.

A nationally respected expert in air quality data analysis, he has been with Boston-based Clean Air Task Force for more than a decade, working with his colleagues to help prevent catastrophic climate change by driving technology innovation, policy change, and realistic solutions.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. You’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

A bold voice for policy and practice changes that improve the well-being of children, Patrick was raised in Missouri and put down roots in Pittsburgh after earning his doctorate in European history from the University of Pittsburgh.

A teacher for nearly a decade before making the move into the policy world, Patrick served in prominent roles on both Pittsburgh’s school board and City Council. He is a nationally respected expert in the education realm, a role that comes naturally to this father of six.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. You’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org

Born in Cleveland Ohio and with family roots in Guatemala and Puerto Rico, where her parents are originally from, Monica has a master’s degree in social work with a focus on community organizing and social action. She fights for those facing deportation proceedings, and brings compassion and expertise to projects that help women, children and youth. In 2019, she received both the Women of Influence Award from the Pittsburgh Business Times, and the César Chávez Community Heroes Award.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. With several new episodes each week, you’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Andre is an internationally acclaimed voice on race and equity. He is a columnist for The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit news organization that specializes in in-depth education reporting, and his writing also regularly appears in The Nation, The New York Times and The Washington Post. His upcoming book is titled “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities” (Brookings Institution Press, May 19, 2020).

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. With several new episodes each week, you’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” series is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Jasiri X is leading 1Hood Media — a collective of socially conscious artists and activists who use art as a means of raising awareness about social justice issues — in its response to the COVID-19 crisis. He is the recipient of an “Artist as Activist” fellowship at the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Chicago Theological Seminary, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. also received an honorary doctorate.

We’ll be back later this year with the debut of Season 3 of “We Can Be,” but in the meantime, join host Grant Oliphant for “Stronger than This,” a special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19. With new episodes each week, you’ll hear from those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they share first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead. Recorded remotely and within social distancing guidelines — with a quick turnaround time from recording to release and minimal editing — these episodes give a unique, unvarnished opportunity for deeper insight into the current crisis.

The “Stronger than This” special series is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Joshua Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org

A civil rights activist, community organizer and former middle school teacher, DeRay came to national prominence as a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter Movement when he documented – and participated in – protests following the deaths of unarmed black men by police or in police custody in Ferguson, Missouri, and Baltimore, Maryland. 

With his one million twitter followers, a best-selling book (“On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope” on Penguin Random House), and his hit podcast “Pod Save the People,” DeRay, who also is co-founder of the police reform initiative Campaign Zero, is creating space for conversation and action.  He has harnessed the power of both traditional and digital media in enormously effective ways.

“Protest is speaking the truth out loud,” DeRay tells “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant. “The inconvenience that you feel sitting in traffic while protesters march is just a slice of the pain that a mother feels because she’ll never see her loved one again.”

DeRay shares the funny moment when his younger self first realized white people could be wrong, his experience as an out gay man in the civil rights movement, what the X-Men’s Storm imprinted on him, and the easily confused – but consequential - differences between justice and accountability.

“We are fighting for a world that we have not yet seen, but that we believe is possible,” DeRay says. “And I will never be afraid to tell the truth.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

A Pittsburgh native born into a challenging family environment, Andre learned early the importance of community, school and neighborly kindness in guiding youth like him toward realizing their full potential. A high school track and cross-country star, he says he used to run from the trouble that surrounded him growing up, but “now instead of running away from problems, I run toward them.”

Indeed, today Andre is an internationally acclaimed voice on race and equity. He is a columnist for The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit news organization that specializes in in-depth education reporting, and his writing also regularly appears in The Nation, The New York Times and The Washington Post. His upcoming book is titled “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities” (Brookings Institution Press, May 19, 2020).

Andre is particularly gifted at giving both the information and inspiration that individuals need to realize their true value. Drawing on his love for the late playwright August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running,” he says: “Know your worth and what you stand for. Know your price.”

In this episode, Andre speaks with host Grant Oliphant about inequitable development (“growth without inclusion is suppression”), the hard truth he brought to a twitter war between President Donald Trump and hip-hop megastar Jay-Z, and why his time with children of migrants became the most significant, career-shaping experience of his life.

Get both information and inspiration from Dr. Andre Perry in this episode of The Heinz Endowments’ “We Can Be” podcast.

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

“I want everyone to have that opportunity to feel that rush of joy and sense of belonging in nature.”

Started as a blog in 2009, Outdoor Afro quickly gained national attention, spreading across the country and garnering national attention and garnering media profiles of Rue on CNN and NPR, and in The Wall Street Journal, National Geographic, and – proving that she has definitely captured the zeitgeist – Oprah Magazine.

The success of Outdoor Afro gained Rue a seat in the organization of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative; a National Wildlife Federation’s Communication Award; and a 2019 Heinz Award in the environment category.

Host Grant Oliphant and Rue talk about the deeply rooted trauma that causes many African Americans to have an unconscious wariness of outdoor spaces; the time she says she “opened my mouth, and my life fell out;” and who she considers the “original outdoor afro.”

“Nature doesn’t judge anyone,” says Rue. “The outdoors is a refuge from all the ‘isms.’”

