< PreviousReentrants, Political Advancement, and Civic Engagement by Ana White As well intentioned as that desired outcome for reentry can be, obsta- cles still arise in a reentrant’s social and legal power to advance themselves and as a result, their communities. The challenges that reentrants face is deeply systemic with research showing a myriad of barriers, including difficulties in regaining voting status, barriers to education and job op- portunities, and legal restrictions to federal, state and local opportunities. These barriers can not only increase the likelihood of recidivism, but also diminish the idea that rehabilitation is a viable option for reentrants. The 2022 Pennsylvania Department of Correction Recidivism Report showed that the most recent overall recidivism rate is 64.7% within three years of release. Within those who recidivated within those three years, 75% have done so within the first 16 months of release, filling more than half of PA DOC beds with recidivists and making up approx. $1.2 billion of the Dept of Correction’s annual budget. (Reference: Recidivism 2022 Report:https://www.cor.pa.gov/About%20Us/Statistics/Documents/Re- ports/Recidivism%202022%20Report.pdf). Studies show that even a 5% reduction in recidivism can save approx. $1.9 million in costs in one year. Specifically in PA, legislators have attempted to become stronger champions of criminal justice reform. These efforts include the Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance, which limits inquiry of convictions during the employee’s pre-hire screening process, the 2018 Clean Slate Law, which provides a clean slate to workforce reentrants through enabling automatic sealing of certain felony convictions, and other criminal record reform within educational funding opportunities. However, with so much championing, there are still significant barriers, legal ceilings and socially shifted goal posts that prevent reentrants from becoming full change agents within their community-Specifically with political movement. For many, being incarcerated and having firsthand experiences within this system prompts their desire to serve within political spaces as key stakeholders in legislative, judicial, and executive positions including May- or, County Commissioners, City Council or State Representatives. Politi- cal stakeholders hold a unique ability to affect the interests of community members, and as such hold tremendous influence and control. But with legislation not aligning with criminal justice reform, what implications does that have towards reentrants and their ability to reach their highest potential within political systems? In Harrisburg, PA, community leaders with criminal backgrounds are working towards the right to influence their communities and bring change beyond grassroots positions. Lamont Jones, a reentrant that has taken his service in the community and leveraged this influence to bring about change, decided to put the theory of Clean Slate, second chances, and community acceptance to the test. Born in Harrisburg PA, Lamont Jones is a community fixture that has shown tremendous passion and concern for his community. Previously incarcerated, Jones ascended to a renewed life dedicated to mentoring youth and adults within the nonprofit and reentry community. Jones served time in prison over a period from the early 1990s through the early 2000s. Upon release, he made strides to pour back into his community. He served as VP of Operations for Breaking the Chainz, Inc., providing behavioral health intervention and counseling to at risk youth and adults, establishing several program initiatives focused on business and finance, social and formal etiquette, self-esteem development and positive decision making for over a decade. During this time, he also served as Mentoring Program Coordinator for Sound Community Solutions, Inc. Today, he has moved forward in his current role as Civic Engagement Manager for 1 Vote Counts, a non-partisan, non-profit that focuses on strength- ening civic engagement and education. Jones currently serves on several boards and committees, including the Dauphin County Prison Advisory Committee and PA State Probation and Parole Advisory Committee and one of two representatives for the PA Reentry Coalition. His hard work has been acknowledged through awards and accolades, including The Community Ambassador Award, Golden Rule Award, The Victory Award and Bridgebuilder award from 1Votes Counts for his consistent impact in his community. As an entrepreneur, he runs Jones Resources, a company that teaches workforce development and provides reentrants with career security. Jones’ active involvement made him a perfect candidate for higher leadership within politics. His desire to run for Harrisburg City Council came after years of realizing how critical political power was influencing longstanding change. “Having gone through the criminal justice system and overcoming those obstacles, I saw how important it was to not only help in- dividuals see the importance of being civically engaged, but to set an example that reentrants can become change agents capable of speaking to a community oftentimes left behind, voiceless and unheard” Jones said. “Learning that even with a conviction, people were allowed to vote in the State of Pennsylvania, I found it very necessary to show reentrants that they can and should feel a part of this society and change the social conditions of your city. But while I found it important to empower reentrants on voting rights and civic engagement, it also meant showing them that reentrants can also create this change serving in political spaces as well.” But while his excitement to run for a political