A NOTE FOM BETTY

I began my first day on the job as President & CEO of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh on January 21. Less than two months later, we were faced with a global pandemic that upended everything we thought we knew about how we work, live, and coexist. What we thought might be a momentary decision to work remotely has become a longer term plan as we learn from our neighbors around the world that this process will take time. It will tug at our patience, tempt our fears, but we will undoubtedly get through it. Together.
 
Global engagement is needed now more than ever , so I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself to you, share our vision on what’s ahead for the Council, and outline the steps we are taking to come together, learn, and share -- across cultures, generations, and economics. Local issues and world affairs are intrinsically connected and, precisely because we have to be physically isolated from one another, for now, we must double-down on forging meaningful opportunities between Pittsburgh and the world.
 
If you are reading this, you are part of our community and we want to hear from you. This newsletter is one way we plan to share updates and resources with you each month as we strive to be locally relevant, nationally recognized, and globally connected . For now, please enjoy this short video.
 
Halfway into my first 100 days, I’ve attended nearly 80 meetings with stakeholders to explore ways to connect on our shared goals for a more globally-minded world. These include one-on-one conversations, convenings hosted by elected officials and other leading institutions, and informal gatherings to hear from industry leaders and connect with local thought-partners. While we are challenged with new ways to build connections, please count on us and reach out anytime if you’d like to meet about ways we can work together.
 
Our virtual programming begins this week. We hope to see you there. Highlights on what we’ve been up to are below. Follow us on social media or visit our website for our latest updates.
 
Looking forward,
Betty
COUNCIL IN THE NEWS

The future of our shared world is on all of our minds. In the news, President & CEO Betty Cruz is sharing insights on how the nonprofit landscape may change, how our relationships with each other and the world can evolve, and what global connectedness might look like post-pandemic.
POST GAZETTE : THE FUTURE OF NONPROFITS IN PITTSBURGH

“It’s going to take a village to survive this,” said Ms. Cruz. “It will take all of us. If there’s an organization that you admire or benefit from and you have the ability to help them in any way, it’s time to do that. If we can go further faster with one another, why would we go alone? In order for us to make it, that mentality of togetherness has to take center stage.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS: AFTER VIRUS, HOW WILL AMERICANS' VIEW OF THE WORLD CHANGE

“Insularity isn’t something that we can afford. Period,” Cruz says. “The entire nation can’t afford to not be globally connected. So it’s not how do we get back to normal, but how do we create a new normal with connections that are deeper than before?”
COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

THE DECLINE IN GLOBAL FREEDOM

On Tuesday, February 18, 2020, Freedom House President Michael Abramowitz joined us for a luncheon on “The Decline in Global Freedom." Here is a quick recap , and if you are interested in more, a recording of the full event is also available on our YouTube channel.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CAMPAIGN

From March 8 - March 15, we celebrated Women’s History Month with our #YinzforEqual Instagram contest. This contest was inspired by the International Women’s Day #EachforEqual campaign and encouraged people to post about inspirational women. Thank you to all who participated -- from Dallas-Fort Worth, TX to Braddock, PA.
Dallas-Fort Worth World Affairs Council
Second Lady of Pennsylvania, Gisele Fetterman, and her daughter, Grace
GLOBAL MINDS YOUTH CONFERENCE

On March 11, 2020, we took this photo, the day before we announced we were going remote.
Left to right: Jake Goodman, The Opportunity Fund; José Flores, Global Minds Alum; Daniela Naumov, Global Minds; Betty Cruz, World Affairs Council; Peyton Klein, Global Minds; Saleem Ghubril, Pittsburgh Promise, Council Board Vice Chair.
WELCOME IVONNE SMITH-TAPIA

On Monday, April 6, our team welcomed the newest member, Ivonne Smith-Tapia, who will serve as our Vice President of Strategic Engagement. Bringing 15 years of experience in program design, technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation of programs with international nonprofits and government agencies, she will work to strengthen partnership opportunities and evaluate the impact of the Council’s programs.
UPCOMING EVENTS
An event on this global scale provides us with tremendous opportunities to connect with each other in innovative and imaginative ways.

Calling all youth! This Thursday and Friday we will be hosting virtual student-led discussions by youth for youth on global topics that matter to them. Each event will consist of a 45-minute discussion followed by an application activity.
ROUNDUP OF UPCOMING VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS

  • City-to-City gatherings with communities around the globe on what their life looks like these days, lessons for Pittsburgh, and collective steps to sustaining solidarity
  • Learning hour on the role of diplomacy in a post-pandemic world and the local, national, and international factors at play
  • Special convening of Pittsburgh's globally-focused nonprofit sector to share, learn, and grow together
  • World Recess: Take a break with joyful gatherings featuring everything from cooking lessons to global Pictionary, to light conversations about everyday topics that are local, yet global
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL FOR EVENT DETAILS
GLOBAL LEARNING RESOURCES
DISTANCE LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Thanks to education leaders and organizations across the United States, there are myriad resources for young people, parents, and educators to find grounding during this unprecedented moment and engage in rich distance learning experiences.
HOLDING CLASS ON ZOOM?

Stay up to date with some common-sense tips on safer usage of Zoom. "Beware of These Hacks, Hijinks and Hazards," from EdSurge News .
3 WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT OUR MISSION
STAFF CHECK IN

 We miss seeing each other in the office, so for now, these new "coworkers" have been keeping us company!
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

While our team is working remotely, you can reach out to any of us directly via email , send a message to [email protected] or call us at (412) 281-7970 .