Experience the charismatic, thoughtful, joyful and – considering her infectious love of parks, trails and nature – appropriately named Rue Mapp on this episode of “We Can Be.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Phil has his father to thank for his sense of empathy, and his urge to give where it can be most impactful. An ardent social justice and worker’s rights activist, Phil’s father “sought to build relationships with people whose lives and experiences were vastly different from his, all in effort to understand them and create genuine connections.”

Those lessons became a cornerstone of Phil’s being, driving him to found The Center for Effective Philanthropy in 2001 and continue to serve as its president ever since. The center does research for many of the most-recognized names in the giving community, including Ford, Hewlett, MacArthur, Packard, and The Heinz Endowments.  His on-the-ground experience culminated in his 2019 book “Giving Done Right.”

Host Grant Oliphant’s conversation with Phil covers the “heart-versus-head conundrum” about giving that both individuals and philanthropies must wrestle with, the dangers of taking tainted money from donors with dubious – or worse – reputations, and why America’s nonprofit leaders are “our country’s unsung heroes.” 

 “We need to encourage givers to do their giving in a way that is not top down, that is not just about the pursuit of their own priorities,” Phil says. “Rather, give in ways that elevate the voices and opportunities of the most vulnerable.”

Phil has done his father proud. Hear why on this episode of “We Can Be.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Born and raised in southern Minnesota, Tim was a high school student body president who opposed the Vietnam War, and was drafted several weeks after graduation. He served in the area known as “Pinkville,” the location of two sites where American massacres of Vietnamese villagers occurred. 

“When my life collided with Vietnam, I realized not only that I wanted to write, but that I had to write,” Tim says of his tour of duty in the early ‘70s. “It was my way of relieving the pressure on my spirit and my dreams, and it became a live-saving thing.”

Tim’s proposition that we all carry things with us — whether physical or in our memories — that affect how we move through the world informs his writing, from short story compilation “If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home,” to novels “Going After Cacciato,” “Northern Lights,” and “The Things We Carried.” 

Tim talks with “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant about the joyous memory of his father that he still carries with him; the kinship he feels with Post-9/11 veterans; his work on the Pittsburgh-based hit television show “This is Us;” and the new collection of letters and prose he wrote for his young sons, “Dad’s Maybe Book.”

“We need to be open to the ‘maybe-ness’ of our lives,” Tim says. “Open to learning, to leaning toward decency, beauty and humility.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

At a 2016 family Thanksgiving dinner with five Syrian refugees who had recently resettled in Pittsburgh, Sloane realized something powerful was happening. She knew if she could help replicate the good vibes of that fellowship with other refugees and neighbors, both would be stronger for it. 

Sloane felt the immense power of that human-to-human interaction, and with that spark, Hello Neighbor was born.

“Just like any other family in America, refugees are just trying to get by, do right by their kids, thrive, survive, and find joy,” Sloane tells “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant. “One-on-one interaction helps make our similarities crystal-clear.”

She talks about her journey from popular blog writer and around-the-world volunteer to a Washington Post-profiled nonprofit founder. She also shares why the gift of growing up in the shadow of the iconic “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” television show still guides her life.

Sloane knows it won’t be easy, but she is steadfast in her hope and vision. “The other side isn’t resting,” she says. “So we can’t either.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes, and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Carmen details the moment he was blinded in his right eye – and the ensuing years of heartbreak and healing, including his return to Afghanistan and his decision to make Pittsburgh his base – in his 2018 book “Blindsided by the Taliban: A Journalist’s Story of War, Trauma, Love and Loss.”

In this conversation with “We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant, Carmen gives his frank, first-hand account of the true cost of our 18-year war in Afghanistan, why it’s considered un-American to question our military, and how he came to turn his efforts to reporting and producing stories that lift up innovators of the Rust Belt and Greater Appalachia through Postindustrial’s print and digital media outlets.

“I didn’t want this to be the defining moment for the rest of my life,” said Carmen about his injury in Afghanistan. “I knew I wanted to get back out there, and tell the stories that need to be told.”

Hear about his journey to tell the stories of our time in this episode of “We Can Be.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes, and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; incidental by music Giuseppi Capolupa. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

CEO of the media production entity Ya Momz House (a tribute to his own mother) and a centrifugal force of light and positivity, Emmai shares his story of homelessness; his early ‘90s hip-hop days with Pensoulzinakup; and how he’s built a career that has included working with The Roots, Dr. Maya Angelou, Solange Knowles and Common.

He’s giving back, too, empowering rising creatives through the youth-arts education and mentoring program Hip-Hop On L.O.C.K.; speaking out as an advocate for a living wage; and opening eyes to the Black Lives Matter movement, oppression, homophobia and xenophobia through his Optic Voices photography project.

“When I was down, I said ‘God, if you allow me to get on my feet, I’ll spend the rest of my life helping others get on their feet,’ ” Emmai recalls.

Experience Emmai’s energy, passion and light as he tells his story to host Grant Oliphant in this episode of “We Can Be.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, Itunes, and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Celebrated activist and academic Dr. Cornel West is professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University, the author of a number of bestsellers, a prominent pop culture figure, and a revered voice in the social justice realm.

Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana is a senior media fellow at the Harvard Law School-based think tank The Jamestown Project, and author of “The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture,” which is part of the curriculum at more than 100 universities nationwide.