office exists, the legal Lamonte Jones Across the United States, millions of Americans are being released from the prison system. As a result, many reentrants are returning with a renewed sense of purpose and a desire to serve within their communities. Filled with a desire to atone for their past trans- gressions, many reentrants go on to lead successful lives and become mentors, non-profit organization leaders, and grassroots organizers. Part of the success for reentrants is the abil- ity to become empowered in their responsibility to serve those in communities in which they might have caused harm, to shift the narrative from those who have offended their community to those who will now serve as change agents within those same areas. Fair and Free: 18 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2023restrictions continued to show themselves throughout the process. While being able to run for office proved to be easy, his campaign was filled with naysayers stating their concerns over reentrants and their capacity to serve within political positions. “I was asked to remove my name from the candi- date pool several times. There was lots of misinformation provided about how I couldn’t legally run for positions based on my background. It was as if I didn’t serve my time at all. I was consistently reminded that I was a person with a criminal background. As if I was just released and did little work to make up for it,” said Jones. This process was difficult, he states, but not impossible to push through, mostly because of his community of supporters. “The people have always known my story. They knew what I represented and had seen my commitment to the community this entire time. They know I’m not just here for a title and position. Their love and commitment to ensuring I was on the ballot helped to lift my spirits. Without that support system, I’m sure I would’ve been discouraged and threw in the towel from the beginning.” But he continued the journey, successfully being added to the ballot, and became a viable candidate for the primary elections in 2023. He was even endorsed by top Democratic organizations, like the Dauphin County Democratic Committee and an endorsement from the Working Families Party. With three seats available to fill and 8 candidates, including current City Council President and other notable candidates, he successfully gained 1,770 votes (16%), the third highest, and voted into the candi- date pool for the November 2023 General elections. For comparison, the Harrisburg City Council President, who regained her seat with 2201 votes, held 19% of the City’s vote. For Jones, that spoke volumes. “It was an amazing feeling to win at such a strong percentage. It meant that the community believed in my ability to serve as a viable candidate. For years, I’ve told the people that ordinary people with an imperfect past can run for these positions and become the change agents that can connect to their communities, speak on their behalf, and serve with integrity. Now, here I was, a top leading candidate for the general elections. It was not about me. It was about showing the community that people that receive second chances can continue to lead successful lives without limitations” he said. No sooner had that dream been realized, the legal system reminded him that reentrants are still living in a space of limitations. While Jones would go on to celebrate his win, his nomination would later be chal- lenged. A suit was filed in Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas by two voters. Plaintiffs argued that Jones’ past criminal convictions would bar him from being a city councilman, as pursuant to the state consti- tution that prohibits those convicted of “infamous crimes” from holding office in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With three convictions believed to meet that precedent- a misdemeanor offense of making false statements, and a 2004 and 2005 felony charge for drug possession with intent to distribute, the suit called to have Lamont Jones “constructively withdrawn” (Reference: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2023/08/effort- to-knock-harrisburg-council-candidate-from-ballot-heads-to-court.html) These disqualifications seek to remove Jones from the ballot and select another candidate in his place. “Essentially” Jones stated, “it removes me from the ballot like my entire win to the primary never happened. It’d erase my efforts and my demonstrated victory.” This, for Jones, also means inval- idating the community, many of whom saw the reentrant’s journey and came out to vote for him specifically. “People had lost hope in voting in this city. They don’t feel the leaders represent them. Many individuals came out to support me specifically because of my life story as a reentrant, my commitment to the community, and the work I’ve put into this day.” These voters, he add- ed, would feel robbed of their votes and voices. A candidate who had once run a campaign to become a voice to those without voices would soon understand the challenges of losing his own voice in a political system that can oftentimes invalidate those seeking second chances. Now, with just days away from the scheduled August 8 court date, and with an upcoming election nearby, Jones hopes this process, win or lose, sheds light on the realities of intention versus implementation. “This is a very real case study of seeing how people can want change, but the legal system doesn’t always align with that change with second chances in mind. Reentrants have a lot of challenges in trying to believe that they can reenter society and work towards their advancements. Things like this remind us that as long as laws don’t