11.26.25 NPC

Pittsburgh Courier Pittsburgh

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Second Avenue Com-

mons in Downtown Pittsburgh was buzzing on Thursday, Nov. 20, one week before Thanksgiv-

by Rob Taylor Jr.

Courier Staff Writer

One

ing, because the men and women of REACH did what they do best; "reaching" out to the community. They reached out to the less fortunate population that calls Second Avenue Commons home, and

about 100 residents and others nearby were served a hearty hot meal by members of the REACH team. A meal that easily would have cost at least $20 anywhere else was provided at no cost. It's

the third year in a row the REACH team has provided free meals to those less fortunate. "This makes me feel fantastic as a human being, to be able to give back to people less fortunate than

myself," said REACH Program Manager Antoine Bailey, Nov. 20. "Doing things like this really touched my heart." REACH is a faction that came from Rev. Glenn Grayson Sr.'s "The Cen-

ter That Cares" initiative. REACH has partnered with City of Pittsburgh community engagement officers to better identify threats of violence and

by Stacy M. Brown Black Press USA

There are moments in American life when truth steps forward and refuses to be convenient. MacKenzie Scott has chosen such a moment. As political forces move to strip diversity from classrooms, silence Black scholarship, and erase equity from public life, she has gone in the opposite direction. She has invested her wealth in the communities this country has spent centuries trying to marginalize. Her most recent gifts to historically Black colleges and universities have surpassed $400 million this year alone. These are not gestures. They are declarations. They say that the education of Black students is not optional, not expendable, and not dependent on the approval of those who fear what an educated Black citizenry represents.

And she is not the only woman doing what America’s institutions have refused to do. Melinda French Gates has invested billions in supporting women and girls worldwide, ensuring that those whose rights are most fragile receive the most assistance. At a time when this nation tries to erase Black history and restrict the rights of women, two White women, once married to two of the richest White men in the world, have made clear where they stand. They have said, through their giving, that marginalized people deserve not just acknowledgment but investment.

At Prairie View A and M University, Scott’s $63 million gift became the largest in the institution’s 149-year history. “This gift

is more than generous. It is defining and affirming,” President Tomikia P. LeGrande said. “MacKenzie Scott’s investment amplifies the power and promise of Prairie View A and M University.” The university said it plans to strengthen scholarships, expand faculty research, and support critical programs in artificial intelligence, public health, agricultural sustainability, and cybersecurity.

Howard University received an $80 million donation that leaders described as transformative.

“On behalf of the entire Howard University community, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her extraordinary generosity and steadfast belief in Howard University’s mission,” Wayne A. I. Frederick said. The gift will support student aid, infrastructure, and key expansions in academic and medical research.

Elsewhere, the impact ripples outward. Voorhees University received the most significant gift in its 128-year history. Norfolk State, Morgan State, Spelman, Winston-Salem State, Virginia State, Alcorn State, and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore all confirmed contributions that will reshape their futures. Bowie State University received $50 million, also a historic mark. “We are profoundly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her visionary commitment to education and equity,” President Aminta Breaux said. “The gift empowers us to expand access and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve, and innovate.”

These gifts arrive at a moment when America attempts to revise its own memory. Curriculum bans seek to remove Black history from classrooms. Political movements claim that diversity is dangerous. Women’s contributions are minimized. And institutions that have served Black communities for more than a century must withstand both political hostility and finan-

This Week In Black History A Courier Staple

• NOVEMBER 26

1873—Macon B. Allen is elected a judge in Charleston, S.C. Allen holds the distinction of being America’s first Black lawyer having been admitted to the bar in Massachusetts on March 5, 1845. During Reconstruction he decided to aid the former slaves in the South by moving to South Carolina and running for judge.

1883—Sojourner Truth dies at her home in Battle Creek, Mich. Truth was a major figure in the abolition movement fighting long and hard to bring an end to the dreaded institution. After slavery, she became a major voice for Black rights and women’s right to vote.

1895—The National Negro Medical Association is founded . It is now called the National Medical Association and has a membership including 25,000 doctors and health care providers.

1938— Grammy Award-winning singer Tina Turner is born Annie Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tenn. She (along with her husband, Ike) reaches stardom among R&B music lovers. But after a divorce, she restyles herself and captures an even broader audience.

1970—Benjamin O. Davis Sr. , the nation’s first Black general, dies at his home in Chicago.

boat” and “Emperor Jones.” In 1991, the first President Bush awarded her the National Medal of Arts. She died Oct. 29, 1994. 1961—Freedom Riders are attacked by a White mob in McComb, Miss. This was just one of numerous such attacks throughout the South. The Freedom Rides were part of a campaign against segregation in interstate travel following a 1960 Supreme Court decision declaring all such segregation on buses and illegal.

• NOVEMBER 30

1912— Legendary filmmaker and photographer Gordon Parks is born in Fort Scott, Kan. In addition to his pioneering work in film and photography, Parks wrote 12 books and authored a ballet entitled “Martin” in honor of civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1924— Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm is born in Brooklyn, N.Y. Chisholm became the leading Black female politician in America. She served in the New York State Assembly, the United States Congress and ran for the Democratic Party nomination for president in 1972. Chisholm died on Jan. 1, 2005.

• DECEMBER 1

cial neglect. Scott’s philanthropy does not simply counter these forces. It exposes them. It asserts that Black students, Black institutions, and Black futures deserve resources commensurate with their brilliance. It declares that women’s leadership is not marginal but central to the fight for justice.

This is where the mission of the Black Press becomes intertwined with the story unfolding. For nearly two centuries, the Black Press of America has chronicled the truth of Black life. It has told the stories that others refused to tell, preserved the history that others attempted to bury, and spoken truths that others feared. The National Newspaper Publishers Association, representing more than 200 Black and women-owned newspapers and media companies, continues that mission today despite financial threats that jeopardize independent Black journalism.

Like the HBCUs Scott uplifts, the Black Press has always been more than a collection of institutions. It is a safeguard. It is a mirror. It is the memory of a people whose presence in this nation has been met with both hostility and unimaginable strength. It survives not because it is funded but because it is essential.

Scott’s giving suggests an understanding of this. She has aligned herself with institutions that protect truth, expand opportunity, and preserve the stories this country tries to erase. She has chosen the side of history that refuses to be silent.

“When Bowie State thrives,” declared Brent Swinton, the university’s vice president of Philanthropic Engagement, “our tight-knit community of alumni, families, and partners across the region and beyond thrives with us.”

THE COURIER ISN’T JUST A NEWSPAPER. IT’S BLACK HISTORY.

1970—Charles Gordone receives the Pulitzer Prize for his play “No Place To Be Somebody.”

• NOVEMBER 27

1895— Novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas [Jr. or fils] dies in France. He was the son of the much more famous Alexandre Dumas [Sr.] who authored such works as “The Three Musketeers” and “The Count De Monte Cristo.” However, “junior” was also an accomplished novelist with his most famous work being “La Dame Aux Camelias.” When confronted with French racism, Dumas is frequently quoted as telling his detractors, “My father was a Creole, his father a Negro, and his father a monkey. My family, it seems, begins where yours left off.”

1942— Rock musician Jimi Hendrix is born in Seattle, Wash. Hendrix is considered one of the greatest guitarists to have ever played. Unfortunately, he died of a drug overdose while on tour in Europe.

• NOVEMBER 28

1753— Revolutionary War soldier James Robinson is born in Maryland. Historically, like “40 acres and a mule,” Robinson epitomizes the White man’s false promises to the Black man. Robinson, a slave, was promised his freedom for fighting in America’s War of Independence from Britain. He fought so well that he won a medal for bravery at the Battle of Yorktown. However, after the war he was sold back into slavery. But he did live to see the end of slavery. He died in Detroit, Mich., in 1868.

1929—Berry Gordy is born in Detroit, Mich. He founded Motown Records in 1957 and built it into the greatest Black-owned record company in U.S. history. It was later sold to a major White-owned corporation and is now based in Los Angeles, Calif.

1960—Richard Wright , perhaps Black America’s greatest novelist, dies in Paris, France. He was only 52. Wright’s best known works included “Native Son,” “Black Power” and “Black Boy.” Wright’s opposition to American racism led him to join the communist party. He later quit. But he refused to return to America in 1952 as the country was going through an anti-communist witch hunt.

1961—Ernie Davis becomes the first Black man to win college football’s prestigious Heisman Trophy.

1997—Coleman Young , Detroit’s first Black mayor, dies at 79. He presided over his adopted city for an unprecedented five terms.

• NOVEMBER 29

1780— After initial racist opposition, especially in the South, Blacks are welcomed into the Continental Army to help fight for American independence from Britain. The move was also prompted by British actions. The Americans were losing to the British, the British had launched their Southern campaign and were promising Blacks freedom if they joined the British side. Overall, an estimated 5,000 Blacks fought in America’s war for independence. However, some Blacks did fight for the British.

1908—Adam Clayton Powell Jr. is born in New Haven, Conn. He would follow his father as head of Harlem, New York’s, powerful Abyssinian Baptist Church. He was also elected to Congress in 1945 and was a major force in the Civil Rights Movement. Powell died on April 4, 1972.

1919—Legendary dancer Pearl Primus is born in Trinidad, but she is raised in New York City. She blended African and Caribbean dance and music with Black American traditions of Blues, Jazz and the jitterbug to form a new vibrant dance form. She formed a dance troupe and she personally appeared in such early Broadway hits as “Show -

1641— U.S. (then British) colonies began legalizing slavery. On this day, Massachusetts became the first colony to do so. Other colonies followed suit. Ironically, Massachusetts was also the first state to outlaw slavery as a result of a 1783 State Supreme Court ruling.

1774— In another compromise measure that characterized the legal struggle against slavery in America, the Continental Congress approves a measure banning the further importation of slaves into the country However, slavery itself remained legal. Plus, it was common for slave ships to violate the ban.

1877— Judge Jonathan Jasper Wright resigns. Wright had been the first Black state Supreme Court judge. However, he resigned on this day (out of possible fear for his life) as the Reconstruction era ended White racists were reasserting control over Southern politics and law. While on the South Carolina Supreme Court, Wright wrote 87 opinions which were noted for “clear thinking and a solid basis in common law.”

1878—Arthur Spingarn is born. He, along with his brother Joel, was one of the principal early organizers of the NAACP. At one point, he headed both the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. His contribution to the group was primarily in the areas of law and contacts to liberal, politically well-connected Whites.

• DECEMBER 2

1859—John Brown , one of the leading White heroes of Black history, is hanged near Harpers Ferry, Va. He was a tireless crusader against slavery. His activities ranged from working in the secretive “Underground Railroad,” which helped Blacks escape slavery to attacking slave owners who wanted to expand slavery outside of the South. Brown’s frustration, with the slow pace of efforts to abolish slavery, led him to attempt to incite a violent slave revolt which began with a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry in October 1859. His group was eventually cornered and he was hanged on this day in 1859.

1884—Granville T. Woods (18561910) invents and on this day patents a major improvement to the telephone transmitter. Indeed, it can be reasonably argued that this highly productive African American inventor actually invented the telephone because his device (called “telegraphony”) was superior to that invented by Alexander Graham Bell. It was so superior, in fact, that the Bell Company purchased it from Woods in part because his telephone was better and in part to prevent Woods from becoming a major competitor. Woods received nearly 50 patents for inventions in the areas of transportation, electricity and communications. He was called “the Black Edison” after Thomas Alva Edison who is generally considered the most productive U.S. inventor. However, Woods and Edison would cross paths when Edison sued him in a dispute over which one first invented the multiplex telegraph. Edison tried to buy Woods off by offering him a prominent position in his company but Woods declined.

1891— Historian Charles Wesley is born in Louisville, Ky. Wesley was one of Black America’s most productive historians and a strong advocate of the need for Blacks to know their history. His major works included “Neglected History,” “Collapse of the Confederacy” and “Negro Labor in the United States.” He had a long association with Carter G. Woodson’s Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in Washington, D.C.

Forgotten valor remembered: 13 United States Colored Troops honored in Canonsburg

by Michael Walsh

For New Pittsburgh Courier

On Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, just after noon in the graveyard at the Payne African Methodist Episcopal Church in Canonsburg, Pa., a drum cadence rang out into the unseasonably clear and warm day. This signaled the beginning of the “Forgotten Valor: The Union Veterans Stone Dedication Ceremony,” where a new headstone would memorialize 13 veterans who are interred there, all of whom served as United States Colored Troops in the Civil War over 150 years ago.

The attendees from Canonsburg and beyond listened as leaders from the African Methodist Episcopal Church, NAACP and local government spoke alongside leaders of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War organization, who organized the event alongside members of the Payne AME Church.

The veterans, all buried between 1875 and 1911, have had their graves lost to time, with the only known detail being that they are interred somewhere in the grounds of the church’s cemetery. Despite that loss, they were remembered by the congregation at Payne AME, which was connected to Fredric Bender, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Vice Commander of Camp 120, representing parts of Southwestern Pa. in 2022.

After discussions between congregation leaders and members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, it was found that their list of 17

Civil War veterans buried at Payne AME was incomplete, as the congregation’s own records revealed an additional 13, totaling 30 veterans buried at the cemetery.

Once these veterans were rediscovered by Bender's organization, he embarked on a journey with regional genealogist, researcher and author in Black history Hazel Murray in illuminating the forgotten story of the 13 veterans who are buried at the cemetery. After years of work, they completed their collective research, titled “Forgotten Valor: The USCT of Payne Chapel, Canonsburg, Pa.” Their work details the lives and battles of the 13 veterans who, for the most part, had been forgotten, except for a few mentions in decades-old records.