“For young people who are activists, one of the most important things for them to remember is that they are fighting not only for themselves, but for generations to come,” says Mr. Kitwana. “We need to have a vision that allows us to dream of a world that is yet to come.”

“Every generation has to grapple with obsession with power, with a too-narrow definition of success,” says Dr. West. “We need a revolution in priorities.”

Listen today at heinz.org/podcast, or on leading podcast sites including Stitcher, Podbean, GooglePlay, iTunes, and Spotify.

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; guest images by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Celebrated activist and academic Dr. Cornel West is professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University, and the author of bestsellers such as “Race Matters” and “Black Prophetic Fire.” He has written a dozen more seminal works about modern civil rights issues and figures. He also is a prominent pop culture figure, with appearances in two “Matrix” movies, and is a favorite guest on a range of news programs.

Journalist, activist and political analyst Bakari Kitwana is a senior media fellow at the Harvard Law-based think tank The Jamestown Project, and author of “The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture,” which is part of the curriculum at more than 100 universities nationwide. His political commentary has been heard on CNN, FOX News, C-Span, PBS and NPR, and he has been a consultant for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“We are in a quagmire where wealth and inequality crush those who are struggling, and the structures we have in place to ensure that doesn’t happen are no longer working,” says Mr. Kitwana. “We can hope to luck our way out of it, but I think it is going to take more than that.”  

It is our young people that will give that “more,” says Dr. West. “On the ground, especially among the younger generation, we have more sensitivity and empathy than we’ve ever had in our country.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by  Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; guest images by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: contact Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

Born and raised in an Indian-Muslim family in central Pennsylvania, Wasi recalls his childhood home being pelted with mustard packets and paint bombs, and dynamite exploding their mailbox.

“It changes who you are at a very young age,” he says.

But the change it spurred in Wasi was to push forward with palpable positivity when interacting with others and to follow a calling to build bridges between disparate communities, first as executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, and currently addressing economic justice as Pittsburgh local director of community entrepreneurship with Forward Cities.  

Wasi speaks with refreshing candor about how he’s seen the United States’ “wheel of oppression” roll in his lifetime, how we can regain the grace that has been lost by racist narratives that program division into our national character, and why he believes we can, indeed, be “different but united.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupo. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

But Parkland students are organizing, speaking out, and reaching across boundaries to offer support to others who have survived or been affected by gun violence, including members of the Pittsburgh community still reeling from the attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue.

Recorded in the midst of a visit hosted by Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh's Center for Loving Kindness in conjunction with the teen service program J-Serve, Parkland students Adam Habona and Alyssa Fletcher share their journey to activism.

Alyssa was an organizer of the Parkland “March for Our Lives” rally, which grew to include 800 partner marches around the world and has been described as one of the biggest youth-led protests since the Vietnam War.

“Your heart beating means you have purpose in this world,” says Adam, who has traveled extensively to spread word about how “that day” rebooted his life forever.

Adam and Alyssa talk about how their faith – Muslim and Jewish, respectively – has fueled their anti-gun-violence activism, the intense bond they feel with students from Pittsburgh and Christchurch, New Zealand, and why, as Alyssa says, “We are not going away.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos.  Guest inquiries: Scott Roller sroller@heinz.org 

Dr. Chris Howard, president of Robert Morris University since 2015, grew up in Plano, Texas, the great-great-grandson of an enslaved man, and the son of parents who instilled in him the values of humility and service.

As a high school and United States Air Force Academy football star, Dr. Howard guided his teams to championships, and used those leadership skills in active duty tours in Afghanistan and Bosnia. Through it all, he credits a strong cohort of mentors as key to navigating his path.

“Mentoring is a form of service where you don’t have to be a billionaire to change someone’s life,” he says. “It’s empowering, and it’s an honor.”

In this episode of “We Can Be,” Dr. Howard discusses the “only-ness” of being the singular black student in fourth grade, the Zulu word that is his North Star, and why he is using his capital to speak up for veterans and gender equality.

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.

In the past decade, Pittsburgh’s historic East Liberty community has seen big-name tech companies set up shop in former warehouses, heated controversies ignited about affordable housing, and black-owned businesses priced out of their long-time locations. Steady through it all has been janera and the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, named for native sons/entertainment legends Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn.

In addition to her passion for bringing world-class art to her city and giving agency to often underrepresented voices, janera champions a belief in the power of art to address the big issues of our day. 

“If we’re going to make the case that our art – and our arts organizations - are important, they have to be more important than just for art’s sake,” says janera. “We have a responsibility to show up for all of the issues that are impacting our communities, and to bring all of our creativity, imagination and rigor to the table.”

Hear janera explain the role her immigration story plays in her artistic vision, the three things she believes today’s art world must consider, and how her mom taught her to look fear in the eye – all in this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin, with incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupo. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Guest inquiries: Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. 

So, Emily Collins did something about it, founding Fair Shake, the nation’s first nonprofit law firm devoted to providing environmental legal services regardless of the client’s ability to pay.

Hear about Emily's journey from the woods of her family’s Ohio homestead to the courtroom where she and the Fair Shake team work with individuals, community groups, nonprofit organizations and farmers to give them a fighting chance in their environmental battles.

