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 11, 2016

Storytelling is our way of expressing the soul of our community to one another. Stories expose our beliefs, emotions and vulnerabilities that can connect 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.

On February 11, 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. This Moth-style and TED-like event dared us to dream big about what is possible for our communities, projects, and places.

About Our Speakers:

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Vivian Loftness

Vivian Loftness is a University Professor and former Head of the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University. She is an internationally renowned researcher, author and educator with over thirty

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Leah Lizarondo

Leah Lizarondo is one of the reasons that Pittsburgh is growing to be a healthier city and is one of the most visible and vocal advocates for healthy food in

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Cynthia “Muffy” Mendoza

Muffy is a mom. She is a mom who happens to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Point Park University; who has presided over a $10,000 budget to run

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Tess Wilson

Tess Wilson, Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellow, is a Kansas native who replanted herself in Pittsburgh in order to pursue an MFA in Creative Writing at Chatham University. Though she earned her

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Mark Dixon

Mark Dixon, Blue Lens, is an award-winning filmmaker, activist, and public speaker exploring the frontiers of social change on a finite planet. Mark graduated from Stanford University in 1997 with

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Stephen Cooper

Stephen is the Outdoor Education Coordinator, PE Teacher and School Nurse for the North Hills Campus of Winchester Thurston School. Steve has had an eclectic career path ranging from AmeriCorps

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Christian Hughes

Christian J. Hughes is a native of Detroit, MI, and is the founder and coordinator of Drafting Dreams, an educational service that educates students Kindergarten through 12th grade on principles

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Lisa Seel

Lisa is the Executive Director of Millvale Community Library, and has been involved in the library project since 2010. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching and Elementary Education and

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Terri Baltimore

Terri has worked at the Hill House Association for over two decades, and has been responsible for projects like the Hill District Community Collaborative – which served women in recovery