This time last year, Philadelphia was debating whether to construct the 76 Place arena in Center City. Though the Sixers would eventually change their plans after community opposition, the debate echoed the experiences of communities throughout the country—and across the state in Pittsburgh. For generations, Pittsburgh’s Hill District, located just outside Downtown Pittsburgh, stood as […]

photo GB – stock.adobe.com Last December, Andrea Matthews, executive director of The Brashear Association serving neighborhoods in the southern part of Pittsburgh, was asked how she felt about the incoming second Trump administration.   “Terrified,” she replied.   Seven months later, after President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on July 4, 2025, […]

Headline photo credit: Human City Creative As they face similar challenges, nonprofits in the Philadelphia and the Pittsburgh regions can learn from the differences in each other’s institutional ecosystems. This article, the first in a series, focuses on the challenges of building and maintaining social infrastructure like libraries in the aftermath of the recent struggles […]