And those battles have increasingly higher stakes, too. “I used to work on cases about impacts to one waterway,” Emily says. “Now, I find myself writing sentences like ‘the project will disturb 246 acres, resulting in impacts to 14 wetlands, one pond and 67 streams.’”

Emily shares the very first environmental “citation” she gave – she was in elementary school – and explains why she and her Fair Shake team have run and cycled thousands of miles on the land of those for whom they advocate.

“The environmental fights many are facing are not just David versus Goliath, but more like David versus two Goliaths,” Emily says.

Hear how Emily is helping even those astronomical odds in this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin, with incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupo. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Audio clips at marks 23:51 and 25:29 feature the voice of environmentalist and “Silent Spring” author Rachel Carson. For guest consideration, contact Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. 

“He was my youngest boy,” says Sybrina of her son Trayvon, the unarmed 17-year-old who was followed and shot to death in 2012 by a neighborhood watch coordinator for “looking suspicious” in a Sanford, Fla., gated community. “He loved aviation, Skittles, babies and his family. He was a regular kid.”

Recording artist-activist Jasiri X, who also is a father, remembers the moment he first heard about Trayvon’s death. “I was used to police killing us, but at that moment it felt like anyone could kill us and get away with it,” he says. “It felt like open season on black men and boys.”

In this episode of “We Can Be,” Sybrina shares her moving journey from grieving mother to author (“Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin”) and activist (The Trayvon Martin Foundation).

Her story has helped to inspire millions – including Jasiri X who wrote a song titled “Trayvon” - to speak up against gun violence, “stand your ground” laws and racial profiling.

In the wake of the killing of unarmed Pittsburgh teenager Antwon Rose II, voices like those of Sybrina Fulton and Jasiri X are more vital than ever.

“I speak for and from Trayvon Martin,” says Sybrina of her son, whose death sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. “I stand for the other mothers who cannot.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Incidental music by James Royce and Isaiah Small. Guest image by Josh Franzos.

“So many of the narratives about being black in America are ensconced in deep trauma,” says Damon. “And yes, we do deal with racism, oppression and structural inequality, but I hope my writing shares that there is also beauty, love, passion, and humanity in that experience, too.”

Damon shares his take on the role white privilege played in the killing of 17 year-old unarmed black teenager Antwon Rose II by a white former East Pittsburgh police officer, the conversation about homophobia he hopes is sparked by a chapter in his new book, and how systemic inequality has led him to experience the “hyper-cognizance” of his blackness.

Damon talks with host Grant Oliphant about why Hannah Gadsby’s Netflix comedy special “Nanette” is definitely in his “love” column, and whether having an infant son really means that he can “finally start respecting men as people.”

His writing is a seamless weaving of intelligence, humor and heartfelt empathy, not unlike the man himself. Experience the full spectrum of writer Damon Young on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest image by Josh Franzos. This episode contains adult language.

But that science fiction-inspired contribution to The Last Billboard art project – and the controversy its removal sparked – is but one brush stroke in an artistic career that has spanned nearly two decades and numerous continents.

“I don’t consider myself an activist,” Alisha says, “but my art is active.” It is indeed active – and vibrant – weaving family history, an archeologist’s sensibility, and a love of sci-fi into photographic, film, mural, performance and multi-dimensional works of art.

Learn how a Zora Neale Hurston book about the religious experience of post-emancipation African Americans, her brother’s Marvel comic obsession, and “The Walking Dead” AMC television show have all influenced the smart, moving, beautiful, and absolutely vital art of Alisha Wormsley.

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music by Josh Slifkin; incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupo. Guest image by Josh Franzos. Billboard image: thelastbillboard.com

Host Grant Oliphant speaks with the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s executive director, Brian Schreiber, and the Center for Loving Kindness and Civic Engagement’s Rabbi Ron Symons.

With the world’s focus on their community, Brian and Rabbi Ron were among those that did all they could to honor traditions and the lives lost in the hours after the tragedy. “We didn’t think about courage,” said Brian. “We just thought about doing the right thing.”

“A world where we don’t have to deal with this type of hatred is a world that is yet to be,” said Rabbi Ron. “But we have to do our best to try to get to that place, and we will have to be activists to make it happen.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments president Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music composed and performed by Josh Slifkin. Guest and header images by Josh Franzos.

Then, at 9:50 a.m., a lone gunman opened fire on worshipers at the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, killing 11 people in what would become the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in our nation’s history.

In this two-part episode, we will hear three distinct and moving perspectives of what happened that day and in the weeks that followed as the Jewish community, city and country persevered through grief, reckoned with reality, and found that random acts of beauty and unity are the new normal.

In part one, host Grant Oliphant speaks with Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh CEO Jeff Finkelstein.

The Jewish Federation has assisted Jewish people affected by traumatic events for more than 100 years, and Jeff shares heart-rending details of what he – and fellow Jewish leaders – did in the hours and days after the massacre at Tree of Life was thrust upon Pittsburgh.

“We know that, for those closest to the tragedy, the pain will last a lifetime,” Jeff said. “But we can’t turn away.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments President Grant Oliphant, and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme and incidental music composed and performed by Josh Slifkin. Guest and header image by Josh Franzos.

