America’s best weekly
Kappa Alpha Psi Scholarship Fundraiser SEE PAGES A6-7
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 116 No.10 Two Sections
MARCH 5-11, 2025
Gainey: Pittsburgh is not for sale
PITTSBURGH MAYOR ED GAINEY SPEAKS ON THE NORTH SIDE, MONDAY, MARCH 3. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)
His opponent for mayor getting financial help from Trump supporters by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
In under three months, Pittsburgh—and the nation—pretty much will know who will lead the Steel City into 2026 and beyond. Barring a mayoral miracle if Republican
candidates Tony Moreno or Thomas West are elected, it will either be incumbent Democrat Ed Gainey, who is the first Black mayor in Pittsburgh’s history, or Democrat Corey O’Connor, current Allegheny County Controller. It took Pittsburgh
roughly 205 years to elect its first Black mayor. And from the day he officially took office in January 2022, Mayor Gainey has faced a litany of issues and challenges, not unlike other mayors. But in a city that’s had Blacks always in the minority, the may-
or and his supporters always felt that his “issues and challenges” might be sprinkled with a bit of racial discrimination, something no other mayor in Pittsburgh ever had to deal with. “This ain’t nothin’ new to us,” Mayor Gainey
told the New Pittsburgh Courier exclusively, Monday, March 3, moments after he held a press conference on the North Side to tell the city that about roughly 20 percent of his main opponent’s campaign contributions had come
from what Gainey called Donald Trump supporters, or “MAGA donors.” “We always know that at the end of the day,” Mayor Gainey told the Courier, “African AmerSEE GAINEY A5
New learning center part of Bible Center Church’s commitment to Homewood by Maia Williams
For New Pittsburgh Courier Homewood is rewriting its narrative for future generations. Meet The Maker's Clubhouse (TMC) Early Learning Center, a Black-owned and led preschool dedicated to serving local families. It is owned by Bible Center Church and part of the church's Oasis Project, which is the church's community and economic development division. TMC Early Learning Center offers an education for children ages 3 to 5, following the Frog Street Pre-K curriculum. The comprehensive, dual-language curriculum supports diverse learners and promotes development across multiple learning domains. It focuses on foundational skills such as letter sounds, letter recognition, and reading comprehension. "There's a lot of opportunities for very creative lessons," DiAnne Levy, TMC Early Learning Center director, told the New Pittsburgh Courier. She said the program allows teach-
ers to present lessons in a variety of creative ways. Executive Director of the Oasis Project, Pastor Cynthia Wallace, Ed.D., told the Courier that the preschool stems from a commitment to address the social and emotional well-being of Homewood children in addition to what she called a high-quality education. “The center is designed to be a space of beauty, innovation, collaboration, and empowerment, reflecting the diversity of the community and anticipating the varied learning styles and challenges of young learners,” Wallace said. They recognized Homewood’s lack of prime early childhood education options. “The preschool aims to fill this gap by creating a nurturing environment that promotes positive racial identity, engages children in critical thinking, and prepares them academically and socially for future educational success.” Its doors officially opened in November 2023 SEE BIBLE CENTER A8
Pittsburgh Courier NEW
To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 136
BIBLE CENTER CHURCH PASTORS CYNTHIA WALLACE AND JOHN WALLACE. THE MAKER’S CLUBHOUSE EARLY LEARNING CENTER IS PART OF THE CHURCH’S OUTREACH ARM, THE OASIS PROJECT.