match those desired freedoms, true change in these systems are just a figment of our imaginations, pipe dreams…….dreams deferred.” Lamont Jones’ story and his quest to represent his people is much more than his desire to gain title and positioning. It speaks to the ongoing issues with inconsistencies that exist with laws in the Commonwealth. While his suit involves many different layers, Jones states that what he wants people to focus on is Civic Engagement and a reentrant’s true opportunity for change. “This is about a reentrant’s ability to show that if they’ve paid their dues, their past sins shouldn’t be considered. Right now, it’s about a barrier to- wards political candidacy. But if we think of how these barriers exist from the lower levels of everyday life all the way to political candidacy, you can imagine how many times a person’s background has been weaponized.” As he awaits his upcoming court date, Jones message is simple: Remain civically engaged. “True change occurs when we point out these barriers, and work towards challenging these barriers through stronger political movements. That requires us showing up and voting for leadership that believes in political reform and policy changes that help to advance vulnerable populations, not just a selected few.” Whether or not Lamont Jones’ second chance at his candidacy for Harrisburg City Council comes to fruition or not remains to be deter- mined. However, for those voters in PA who are watching, many of whom may connect with his reentrant status, their ability to believe in the power of their own second chances lies in them seeing it coming to pass in one of the highest, most influential positions in their own backyard. This is a very real case study of seeing how people can want change, but the legal system doesn’t always align with that change with second chances in mind. WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 19Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities PA Department of General Services Mr. Kerry L. Kirkland serves as the Deputy Secretary for Diversity, Inclusion and Small Business Opportunities with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services (DGS). He leads a team of dedicated professionals whose daily mission is to educate and advocate for Small Businesses (SBs) and Small Diverse Businesses (SDBs) seeking to conduct business within the Commonwealth’s marketplace. Mr. Kirkland serves as the senior public official to represent and advise the Administra- tion and the Pennsylvania Department of General Services on all matters related to the development of policies and programs to substantially increase the participation of Small and Small Diverse Businesses in Commonwealth contracting and in Pennsylvania’s overall economy. Under his leadership, DGS completed the first comprehensive Commonwealth Disparity Study, purchased a state-of the art contract compliance data collection and tracking system, and implemented the Commonwealth’s Small and Small Diverse Business Development Program. Additionally, he led the efforts to codify the Commonwealth’s SDB Program (Senate Bill 1140), developed and implemented the department’s Mentor Protégé and the Agency Liaison Programs. Mr. Kirkland led the charge for the agency’s new 10-day prompt pay policy and streamlined the DGS Certification/Verification process by 33%. Fourteen days after the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration, he created and organized the Statewide COVID-19 Small Diverse Business and Community Taskforce. This initiative led to a state contract for the sterilization of the 6.5 million square foot Capital Complex in Harrisburg. Pennsylvania was the only state in the nation that provided this level of COVID-19 protection for employees, lawmakers, and constituents. Sixteen small businesses participat- ed in the contract and 54 jobs were created or retained. The Taskforce helped small diverse janitorial companies pivot and repurpose their capabilities to support the Commonwealth during extreme circumstances while generating revenue that ensured continuous business operations. Mr. Kirkland’s vison, hard work and support helped these companies stay in business during this challenging period while forty-one percent of Black Owned Businesses in the nation shuttered their doors during the pandemic. He formally served as Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development and Regional Administrator, US Small Business Administration. While there Mr. Kirkland led sixteen minority owned businesses on a trade mission to South Africa that resulted in nearly $120,000,000 in contracts for US companies. He also served as Vice President, US Black Chamber of Commerce where he participated in a US sanctioned Humanitarian Mission to Cuba. Mr. Kirkland was the first African American to serve as Executive Director, Pennsylvania Democratic Party and he is the founder of the African American Political and Leadership Roundtable. Additionally, he is the Co-Founder of the American Contract Compliance Association, the largest membership-based contract compli- ance training organization in the world. Mr. Kirkland served with a four-member delegation from the United States to South Africa. While there, he facilitated equity management training and provided technical advice to members of President Nelson Mandela’s leadership team. Furthermore, he is the recipient of numerous distinguished awards including the W.E.B. Dubois Talented Tenth Award, the Parren J. Mitchell Award for Outstanding Minority Business Development Service, the Arthur A. Fletcher Vanguard Award, the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Civil Rights Award, City and State Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award and the African American Chamber of Commerce of Harrisburg Black Hero Award. Mr. Kirkland earned a Master of Human Services Degree (MHS) from Lincoln University. He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Inc., and is an Honorably Discharged United States Air Force (Viet Nam) Veteran. PERSON of THE YEAR Kerry Kirkland 20 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2023 Research shows us that many individuals are outside of the political process and experience difficulties in exercising their civic responsibility for several reasons. Education level, employment status, income, societal positioning, and limited commu- nity resources create barriers to civic engagement, disempowering the very communities that rely heavily on political systems to aid in their empowerment. Marginalized communities have been kept out of the political process as a result, restricting them from having the preferred leadership that can positively advocate for their needs. In knowing this, grassroots organizations have created programming around civic engagement, community civic education, and programming that provides access to political aspirants in communities with historically little to no access. In Harrisburg, PA, two groups have formed a collaborative to address these concerns- The Young Professionals of Color- Greater Harrisburg (YPOC), and Caring About The Children of Harrisburg (C.A.T.C.H.) Formed in 2016, The Young Profes- sionals of Color (YPOC) set out to ‘create community’ for the black and brown professionals, focusing on socializing, commu- nity engagement, cultural awareness and networking as a way to keep professionals engaged in their community. Within their work, they noticed a need to create strong collaboration across social, political, and educational stakeholders. 2018 brought an opportunity to join forces with another grassroots organization- Caring About The Children of Harrisburg (C.A.T.C.H). C.A.T.C.H’s mission was focused on improving the lives of children through empowering parents and community stakeholders to ‘find their voice’ in order to ensure equity, access, and opportunity within the local education system. The common goal of outreach, community education, and empowerment drew these two organizations closer in their objectives. With upcoming elections across the School Board and National elections, these two groups decided to focus collectively around one objective: creating a community empowered through the power of their vote. Powered by these two organizations, “Who’s Running For Office?-Harrisburg, PA” was formed. WRFO now serves as a coordinated effort of community organizations to get out the vote for primary and general elections. Working alongside other non-partisan entities, this group provides resources on candidates running for office in positions that affect residents in Har- risburg, including municipal, county, state, and federal positions. Through these partnerships, education on voting laws, voter registration, nonpartisan grassroots mobilization, and other topics of interest are introduced to the community, increasing their access to information. By raising awareness, WRFO is able to see an increase in voter turnout, stronger programming around civic education, and greater accessibility to candidates. Programs in the past have included candidate debates, forums on topics of interest, rallies, voter registration drives, and community outreach events, to name a few. Poor access to information and limited resources continues to negatively impact how we empower ourselves as citizens. WRFO has answered the call to not only build stronger social connections and increase advocacy efforts, but also committed themselves towards improving the quality of life for all Harrisburg residents. In doing so, they have created a blueprint for showing organizations aligned with their mission the true power of collective impact. The result of that collaborative effort has longstanding implications for the communities they serve. Whether it is through increased accountability for educational systems, or through the push for answerability from candidates to participate in local engagement more intentionally, the affects have shown themselves in community members willing to once again take a more active role in their community’s future, one vote at a time. by Ana White A Grassroots Organization’s Commitment Towards Improving Civic Engagement Who’s Running for Office? WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 21 “Who’s running for office?” For many, that question is one that can easily be researched by access to resources, one known because of one’s application of their advanced civic education, or one that can be easily answered as a result of being amongst the ‘who’s who’ in any given com- munity. But for those in marginalized communities oftentimes challenged by access to infor- mation, poor education systems void of civic education, and societies plagued by social forces impacting networking efforts, answering becomes much more complicated.Tina L. Nixon, MHA, CDE UPMC, Vice President Mission Effectiveness, Diversity Equity & Inclusion Ensuring the welfare of Pennsylvanians has been Tina Nixon’s calling for over a quarter-century – most recently at UPMC, where, since 2015, she has served as Vice President of Mission Effective, Diversity Equity & Inclusion. The Publication “Women We Admire” named Nixon among its Top 50 Women Leaders of Pennsylvania of 2022 for her work at the non-for-profit hospital system, which includes launching a cultural awareness education initia- tive, promoting community engagement and fostering a culture of inclusivity. Douglas I. Oliver Vice