But this archetypal American story is different, too, and the Rev. Tim Smith is a big reason why. As CEO of Center of Life and pastor of Keystone Church of Hazelwood, Tim has a daily insight into the struggles, hope and beauty of those who are determined to keep the soul of their Pittsburgh neighborhood alive and thriving.

Tim sees the intricate interweaving of these individual lives — both their hard times and soaring happiness — blend together to form the fabric of a community he clearly loves. 

He talks about the single thing that most impacts kids’ lives today, the realization about his own life’s direction that “went all through” him, and why art and music may be key to tipping the scale of his community’s youth toward the good.

“If you want to stir up a community,” says Tim, “you have to be willing to be stirred by that community first.”

Be stirred by Tim’s steady passion and hear how the residents of his neighborhood are lifting the arc of their American story to new heights on this episode on “We Can Be.”

 “We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Additional music in this episode: "Precious," composed by Ben Clifton for Center of Life Jazz. 

Her answer: “Alcalde de San Juan” – the mayor of San Juan.

She did indeed grow up to be the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the certainty she exuded as a small child flourished into a strong, confident voice.

Yulin showed the world that voice – and came to international prominence - as a tenacious advocate for her city when the government’s relief efforts during the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria proved devastatingly lacking.

Yulin is not afraid to use her voice to call out injustice when she sees it. “That is what power is about,” she says. “It is about ensuring that we all have access to the things that can help us transform our lives.”

She uses her position and power to speak out when the vulnerable are in need, and is making strides as a proponent of green energy policy that just might make Puerto Rico an example of equitable sustainability for the United States and the world.

Hear her story and experience the refreshing honesty that is Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on this episode of “We Can Be.”

 “We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

That baby grew up to be lauded hip-hop artist and activist Jasiri X.

As a co-founder of 1Hood Media, a collective of socially conscious activists who utilize art to raise awareness about social justice matters, Jasiri X is fostering a new generation of artists and media professionals who use their voices to challenge inequity and unify humanity.

He has raised his own voice by writing and performing songs like “The Whitest House,” “Strange Fruit” and “Song for Trayvon,” and is never afraid to speak truth to the most pressing social issues of our time. For his artistic activism, Jasiri X was awarded a prestigious 2016 Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the Chicago Theological Society, the same institution from which the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. received an honorary doctorate nearly 60 years prior.

Jasiri X has been part of recent movements in support of union rights, humane treatment of immigrants and their families, and justice for Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American youth who was shot to death in Florida by a neighborhood watch volunteer. Most recently, Jasiri X has emerged as a passionate leader in an ongoing series of protests in response to the shooting of unarmed black teenager Antwon Rose Jr. by a white officer in East Pittsburgh, a suburb of the City of Pittsburgh.

“Tragedy is bringing together communities from a cross-section of collective unity like we’ve never seen before,” says Jasiri X, “and that is a hopeful sign.”

Hear how Jasiri X is opening eyes and changing minds one rhyme at a time on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin and Akil Esoon.

“I was waiting on someone to knock on my door and tell me what to do, to explain how I could help,” says Lois of the early days of revelations about the infamous Love Canal dump.

“But no one ever came to my door. So I did something on my own.”

Her persistent activism led to passage of the “Superfund” toxic waste site cleanup legislation. Lois went on to found the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, which has helped more than 10,000 grassroots organizations with technical, organizational or environmental education.

She appears in the 2018 HBO movie Atomic Homeland and was named a “top environmentalist of the past century” by Newsweek magazine. She has been honored with a Heinz Award and the Goldman Prize for her groundbreaking environmental work.

On this 40th anniversary of the Love Canal tragedy, Lois shares how she dealt with being called “a hysterical mother with a sickly child," shares the moment she most clearly saw democracy at its best and the key to success for today’s environmental activists.

"Average people and the average community can change the world,” Lois says.

Hear how she did it - and how you can, too - on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Known as “Dr. Mona,” the pediatrician came to national prominence for exposing the water crisis in Flint, Mich., caused by high lead levels, and standing up to government officials who tried to downplay the seriousness of the contamination. In the aftermath, she become a passionate voice for speaking out against what she – and many others – have accurately termed “environmental racism.”

“We know what lead does to our kids,” she says, “and it affects our most vulnerable children, be it in Flint, or Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philly or Baltimore or Chicago.”

Rachel Maddow has called Dr. Mona a “badass” for her unwavering commitment to the people of Flint, and she is the recipient a Heinz Award for her work in public policy. The author of “What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City,” she was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.”

Dr. Mona shares her journey as the child of Iraqi scientists and dissidents who fled Saddam Hussein’s regime, and describes the moment the magnitude of Flint’s water crisis fully hit her and why speaking up was “a choice-less choice.”

Hear the story behind one of the most passionate public health advocates of our time, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkindental music by Josh Slifkin.

A single sentence. A mere 45 words.

Those 45 words are the entirety of the First Amendment found in our Bill of Rights, and they have been a powerful cornerstone of our identity and our democracy.

“We Can Be” guest Max King has earned his spot as a nationally respected voice on First Amendment issues, which first drew his interest in the pre-social media days of the late ‘70s to late ‘90s when he was a reporter and eventually the editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Years later, his tenure as head of The Heinz Endowments and his current position as president and CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation gave Max keen insight as to how challenges to First Amendment rights play out in the real lives of individuals.