Some of the 13 veterans rediscovered were: Private Henry Stewart, Private Solomon Alberts, Private James Banks, Private James Black, Corporal Abraham, Lewis Private Thomas B. H. Sluby, Private Daniel Johnson, Sergeant George Peterson, Sergeant Andrew Ross, Private Thomas B. Washington, and Private Fredrick Kisner. They are all listed in available church, federal and local records as service in the U.S. Civil War and passing between 1875 and 1911 in Canonsburg.

Almost all the men served as United States Colored Troops, segregated from their fellow White soldiers but who fought no less bravely until the end of the war, which, according to Bender and Murray’s research, was as close to home as Romney,

West Virginia, only two hours from Pittsburgh, or as far as the Outer Banks in the Carolinas, or Brownsville, Texas. One soldier, Private Kisner, did serve among White troops in the local Ringgold Calvary, a volunteer unit raised independently in Washington, Pa.

During the ceremony, prayers and a scripture reading by Rev. Marilyn S. Fisher set the tone of the event, reminding those gathered that the ground they trod is filled with sacrifice relating this to the Gospel of John, 15:13, which states that there is no “Greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” which paralleled the service of the veterans and their sacrifice in war to laying down a part of themselves and their lives, as free men. After these prayers and the Pledge of Allegiance, two members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War unveiled the stone, a large, light grey granite marker inscribed with the names, ranks, units and approximate years of passing of the veterans. To remember them, each veteran’s name was called by Canonsburg Councilman Eric Chandler, followed by several distinguished speakers walking to the marker and placing a white rose and an American flag.

As the ceremony concluded, Bender, who through his research, his book and the event reflected, “This may be the greatest honor of my life.”

He added that ironically, after growing up in Canonsburg, he had never “known about the servicemen who laid here, as a

kid and until recently I just did not know.”

The Presiding Elder of Payne AME had the final word of the day: “If you do not know your past, you

cannot understand your present. If you cannot understand your present, you cannot improve your future… today, we honor the sacrifice of those

who helped preserve a dis-united nation. Their courage is immeasurable.”

The price of acquiring wisdom

Maya Angelou was, in my opinion, a woman of great wisdom. She was a creative whose life was layered with multiple journeys. Interestingly enough, the first of her journeys started when she was 7 years of age and was raped by a family friend. When questioned about the rape, she told who he was. The perpetrator was subsequently killed. Young

Maya decided that her voice caused the man’s death and therefore decided she would not ever speak again, and she didn’t for six years. That incident was the first of many tough occurrences in her life that she had to learn from. She rose out of every circumstance to become a poet, a published author, an entertainer, a calypso dancer for a while, an actor and a sought-after speaker. Most notably, she was the first woman of color to have been commissioned to write a poem for President Bill Clinton’s first inaugu -

ration in 1993—“On the Pulse of the Morning.”

As she evolved and became the icon that she was, Angelou saw wisdom not as a destination, but as a process of continuous learning and improvement, and she further espoused that wisdom was connected to resilience, and felt that life's challenges and "defeats" are necessary elements for self-discovery and strength.

As seasoned citizens, we are in an interesting position; we operate in a few layers on the road to acquiring wisdom. First, we have been blessed to have lived long lives, and as a result, through mistakes, in judgment, in relationships (unless you are one of the ones who were able to fight through the hard times and are happily still in the same marriage with your original partner you’ve been with for the past 30/40 years), with our friends, and with family including our children, we've learned a lot.

Yet, we are oftentimes castigated for aging!! We have experienced losses, both physical and emotional. Many times we’ve had to learn to live with our mistakes— to essentially, “just get over things,” for which there is no fix. It is that part of life that we know cannot be undone. And yet many times there’s no real appreciation for what we have learned.

John Henrik Clarke, another brilliant Black man, so ahead of his time, was the son of

sharecroppers. Born in 1915 in Alabama, after a brutal upbringing himself, Clarke ended up as a prominent historian, and was an activist and key figure in the Black Power movement and a leader in the Pan Africanism movement. If you do not know about him, I strongly encourage all to look up some of his powerful speeches. In the midst of his teachings, it was clear that his view on wisdom was that it was a crucial element for self-emancipation and he connected wisdom to understanding history and recognizing the power of knowledge. A key theme in Clarke's ideas was that true wisdom empowers people to take control of their own destiny. We have learned from these and other predecessors that we just don’t wake up one day and find wisdom sitting on our doorstep waiting for the chance to leap into our brains. We have to pay some dues, which sometimes leave scars (some visible, but most invisible). And after the scars heal, and we’ve emptied our pockets paying for our mistakes, it is the wisdom that you "earn" from those mistakes, errors, and mis-judgments. It's most important to realize that we should not waste our time lamenting over the mistakes and poor judgment calls. Instead, redirect the focus on the lessons learned; then we can see the seeds of wisdom begin to take hold. With

more wisdom comes greater confidence, a self-assurance that was once lacking, along with a greater understanding of self.

For too long we stay focused on the issues that serve as setbacks and as such, lose the lesson. Wisdom comes at a price. It is our experiences and learning transformed to wisdom that we bring to every table everywhere we go. This is what society fails to realize, every time insensitive jokes are made, every time we don’t appropriately honor our elders, or a family member makes negative commentary about our age, indicating we are now “too old” to be involved in family decisions... every time the younger men and women within a group we are in refuses to acknowledge our contribution.... We see these scenarios

all around us. But as seniors, on our worst day, we are NOT defeated. We are on another leg of our journey, for which if

B-PEP Jazz celebration turns 20

The Black Political Empowerment Project's annual "B-PEP Jazz" celebration had extra meaning this year. It was the 40th anniversary of the organization, and it was the 20th anniversary of a jazz celebration for the organization. The well-attended event was held, Oct. 27, 2025, at the Heinz History Center, with some 60 performers in the house. People like Roger Humphries and the RH Factor, Howie Alexander, Tubby Daniels, Hilary Borneo, Dr. Nelson Harrison, and so many more. The Black Political Empowerment Project is led by longtime community activist Tim Stevens.

‘REACH’ feeds residents at Second Avenue Commons for Thanksgiving

help to prevent those threats from turning into an actual act. There are six zones that REACH monitors; The Hill District, North Side, East Side, South Side, West End and Hazelwood. When REACH members hear of or are alerted to a potential problem, response strategies include an increased presence in high-needs areas, talking to the families and neighbors of victims, conducting custom notifications, meeting with perpetrators, and attending public safety meetings facilitated by police. Intervention and preventative approaches, according to REACH's website, include social media monitoring, which often provides insight

into ongoing rivalries and assists outreach workers in assessing the risk.

Rick Butler is a REACH outreach worker in Zone 4, which is Hazelwood. His message to Pittsburgh residents is that there are people like him "trying to help what you're going through, whether it's trauma, or being in violent situations and need someone to talk you out of it or help talk people out of it. Wherever you're from, we got you."

The food that was served to those less fortunate was catered by a former New Pittsburgh Courier “Fab 40” honoree, Melvena S. Daniels. Her company is called Beyond Blessed Catering Co., LLC.

As Bailey, the REACH Program Manager, saw the residents getting the hot meals, he told the Courier that all 12 of the REACH youth workers were at the event. The youth workers are between the ages of 1621. Bailey said the art of giving back to the community in this manner a week before Thanksgiving taught the young people "the same thing that it's teaching us; it's not only about yourself, it's always about others. It's about giving back, helping people out as much as possible."

TEACHING PROPER ETIQUETTE FIRST

Holistic approach for teens at Dreamz Hair Salon

HAIR SALON FROM A1

for years. But this year, Dorsey turned the tables on the teens. She put an invitation out on social media for even more teens to join Dreamz for a nine-week summer program for future stylists. Then she held a competition between the teens to see who was the best "future" stylist, while assuring that they had learned communication skills and proper etiquette.

"A lot of people are realizing that the salon business can be pretty lucrative, and at one point, doing hair wasn't labeled as a 'real job,'" Dorsey told the Courier, Nov. 6. "The way the business is going in regards to the hair and beauty industry, everybody does hair, but the etiquette," Dorsey said, may not be up to par across the board. "I feel a level of responsibility to shape up our future stylists. Shape how they think and how they see the industry, whether they're working at Dreamz or somewhere else."

Then, enter Ieshia Nicole Hearn, a former Courier "Fab 40" honoree, who taught the teens "runway etiquette," learning how to walk with confidence, like you own the room.

"Ieshia helped the girls with elevator pitches and how to present themselves," Dorsey said.

But it didn't stop there.

Dorsey, acknowledging the changing ways that people book appointments, turned the front area of her salon from a telephone receptionist area into a cafe. The teens, ages 11 to 17, started working at the cafe inside the salon before they ever did any styling.

"We don't just start them out behind a chair, we start them with etiquette and greeting people at the cafe," Dorsey told the Courier.

One of the teens walked away with $500 from the competition.

Fellow stylists Melajia

Henderson, Dallas Timbers, Asia Organ and Sade Muhammad also were instrumental in helping the teens during the summer program. But it didn't stop there, either. Dorsey then opened a second cafe location, on the bottom floor of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, Downtown. The grand opening was in early November, and the cafe’s hours are 1 to 5 p.m. on weekends, and open weekdays during special events. Fashion guru Tyler Kirkland is the managing barista. Dorsey told the Courier that helping the younger generation is part of her DNA. That's why she opened the Dreamz Foundation, officially in 2022, but has been helping teens for decades. "I just want to educate and prepare future scholars," Dorsey said.

Torres' 'Fade Lab Studio' plants roots in Bloomfield

by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer

Black-owned businesses are hard to find in Bloomfield, which is known as "Little Italy." But Manny Torres is ready to fit right in.

The 2014 Moon Area High School graduate earned his associate's degree in criminal justice at Pittsburgh Technical Institute, then earned his barber license from Pittsburgh Barber School in 2020. He was a barber at another location in the Bloomfield area for six years before he took that leap into

ownership. "Starting it was definitely hard," Torres told the New Pittsburgh Courier. "Not knowing if it's going to be successful or if it's going to fail."

So far, Torres has weathered those first six months of a new business, and the "Fade Lab Studio" is primed for the holiday season as boys and girls, men and women aim to look fresh for those Christmas family photos and functions.

"Fade Lab Studio" is located at 506 S. Millvale Avenue, a stone's throw from Liberty Av -

enue in Bloomfield. He opened the business in early March 2025. In late August, "Fade Lab Studio" hosted a "Back to School Free Kids Cuts," where kids were able to get a free haircut just in time for

COURIER CHURCH DIRECTORY

BAPTIST TEMPLE CHURCH

Sunday Worship: 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

7241 Race Street Pittsburgh, Pa., 15208

school. DJ Hipnotik was providing the HipHop soundtrack that Saturday afternoon. "Just giving back to the community, put a smile on kids' faces," Torres said. For Torres, 30, he

wants his barber shop to not just be a place to get a "clean, consistent cut" as it's stated on the barber shop's Instagram page, but a place for people to explore their creative side. The shop is filled

with different works of art. He calls "Fade Lab Studio" a place where he and others can "create,” and “do a lot of community” events.

EBENEZER MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Sunday Worship Service: 11 a.m.

2001 Wylie Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 www.baptisttemple.church www.ebenezerbaptistpgh.org

NEW EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES

Sunday School/Breakfast: 9 a.m. Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.

Bountiful Blessings: 1st, 3rd Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. 312 Viola St. Duquesne, Pa., 15110 116 South Highland Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa., 15206 412-441-3800

Pastor—Rev. Dr. Rodney

Dorothy Stubbs

Reverend A. Marie Walker’s Weekly Inspiration

BLESSED THANKSGIVING

“GREAT is our Lord, and of GREAT POWER: His understanding is INFINITE. The Lord LIFTS UP the Meek; He casts the WICKED DOWN to the GROUND. Sing unto the Lord with THANKSGIVING: Sing PRAISE upon the harp unto our God.” - Psalms 147:5-7

REV. WALKER SAYS: This THANKSGIVING remember to keep our focus on the GOODNESS of the Lord.

W. 12th Ave. Homestead, Pa., 15120 412-461-8235

Do the Steelers want players or priests at wide receiver?

In 2019, Michael Haupert posted an article on sabr.org titled: "Sale of the Century: The Yankees Bought Babe Ruth for Nothing." He wrote the following: “On January 5, 1920, the New York Yankees announced that they had purchased the contract of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox.”

After that ill-advised transaction, the Red Sox did not win another MLB World Series until 2004, 86 years later.

The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted wide receiver George Pickens in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. From the very beginning, the “yinzer” blowhards and butchers brought out their finest cutlery and began slicing and dicing the character of the young wide receiver. The "yinzer" universe also began skinning and grinning as they brought out their carving knives to assassinate the chances of Mike Tomlin receiving a contract extension. After

Tomin signed a new deal, the new focus of their ire became George Pickens, only because he wanted to be involved in the Steelers offense; not for more money, but for more playing time. The Steelers gave Pickens away to the Dallas Cowboys for nothing. The “yinzers” have made it clear that they would rather lose with someone who looks like them rather than win with someone who doesn’t. On May 10, 2025, Brooke Pryor posted an article on espn. com: "Why Steelers trading George Pickens was perfect timing." “By sending George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys earlier this week, the Steelers guaranteed that yet another wide receiver drafted by the team won't see a second contract in Pittsburgh.”

Apparently, a few folks considered it a perfect scenario that Pickens was another player of excellence who was denied a contract extension. Pickens is the sixth receiver in the Mike Tomlin era to be drafted by Pittsburgh and eventually traded to another team. Five of those players—Pickens, Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, Martavis Bryant and Antonio Brown—were dealt

in part because of concerns involving their conduct. What? Because of concerns involving their conduct? Do the Steelers want players, or priests?

