Inspirational Stories about Creating a Sustainable, Vibrant, Healthy, and Just Region – Inspire Speakers Series

Inspirational Stories about Creating a Sustainable, Vibrant, Healthy, and Just Region | February 9, 2017

Storytelling is our way of expressing the soul of our community to one another. Stories expose our beliefs, emotions, and vulnerabilities that can resonate with people in ways that facts and statistics can’t. Stories foster empathy, remind us of what it means to be human, and challenge us to be the change we seek. During our second annual Storytelling Inspire Speakers Series event, we heard stories from citizens who are working to create sustainable, vibrant, healthy, and just places for us all to live, work, learn, and play.

The evening’s theme was “Loving Your Place.” This Moth-style and TED-like event dared us to dream big about what is possible for our communities, projects, and places. Our presenters are creating places that help our communities thrive, make us healthier and more vibrant, and are designed for everyone. We were inspired by the amazing work that Pittsburgh citizens are doing to make this community a place we can all love.

About the speakers:

Celeste Smith

Celeste C. Smith

Celeste C. Smith is the chief executive officer for 1Hood Media. 1Hood Media is a collective of conscious Hip Hop artists and activists who utilize Hip Hop as a means

Dan Bull Final

Daniel Bull

Daniel Bull is the founder of Zero Six Eight, a for-profit business incubator based in Pittsburgh, PA that exists to promote the full potential of ex-offenders as they pursue goals

Zaheen Edited

Zaheen Hussain

A native of Bangladesh and a Pittsburgh transplant by way of Connecticut, Zaheen Hussain serves as Millvale’s Sustainability Coordinator. Supported by the Millvale Community Library, and working with the Millvale

Laura Nettleton

Laura Nettleton

Laura Nettleton has more than 30 years of experience in development, sustainable design, and community engagement. She has been on the cutting edge of affordable housing and low-energy design solutions

Chuck Final Edited 2

Charles Herring

A nationally acclaimed educator, author, entrepreneur, and speaker, Charles Herring has a myriad of experiences from which to draw lessons that can be easily chunked into “mentally” digestible pieces that

Dave Moore

Dave Moore

Dave Moore serves as Executive Director of Pittsburgh Urban Christian School, a K-8 school in Wilkinsburg that he’d love to tell you all about. He previously served as a church pastor

Hector Saez

Héctor Sáez

Héctor Sáez works in community development, environmental issues, and economic policy. Currently, he is a professor of Community Economic Development at Chatham University. He obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in economics

Kendra 2

Kendra Strobel

Kendra Strobel is in her final year of law school. Through the Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows Program, she created and runs The Sweet Spot, a meeting place for teenage girls living

*We also heard poems performed by students of Environmental Charter School and GBA’s Relationship and Development Director, Ryan Walsh.