“To me, freedom of the press, of speech and assembly, and all of the rest of the rights of the First Amendment are the lynch pin for all of our other freedoms,” says Max. “Today so many individuals question if they have a meaningful stake in our society that they are willing to trade to away freedoms in order to feel agency.”

Daily scans of news headlines make clear that the First Amendment issues Max speaks of are undeniably threatened in today’s political climate. From misinformed complaints about NFL protests meant to draw attention police brutality against black Americans to relentless attacks on a free press by those occupying the White House, First Amendment concerns are ever-present in our lives.

In this episode of “We Can Be,” Max talks with Heinz Endowments president and podcast host Grant Oliphant about what he believes to be the underlying cause of the deep divisions that fuel these threats, the reason the First Amendment matters in our everyday lives, and the role we each have in keeping this backbone of our democracy alive and well.

“We Can Be” is produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

As winter 2017 lingered on, Mustafa resigned from the EPA when deep cuts in budget and staff were being proposed. He cited concerns about the dedication of the agency’s new leadership to environmental justice in poor and minority communities. “The shielding of vulnerable communities and minority neighborhoods from the effects of pollution is a crucial function of the EPA,” Mustafa wrote in his resignation letter. 

Mustafa’s exuberance for environmental justice has not ceased, however; it is simply redirected in a powerful new way. He’s now a senior vice president with the Hip Hop Caucus, a national, nonprofit and non-partisan organization that connects the hip-hop community to the civic process. He leads the organization’s Climate, Environmental Justice & Community Revitalization programs with unrelenting positivity, style and focused energy.

In this episode of “We Can Be,” Mustafa speaks with particular passion about the Hip Hop Caucus’ “Respect My Vote” campaign and explains why it’s critical that environmental issues be approached holistically.

“Environmental issues are also transportation issues — and housing issues, health issues and workforce issues,” he says.

While at the EPA, Mustafa worked with more than 500 domestic and international communities in his efforts to improve people’s lives by addressing environmental, health, and economic justice issues. Today, using a digital platform, he’s reaching countless more through the Hip Hop Caucus.

Two decades of indefatigable environmental justice work?

No problem. Mustafa is just getting started.

Don’t miss Mustafa Santiago Ali on a spirited episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

The Category 4 storm wreaked havoc on Louisiana, Nicaragua, Honduras and Belize, saving its most brutal impact for Houston, Texas. The number who died reached 107, and the storm caused an astounding $125 billion in damage, affecting13 million people in Texas and the other southern Gulf States. At one point during the aftermath, one third of Houston was underwater.

As response efforts for the hurricane reached a crisis point, Angela was asked to step in – and did so to universal acclaim. In under 24 hours, she arranged shelter for 10,000, including in the plan a cohort of interpreters in 24 languages to ensure that all would be welcomed and assisted.

“I always have to break the news to people that this ain’t heaven. This is earth,” she says of the inevitable and inescapable rough times that life brings. “And when Harvey happened, we really, really needed each other.”

Thankfully, connecting those in need with those who can help is Angela’s thing.  

Angela has been a longtime storm-force gale of positivity in Houston, spending more than two decades leading BakerRipley, which provides $250 million annually toward services that make life better for residents of the Texas Gulf Coast. The 108-year old nonprofit, formerly known as Neighborhood Centers, serves half a million individuals annually in 70 sites across Houston and beyond. Angela served as Social Entrepreneur in Residence at Brown University’s Swearer Center in spring 2018, and was honored as the recipient of the 22nd Heinz Award in the Human Condition category in 2017. 

Angela’s dedication comes from a deep well of personal history, and she remembers those who tried to shame her family for being poor when she was a kid.  The experience gave her an intense belief that there is always more to the story, and all deserve respect and a chance to achieve the life they imagine.

Named one of Fast Company magazine’s 1,000 most creative people in business, Angela is compassionate, smart, funny — and has one of the sharpest twitter feeds around. Hear her story on this engaging, moving episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkindental music by Josh Slifkin.

But the ubiquitous connectivity of our world today is allowing something altogether new to occur, and makes possible an extraordinarily different kind of power: people-centric, participatory-focused and spreading with lightning-fast speed.

“If you are able to harness this new power, you are likely to come out on top,” says Henry Timms, co-author, with Jeremy Heimans, of “New Power: How Power Works in Our Hyperconnected World — and How to Make It Work for You.”

As executive director of the historic 92nd Street Y cultural and community center in New York City, Henry is a passionate believer in the new power distribution that technology allows. The 92nd Street Y serves 300,000 visitors each year, and garners millions of online interactions. Partnering with the United Nations Foundation in 2012, Henry founded #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving fueled by social media and collaboration. To date, it has raised more than $300 million for organizations, charities and events, and made nearly 22 billion online impressions.

“We Can Be” host Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments, asks what old power — large institutions, bureaucracies and top-down structures — gets wrong, and if it can peacefully co-exist with the new power paradigm that Henry espouses.

Henry’s answers may surprise you, and he is crystal-clear on what’s really at stake: “New power is becoming the essential skill of the 21st century,” he says. “Those that can harness the energy of the connected crowd and create opportunities for people to engage on their own terms will win.”