Brendan Howe posted a story on msn.com: "Kay Adams Calls Out What Might Be the 'Worst' Trade in NFL History."

Mr. Howe quotes Ms. Adams as saying: "I think that trading George Pickens is probably going to go down as one of the worst deals in NFL history— and I mean that. And I'm sorry for the Steelers. I just think it's true. And the best from the Dallas perspective. Like, what a haul. It is so clear. It is so glaringly obvious watching George Pickens last night," against the Raiders.

"They're trying to find any semblance of consistency and rhythm outside of D.K. (Metcalf) in the passing game," Adams said of the Steelers, who are still waiting for Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson to break out. "It just doesn't exist. And you're looking at George out there, looking cool AF. … He's doing it as a vertical threat. He's doing it with his YAC. He really looks unstoppable out there."

She continued: "You

could say that it ran its course. I talked to a lot of Steelers fans and they're like, 'We don't like those kinda players.' … Yeah, he's got some spark to him."

I’m left wondering: what kind of players would those be?

Folks were saying George Pickens was a “cancer” in the Steelers locker room. However, he quickly became the cure for what ailed the offensive woes that plagued the Dallas Cowboys. After George Pickens recently dissected the Las Vegas Raiders secondary, the Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, said: “Pickens was —I’ve never seen a performance like that. It was poetic the way that he was making those moves out there. It was like he was in an opera or something out there. A ballet.”

Pickens may now be the principal ballet dancer in Dallas. However, when he graced the Acrisure stage in Pittsburgh, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith looked as if he were directing “The Phantom of The Opera,” and decided to delete the part that featured Pickens out of the script.

A passage from the Edgerrin James Bio: "From Gold Teeth to Gold Jack-

et," written by John Harris, provides a perfect example of the hardness and non-empathetic attitude toward players of color by many head coaches of college and NFL teams.

Edgerrin James is quoted as saying: “I had a lot on my mind in Arizona. I ran for 1,000 yards my first two seasons and went to the Super Bowl my third year there. But I clashed with (Ken) Whisenhunt. At the time, during the 2008 season, my kid's mom was going through leukemia. Because of that, I was dealing with a lot of things off the field. After week 6, we had a bye week. So I go coach and I'm like, quote, 'I've got to take care of some family stuff.' He told me, 'If you're not back here tomorrow, you're going to be benched.'”

George Pickens was traded because he wanted the ball. Former Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt did not even receive a dishonorable mention for denying a future NFL Hall-ofFame running back leave to care for his terminally ill children’s mother. Former Golden State Warriors guard Brian Shaw was on the roster in 1997. That’s when All-Star forward Latrell Sprewell

notoriously choked P.J. Carlesimo in practice. Shaw said Sprewell was confronted by Carlesimo and Sprewell said “get out of my face.” "(Carlesimo) came back and said something again," and Shaw said: "That’s when Spree took the ball, dropped it, walked over to P.J., and grabbed him around the neck. The other player, because of how P.J. used to talk to them, was like, ‘f__ it, go ahead. Choke the sh__ out of his a__.’ He was like a crazed animal, he never let go of P.J.’s neck. He was kicking assistants trying to pry them loose. They finally did it, security came in and kicked him out.” Arthur Smith is lucky that the personality of George Pickens didn’t emerge and go MMA and unleash the Kraken. If the numbers are right, the question is: will it take the Steelers 86 years until the year 2111 to hoist another Lombardi over their heads? Many coaches have been granted autonomy to do and say whatever to players of color. But as we all know, God does not like ugly. Also, the opinion of Karma is: “beauty’s only skin deep, but ugly is to the bone.”

Steelers mauled by the Bears in Chicago, drop to 6-5

Class of 2025 Honorees

Sarah Ashmeg

Principal Medical Physicist, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center; Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Pittsburgh, Department of Radiation Oncology

Tonya Baker-Nelson

Customer Service Representative, Duquesne Light Co.;

Owner/Event Coordinator, Strictly Business Creations

Allegra Battle Communications Manager

Propel Schools

Amber D. Benjamin Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager PNC Bank

Kelley L. Benson

Vice President of Human Resources & Inclusion Innovation Works

Charlyn R. Booker, MSW, LBS Program Assistant, ACTES, Greater Valley Community Services;

CEO/Founder, Urban Therapy, LLC

Staci L. Bose, MS Program Manager, Healthy Start, Inc.; Founder/Owner, Healing Uplifting Growing Spiritually, LLC

Leonette M. Brown, BSN, RN National RN Case Manager Consultant AMN Healthcare Revenue Cycle Solutions

Diana P. Byas, MSN, ACRN, CCM Manager, Maternity Baby Steps Program, UPMC Health Plan; CEO, Thick But Fit Crew Fitness Center

Michelle Tunstalle Chapman Human Resources Manager VisitPITTSBURGH

Dr. Dorothy Collins Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Affairs Community College of Allegheny County

Dr. Kyaien Conner

Donald M. Henderson Endowed Professor and Director, Center on Race and Social Problems

University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

Dr. Kymberly M. Cruz

Executive Director, Office of Equity Pittsburgh Public Schools

Monica Cwynar Mental Health Therapist, Thriveworks; Clinical Director, Cultural Humility & Equity Collaborative

Danielle Edmond

President Fabulous Friday Society Foundation

Tesha L. Ellison, MBA, SHRM SCP Benefits and HRIS Manager Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black

Director, Dietrich College of Humanities Center and Professor of History

Carnegie Mellon University

Paulette Foster Co-Founder

The Education Rights Network, Campaign 412 Justice

Tiffany L. Gary-Webb, PhD, MHS Professor of Epidemiology University of Pittsburgh

Tiffany Gilbert Co-Founder and Executive Director, East Liberty Women’s Care Center; Pastor, Another Level Ministries

LaToya Hamm-Wilson Founder & CEO Motherhood Redefined

Chanell C.J. Harris Owner, Streamline Asset Consulting; Entertainer/Actress

Dr. Wanda Heading-Grant Vice Provost for Community, Culture and Engagement Carnegie Mellon University

Charlene Holder

Assistant Director, Secretary & Chief Examiner City of Pittsburgh

First Lady, Elder Darla R. Holley-Holmes Supervisor, MPACT U Afterschool Academy, Southwestern PA Human Services Family Center; Administrative Specialist, Monessen Beyond Grad, SPHS Family Center Youth Economic Mobility Program

Yolanda Rodgers Howsie Northeast Regional Director, Workplace Initiatives United Negro College Funds

Errika Fearbry Jones

Chief of Staff/Secretary to the Board of Trustees Carlow University

Dr. Troy D. B. Lyons

Medical Director in Utilization Management Highmark Wholecare

Simone McMeans

Deputy Director of Economic Development, Allegheny County; Founder, S.H.E.ternally, LLC

Jessica Mitchell

EVP, CFO-Line of Business

PNC Financial Services Group

Karen Mitchell

Behavioral Health Manager, Focus on Renewal

StoRox ACTES Program; Founder/Executive Director, Leading Through Love

Ashanti Mitchell-Drewery, MBA

Vice President of Business Operations

M&A Resources

Shalesha G. ‘Shay’ Moore

Executive Board Member for Early Childhood Paraprofessionals, Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers; Founder & Director, NextUp Summer Camp

Felicia Mycyk

Keynote Speaker & Performance Coach, Mycyk Coaching & Consulting; Rotary District Governor, Southwestern PA

Danielle M. Parson

Founder & CEO

Professional Women’s Network (PWN)

Shayla R. Penn

Food Personality/Culinary Expert (Advocate) Burgh Eats and Treats!

Bridgette Perdue

Executive Director Alumni Theater Company

Lisa J. Perry

Director, Programs & Events, Grantmakers of Western Pa.; President & CEO, Take Flight Productions Consulting

Joveline J. Pettus, MBA, SPHR Adjunct Professor, Computer Science

La Roche University

Phd Candidate, Information Systems & Communications

Robert Morris University

Dr. Rosalie Smiley

Social Work Professor Emeritus PennWest University of Western PA

Dawnese LaShawn Snell

Nurse Manager, Primary Care, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; President Elect, Pittsburgh Black Nurses in Action

Alisa R. Stroud

Human Resources Director, AMP Home Care; Senior Pastor, Living Proof Kingdom Ministries Int. Naima Karmil Sturdivant, MEd

Special Education Teacher, Woodland Hills School District; Vice President, Triple S-Serving and Saving Souls

Sheila M. Thompson, MEd Owner, Thompson Creative Images, LLC; Retired, Business, Computer, Information Technology Teacher, Woodland Hills School District

Tahirah J. Walker, PhD

Department Chair, Community Engagement and Leadership Point Park University’s Rowland School of Business

Shanyn Winnowski

Manager of Participant Learning, Pennsylvania Women Work; Founder, Pillar Pittsburgh

J. Pharoah Doss

Property is Power!

Two powerful paths to homeownership for Black families

For Black families across America, the journey toward homeownership has never been just about buying a house, it has always been about reclaiming dignity, building stability, and securing access to opportunities deliberately denied to our community for generations. From redlining to discriminatory lending, from suppressed wages to limited financial tools, the barriers have been real, intentional, and deeply felt. Today, through the Property is Power initiative, we’re proud to present two transformational pathways designed to meet our people where we are and move us forward strategically, accessibly, and powerfully. These programs operate separately, yet together they serve one mission expanding Black homeownership and building generational wealth. One removes the financial wall that has blocked so many families at the starting line. The other creates

a structured, accessible path for families who need time and support to qualify. Together, they represent a major leap toward closing the homeownership gap and opening doors.

Program 1: Down Payment Assistance (No Money Down)

Removing the Barrier That Has Held Our Community Back the Longest This groundbreaking Down Payment Assistance program tackles the single largest hurdle to Black homeownership: upfront cash. Too many hardworking families can comfortably afford a monthly mortgage but simply cannot come up with thousands of dollars upfront in a system that was never designed for our success. Through our pilot partnership, Property is Power is proud to offer a program with unprecedented access: no borrower down payment required; no income limits or restrictions; credit scores down to 580 accepted; manual underwriting allowed; non-occupant co-borrowers permitted; gift funds eligible. This program opens the door for families who have the desire, the stability, and the readiness to own but who need the system to be fair, flexible, and designed with their realities in mind. This is real access. Real opportunity. Real ownership.

Program 2: Lease-to-Own Pathway Rent Today. Own Tomorrow. Our Lease-to-Own program exists for individuals and families who are ready for the lifestyle of homeownership but may not currently fit the traditional mortgage “box.” Instead of keeping families stuck in the rental cycle, this pathway builds a bridge to ownership; structured, supportive, and built with

by Dedrick Asante-Muhammad and Eric Morrissette

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE—-

“I have often made the point that to foster the economic status and pride of members of our minority groups, we must seek to involve them more fully in our private enterprise system… To do this, we need to remove commercial obstacles that have too often stood in their way—obstacles such as the unavailability of credit, insurance, and technical assistance.”

Those were the words that gave rise to the first iteration of what would become the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)—spoken by Republican President Richard Nixon. More than fifty years later, those words ring hollow as the Trump administration races to dismantle the agency, hollowing out the small staff that remained after earlier rounds of downsizing—just 23 career employees—to none. Today, only two political appointees remain, one of whom also serves as the Deputy Secretary of Labor.

The MBDA is not a bureaucratic relic; it was a rare glimmer of bipartisan progress during the civil rights era and remains the only federal agency devoted to expanding opportunity for entrepreneurs who have historically been locked out of capital markets, contracting networks, and investment pipelines. Its deliberate dismantling is both a moral failure and an economic crisis.

A small staff, a massive mission

At its height, the MBDA oversaw a nationwide network of business centers, technical-assistance hubs, and capital-readiness programs serving tens of thousands of enterprises. The agency is responsible for supporting more than 12 million minority business enterprises (MBEs) across the United States. And “minority” here is broader than many realize—it includes not only businesses owned by people of color but also by members of socially or economically disadvantaged groups such as rural, veteran, and women-led small businesses.

Through a network of more than 130 centers and partners across the U.S. and its territories, MBDA provided hands-on technical assistance to help businesses navigate growth and scale successfully. No free money. No direct loans. Just guidance to help these businesses help themselves. By any measure, MBDA was delivering results. During Morrissett’s tenure leading the agency, immediately before the start of the Trump admin-

istration, MBDA helped businesses secure $3.2 billion in contracts and $1.6 billion in capital, creating and retaining more than 23,000 jobs. Last year also marked the first year of MBDA’s Capital Readiness Program—the largest-ever federal initiative of its kind—designed to help underserved entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses. In its first full year, the program served more than 6,300 entrepreneurs and helped raise $263 million in capital.

In other words, MBDA evolved into a broad, national platform for growth—one that reaches well beyond race alone. Its clients range from a Black-owned cybersecurity startup in Atlanta to a Latina-led food manufacturer in Texas, a Native American construction cooperative in Oklahoma, a veteran-owned logistics firm in Ohio, and a White Appalachian entrepreneur rebuilding a small-town sawmill with limited access to capital. MBDA’s scope reflects a fundamental truth: opportunity gaps are intersectional. A functional MBDA recognizes that inclusive economic development requires tools that reach across these lines, while still honoring the agency’s original civil-rights mission—to repair the damage of centuries of racially exclusive capitalism. What we stand to lose

When an agency like MBDA is dismantled, the casualties are not bureaucrats–they are business owners,

Thanksgiving is upon us. Thanksgiving is a celebration of the harvest and other blessings of the past year. The dictionary defines Thanksgiving as an expression of gratitude, especially to God. Growing up, our family had a tradition during Thanksgiving. We would all stand around the dinner table holding hands. Someone would bless the food. Then we’d go around the table one by one, each of us expressing what we’re grateful for. It was like a broken record. Each year you can predict what everyone would say. Usually everyone said the same thing. I’m grateful for my family, good health, and my home. Some would include jobs and cars. But all would say family, good health and home. I’ve carried on the tradition. I listen to my children echo the same sentiments, I’m grateful for my family, good health, and my home. I’m sure your family has a similar tradition.

around it. It makes you happy. You’d think that if we had family, good health, and the basic necessities of life including food, clothing, shelter and transportation, we’d be happy.

