FALL 2005 The Magazine of The Heinz Endowments INSIDE: RESPECTING YOUR ELDERS A WELCOMING LANGUAGE inside Founded more than four decades Our fields of emphasis include apart, the Howard Heinz Endowment, philanthropy in general and the established in 1941, and the Vira I. disciplines represented by our Heinz Endowment, established in 1986, grantmaking programs: Arts & Culture; are the products of a deep family Children, Youth & Families; Economic commitment to community and the Opportunity; Education; and the common good that began with Environment. These five programs work H. J. Heinz and continues to this day. together on behalf of three shared The Heinz Endowments is based in organizational goals: enabling Pittsburgh, where we use our region southwestern Pennsylvania to embrace as a laboratory for the development and realize a vision of itself as a of solutions to challenges that are premier place both to live and to work; national in scope. Although the majority making the region a center of quality of our giving is concentrated within learning and educational opportunity; southwestern Pennsylvania, we work and making diversity and inclusion wherever necessary, including statewide defining elements of the region’s and nationally, to fulfill our mission. character. That mission is to help our region thrive as a whole community — economically, ecologically, educationally and culturally — while advancing the state of knowledge and practice in the fields in which we work. h magazine is a publication of The Heinz Endowments. At the Endowments, we are committed to promoting learning in philanthropy and in the specific fields represented by our grantmaking programs. As an expression of that commitment, this publication is intended to share information about significant lessons and insights we are deriving from our work. Editorial Team Linda Bannon, Linda Braund, Maxwell King, Carmen Lee, Maureen Marinelli, Grant Oliphant, Douglas Root. Design: Landesberg Design About the cover The multi-colored Volkswagen van suggests the young and groovy experimenter that WYEP once was. After 30 years, Pittsburgh’s independent community radio station is a lot more grown up, but it hasn’t lost its passion or eclectic style. Thanks, in part, to some philanthropic nurturing, the station is financially sound and artistically respected. 4 Elders’ Wisdom As the generation of black Americans that stood in the vanguard of the modern civil rights movement begins to fade, a multi-media project “Elders: An African American Oral History,” captures personalities and pivotal memories that otherwise would be lost to western Pennsylvania history. 12 Higher Fidelity With help from the Endowments and other foundations, one of Volume 5 Number 4 Fall 2005 the country’s most successful independent community radio stations is moving its varied music mix and award-winning public affairs shows into a new $3 million home. 22 No Adult Left Behind The Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council’s new Downtown Center, launched with state and foundation support, is helping to replace the programs that were lost when the Connelley Technical Institute and Adult Education Center closed last year. 2 Feedback 3 Message 28 Here & There Elders, page 4 feedback Our Summer 2005 issue featured the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh’s expansion, with its new interactive attractions and dynamic design that have dramatically boosted the number of visitors to the museum. We also examined how the Cabaret at 2 Theater Square is adding new flavor to the Cultural District. From Summer 2005 Museum of Pittsburgh, I believe Michelle The Cabaret at Theater Square More Than A Great Big Place to Play Pilecki’s “A Great Big Place to Play” caught For nearly five years, I was vice president of My babysitter Jenn has taken me and my two the essence of what makes the Children’s programming at the Pittsburgh Cultural sisters and brother to the Children’s Museum Museum such a great place: It has all the Trust, so it was exciting for me to read about about 10 times this year. She plays along with qualities that make a successful community the developments in the Cultural District, us when we’re there, and I explore on my own. and then some. especially the opening of the new Cabaret My favorite part is the art place [The Studio] In one place you can experience exciting Theater. As Seth Beckerman’s article points because I like art and getting on the climb-a- and outstanding design, lots of choices of out, diversifying the mix of entertainment jumbo [Kids’ Climber]. I like playing with the things to do, and a variety of identifiable options downtown is key to ensuring a clay and I make sculptures — well, I just make places and neighborhoods that not only healthy future for the district. stuff, not like real sculptures. I like to paint engage one’s interest but also encourage Here in