Henry dives into how the Parkland survivors, the Me Too movement, Local Motors and Black Lives Matter have gotten it right and why our most challenging task may be figuring out how — or if — we can ensure this new power is used for good. “Those on the side of the angels need to get mobilized,” Henry says. “And I mean quickly.”

On this episode of “We Can Be,” learn about this new power: how to get it, why it’s changing our hyper-connected world and why we should be hopeful about what it can do.

“We Can Be” is produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin. "New Power" is published by Doubleday, and is also available from Random House Large Print and Penguin Random House Audio. 

And he loved it.

That camaraderie etched into his mind, and it is part of what guided him to found a building trades program that trains men and women — many of whom have been incarcerated — in fields that enable them to make a living wage while resetting their lives. His own journey to leadership included some bricks in the road — some boulders, really — and he repays the second chance that he got by making sure others can start again, too.

Steve founded the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh in 2009, and in this episode of “We Can Be,” he shares his story of what came before, and what ingrained the deep sense of empathy and toughness within him that infuses all he does as TIP’s executive director.

While there is an emotional and very human side to his work, there are also impressive cut-and-dry numbers: TIP has saved taxpayers an estimated $10 million dollars by reducing recidivism, has a 94 percent program graduation rate, and has placed more than 300 individuals in jobs at or above a living wage.

Steve also draws on memories of his own personal battles in the mid-1990s that changed him forever. “Those times imprinted on my mind the importance of second chances,” he says.

Because he prevailed and launched TIP, a few years ago he found himself leading a crew working on the restoration of August Wilson’s childhood home. That he and his team were playing a role in preserving the history of the man who so eloquently wrote about the lives, challenges and triumphs of working people was not lost on them. “Have a belief in yourself that is bigger than anyone's disbelief,” the Pulitzer-Prize-winning playwright once said.

Steve found that earth-shifting belief in himself, and has dedicated his life to making certain others can, too.

Hear his story on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries: please contact Scott Roller sroller@heinz.org. 

His journey has taken some eye-opening turns — including a 2014 arrest for standing up for living wages — as he has become an outspoken voice on social justice issues, including race relations, gun violence, and immigrant and refugee causes.

Rabbi Symons believes we imperil our future if we ignore our past, and points to a 225-year-old speech by a U.S. Founding Father that he feels speaks to today’s “two Americas.” “We have a responsibility to listen to each other,” he says. “Just because we differ, it doesn’t mean we have to demonize the opposition.”

He also describes to “We Can Be” host and Endowments President Grant Oliphant why it’s critical that we keep learning at all ages, how a childhood event sparked empathy in him, and why in today’s political atmosphere we must be consciously vigilant in ensuring that our moral compasses are not spinning out of control.

Rabbi Symons is clear in his belief that we have more similarities than we have differences, and therein may lie the secret to advancing a more equitable society. Life “is a people-to-people experiment,” he says. “We share the same stories, but with different scripts.”

Hear Rabbi Ron Symon’s story of hope and the world-altering power of community — plus a “Game of Thrones” tale that brings a new perspective to our fascination with walls — on this episode of “We Can Be.”

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin. Guest booking information: Scott Roller sroller@heinz.org. 

“What I do is fundamentally about empowerment,” says Illah, “and I believe technology should always be used for good.”

Robotics and artificial intelligence have enormous capacity for adversely affecting our humanity — the “echo chamber” of internet searches and robotic weapons come to mind — but Illah is an unwavering force in advancing technology that makes our world healthier, safer and more equitable. 

A celebrated author — “Robot Futures” and “Parenting for Technology Futures” are his most recent books — and captivating speaker, Illah is candid about the role international politics has played in his life, most notably the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, and how it formed his deep sense of empathy. He also describes the moving way a family in Uganda tried to repay him and the CREATE Lab team for improving their home’s air quality.

Along the way, Illah shares why a simple question about a Frisbee can reveal the limitations of Siri, what he believes is the most important thing humans should strive to preserve, and how a childhood decision between “Herbie the Love Bug” and “Star Wars” triggered his galactically cool career path.

Illah - recently named to a K&L Gates Professorship in Ethics and Computational Technologies at CMU -  is as smart as the universe is wide, funny and kind, and he is using his superpowers for the betterment of humanity.

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Then it all went wrong.

As a third-grader, Tammy saw her family’s high hopes and financial stability crumble in ways that still affect them today. But she now heads an arm of national anti-poverty group Circles and is the producer of the documentary film We Wear the Mask: the Hidden Faces of Women in Poverty. She is an undeniable success story, and she spreads knowledge, hope and love to everyone with whom she comes in contact.

The trauma of poverty — and the strength from rising out of it — informs all that Tammy does. Her story is very much an American story. It’s a story of loading into the family car and chasing after the promise of a better life only to find it is just the beginning of an even rougher road. And then, against unfathomable odds, overcoming the impossibly difficult circumstances.

Tammy is upbeat, smart and brings energy and empathy to all who come into her own circle. Don’t miss the story of her journey, her perhaps surprising thoughts on gentrification, and her belief that going “beyond survival into ‘thrival’ ” should — and must — be our goal.