To be grateful for something is to appreciate it and not take it for granted. To appreciate something is to value it. Things you value put a smile on your face. It makes you feel good when you’re

I can hear Mary J Blige’s voice in my mind as I write this article, “All I really want is to be happy...” I think that pretty much sums it up for all of us. At the end of the day, we just want to be happy! Nonetheless, most of us are anything but happy. We have fleeting moments of happiness. But, by and large, day by day, we move about briskly, hustling and bustling, frustrated and overwhelmed, wondering why happiness missed us. There appears to be a void in our life. So, we seek to fill the void with things, stuff, clothes, gadgets, entertainment, boyfriends, girlfriends, babies, money, drugs, sex, alcohol, vacation, cars, houses—thinking accumulation of these things would surely bring us happiness. As we accumulate these things, we’re pumped, joyous and upbeat. We’re hap-

Don’t let predatory debt traps rob the holiday season’s joy

The holidays are coming, and many financially strapped families are considering how to responsibly manage their use of credit

Charlene Crowell

while still enjoying seasonal gatherings, presents, feasts and toasts of glad tidings for all. The yuletide season is also a time to especially avoid predatory lenders that offer workers quick access to cash via loans with triple-digit interest rates and hidden fees that can wreck their finances for months.

The convenience of mobile phones and personal computers removes the need to visit storefront lenders to access easy cash. Two fast-growing loan products, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), and Earned Wage Access (EWA) have emerged as new business models that deceive consumers into debt.

“App-based payday lenders have co-opted the language of financial inclusion in an effort to disguise the ancient grift of exploiting underpaid workers with usurious loans,” said Monica Burks, policy counsel at

the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL).

“These companies promote a legal fiction that their loans are not loans, pretend the standard measurement for interest rates doesn’t reflect their loans’ costs, and push borrowers to pay fees deceptively called ‘tips.’”

In a new policy brief, Nickel and Dimed: How Payday Loan Apps Drain Workers’ Pay and How to Stop Them, CRL shows that these lenders’ business models are designed to drive repeat borrowing and extract high fees.

EWA often lures underpaid workers into high-cost, small dollar loans that are repaid from forthcoming paychecks. The danger in this direct debit is that it reduces the money a borrower has available to repay the loan and manage other household bills. BNPL loans let purchasers of a variety of goods and services break payments into smaller installments usually paid over a few weeks.

CRL’s research also found that:

Borrowing escalates over time, with monthly loan use doubling in the first year from two loans per month on average in month one, to four by month 12.

Overdrafts on consumers’ checking accounts increased 56 percent on average after use of an advance product, demonstrating how these products directly exacerbate financial instability rather than alleviate it.

A high incidence of “loan stacking,” where multiple payday app lenders extend advances against the same paycheck. Over time, most borrowers are in debt to multiple lend-

ers during their first year of tracked use, creating a built-in monthly financial shortfall that worsens—not improves financial stability. This cycle of increased borrowing exacerbates the monthly financial shortfall that drives users into their first payday app loan

In 2025, at least 20 states proposed legislation to address EWA’s growth and consumer concerns, according to the National Conference of State Legislators, including but not limited to: Arizona, Connecticut, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Oregon and Washington  Similarly, BNPL plans also lead to debilitating, long-term debt that enable cashstrapped consumers to access monies without a hard credit inquiry. Unlike the now-extinct retailer layaway plans that offered installment payments with no interest charges, these installment loans are offered through a lender that in turn gains access to checking accounts or debit cards to make installment payments. Exact loan terms and conditions vary among lenders, leaving consumers to be directly responsible for the fine print terms that often go unread.

Since its emergence during the COVID-19 pandemic, BNPL’s still-growing popularity is tied to its promise of zero-interest, and multiple—often four—installment purchase payments that typically range from $50$1,000. Payments, directly deducted from bank accounts, debit cards, or credit cards, are typically due every two weeks, roughly half the billing length for most consumer payments like rent, utilities, or credit cards.

As a result, BNPL consumers tend to encounter rippling negative financial effects like repeated insufficient funds, overdraft fees, other late fees, or savings withdrawals. These lenders are largely non-depository institutions with no standard form for consumer redress and scant consumer protection in the face of the easy and built-in temptation to incur multiple BNPL loans.

Advocates called for strong consumer protection when the State of New York’s Department of Financial Services solicited comments on BNPL earlier this year.

“Strong rules are especially important in light of the facts that subprime and deep subprime consumers take out most BNPL loans and that BNPL credit is disproportionately used by Black and Hispanic consumers, who already face disadvantages in the credit marketplace,” advised the  National Consumer Law Center.  “BNPL lenders tout “interest-free” loans, implying that the loans are free.”

“It is the responsibility of public officials to stop predatory loan apps from breaking the law and from nickel and diming workers,” said  Yasmin Farahi, deputy director of state policy at CRL. “To protect consumers, states should enforce—or, where needed, adopt—strong interest rate caps for all payday loans, no matter how companies sell them.”

(Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

The hollowing out of America’s agency for minority business

workers, and America’s competitiveness. Without MBDA, it becomes harder for disadvantaged businesses to access capital, navigate federal and corporate procurement systems, and unlock innovation. We know empirically that minority-owned and disadvantaged businesses receive less capital and pay more for it. Programs like the Capital Readiness Program were designed precisely to close that gap—helping entrepreneurs get a fairer shot at the financing they need to grow and hire. MBDA’s business and procurement centers also ensure that our public and private contracting pipelines are diverse, making our supply chains more resilient to shocks like the pandemic. Beyond that, MBDA’s mission aligns with the broader economic imperative of closing America’s opportunity gap—a gap that sidelines an estimated $7.1 trillion in po-

Property

tential economic output, nearly a quarter (23.3 percent) of U.S. GDP. Activating that untapped potential doesn’t just strengthen minority communities; it strengthens America itself. Why this matters to Black America—and to the nation

For African American entrepreneurs, MBDA has long been one of the few federal lifelines amid systemic exclusion from wealth creation. Black business ownership remains a powerful tool for asset development. But the erosion of MBDA does not only harm Black business owners—it weakens America’s entire small-business ecosystem. In 2022, the most recent year of available data, Black-owned businesses added $212 billion in revenue to the U.S. economy and paid more than $61 billion in total wages—part of a broader trend of inclusive national growth. Cutting MBDA is not fiscal prudence; it is economic sabotage in a broader dismantling of civil rights and

economic scaffolding.

The path forward

We must demand that Congress and the Administration act swiftly to reopen the government and restore MBDA’s staffing, budget, and network of partners supporting businesses around the country. Lawmakers must:

Restore independent nonpolitical programs and staff to support the socially and economically disadvantaged businesses of this country.

Guarantee stable funding so the agency cannot be hollowed out each time administrations change, and businesses can be provided some predictability.

Protect MBDA’s statutory authority to focus on disadvantaged entrepreneurs, including those facing social, geographic, or economic barriers.

Modernize MBDA’s mission for an AI-driven economy, helping minority and disadvantaged firms adapt to new technol-

ogies rather than be displaced by them. Reinforce the apolitical nature of MBDA’s work with bipartisan safeguards allowing the work to be unimpeded.

MBDA’s destruction would signal that the federal government no longer feels an obligation to correct the marketplace’s deepest inequities—the very inequities Richard Nixon sought to address when founding the agency. Yet we know the opposite is true. Our economy is strongest when every community can build and own, and when capital flows not just to those who’ve always had it, but to those ready to create something new. Letting MBDA die would betray that promise. Defending and expanding it would affirm that economic opportunity belongs to every American.

(Dedrick Asante-Muhammad is President of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies & Eric Morrissette is a Senior Fellow at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies and served as Acting National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA).)

is Power! Two powerful paths to homeownership

intention. Here’s how it works. A qualified FHA-eligible government entity purchases the home upfront; you move in as the future homeowner, not a typical renter; you lease the home for 12 months while building credit, stability, and financial profile; after 12 months of rental history, you assume the mortgage; eligibility includes primary residence, up to 96.5 percent LTV, and both full doc or alternative income options. And for those who do not currently meet FHA standards, the Property is Power Dream Builder offers a tailored environment to get you mortgage-ready with structure, dignity, and a clear end goal. This program is rooted in the understanding that readiness is not always reflected on paper. Sometimes people don’t need a “no,” they need a plan.

A New Legacy Begins Here

Every time a Black family becomes a homeowner, something far deeper than a housing status changes. A new identity forms. A new level of stability emerges. A new set of opportunities appears, ones that research shows can reshape a family’s trajectory for generations. Homeownership is more than shelter. It is economic mobility. It is generational wealth. It is dignity and power. When a family transitions from renting and building someone else’s wealth to owning and building their own, legacy begins immediately.

With Down Payment Assistance, families can finally cross the financial threshold that has been blocking them for decades. They can purchase without draining savings, without taking predatory loans, and without feeling like the system is working against them. Ownership means equity, appreciation, tax benefits, and the power to control your financial future.

With the Lease-to-Own pathway, families gain time and structure without sacrificing dignity or stability. They live in the community they want to be part of, build their financial strength, and get closer to ownership ev-

ery month. And when they close, they do so with confidence and equity already working for them.

This is how generational wealth is built: step-by-step, structurally, intentionally rooted in the realities of our community and the vision we have for our children. A new legacy begins here not because the system suddenly became fair, but because we created solutions that put power back in our hands. We are rewriting the terms of access. We are broadening the pathways. Property is Power is not just describing programs. We are opening doors. We are reshaping futures. We are strengthening families now, and for generations to come.

With these two pathways, one that removes the upfront burden and one that provides time and structure, homeownership becomes possible, practical, and transformative. Because when our people own property, our people own power. And that is where legacy truly begins.

(Dr. Anthony O. Kellum – CEO of Kellum Mortgage, LLC

Homeownership Advocate, Speaker, Author NMLS # 1267030 NMLS #1567030 O: 313-263-6388 W: www.KelluMortgage.com.)

Property is Power! is a movement to promote home and community ownership. Studies indicate homeownership leads to higher graduation rates, family wealth, and community involvement.

Attitude of gratitude leads to happiness

I’m a natural optimist. I seek to see the good in things before I see the bad. Very seldom, you’ll find me down, drained and miserable. I live by these words. God gave me breath and good health. The rest is on me. I have my “woe it’s me” moments. When I do, it’s generally the result of constant negative thoughts. I’m reflecting on things that frustrate me. Things I don’t have. Things that haven’t met my expectations. Things that I thought I’d have accomplished by now. Things I thought others would do but they didn’t do it. I have friendships with people who are naturally pessimists. They see everything from a negative viewpoint. They can’t see the positive things going on right in front of them because they’re always focusing on the things that are going bad. Then there’s my Uncle Art. He’s the

happiest man I know. He lives an ordinary life. Every time I see him, he’s smiling and joking. He’s fun to be around. He’s a family man who loves and enjoys spending time with his wife, children, grandchildren and other family members and friends. If there’s a family cookout, you can bank on Uncle Art being there. He doesn’t want for anything. He never asks for anything. He is always willing to assist and help others. He recently retired after working over 40 years at a local hospital. He worked the same job for 40 years. He’s been married to my maternal aunt for over 40 years. They’ve lived in their current home for a little over 30 years. My uncle loves cars. When he buys his cars, he buys them slightly used. He keeps them for about 10-13 years. This guy has had only about 3, maybe 4 cars that I can remember. He loves playing pool. He has a pool table at his home. He taught me how to shoot pool on this

same pool table when I was 7 years old. What makes my Uncle Art the happiest man I know? He truly has an attitude of gratitude. He values and appreciates everything that he has worked hard to obtain. He’s not chasing stuff. He’s content with what he has. He values his relationship with people. He values his time with his family and friends. He doesn’t just utter the words I’m grateful for family, good health, and my home. He lives these words with his actions in the moment—EVERY DAY!

Our lack of happiness can be attributed to our lack of being grateful for the things that we have. We spend so much time wishing for more and chasing more, we never allow ourselves to fully absorb and appreciate the good that we have right now. There’s a high probability that you’re better off today than you were 10 years ago. Are you grateful? Do you sit back and look at how far you’ve come? Do

you live in the moment or are you always fantasizing about how life should be? Are you spending quality time with the people you claim to be grateful for? That void that you’re trying to fill is the absence of gratitude. Never stop working for what you want but always be grateful for what you have. For if you don’t learn to be grateful for what you have, you’ll one day be forced to miss what you had. Thank You, Mr. Rod Doss and the Courier staff for editing and publishing my articles!! Thank you for reading my column!

Guest Editorial

A house divided by hatred

Americans are experiencing one of the most volatile periods in recent memory. Some say the country has never experienced anything like what is currently happening. The country is deliberately being divided; we actually have a leader who is pitting one half of the country against the other.

Donald J. Trump is in the process of destroying America as a result of his behavior, and they are influencing the entire planet in this regard. It is absolutely ridiculous, and unprecedented in his move to literally, and intentionally, divide the United States. His tenure is turning out to be one of the most contentious ones in the history of the United States.

