The 100 Companies

Our country faces unprecedented turmoil as we navigate a global pandemic and the continued fight for social justice and equity.

For over 150 years, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh has worked to improve quality of life for women and strengthen our communities.

My journalism career began with telling Black stories of overcoming education and economic obstacles while keeping “the struggle” front and center.

For the few years prior to the current pandemic, unrest and our economic slowdown, I have been engaged in conversations addressing our digital divide — the technology gap between underprivileged and underserved members of society.

As I reflect on the current social justice events through the lens of biblical wisdom, I have perceived that racial division, injustice, and systemic inequities are not new to the world.

We all have the capacity and the responsibility to be an ally – to advocate for others when we recognize disparities between how things are and how they should be.

Educate yourself. I’ve seen this advice across my social feed countless times in the past few weeks and I agree, educating yourself about racism is key to stopping it.

Do your own emotional and intellectual labor, including processing what those terms mean. Anti-racism writings and resources have been around since Rousseau.

While some say difficult race conversations are overdue, few will disagree that the protests happened so quickly we found ourselves adjusting and determining a stance on all issues – politics, police and black lives.

One of the unspoken accomplishments in life is the ability to identify true allies; this unprecedented quarantine period has been an effective filtering system to identify them.

The Twitter hashtag #publishingpaidme recently exposed what black writers earn compared to whites.

It is time we enact and enforce fair housing laws, regulate evictions, reintroduce rent control in urban markets and limit the scope of background checks for ex-offenders banned from public housing.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s green-yellow-red traffic light system for COVID-19 restrictions has created confusion, controversy and some doubt on just how well it prevented coronavirus infections and deaths.

Pittsburgh is open again, but it’s not the same as it was pre-pandemic.

Now that Pittsburgh is in the green phase of reopening and progressing toward normalcy, local businesses need our help.

In my interview with managing editor Halle Stockton, she shares the nonprofit news organization’s earnest mission — delivering a public service by investigating stories that help make Pittsburgh a better community.

At WordWrite, we call it “sunny day crisis planning,” proactive measures a company can enact now to better prepare for the next communications crisis on the horizon.

We know about the Boomers, the Gen Xers, and the much-derided Millennials (give me a break, already). It’s time to learn about Generation Z.

More than ever, the value of an authentic story — and storyteller — is critical.

Growing up in Homewood, rapper, singer and producer Benji. always had music around him.

When COVID-19 prevailed and I thought Kayak Pittsburgh might not open, I decided to buy a kayak — something I’ve always put off with the fear of getting it on my car.

With the expectation to remain socially distant, there are still opportunities to enjoy the weather and the city while staying six feet apart.

You’re allowed to sit and enjoy your time in a restaurant once again — finally — but you might not want to just eat out. You should think about eating outside.

We’ve all been deprived of professional sports for the last few months, sans the occasional marble race from Marbula One. However, we won’t be suffering much longer.

The best marketing cuts through the clutter and noise. And, for some businesses that can be switching channels to touch people in a different way.

Our pets are living their best lives lately – constant couch snuggles, pets, walks, you name it.

The perfect cocktail right now should be cool and refreshing – and ideally, something you could sip on all afternoon by a body of water.

In the 1967 film, “The Graduate,” a business leader advises Dustin Hoffman that the future is … plastics. In 2020 — because of COVID-19 — the future is … digital.

I had the honor of meeting Mike Holden at Kennywood’s Steel Curtain media day last July. He’s relatable, always smiling and “loves a story that is heartfelt and real.”

Do you remember there’s a census this year? How about a presidential election? (OK, it’s a little hard to forget that one.)