Southwestern Pennsylvania is starting to look more like the United States as the region’s population becomes more diverse, the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimates suggest. The demographic shifts are most significant in Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh, where the Asian and Hispanic populations have been on the rise. In the five-year period from... More
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Region’s Demographics Changing
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Racial Equity
The racial and ethnic demographics of southwestern Pennsylvania are changing, just as they are across the nation. The share of the population held by African American, Asian, Hispanic and other minority residents has increased since 2000 and continues to do so. But racial and ethnic minorities accounted for less than 14 percent of the population... More
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Involuntary Mental Health Commitment
Teenagers and African Americans face the greatest risk of being involuntarily committed to mental health facilities in Allegheny County, a recent study reports. More
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Rewriting History
The image of citizen-friendly policing is one that Pittsburgh hopes to earn in African American neighborhoods as the result of studies, programs and new strategies for repairing relationships that have been strained by police practices. One is a national initiative launched by the Obama Administration to improve relationships and increase trust between minority communities and... More
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A Different Lens on Diversity
In March, Pittsburgh Today reported that the region’s seven-county metropolitan statistical area has the lowest minority workforce participation of the 15 benchmark regions. Today, we’re taking a deeper look – examining the populations in the urban cores versus the broader regions and seeing how they compare in the percentages of Asian, Hispanic, African American and... More
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Going Long
Employers ranging from local corporations to government are taking a cue from the sports industry's most celebrated hiring policy to diversify Pittsburgh's workforce. Find out how the NFL's 'Rooney Rule' is influencing the region. More
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A Beacon for Newcomers
For decades, the region has had one of the smallest populations of foreign-born residents of any metro area in the country. Now, Pittsburgh is taking steps to build a more welcoming and supportive atmosphere for immigrants. More
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Seeds of Opportunity
Nonprofits such as Urban Innovation21 and Thrill Mill are taking steps to redefine the image of incubators as solely focused on highly educated tech developers by reaching out to struggling communities and adopting inclusion and neighborhood engagement as part of their strategies. Find out how these nonprofits are making a difference. More
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Behind the Times: The Limited Role of Minorities in the Greater Pittsburgh Workforce
The southwestern Pennsylvania workforce is lacking in diversity by almost any measure. And the discrepancies seen in labor force participation, the type of jobs minority workers hold, and the incomes they earn, are issues with implications for the region’s economy, businesses and citizens. More