It is clear that Trump does not care about people except for those who are his sycophants; those who agree to kiss his proverbial ring. Trump has a penchant for ground-breaking vindictive behavior. His term is turning out to be one of vendettas. He has actually made it a point to punish “blue” states that did not deliver most of their votes to him. This is unprecedented, and the greatest irony of this is that there are both democrats AND republicans who reside in those states.

Basically, Trump is dividing America. He is also creating situations that are having deleterious impacts on American citizens on a number of levels. The recent government shutdown, the longest one in American history, is apparently coming to a close soon. The shutdown is the result of animosity and distrust between Democrats and Republicans in the two branches of government; the House of Representatives and Senate. Coupled with the Executive Office, the Republicans dominate all branches of government.

Unfortunately, the Republicans and their tempestuous leader are apparently dead-set on erasing or destroying anyone who has criticized the regime. It is a cesspool of hatred due to Trump’s vendettas. Perceptive people understand that the hatred that Trump is demonstrating toward his perceived enemies is destabilizing the United States! This has a deleterious impact on our country. Trump has divided this country into “us vs them,” and the impact is super disconcerting with very negative long-range implications.

One of the most egregious issues has been the action that Trump took regarding the distribution of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits during the government shutdown. Trump was given the option, in fact, he was told to, provide benefits to SNAP recipients during the shutdown. Without benefits, many people face hunger. Trump has resisted this notion, demonstrating that he doesn’t really care that his policies can wreak havoc among the poor individuals who have to rely upon SNAP benefits. The bottom line is that help for them IS possible, but Trump has demonstrated a reluctance to act appropriately regarding this debacle.

There is an old adage that says “A house divided cannot stand.” This is true; unity of purpose is a prerequisite for anything that is done in a collective. Our collective is our country, and Trump is a chief de-stabler of our Union with his vendettas. Our country will not survive if this behavior continues. We need a leader who actually cares for the people in his charge, i.e., the American people.

At this point, something must be said about the Democrat’s responses to this troublesome situation. They have come across as weak and ineffective, especially earlier in Trump’s term. Recently, they have “caved and rolled over,” according to pundits, as eight of them broke with the Dems to endorse the Republican’s anti-healthcare agenda. Previously, many Democrats were happy that they were finally in sync with each other in their fight to keep the government closed until their requests were included. This is really important when considering the spike in healthcare and general costs that stand to rise dramatically as a result of Trump’s machinations.

The ultimate truth is that a genuine schism has developed between Democrats and Republicans. Our country cannot survive if something isn’t soon done about this! Otherwise, we will cease to be the United States of America and become the United States of Hatred—a weak and divided nation ripe for attack by enemies from outside our country! Aluta continua.

(Reprinted from the Chicago Crusader)

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher

Pick this issue to rise up

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As I begin writing each week, I look at what is going on around the world.  Most of the time, I settle for something happening locally, but it often has a worldwide impact. It’s hard to settle on just one issue because there are too many things happening that are repugnant and requiring our attention daily since the entrance into our lives of Donald Trump. What puzzles me is the fact that there are dozens of items we could put on the list of “This can’t be happening in America!”  We’re constantly seeing Trump sitting in his taxpayer-paid office, sleeping. We recently witnessed his 30 to 40-million-dollar birthday party, bringing the military onto District of Columbia streets, causing an untold amount of damage to our streets, which need repair. Tax-paying citizens have been laid off work at a time we need more people working to clean up the disaster caused by Trump and his minions, whose only knowledge of governing is causing more problems for ordinary taxpaying citizens.

Those of us who know there’s more to this Epstein-Trump scandal about greedy people who thought they could have their way in the dark, doing unlawful things to young girls, and because they were rich, they could get away with it.  Did they think girls would never dare tell what happened to them? Did they think no one would care, but after growing up, we see

‘Tis the season and we probably have all known someone with some of the characteristics of the fictional Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character in Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Dickens describes Scrooge as a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint…secret and self-contained and solitary as an oyster.” That Scrooge changed after visits from the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Present, and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to be “as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew.” Today, we have a real Scrooge and he is the president of the United States. And it is not Christmas that he is bahing and humbug-ing. It is our democracy. Let us remind ourselves of what a democratic republic is. Democratic means rule by the people and a republic is the system of electing representatives of the people to govern according to an established constitution. First, President Scrooge sees himself as a monarch, not as a representative of the people. He views himself as the executive, the legislative and the judicial branches all embodied in him. He has taken over

by Barrington M. Salmon

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—After more than 40 days, the US government shutdown is over, air travel is returning to normal, and people are less worried about being able to put Thanksgiving dinner on their tables. Yet families across the country will have to make significant decisions and choices around the spiraling costs of healthcare because Republicans have refused to extend Obamacare subsidies.

Yet the Democratic sweep of the Nov 5 offyear elections has given hope to the masses of Black people as the country contends with the party in power and many of its most fervent supporters who are content to watch ICE agents arbitrarily stop, harass, detain and deport immigrants and US citizens; cruelly block the issuance of SNAP benefits to 42 million needy families; and as inflation batters Americans. Election officials said turnout was high, with Democrats snatching up wins and voters in different parts of the country voting in favor of important ballot questions centered on free school meals, redistricting, and governors’ races.

Sweep. Those words, set against a black background on Facebook, is what met anyone who follows Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever or who happened to scroll by her Facebook page on the Wednesday morning after national off-year elections.

DeWeever, a political strategist and content creator, said she felt a great deal of satisfaction following Democrats shellacking of MAGA Republicans in nearby Virginia, New Jersey, New York and California.

By the end of the night Tuesday, Democratic Party candidates had secured gubernatorial wins in New Jersey and Virginia; saw the surprise election of a young, Democratic Socialist candidate, Zohran Mamdani, elected mayor in New York City, powered by young, multi-ethnic, disaffected voters; passage of Proposition 50, a measure that gives California legislators the room to redistrict electoral lines and give Democrats the opportunity to potentially capture five additional seats in the House of Representatives; the defeat of a measure in Maine that would have restricted voting; and the reelection of three Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges to retain the Democratic majority.

Just about all the races revolved around affordability issues, experts said.

“These wins were critical because it showed that people will fight back even if the Demo-

many of them had lived in fear of coming forward to tell their stories. They still believed one day they might have allies who would believe them and help them tell their truth about how, as young girls, they suffered and did not want others to go through what they went through.

Like with domestic violence, there was a time when women were too afraid and too ashamed to tell how they were abused. What is it about certain people who assume their perceived importance in life believe they can do whatever they want, and the abused will remain quiet forever?

Now, with all her faults, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is concerned about the vicious rise on health care for her family and what happened to the girls, you know that is serious if you know her past with truth and pushing the MAGA line on everything! We’ve heard U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has no shame.  We witnessed her unbelievable behavior at a recent Congressional Hearing.

Now comes Kristi Noem of Homeland Security, who faces criticism

for her positions that often result in vicious behavior on the part of some of her masked agents who themselves are crooks Trump pardoned after January 6th.  During all of this, she found the time to give away several million dollars of our tax money to a friend’s company without the competitive process required of others. Trump has not ruled out pardoning the convicted pedophile, Ghislaine Maxwell, who he made it possible for her to go to a Texas prison where she receives highly positive treatment that doesn’t sit well with other prisoners in the same facility.

There’s never a dull day in the world of Trump, the current White House occupant.  I often wonder how some people are taught about helping the least of God’s children, about problem-solving for the people they were elected to help, but do not. Finally, some are waking up to the point of 62 percent of the people letting Trump know his dealmaking is not cutting the mustard for them. They may be working for his rich friends, his family, and himself, but not for them!  Being a convicted felon himself, how much does he think he will get away with before Americans say “Enough is Enough”? The Supreme Court refuses to put the brakes on, but we, the people, will pick this issue to rise up and say, “It’s time for this insanity to stop!”

Congressional power as well as executive power and is ruling by edict, that is, Executive Orders. The representatives and senators in Congress that the people elected to represent them have instead become Scrooge’s minions, always at his beck and call and doing what he wants. Rounding up hard- working immigrants and deporting them to other countries without due process; okay with the minions. Blowing up boats and killing people without evidence of drug trafficking and without Congressional approval; okay with the minions. Using the Department of Justice to go after his political enemies; okay with the minions. Enriching himself and his family by using his presidential power; okay with the minions. Demanding that the federal courts, including the Supreme Court, do his bidding; okay with the minions. Demanding that the Republican-led states institute

new redistricting plans prior to a new census to take away the votes of citizens and assure that he and his cohorts stay in power; okay with the minions. Demolishing part of the people’s house to have a golden ballroom without any discussion with Congress; okay with the minions. Getting rid of health care for our elderly and our vulnerable citizens; okay with the minions. Allowing our citizens who are working in low-paying jobs and depending on some government assistance to feed their children to lose that assistance; okay with the minions. Unfortunately, instead of visits by ghosts who remind him of the value of our democracy, why Americans fought and died to get out from under a monarchy, what ‘rule by the people’ means, and what this country will be like if we keep down this road, we have weak and selfish minions who bow to his every selfish whim. Our Scrooge-like President needs an emotional and spiritual rebirth like the one the fictional Scrooge received. We, the people, need to get rid of the minions supporting the presidential Scrooge and elect representatives who reflect the people’s will—one of thoughtfulness, universal goodwill, hope and generosity, so we can say what Tiny Tim said at the end of the story: “God bless us, everyone.”

cratic Party appears spineless. It was a powerful rejection in multiple states in multiple ways. It was a full-fledged rejection of (the Trump administration’s) autocratic ways,” said Jones-DeWeever. She said the comprehensive wins across the country illustrates that “we are still a two-party system. We can’t allow these criminals to maintain power.”

DeWeever said she’s struck by the Virginia results, where voters elected the state’s first woman governor, Abigail Spanberger; the first Muslim lieutenant governor, Ghazala Hashmi, and a Black man, Jay Jones, as attorney general. In addition to these gains, the Dems picked up 13 seats, giving them much more room to legislate.

“The legislature will be able to redistrict, counteract Trump efforts,” she said. “What’s most important to me is Mamdani’s win. It is based on turnout and expansion of the electorate. He ran the type of campaign Democrats could have run if they had a spine.”

Mamdani, a former New York state assemblyman and a Muslim immigrant from Uganda, electrified voters in New York, while terrifying Republicans, billionaires and corporatist, right-leaning Democrats.

Billionaires, and political action committees tied to former Mayor Andrew Cuomo, poured more than $40 million into an effort to derail Mamdani’s race to grab the seat. Trump endorsed Cuomo the day before the race, inaccurately characterizing Mamdani as a communist and threatening to withdraw federal funds to New York City if he won.

That was all for nought, because by the time the race was called 35 minutes after polls closed, Mamdani had secured more than 1 million votes and 50 percent of votes cast.

Democrats are celebrating after the decisive victories in several high-profile contests, the nation’s first major elections since Trump’s second term in office. Political pundits and other experts said these crucial wins are an early barometer of the public reaction to Trump’s policies and programs and will provide fuel for Democrats before the 2026 mid-term elections.

Trump admitted Wednesday that Republicans had “a bad night,” and met with fellow Republicans the next day to discuss the fallout and implications of the win. DeWeever said the public also are angry and concerned about Trump policies such as burgeoning inflation, high consumer prices, the suspension of SNAP

payments and the administration’s antagonistic and aggressive tactics on the immigration front. Dr. Malik Sekou, a longtime politics and history professor at the University of the Virgin Islands, said he expected Mamdani to come out on top in New York.

“Yes. If you look at my (Facebook) posts for the past few months, I saw this. I thought he was going to win because certain times determine leadership,” said Sekou, an acknowledged Pan African who said he sits far-left politically and supported Rep. Bernie Sanders over Joe Biden.

“The way the US is today is that we’re confronted by with a far-right offensive which is on the march in every aspect of American life and which has been taken international. No one can be confused with what’s in front of us. It’s either fight back or surrender. You have to do it Trump’s way or surrender.”

Sekou said anyone who carries the principle of social consciousness in them, they have to fight.

“You have to fight, you have to fight,” he asserted.

It is not lost on him, Sekou said, that Mamdani is taking over leadership in New York City.

“New York City is the cultural capital of the USA. It is the cultural driver and has a large immigrant population, so they have to oppose the policies against them,” said Sekou, who said both of his parents were born in NYC. But both DeWeever and Sekou cautioned Democrats to enjoy the wins but to temper their excitement and tread carefully.

“I think we have to be very careful. We are still a two-party system,” DeWeever said. “We should celebrate for one day. The only thing we should be very careful of is that we should not let this win allow us to coast into the midterms. The fight for the midterms starts today. We have to fight, make significant investments in organizing and campaigning, getting people ready to vote and prepping for the midterms.” Like Sekou, DeWeever said she feels that current Democratic leadership is not equipped to fight effectively or successfully against Trump and MAGA Republicans.

“Mamdani won and will serve as a Democrat. It makes sense to utilize this structure. It offers the best chance of winning,” she said. I think we have to be strategic but also be bold in pulling and pushing the party. We must work behind the scene and come out to vote.”

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Every year, corporations expect us to line up, log on, and lose our minds for Black Friday. They expect us to stretch our budgets, drain our accounts, and pretend that “doorbuster deals” are some kind of patriotic ritual. But this year, a coalition led by Black Voters Matter, Indivisible, and Until Freedom is calling on us to do something radically simple—and profoundly powerful: A spending freeze from November 28 through December 1. No Black Friday splurges. No retail rush. No “Buy Now” pressure.

Why?

Because we ain’t buying it—literally and figuratively.