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

In this conversation, he shares why Emma González is the future, tackles the role of race in our country’s drug epidemic, and is clear on why understanding the difference between “old” and “elder” is key to our progress on the arc of justice. Named one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims by the Royal Strategic Islamic Center, he is smart, funny and hopeful – and he’s making a difference in how many perceive Muslims in the world today.

From his Catholic upbringing in Brooklyn to his present-day youth leadership in the Muslim community in Pittsburgh – with stops along the way as a drug dealer with his own apartment by age 18, and in rap duo M-Team with brother Suliman – Hamza has made defying perceptions his life’s work.

Hamza’s route from a Puerto Rican Catholic family to a Muslim leader in the Mid-Atlantic has been one with many turns, and that is just what makes him – and his work – so engaging. His life thus far has been about overcoming perceptions – of what he could become, where he could go, what he should believe – of family, friends and in some instances a suspicious and hostile world. Hamza is the subject of a PBS film New Muslim Cool, and he is a positive and hopeful force in our world.

“We Can Be” is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Having grown up in August Wilson’s hometown, when Burley Wilson read his plays she recognized the locales he wrote about as places where her extended family lived and thrived. As Janis herself says, that she grew up in the world-renowned playwright's hometown and now leads his namesake Center is “fascinating and amazing.”

The building itself – a soaring, modern yet accessible ship-like structure that rises skyward from the street – has a history with as many twists, turns and emotional peaks and valleys as one of Mr. Wilson’s plays. After opening to grand acclaim in 2009, five years later it was nearly lost to developers after serious financial difficulties. Now on steady ground, the Center is poised to fulfill its promise as an internationally prominent space for African-American arts.

This episode of We Can Be blends Ms. Burley Wilson's words, Mr. Wilson’s lyrical text, and the wondorous thoughts of young people experiencing the spectacular architecture of the August Wilson Center. Burley Wilson recalls a childhood memory that nearly all of us share: hearing music through the walls and down the hall after we’ve gone to bed at night. For Ms. Burley Wilson, though, that music helped set her inner compass on a path that led her to a life’s work that helps ensure generations to come will know the depth and richness of African American culture.

We Can Be is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by James Royce.

For guest inquiries, please contact Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org. 

While today’s immigrants encounter many of the same biases and obstacles that their predecessors faced, they have a champion in Change Agency Founder and Director Betty Cruz. Ms. Cruz joins The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant in a conversation about what it means to truly be a nation, a community, of We.

Our nation, our cities, our neighborhoods were founded and fueled by the minds, dreams, art and hard work of immigrants, yet the climate for immigrants today is perhaps the most challenging it has been for decades. The national debate over DACA (Deferred Action Childhood Arrival) and migrant caravans in Mexico have brought immigrant issues to the forefront of the national conversation. 

It is out of this atmosphere - and a belief in the value and agency of every human being - that Change Agency was born. Cruz shares why Change Agency's time is now, how she finds hope in challenging times, the stories modern day immigrants and what she’s learned about herself through her own journey from Miami to the Midwest.

We Can Be is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Veronica Coptis tells her story of being born in Pittsburgh, leaving for rural Greene County in the southwestern-most corner of Pennsylvania when she was in the third grade, and finding a love of the outdoors that to this day fuels her passion for her work as Executive Director of the Center for Coalfield Justice.

Coptis has gained national attention for her work - including a The New Yorker magazine feature "The Future of Coal Country" and speaking engagements like the p4 2018 conference - but is dedicated first and foremost to her beloved Greene County.

Coptis knows it’s a tough sell, but her family raised her to be strong and thoughtful, and with a deep respect for her community she makes a compelling case for holding coal companies accountable. 

We Can Be is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Actor (Wedding Crashers, Ghost Whisperer, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and writer (Pittsburgh Magazine columnist) David Conrad splits his time among a diverse slate of places - Los Angeles, New York City, London and Braddock, Pa., and talks about what made him realize his place, how the identity of a place can change and why knowing a place’s history is the key to its future.

Through his travels David has seen firsthand how the identity of a place – a town, city, state or country – is affected by the culture and history of its people. He shares how that identity can affect how we see ourselves, each other and the world, and its role in forming our politics.

We Can Be is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin. For guest consideration, please contact Scott Roller at sroller.heinz.org. 

As Executive Director of PublicSource, Mila believes in the power of ideas, words and stories to change our brain chemistry and the character of our interactions with each other and the world.

Hear her stories of childhood entrepreneurship selling candy on the street in Kazakhstan, the threats against her family during her first reporting job, and how her belief in giving the power of voice to those most affected by a divisive public dialogue keeps her energized.

PublicSource is a non-partisan, nonprofit, digital-first media organization founded in 2011 and dedicated to public service journalism.

We Can Be is hosted by The Heinz Endowments’ Grant Oliphant and produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media. Theme music is composed by John Dziuban, with incidental music by Josh Slifkin.

Learn about the misconceptions that post-9/11 veterans face, the culture shock they experience when returning home and why saying "thank you for your service" can be discomforting for them. Grimes details his evolution from being a young evangelical conservative from Mobile, Ala., to the open-minded director of The Veterans Breakfast Club's Post-9/11 Veterans Storytelling Project and an advocate for continuing to strive for a "more perfect union."  

The Veterans Breakfast Club has gained national attention for its work in creating communities of listening around veterans and their stories to ensure their living history will never be forgotten.