President, Governmental & External Affairs – PECO Oliver is responsible for state and local government affairs, including the development of the company’s legislative agenda. He is also responsible for external stakeholder outreach, marketing, large customer services, and for the company’s economic development initiatives. Based in Philadelphia, PECO is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility. The company employs roughly 2,800 people and generates approximately $3.2 billion in annual revenue. A subsidiary of Exelon Corporation, the largest fully regulated utility company in the nation with more than 10 million customers, PECO serves nearly 1.7 million electric and more than 545,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania. Lorina Marshall-Blake President of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, a charitable, private foundation founded in 2011, and the vice president of community affairs at Independence Blue Cross. In her role with the Foundation, she leads strategic, programmatic, and operational efforts to fulfill the Founda- tion’s mission to lead sustainable solutions that improve the health and wellness of the community. Under her lead- ership, the Foundation has established itself as a collaborator, innovator, and thought leader in addressing emerging health needs in southeastern Pennsylvania. As the vice president of community affairs, Marshall-Blake develops and manages relationships with community partners to advance Independence’s social mission efforts. Marc Jenkins PNC Bank Marc Jenkins oversees marketing operations and sales services for southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and South Jersey. Prior to joining PNC, he was appointed senior vice president and served as chief financial officer of the wealth management division at Bryn Mawr Trust. He joined Bryn Mawr Trust from Wells Fargo, where he worked in various roles, including senior vice president and regional investment manager, regional finance manager and regional chief financial officer. 22 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2023 PA Black ExecutivesCalvin Butler President and Chief Executive Officer – Exelon Corporation Calvin Butler is president and chief executive officer of Exelon. Butler oversees Exelon’s six local electric and natural gas companies – Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco. Together, they form the nation’s largest utility company by customer count, serving approximately 10 million electric and gas customers in New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, Delaware, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. He serves as chairman of each utility’s board and also chairs Exelon’s executive committee. Michael A. Innocenzo President and Chief Executive Officer - PECO Innocenzo is an active business and community leader who is passionate about removing barriers and expanding access to opportunities for all community members. He is responsible for leadership of PECO's overall perfor- mance associated with operations, safety, service reliability, customer satisfaction, and financial management. Innocenzo holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Widener University and an MBA from Villa- nova University. Bret Perkins Senior Vice President, External & Government Affairs – Comcast Corporation In this role he is responsible for local government affairs, strategic partnerships with state and local intergovern- mental associations, and national policy advocacy organizations. Bret joined Comcast in 2001 and has managed local government affairs while the Company grew from operating in 2,500 communities to 6,000 communities. His responsibilities have included implementing the company’s regulatory and legislative initiatives at the local level, managing relationships with state and local intergovernmen- tal associations, developing political strategy, and grassroots communications. Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew Senior Vice President, Chief Clinical Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Allegheny Health Network (Pittsburgh). Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew advances diversity and inclusion among clinical and caregiving staff members while also advocating for equitable health outcomes. She has dedicated her career to building programs that focus on pro- moting equity for vulnerable patients and mitigating sociopolitical barriers to care. Dr. Larkins-Pettigrew lectures frequently, regionally and internationally, on health issues relating to the wellness of women and strategies that advance diversity, equity and inclusion in healthcare. She is also the author of “The Colors of My Heart: Embrac- ing My Blackness with History, Family, Fear and Faith,” a recently published autobiography. WWW.TALKMAGAZINEONLINE.COM | 23 in Pennsylvania24 | TALK MAGAZINE • SUMMER 2023 COLLEGE NEWS continued from page 4 & 5 PITT, DUQUESNE "Moreover, the Court's ruling that the explicit consideration of race in the admissions process is unconstitutional will not affect our long-standing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of our University's foundational principles and mission," Gormley's statement read in part. "Duquesne will remain dedicated to reviewing each potential student's application by focusing on a range of factors, apart from race, that contribute to identifying students of all backgrounds who will succeed at Duquesne and become the next genera- tion of leaders." The court's conservative majority effective- ly overturned cases reaching back 45 years in invalidating admissions plans at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the nation's oldest private and