Why This Freeze Matters

Let’s start with the basics: Black consumers wield more than $1.7 trillion in annual spending power. Our dollars keep the retail economy humming. Our purchases shape markets, trends, strategies, and profits. Retailers depend on the holiday season to make their year—and they depend heavily on us.

So, when we withhold our dollars, even for four days, the impact is real. Corporations measure every hour, every transaction, every data point. They know exactly when consumers shift behavior—and why. A coordinated dip in spending during the biggest retail weekend of the year is not a whisper. It’s a shout. It’s us saying:

You don’t get our money while you undermine our communities.

You don’t profit off us while cutting DEI. You don’t get holiday loyalty while enabling anti-democratic forces.

If corporations can fund political agendas that hurt us, roll back inclusion with a smile, and pretend neutrality while siding with injustice, then we respond the only way they understand: with our wallets closed.

The Coalition Leading the Charge Black Voters Matter, Indivisible, and Until Freedom aren’t doing this for symbolism. They are doing it to apply economic pressure where moral pressure has failed. This is a coalition of organizers who understand history, power, and the long game. They are reminding us that protest isn’t only marches and petitions—sometimes it’s stillness, discipline, and withholding. This coalition is calling out corporations like Amazon, Target, and Home Depot—not because they sell products we don’t want, but because they invest in politics we can’t accept. And they’re right to do it.

A nation of immigrants or minorities?

Money Talk News just released a brief video titled “You probably think minorities make up way more of America than they do.” It was subtitled: Research reveals Americans consistently misjudge population statistics due to cognitive bias. Simply Psychology describes cognitive bias as “the result of your brain’s attempt to simplify information processing—we receive approximately 11 million bits of information per second. Still, we can only process roughly 40 bits of information per second. Therefore, we often rely on mental shortcuts to help us make sense of the world with relative speed.” Naturally, mental shortcuts lead to mental errors.

According to the video, Americans have a significantly distorted perception of the size of various population groups. YouGov polling data found that majorities were underestimated, while minority groups were overestimated.

When it came to majorities like high school graduates and Christians, poll takers put the former at 65 percent and the latter at 58 percent, but in reality, high school graduates account for 89 percent of the population and Christians for 70 percent.

The overestimation of minority groups is more pronounced.

Transgender Americans were estimated at 21 percent of the population but are 0.6 percent. Gay and lesbian Americans were estimated at 30 percent but comprise 3 percent of the population. Muslim Americans were estimated at 27 percent of the population but are 1 percent. Native Americans were also thought to be 27 percent of the population but are only 1 percent.

First-generation immigrants were thought to be 40 percent of the population when they are only 14 percent, and Black Americans were considerably overestimated at 41 percent when they are only 12 percent. Since first-generation immigrants were lumped with Black Americans, it’s safe to infer they were referring to individuals of Latin American, Asian, African, and Middle Eastern heritage and not non-Hispanic Whites.

The video went on to claim that even members of minority groups significantly overestimate their numbers. Black Americans surveyed believed they made up 52 percent of the population; however, as previously stated, they make up only 12 percent. The video producers did not attempt to ask members of specific nationalities within the non-Hispanic White group, which is America’s dominant demographic, whether they significantly overestimate their numbers, similar to how minority groups do. That oversight is most likely due to “false collective bias.” That happens when a group in a majority-forming coalition fails to acknowledge its minority status outside of that collective.

Non-Hispanic Whites acknowledge that America has traditionally been a refuge for European immigrants. In his 1958 book A Nation of Immigrants, John F. Kennedy stated, “It

can be said that three large forces— religious persecution, political oppression, and economic hardship—provided the chief motives for the mass migration to our shores.”  The persecuted and the oppressed were minorities in their respective homelands. Once in America, the descendants of Europe adopted the national motto “E pluribus unum,” which means “out of many, one,” and worked to create a unified nation from diverse groups. Over several generations, a collective non-Hispanic White majority formed, and by 2025, non-Hispanic Whites account for 58 percent of the population. That means that persons with non-European origin account for 52 percent of the population.

When compared to 58 percent of non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics (20 percent), Blacks (12 percent), and Asians (7 percent) are minorities. Now, let’s separate the European groups that comprise the non-Hispanic White collective and place their population percentage beside the 52 percent of non-Whites to determine each European group’s minority status.

As of 2025, English/Anglo-Saxon (14 percent), German (13.5 percent), Irish (10.5 percent), Italian (4.9 percent), Polish (2.7 percent), Scottish (2.4 percent), and Jewish (2.3 percent) are followed by Greek, Dutch, French, Russian, Lithuanian, Swedish, Serbian, Czech, and Hungarian, accounting for less than 2 percent each.

The Money Talk News Headline “You probably think minorities make up way more of America than they do” is correct, but they failed to point out that outside of the non-Hispanic White collective, European groups are minorities too.

What This Freeze Accomplishes

1. It hits corporations in the only place they truly feel pain: revenue.

Black Friday is their Super Bowl. When we don’t show up, the scoreboard changes. A fourday drop in consumer volume is measurable. It forces executives to pay attention.

2. It exposes the myth that we must consume to be good citizens.

We’re tired of being told patriotic duty looks like overstuffing shopping carts. Consumerism is not freedom. Conscious spending is.

3. It strengthens our internal discipline and our collective power.

Let’s be honest—many of us overspend during this season. A freeze creates space to reassess:

* Do I need this, or am I being manipulated?

* Can these dollars go to a Black-owned business instead—after the freeze?

* Should I put this money toward savings, debt relief, or mutual aid?

4. It reframes the conversation around economic justice.

We’re not freezing spending because we’re angry shoppers.

We’re freezing spending because we’re informed citizens.

We aren’t punishing corporations. We’re educating them. If you undervalue Black consumers, if you undermine democracy, if you retreat from racial equity—then we have a moral obligation to respond.

Yes, We’re Angry. And We Should Be. We’re angry that DEI has been reduced to a buzzword.

We’re angry that corporate leaders fold under political pressure.

We’re angry that Black communities still carry the highest costs—higher inflation, higher rents, higher interest rates—while being told to “celebrate savings” on cheap goods made overseas.

We’re angry that our political rights are under attack while corporations stay silent. Anger is not the problem. Inaction is. This freeze turns anger into strategy. What Happens After the Freeze? We redirect. We reinvest. We rebuild. We support Black-owned businesses. We put dollars into our communities. We choose purpose over impulse. We spend with clarity instead of conditioning. The Bottom Line

From November 28 through December 1, we close our wallets—and open our eyes. Not because we are powerless, but because we are powerful. Not because we are broke, but because we are strategic. Not because we are done fighting, but because we are just getting started.

This is what it looks like to flex our economic muscles.

This is what it sounds like when we say: We ain’t buying it. Not this time. (Dr. Julianne Malveaux is a DC based economist and author.  www.juliannemalveaux.com)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—The world of our screens has many of us dreading Thanksgiving. The things old friends and family members post on social media convince us in an instant that they’ve lost any semblance of sanity. But time in person quickly reminds us that we actually love them and still have far more in common than we don’t.

Today’s media makes me long for the leaders who once shaped our public discourse before social media and 24-hour news seemingly distorted it beyond repair. As Congress grows louder and louder with increasingly extreme declarations—threatening another shutdown after the recent crisis already shuttered agencies and disrupted vital food support for poor families—I find myself missing Jack Kemp more than ever. As a Democrat, I miss Kemp most of all because he was a Republican who believed that fighting poverty and protecting civil rights were American obligations— even when his party didn’t have much appetite for either.

When I became the youngest president in the history of the NAACP at 35, the first assignment our then-chairman Julian Bond gave me was to go meet Jack Kemp.

I must admit I was a little baffled as to why I was being sent to meet with a Republican so quickly—let alone one who was no longer in office. Bond explained he had personally tapped Kemp to co-chair a commission advising the NAACP on its future direction because lasting change demands bipartisan consensus, not just partisan warfare. Kemp made one request to me: “No surprises.” I kept my promise. And in him I found a creative problem solver and courageous ally.

With Kemp’s encouragement, I repeatedly reached out to Republican leaders when I led the NAACP with great success: we abolished the death penalty in the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line, helped shrink prison systems in Georgia and Texas, and led a final push in a successful effort to restore voting rights for thousands of formerly incarcerated people in Virginia—each time with support from top Republicans willing to be courageous on civil rights.

Still, Kemp had a special way of making his commitment to courage plain. Julian Bond once told me a story to explain why he trusted Kemp so deep-

ly. During Kemp’s presidential run, Bond recalled, a reporter pressed him on how he could seek the Republican nomination while being described as a card-carrying member of the NAACP. Kemp didn’t hesitate.

“I can’t help but care about the rights of the people I used to shower with,” he said. That level of candor—that shared investment in defending human decency regardless of party—is vanishing from American politics. Recently, 24-hour news had me all but convinced Kemp’s brand of compassionate conservatism had died with him. Then I visited Holly Knoll. There have always been political leaders who understood that beneath the noise, we share the same hopes. Jack Kemp was one of them. He found a kindred spirit in Kay Coles James, who shared his vision that free enterprise could lift all boats. James fondly remembers Kemp once declaring, “I am a Kay James Republican”—high praise from a man who rarely followed anyone else’s lead. Their unlikely alliance—a White quarterback turned politician and a Black woman who’d risen from Richmond’s housing projects—embodied America’s promise. Holly Knoll in Gloucester, Virginia, is where James keeps Kemp’s brand of conservatism alive.

Built in 1935 by Robert Russa Moton—Booker T. Washington’s successor at Tuskegee and a man who rose from slavery’s shadow to advise five presidents—this York River estate became a secret strategy center of the civil-rights movement. Under its 400-year-old oak, some have said Martin Luther King Jr. found inspiration for his “I Have a Dream” speech. In its rooms, Black leaders and White allies talked strategy for Brown v. Board of Education.

Kay Coles James knows this history in her bones. As a child in Richmond’s housing projects, she spent summers at Holly Knoll when wealthy relatives brought her to experience what was possible. While public pools barred

Black children, Holly Knoll’s pool welcomed them.

When James purchased the crumbling property in 2005, she wasn’t simply saving real estate—she was preserving an approach that’s increasingly rare. Through her Gloucester Institute, she champions what Kemp called “bleeding-heart conservatism”: market solutions with moral purpose, enterprise with empathy. Kemp would have smiled seeing his friend transform Holly Knoll into a laboratory for the ideas they’d championed together. I imagine Booker T. Washington would’ve smiled as well.

Like Kemp, James speaks uncomfortable truths: civil rights matter to all of us; the Black community must work with allies across ideological lines. Her candor matches Kemp’s locker-room honesty—rooted not in calculation but in lived experience.

During the Obama years, while others in her party sought the harshest soundbite, James says she never publicly condemned the president—not because she agreed with his policies, but because she held to an old tradition: Black people stand together when glass ceilings shatter, even across ideological lines.

This costs something in today’s Republican Party, where the Kemp wing—focused on enterprise, skills development and home-ownership—is increasingly eclipsed by voices offering grievance over solutions.

Yet Holly Knoll endures as both refuge and reminder. Here, practical solutions matter more than political theatre. Here, Kay Coles James proves that conservatism at its best doesn’t defend the castle—it extends the drawbridge. No surprises. Just the steady work of making America’s promise real for everyone. The kind of work that reminds us, when we meet face-to-face rather than screen-to-screen, that we’re all still trying to solve the same kitchen-table issues for our families and our nation.

That’s the Holly Knoll way. That’s what Kemp believed. That’s what America needs another helping of now—especially at Thanksgiving.

(Ben Jealous is the executive director of the Sierra Club, a Professor of Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, and former national president and CEO of the NAACP.)

Effective with the August 3, 2020, Sheriff Sale of real estate and all such monthly public sales thereafter shall be conducted virtually through video conferencing technology or live streaming. ALL PARTICIPANTS OR BIDDERS MUST BE REGISTERED AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE SALE IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE (VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON) AT THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SALES OF REAL ESTATE. REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S WEBSITE: SHERIFFALLEGHENYCOUNTY.COM. The Successful bidder will pay full amount of bid in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK OR CASHIERS CHECK at time of sale, otherwise the property will be resold at the next regular Sheriffs Sale; provided, that if the sale is made on MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2025 the bidder may pay ten percent of purchasing price but not less than $75.00 in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK THE DAY IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE SALE, e.g. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025, BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 8:30AM AND 2:30PM IN THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. Failure to pay the 10% deposit will have you banned from future Sheriff Sales. And the balance in CASH, CERTIFIED CHECK, OR CASHIERS CHECK, on or before MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025, at 10:00 O’CLOCK A.M. The property will be resold at the next regular Sheriff’s Sale if the balance is not paid, and in such case all money’s paid in at the original sale shall be applied to any deficiency in the price of which property is resold, and provided further that if the successful bidder is the plaintiff in the execution the bidder shall pay full amount of bid ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE FOLLOWING MONTH, OTHERWISE WRIT WILL BE RETURNED AND MARKED “REAL ESTATE UNSOLD” and all monies advanced by plaintiff will be applied as required by COMMON PLEAS COURT RULE 3129.2 (1) (a).

FORFEITED SALES WILL BE POSTED IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AND LISTED ON THE SHERIFF OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY WEB SITE.

AMENDMENT OF THE CODE SECOND CLASS COUNTY NEW CHAPTER 475 THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 475, ENTITLED TAXATION IS HEREBY AMENDED THROUGH THE CREATION ARTICLE XII, ENTITLED, “SHERIFF SALES”, AND COMPRISED AS FOLLOWS: SUBSECTION 475-60: RECORDING OF DEEDS AND NOTIFICATION OF SHERIFFS SALES TO TAXING BODIES.

