Commission outlines summer outreach: internships, school visits, and Pride town hall with Pittsburgh Equality Center

Commission staff provided a detailed outreach calendar and said they are stepping up in-person engagement with students, landlords and community groups.

"We're going to try to kick off Pride Month," Rachel said, reporting that the commission has reconnected with the Pittsburgh Equality Center and is looking at a town hall for LGBTQIA+ rights the first week of June. She said the commission is coordinating with the LGBTQIA+ commission liaison from the police for Q&A at the event.

Staff described several upcoming education and outreach actions: tabling at a YWCA opportunity-pathways event on May 7; a resource fair and school visit at Westinghouse High School on May 8; a senior from Swickley Academy shadowing staff for two weeks in May to complete a senior project; and a full four-hour landlord fair-housing training scheduled for April 30 at the Coach and Shadyside. "Registration required," Rachel said of the trainings and CLE-style sessions on service and support animals scheduled for May 1.

Staff described plans to expand landlord engagement and tenant education with partners such as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and Oakland Planning and Development Corporation. Rachel said small landlords often lack familiarity with fair-housing obligations and that targeted trainings have reduced repeat enforcement cases.

The commission also requested volunteers for tabling at Pride events June 6–7 and at Lawrenceville Pride on June 13 and asked commissioners to sign up to reduce staff exposure to heat during long festivals.

Staff said they will share finalized dates and flyers with commissioners and asked for help distributing materials and staffing table shifts.