public colleges, respectively. The decision, like last year's momentous abor- tion ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, marked the realization of a long-sought conservative legal goal in finding that race-conscious admissions plans violate the Constitution and a law that applies to recipients of federal funding, as almost all colleges and universities are. Those schools will be forced to reshape their admissions practices, especially top schools that are more likely to consider the race of applicants. Chief Justice John Roberts said that for too long universities have "concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual's identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the color of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice." From the White House, President Joe Biden said he "strongly, strongly" disagreed with the court's ruling and urged colleges to seek other routes to diversity rather than let the ruling "be the last word." LINCOLN "We will educate students about the most urgent scientific questions about our changing planet related to climate, agriculture, data science and robotics," Bardhan said. "This effort will provide innovative and exemplary preparation to underrep- resented minority and economically disadvantaged students to pursue STEM careers and become poised to make significant contributions in science and technology.” LU faculty members will provide instruc- tion in agriculture, mathematics and computer science, while MU faculty will deliver content in statistics, engineering and natural resources. SCRANTON In addition to highlighting some of the Jesuit characteristics of a Scranton education, and discussing the multifaceted social, psychological and academic components of the college transi- tion, Dean Rivera also offered C.A.K.E. as the key to student success at Scranton: connections; advocating and agency; knowing expectations; and engagement. She discussed each in more detail during her presentation on June 20 for the first orientation group, and will do the same for orientation groups on June 22, 26 and 29. Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, who is also the parent of a member of Scranton’s class of 2027, welcomed the participants at the first orientation session. Scranton’s summer orientation is designed to introduce new students and their families to the University’s procedures, facilities and support ser- vices, and to provide them with the opportunity to meet with faculty, administrators and staff, as well as each other. LA ROUCHE professionally through original research, internships, service learning and studying abroad.” Colleges of Distinction’s selection process comprises a sequence of in-depth research and detailed interviews with the schools, accepting only those that adhere to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community and Successful Outcomes. As a College of Distinction, La Roche has shown excellence in each of these areas, providing its students with a well-rounded, practical education that prepares them for successful careers and lives. “We believe that engaged students are successful students,” said Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer at Colleges of Distinction. “La Roche’s dedication to experiential learning shows us that each of its students has the opportunity to play an active role in their education.” READING COMMUNITY COLLEGE scholarships for students enrolled in the school’s nursing program. The money will be used to provide full scholarships over the next two years to students enrolled in RACC’s nursing and practical nursing programs. “Having worked as a nurse for 30 years, Carole Neag was a passionate advocate for the nursing community who supported RACC for many years,” Sally Reis Renzulli, Neag Foundation board chair, said in a statement announcing the gift. “The Neag Foundation is delighted that Carole’s legacy will live on through the nursing students at RACC who are following in her footsteps providing compassionate and skilled health care services to our community.” The scholarships will allow RACC to continue its efforts to train the next generation of nurses, officials said, noting that nursing is the largest profession in the health care industry. “This award will immediately benefit our nurs- ing students who are highly prepared and ready to enter the regional health care workforce,” said Dr. Susan Looney, RACC president. “I hope my addition to the mayor’s communications team has a positive impact on the community and the people I work with and serve,” George said in a statement. “I look forward to getting to work and help making Pittsburgh the safest, most welcoming city in America.” George is the daughter of Charles (deceased) and Sylvia George of Rattan, St. Croix. She has a sister and two brothers. George currently lives in Squirrel Hill. TALK ACROSS PA continued from page 7 16 Small Business Grants for Minorities continued from page 8 at some additional federal resources to look into: SBA 8(a) Business Development Program. The SBA 8(a) program doesn’t award grants to small business owners. Instead, it’s a federal con- tracting assistance program that provides training and assistance to socially and economically disad- vantaged small business owners so they have fair access to contracting opportunities in the future. Business Development Program. National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) . The NMSDC is a business growth engine for minority business owners. The resources it provides can help people of color gain access to contracts and create new business opportunities that can help close the wealth gap. 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