A. FOR ANY REAL PROPERTY OFFERED AT SHERIFFS SALE DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF REAL ESTATE TAXES AND PURCHASED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH SUCH SALE, THE SHERIFF SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FILING THE DEED AND, WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF FILING OF THE SHERIFFS DEED, PROVIDE WRITTEN NOTICE OF THE CONVEYANCE TO THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS. THE WRITTEN NOTICE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION SHALL INCLUDE THE DATE OF THE SALE, IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY SOLD BY BOTH ADDRESS AND LOT AND BLOCK NUMBER, AND THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE INDIVIDUALS OR OTHER ENTITY THAT PURCHASED THE PROPERTY.

B. AT THE TIME OF THE SALE THE SHERIFF SHALL COLLECT ALL REQUISITE FILING COSTS, REALTY TRANSFER TAXES AND FEES, NECESSARY TO PROPERLY RECORD THE DEED. C. WITHIN SEVEN DAYS OF RECEIPT OF WRITTEN NOTICE FROM THE SHERIFF, THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY OFFICE OF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS SHALL FORWARD COPIES OF SUCH NOTICE TO ALL TAXING BODIES LEVYING REAL ESTATE TAXES ON THE PROPERTY DESCRIBED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE MUNICIPALITY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED.

AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 14 OF ACT NO. 77 OF 1986, THE COST OF ALL DOCUMENTARY STAMPS FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAXES (STATE, LOCAL, AND SCHOOL) WILL BE DEDUCTED BY THE SHERIFF FROM THE PROCEEDS OF THE SALE. Purchasers must pay the necessary recording fees. Pursuant to Rule 3136 P.R.C.P. NOTICE is hereby given that a schedule of distribution will be filed by the Sheriff not later than 30 days from date of sale and that distribution will be made in accordance with the schedule unless exceptions are filed thereto within 10 days thereafter. No further notice of the filing of the schedule of distribution will be given.

A Land Bank formed under 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2101 et seq. may exercise its right to bid pursuant to 68 Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (2) through Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d) (4) on certain properties listed for sale under the municipal claims and Tax Lien Law, 53 P.S. 7101 et seq. The Sheriff of Allegheny County will honor the terms of payment which the Land Bank has entered with any municipalities having a claim against the property. If the Land Bank tenders a bid under Pa. C.S.A. 2117(d)(3) or 2117(d)(4) the property will not be offered for sale to others and the Property will be considered sold to the Land Bank for the Upset Price as defined in P.S.7279 and no other bids will be accepted.

NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT ALL SHERIFFS DEEDS TENDERED TO PURCHASERS WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING: NOTICE: The undersigned, as evidenced by the signature(s) to this notice and the acceptance and recording of this deed, (is/are) fully cognizant of the fact that the undersigned may not be obtaining the right of protection against subsidence, as to the property herein conveyed, resulting from coal mining operations and that the purchased property, herein conveyed, may be protected from damage due to mine subsidence by a private contract with the owners of the economic interest in the coal. This notice is inserted herein to comply with the Bituminous Mine Subsidence and Land Conservation Act of 1966. as amended 1980. Oct. 10, P.L 874, No. 156 §1. “This document may not sell, convey, transfer, include, or insure the title to the coal and right of support underneath the surface land described or referred to herein and the owner or owners of such coal may have the complete legal right to remove all of such coal, and in that connection damage may result to the surface of the land, any house, building or other structure on or in such land.”

1DEC25

PLAINTIFF(S) BOROUGH OF MOUNT OLIVER Vs DEFENDANT(S) BRENDA HOUTZ ********************

CASE NO. GD-25-004123

DEBT $5,788.89

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHRISTOPHER E. VINCENT

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 546 WENDEL ROAD, IRWIN, PA 15642

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (724) 978-0333

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF MOUNT OLIVER:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 214 ORMSBY AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15210. DEED BOOK 13802, PAGE 186. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 32-A-125.

3DEC25

PLAINTIFF(S): PLUM Borough SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): STEVEN SCOTTI

CASE NO. GD-24-000385

DEBT $7,408.83

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF PLUM:

HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 551 CRESTHAVEN DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15239. DEED BOOK 15881, PAGE 148. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 741-B-15.

4DEC25

PLAINTIFF(S): MT. LEBANON SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): JANET MARTIN

CASE NO. GD-25-003201

$17,870.89

DEBT

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, MUNICIPALITY OF MT. LEBANON: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN As 629 ROCKWOOD AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15234: DEED BOOK 17871, PAGE 337. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER l92,-S-246

5DEC25

PLAINTIFF(S): MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): 109 GATEHOUSE DRIVE, LLC

CASE NO. GD-25-003192 ********* DEBT $28,765.97 *********

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire **********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S)

445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, TOWNSHIP OF MOON: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 109 GATEHOUSE DRIVE, CORAOPOLIS, PA 15108. DEED BOOK 17974, PAGE429.·BLOCKAND LOT NUMBER 337-A-14.

6DEC25

PLAINTIFF(S): BALDWIN-:WHITEHALL SCHOOL DISTRICT Vs DEFENDANT(S): CHARITY MARIE KARTEN ******************** CASE NO. GD-25-003823 ********* DEBT $8,410.00 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S)

Elizabeth P. Sattler, Esquire **********************

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) 445 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Suite 503, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 412-391-0160

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF BALDWIN: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING, KNOWN AS 219 PAULA DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PA 15236. DEED BOOK 19q98, PAGE 101. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER ·

242:

10DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): LORI D. ADAMS ******************** CASE NO. MG-24-000660

DEBT $136,084.26 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080 SHORT DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, AND MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING

7DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): Jason Shook a/k/a Jason D. Shook ******************** CASE NO. MG-25-000562 DEBT $27,939.38 NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Powers Kirn, LLC

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Eight Neshaminy Interplex, Suite 215, Trevose, PA 19053

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: 215-942-2090

SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 19h Ward of the City of Pittsburgh: Having erected thereon a dwelling being known and numbered as 33-35 Greenbush Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15211 a/k/a 33/35 Greenbush Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15211. Deed Book Volume 11958, Page 381, Instrument 2004-5596, Block and Lot Number 4-L-7.

8DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): WILLIAM F. LYONS, JR. AND HEATHER WILLIAMS ******************** CASE NO. MG-24-000952 ********* DEBT $102,104.56 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, Township of West Deer: PARCEL 1: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 217 POLLOCK STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084 A/KIA 145 POLLOCK STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16582, PAGE 527. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1838-P-00036-0000-00. PARCEL 2: BEING VACANT LAND BEING KNOWN AS SNYDER STREET, TARENTUM, PA 15084. DEED BOOK VOLUME 16582, PAGE 527. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 1838-P-00135-0000-00.

9DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): KAWAKI K. BRADFORD AND DARIUS M. BRADFORD ******************** CASE NO. MG-25-000122 ********* DEBT $$130,30033 ********* NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) CHELSEA A. NIXON, ESQUIRE

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC 216 HADDON AVENUE, SUITE 201 WESTMONT NJ 08108 ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (856) 858-7080 SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, and 2nd Ward of the City of Clairton: PARCEL 1: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED As 292 PARK AVENUE,· CLAIRTON, PA 15025.: DEED BOOK Volume 16702, PAGE 426. BLOCK AND LOT

TELEPHONE

858-7080

DESCRIPTION: IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, AND MUNICIPALITY OF PENN HILLS: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 304 ELIAS DRIVE, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA J,5235 .A/K/A 304 ELIAS DRIVE, PENN HILLS, PENNSYLVANIA 15235. DEED BOOK VOLUME 10869, PAGE 352. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 0368-P-00I 02-0000-00.

12DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): Albert Grace CASE NO. MG-24-000805

DEBT $11,423.54

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

************************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 26TH WARD OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 2917 NORTH CHARLES STREET, PITTSBURGH, PA 15214. DEED BOOK VOLUME 6691, PAGE 319. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 46-B-142.

13DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): Charles I. Palmer and Helen M. Palmer CASE NO. MG-24-000517

DEBT $53,398.61

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire

ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521

SHORT DESCRIPTION:

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, BOROUGH OF PITCAIRN: HAVING ERECTED THEREON A SINGLE FAMILY

RESIDENTIAL DWELLING BEING KNOWN AND NUMBERED AS 373 2ND STREET, PITCAIRN, PA 15140. DEED BOOK VOLUME 13432, PAGE 579. BLOCK AND LOT NUMBER 747-A-248.

14DEC25

DEFENDANT(S): Brenda J. Dudley CASE NO. MG-24-000669

DEBT $50,923.36

NAME OF ATTORNEY(S) Stephen M. Hladik, Esquire ********************** ADDRESS OF ATTORNEY(S) Hladik, Onorato and Federman, LLP 298 Wissahickon Avenue, North Wales, PA 19454

************************** ATTORNEY TELEPHONE NUMBER: (215) 855-9521 ******************************** SHORT DESCRIPTION: In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Allegheny, 3RD WARD OF THE CITY OF DUQUESNE: HAVING ERECTED THEREON

U.S. DEPARTMENT

Property

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA vs. ANTHONY M. FARBACHER

Civil #2:24-cv-00370

Public notice is hereby given, that by virtue of an Order dated May 23, 2025, issued out of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on a judgment rendered in Court on May 23, 2025, in the amount of $187,574.70 plus interest from 5/23/2025 in favor of The United States of America and against ANTHONY M. FARBACHER, the following described real estate, located at 23 Simon Road Cheswick, PA 15024, shall be offered for sale. To obtain a complete legal description please contact Jillian Hill at 215-825-6305.

PROPERTY LOCATION: 23 Simon Road Cheswick, PA 15024

Parcel/Folio # 1217-A-00209-0000-00

The above-mentioned properties offered up for sale on December 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Gold Room on the 4th floor located at the Allegheny County Courthouse located at 436 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, at public auction, to the highest and best bidder by the U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I will be advertising, the Marshal’s Sale of real estate situated in the Western District of Pennsylvania, on the following dates: 11/19/2025; 11/26/2025; 12/3/2025; 12/10/2025

And I will, accordingly offer the real estate for sale to the highest and best bidder, for cashier’s check or teller’s check.

The following terms of sale apply to all of the above listed properties.

Terms of Sale: Ten percent (10%) of the highest sum bid must be deposited by the highest bidder in cashier’s check or certified check with the Marshal upon the property being struck down to such bidder. Upon failure to make such deposit, the bidder shall lose the benefit of this bid and the property may be immediately put up again and sold unless a deposit of the sum required be made by a second bidder willing to take the property at the highest price bid. The balance of the purchase price shall be paid in cashier’s check or certified check within ten (10) days after confirmation of the sale by Court Order without any demand being made by the Marshal. Otherwise, the Marshal may settle with a second bidder who has made the required deposit at the Marshal’s Sale and thereby registered their willingness to take the property at the highest price bid, provided such second bidder deposits the balance of the purchase price within 10 days after notice from the Marshal of the first bidder’s default. If no second bid be registered, the property may be sold again at the risk of the defaulting bidder, and in case of any deficiency in such resale, the defaulting bidder shall make good the same to the person injured thereby and the deposit shall be forfeited and distributed with the other funds created by the sale.

Bidder must have proceeds immediately available and on his person in order to bid, bidder will not be permitted to leave the sale and return with proceeds. The successful bidder takes the real estate subject to, and shall pay all taxes, water rents, sewer charges, municipal claims, and other charges and liens not divested by the sale and must also pay all state and local realty transfer taxes or stamps, to the extent the fund created by the sale is insufficient to pay such transfer taxes.

Distribution of Proceeds: A Schedule of Proposed Distribution of the proceeds of sale will be filed with the Marshal within ten (10) days of confirmation by Court Order of the sale. No Schedule of Distribution will be filed if the property is sold to the Plaintiff for costs only. The Marshal shall distribute the proceeds of sale in accordance with the proposed Schedule of Distribution unless written exceptions are filed with the Marshal not later than ten (10) days after the filing of the proposed schedule.

For information concerning the amount that Plaintiff intends to bid, for information regarding the status if this sale, the exact location of the sale in the courthouse, or for other information you may contact: Jillian Hill at 215-825-6305 or JHill@kmllawgroup.com.

For a complete list of all properties offered for sale by the Department of Agriculture go to: http://www.resales.usda.gov/

The sale may be postponed in accordance with Pa. R.C.P. 3129.1 et seq. for up to 100 days. Please contact Jillian Hill, Paralegal, with KML Law Group, P.C., at the above phone numbers prior to the scheduled sale date to confirm that the sale will proceed.

NOTICE: PROPOSED REVISIONS TO THE 2026 LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING FLAT RENT SCHEDULE

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) is proposing updates to its Low-Income Public Housing (LIPH) Flat Rent Schedule. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), in accordance with federal law and regulation, is proposing revisions to its Low-Income Public Housing Flat Rent Schedule.

The revised 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule is available for review and comment from Friday, November 7, to Monday, December 8, 2025, on the HACP website: www.hacp.org.

Copies of the 2026 Flat Rent Schedule can also be obtained by contacting the HACP Asset Management office at: 412-643-2737.

A notice including the proposed Flat Rent schedule will be mailed to all residents of the Low-Income Housing portfolio on November 3, 2025. Public Hearings to receive public comments on the revised 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be held at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, via Zoom.