Charlotte, N.C., downtown resi- hearts and flowers and sometimes bunnies. I social interaction. The different activities dential development is booming. Charlotte’s like playing and painting all in the same place. are executed in an intimate and human scale most active nightlife is downtown, with I think other fun places at the museum tailored to children and adults. a large number of bars and clubs located are Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, the house that As a “green” building, the museum is within a six-block radius of the Blumenthal tips [the Gravity Room] and the water place environmentally and ecologically responsible. Performing Arts Center. Until a few years ago, [Waterplay]. My twin little sisters really like It preserves and revitalizes two endeared city the center was one of the few entertainment the house that tips. Tessa says she likes the way assets — the old Allegheny Post Office and the options in downtown Charlotte. Today the it makes her feel dizzy. Kelly says she almost former Buhl Planetarium — by giving them offerings and establishments continue to falls when she’s there, but she thinks that’s fun. a new life and knitting them together with a expand here, and it’s important for the I think one thing they should add is major piece of public art, a glass-and-steel Blumenthal Center to play an active role in on every Thanksgiving, Halloween, all the structure known as the “Lantern Building.” that nightlife. Performances must cater to holidays, there could be rooms that would The Children’s Museum interweaves the more than just the traditional arts audiences turn into that holiday— one for Halloween, type of economic, social and environmental that attend productions by the center’s resi- Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. Then on improvements we all strive for in a successful dent opera, symphony and dance companies. Thanksgiving, there could be a turkey room, community. Add to that an experiential As I enter my second season at the Blumenthal and you climb on the turkey; on Halloween, learning environment for all ages — the real Center, I also see how the Cabaret at Theater there’d be ghosts in the room and other “center” of the museum — that encourages Square plays a similar role in Pittsburgh as it scary stuff. everyone to join in and play, get their hands tries to lure audiences interested in a more If I could go to the Children’s Museum as dirty or wet, or hang out in the town square. intimate entertainment experience. much as I wanted every year, I’d go 17 times. The message is: “It’s OK to have fun. It’s even The Cabaret at Theater Square can only Tessa says she’d go 65 times and Kelly says OK to act like children.” be enhanced by galleries, clubs and other she’d go 100 times — that’s a lot. My brother But that’s not all. Just as important, and establishments that can attract a different Axel is too little to talk about the museum; perhaps more sustaining for the community, demographic to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District. he’s only 2. But I know he likes going, too. has been the coming together of people from With downtown living in Pittsburgh becom- Asher Herrmann many disciplines and interests to create this new ing easier and more attractive, the Cabaret (As dictated to her babysitter, city resource and new model for children’s should be able to become a focal point Jennifer Braund.) museums around the country. And with them of activity. Asher, 6, her 5-year-old sisters and her all the way have been the children and their Frances L. Egler brother live with their parents in Shaler, families. What comes across so clearly is the Vice President of Programming a Pittsburgh suburb. vision that was shared by everyone who touched North Carolina Blumenthal this project and the commitment to quality. Performing Arts Center As an architect, urban designer and principal Stephen Quick with the firm that provided local support to American Institute of Architects Principal, Perkins Eastman Koning Eizenberg Architecture, the Santa President, AIA Pittsburgh Monica–based designers of the Children’s message By Teresa Heinz Chairman, Howard Heinz Endowment 3 ecently, a group of girls from Pittsburgh waged The article profiles the work of the Greater a “girlcott” against Abercrombie & Fitch to protest Pittsburgh Literacy Council to continue a regional its sale of T-shirts emblazoned with messages commitment to providing recent immigrants with demeaning to women. Their campaign caught English-language training. As the story indicates, fire nationally and attracted sufficient attention my late husband was a strong advocate for such from the media that the offending T-shirts were training, which he saw as key to giving immigrants withdrawn from the market. an opportunity to become full and productive Supporting the girls in their unlikely success members of American society.