Zoom Instructions

10:00 AM Session:

Web: https://hacp-org.zoom.us/j/82544075262? pwd=3dIJasn07aCbXDIPxLnhl2iauBboge.1

Telephone Number: 1-301-715-8592 (US)

Meeting ID: 825 4407 5262

Passcode: 716027

6:00 PM Session:

Web: https://hacp-rg.zoom.us/j/81194279005? pwd=uRkspE2CrNmUlTayGJF6UVsQBO91xF.1

Telephone Number: 1-305-224-1968 (US)

Meeting ID: 811 9427 9005

Passcode: 286602

A written comment period will be held beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, November 7, 2025, until 5 p.m. Monday, December 8, 2025

Written comments regarding the 2026 HACP Flat Rent Schedule must be submitted by mail and addressed to: HACP Asset Management, C/O Anthony Ceoffe, 412 Blvd. of the Allies, 7th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, or via email to: anthony.ceoffe@hacp.org. Comments may also be submitted by calling the HACP Asset Management Office at: 412-643-2737. Persons with disabilities requiring assistance or alternative formats, or who wish to submit comments in alternative formats, can contact the HACP ADA/504 Coordinator at: 412-456-5020, Ext. 2504; TTY: 412-2015384. All other questions should be addressed to the Asset Management Office at: 412-643-2737. READ THE PROPOSED LIPH FLAT RENT SCHEDULE www.hacp.org.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 7th Floor / Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219 Tel: 412-643-2737 Fax: 412-643-2962 www.HACP.org

TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT PROPOSED ORDINANCE NUMBER 1139

The Wilkins Township Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of the following Ordinance at a public meeting to be held on the 8th day of December 2025 at 7:00 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road,Wilkins Township, Pennsylvania. The complete text of the Ordinance is on file and may be inspected in the Office of the Township Secretary at the aforesaid Municipal Building during normal business hours.

The title and a summary of the ordinance is as follows.

PROPOSED ORDINANCE #1139 TITLE

AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WILKINS, ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 450 ARTICLE II - GENERAL PROVISIONS; 450-7 TO ADD DEFINITIONS FOR MIXEDUSE BUILDING, MIXED-USE CONVERSION AND DWELLING UNIT; ARTICLE IIIDISTRICT REGULATIONS: 45011 TO ADD MIXED-USE CONVERSIONS AS A CONDITIONAL USE; ARTICLE VI - 450-50CITERIA FOR APPROVAL, TO ADD PARAGRAPH S, MIXED-USE CONVERSIONS

SUMMARY

The Ordinance will permit multi-family residential structures in the R-3 and R-4 Zoning Districts, that contain ten or more individual dwelling units, to be able to convert the first floor into a commercial space. A single multi-family structure complex will be permitted to convert 100% of their first-floor while multi-family, multi-structure complexes will be permitted to convert 50% of their first floors.

BOROUGH OF BEN AVON AVAILABILITY OF PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET

Notice is hereby given that the 2026 proposed budget is available for public inspection at the office of the Borough Secretary at the Ben Avon Borough Municipal Building, 7101 Church Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202 on any Monday and Wednesday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and on Tuesday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Action will be taken on the proposed budget at the December 16, 2025, meeting of the Ben Avon Borough Council, at 7:00 p.m. accessible both via Microsoft Teams and in person at the Borough Building.

Terrie Patsch Borough Secretary

BOROUGH OF BEN AVON NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT

The Council of the Borough of Ben Avon will take action on the proposed ordinance at their regular Council Meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., at the Ben Avon Borough Municipal Building, 7101 Church Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202, and via Microsoft Teams a summary of which follows:

Ordinance No. 803

AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOROUGH OF BEN AVON, COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY, COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, LEVYING AN AD VALORUM REAL ESTATE TAX AND FIXING THE TAX RATE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.

A full text of this Ordinance may be viewed by contacting the office of the Borough Secretary at 412.766.7704 Monday and Wednesday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and Tuesday between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Terrie Patsch Borough Secretary

ANNOUNCEMENTS Meetings

The Borough of Ben Avon shall hold its Council meetings for the year 2026, following the Reorganization Meeting on January 6, the meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month on the dates shown below, both virtually via Microsoft Teams and in the Borough of Ben Avon Municipal Building at 7101 Church Avenue, Ben Avon, PA 15202 at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates:

January 20, 2026

February 17, 2026

March 17, 2026

April 21, 2026

May 19, 2026

June 16, 2026

July 21, 2026

August 18, 2026

September 15, 2026

October 20, 2026

November 17, 2026

December 15, 2026

Terrie Patsch, Borough Secretary

“The Haysville Borough Council has tentatively set the 2026 Budget and Tax Levy. They can be reviewed, by appointment, at 412.741-5038 or haysvilleborough1 @verizon.net through December 15, 2025.

The Wilkins Township Zoning Hearing Board shall hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 7:00 p.m., at the Municipal Building, 110 Peffer Road, Wilkins Township, PA 15145. At that time, the Board shall hear an application for variance made by Superior Petroleum Company (‘the applicant’), with offices at 8199 McKnight Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. The applicant seeks a variance on property that is located at 710 Brown Avenue, Turtle Creek, PA 15145; Allegheny County Tax Map Lot and Block Number 372-M-248, situated in a C-1 Commercial Zoning District. If granted, the variance would permit a digital price sign with non-animated, static red and green digits. The Township Zoning Code §450-40(E) states that an electronic message center shall have a black background /face with amber tone changeable copy. This code provision can be viewed at the following link: https://ecode360.com/32356178 #32356178. Interested parties may choose to attend the meeting in person, or virtually via Zoom, at the following link: https://us02web. zoom.us/j/83980558196.

PUBLIC NOTICE ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Professional Services Committee of the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will hold a special meeting for general purposes on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. prevailing time, in the Trefz Board Room at its offices located at 3300 Preble Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15233. Official action on the Committee’s recommendations will take place at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors at a later date. The public may view the meeting via livestream by visiting www.alcosan.org.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

Estate of VINCENT GRANT KRAYVO (deceased) of Pittsburgh, PA, Estate No.

Pittsburgh, Pa 15222 Estate of NORMA JEAN ZISKIND, Deceased of Pittsburgh, Estate No. 07328 of 2025, Tammy Valerie Ziskind, Extr. or to E.J. Strassburger, Esq, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, 444 Liberty Avenue, Ste. 2200, Pittsburgh, Pa 15222

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Submit sealed proposals to the Facilities Division, Attention: Mr. Sanjeeb Manandhar, Pittsburgh Public Schools Service Center, 1305 Muriel Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203 no later than 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 for: Request for Proposal From Solar Energy Developers For Solar Voltaic Systems At Pittsburgh Carrick High School and Pittsburgh Classical 6-8 RFP will be available to download on Monday, December 1, 2025 at the Pittsburgh Public Schools website https://www.pghschools.org/ community/business-opportunities /rfps.

RFP #650-41-25

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Employee Retirement Plan Investment Management and Financial Wellness Consulting

The documents will be available no later than November 17, 2025, and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 9:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 9:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor - Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquires should be directed to:

Mr. Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement/ Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-2890

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting on December 3, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below:

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 836 9309 4073 Passcode: 540392 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages small businesses, minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and veteran-owned businesses to respond to this solicitation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the

and

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE

RFP #650-24-25

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Workers Compensation Insurance

The documents will be available no later than November 17, 2025 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until the closing time of 10:00 a.m. on December 12, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies. Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site, the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed proposals may still be mailed via USPS at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 412 Boulevard of the Allies, 6th Floor - Procurement, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested in responding may download a copy of the Solicitation from the Business Opportunities page of www.HACP.org.

Questions or inquires should be directed to:

Mr. Brandon Havranek, Associate Director of Procurement/ Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-2890

A pre-submission meeting will be held via Zoom meeting on December 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Please see the meeting information below: Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 811 4453 2544 Passcode: 093190 +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages small businesses, minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and veteran-owned businesses to respond to this solicitation.

Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

in

HACP conducts

including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

LEGAL ADVERTISEMENT

Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 25-12

Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) is requesting proposals for the performance of the following service (“Contract Services”): ONLINE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM SERVICES

The work under the proposed Agreement consists of but is not limited to, a vendor developing, maintaining, and providing support for a cloud-based online community engagement website and application software platform that allows PRT to share and collect information about programs and projects and provide a forum for the general public and PRT users to interact and submit feedback on presented information. The required services will be issued on a work order basis as they are approved to proceed by PRT. The Agreement will be for a (3) three-year period with the option to extend the term of the Agreement up to (2) additional one-year periods at the sole discretion of PRT.

A copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) will be available on or after November 14, 2025 and can be obtained by registering at the PRT’s ebusiness website: http://ebusiness.ridePRT.org and following the directions listed on the website. Please note that Proposers must register under the ebusiness category of PSSC – Pro Software Consulting for this RFP. Proposers may also register in other categories for any future RFPs issued by PRT. If you have specific questions regarding this RFP, please contact John Young at (412) 566-5216 or via email jyoung@ridePRT.org

An Information Meeting for interested parties will be held on November 21, 2025 at 1:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, via Microsoft Teams video conference and/or conference call to answer any questions regarding this RFP.

To join by Microsoft Team video conference:

• Meeting ID: 268 253 192 591 6 Passcode: Jm7ji3gF

To join by Microsoft Teams call-in number: 412-927-0245 United States, McKeesport Conference ID: 941 806 871#

Electronic proposals must be received, and time stamped through PRT’s Ebusiness website at or before 2:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, December 15, 2025, at http://ebusiness.ridePRT.org. Proposals not received by PRT’s Ebusiness website by the advertised time for the submission of proposals shall be non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. Each Proposer shall be solely responsible for assuring that its proposal is timely received and time stamped in accordance with the requirements herein. This Contract Services may be funded, in part, by, and subject to certain requirements of, the County of Allegheny and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. AT THE TIME OF THIS SOLICITATION, THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA’S DIVERSE BUSINESS PROGRAM, 74 PA.C.S.

Section 303, REMAINS IN EFFECT, AS APPLICABLE. DB PARTICIPATION

REQUIREMENTS WILL ONLY APPLY WHERE REQUIRED BY THE COMMONWEALTH IN NON-FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDES THIS SOLICITATION.

Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit, in compliance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, as may be amended, also requires that certified Diverse Businesses, (“DBs”) have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform applicable contracts and subcontract for, the Contract Services. In this regard, all Proposers, and the Contractor, shall make good faith efforts, in accordance with 74 Pa.C.S. § 303, to ensure that DBs have the maximum opportunity to compete for, and perform applicable contracts and subcontracts for, the Contract Services. Further, proposers and the Contractor shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, national origin, sex, sexual origin, gender identity or status as a parent in the award and performance of contracts or subcontracts for these Contract Services

Port Authority of Allegheny County d/b/a Pittsburgh Regional Transit reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

ADVERTISEMENT

OF

FORM

PUBLICATION DATE: November 26, 2025

1. The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 10:00 a.m. local time on Monday, December 15, 2025.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The Project entails the Repair and Preventative Maintenance of the Ft. Duquesne & Sixth Parking Garage Stair Towers.

3. The Instructions to Bidders, including the Form of Bid, Form of Agreement, General Conditions, Plans and Specifications, and meeting information will be made available after 3:00 p.m. local time on Monday, December 1, 2025, on the authority website at www.pittsburghparking.com.

4. A Mandatory pre-bid conference will be held on-site in the Ft. Duquesne & Sixth Parking Garage lobby area located at 126 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 at 11:00 am local time on Monday, December 8, 2025. The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to provide additional detail regarding the Work. The information provided at the pre-bid conference will be essential in preparing a bid to perform the Work. Persons or entities that intend to submit bids to perform the Work are required to attend the pre-bid conference with at least one representative who will understand the information presented at the pre-bid conference in a manner that allows such information to be incorporated in the preparation of the bid to perform the Work. It is expected that the representative who attends the pre-bid conference will be experienced in construction matters and employed by the bidder in a supervisory capacity. In person Pre-bid attendance is mandatory, and each attendee must sign in on the project sign-in form.

5. Sealed bids must be dropped off to the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025. Bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read at that time.

6. Each bid submitted must be accompanied by a bid guaranty of ten percent (10%) of the proposed bid in the form of a bid bond, certified cashier’s or treasurer’s check payable to the Authority.

7. The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 10:00 a.m. local time on Monday, December 15, 2025 the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

David G. Onorato Executive Director

FORM OF ADVERTISEMENT PUBLICATION DATE: November 26, 2025

1. The Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh (“Authority”) shall accept sealed bids for the performance of the work described below (the “Work”) at its office at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15222, until 1:00p.m. local time on Monday, December 15, 2025.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The Project entails the Modification and Fabrication of Signs for Various Garages of the Authority.

3. The Solicitation for Bid including Instructions to Bidders, Form of Bid, Scope of Work, and meeting information will be made available after 3:00 p.m. local time on Monday, December 1, 2025, on the Authority’s website at www.pittsburghparking.com

5. Sealed bids must be dropped off to the Public Parking Authority of Pittsburgh at 232 Boulevard of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, no later than 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025. Bids received prior to the deadline will be publicly opened and read at that time.

7. The Authority reserves the right to in its sole discretion, (i) change, at any time prior to the bid deadline at 1:00 p.m. local time on Monday, December 15, the Contract Documents; (ii) waive any defect, irregularities, or informality in any or all submitted bids; and (iii) reject any or all submitted bids.

David G. Onorato

Executive Director

SITE IMPROVEMENTS

The documents will be available no later than November 23, 2025 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 a.m. on December 30, 2025. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh will only accept physical proposals dropped off in person from 8:00 AM until 10:00 a.m. on December 30, 2025, in the lobby of One Stop Shop at 412 Boulevard of the Allies Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Proposals may be uploaded to the Authority’s online submission site; the link is accessible via the HACP website and within the RFP. Sealed

page of www.HACP.org. Questions or inquiries should be directed to:

Brandon Havranek Associate Director of Procurement/Contracting Officer 412 Boulevard of the Allies 6th Floor - Procurement Department Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-643-2890

A pre-submission meeting