Last week, we hosted our second production of The Intersection, a free event series designed to bring people and ideas together to inspire action. This month’s theme was “Visions of the Future,” with a discussion led by an incredible panel of leaders. Held at The Assembly and sponsored by U.S. Steel, the event was alive with optimism and enthusiasm. Over 200 Pittsburghers came out to envision the future together, and the energy in the room was truly palpable, the conversation was candid and real, and connections were created.
In our conversation about Pittsburgh’s future and how we get there, four main themes emerged, and they just so happen to be some of our key focuses here at Pittsburgh Tomorrow:
- We’ve become complacent and cautious. We need a huge cultural shift to embrace boldness and risk taking.
- We struggle to attract, retain, and incentivize young talent. We need to invest in them economically and culturally if we want to survive.
- People don’t know who is here or what is happening in Pittsburgh – including locally. We need to take pride in our city, and market ourselves better.
- We are fragmented and disconnected. We need to create more opportunities for connection, collaboration, and community.
Below, hear some perspectives on these themes from each speaker on these four issues.
HEAR FROM THE VISIONARIES
BE BOLD AND TAKE RISKS
“Be bold, or be obsolete. The time is now. The world is changing and I don’t know if you all picked up on it yet, but it’s changing faster and at a pace that is actually alarming. So we’ve got to be ready. And those who are moving fast and who are moving boldly are going to be the ones who are going to have any chance at all of standing out and grabbing whatever’s left on the table. So be bold or be obsolete.”
-Jennifer Apicella, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network
“We need to be very responsible with the somewhat finite, limited resources that we have. But we have to think about our tolerance for risk. We have to be okay with trying new things and supporting new ideas. The programs and products that we created to support businesses decades ago, they’re not going to support the businesses that are growing here today.”
-Lauren Connelly, Director of Economic Development for Allegheny County
INVEST IN YOUNG TALENT
“There’s a lot of young people here in the front row. I want you to have meaningful experiences. If you’re single, I want you to meet a partner. I want you to have formative, inspirational, transformational things going on. I want you to be driven by art. I want you to be driven by creativity. But you’re not going to do that if I’m not investing in you first. If you’re in this room under 35, go make some mistakes. If you’re in this room over 35, go fund those mistakes.”
-Dan Law, Associate Director of the Andy Warhol Museum and the Pop District
BELIEVE IN OURSELVES, AND TELL THE WORLD OUR STORY
“We have to believe in Pittsburgh again. We have so many great people that are here that want to be innovators, that want to be entrepreneurs, but we have to reach out to you to say you can do that in Pittsburgh. We constantly lose talent because they see that Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, they’re all picking off our talent, but let’s believe in ourselves first.”
-Corey O’Connor, Democratic nominee for Mayor of Pittsburgh
“It’s about investing in partnerships, in places, and in people. We have all the ingredients here to build a great downtown, a thriving economy, and make places where businesses want to grow. We’re going to welcome the NFL draft next year, which will really put a global spotlight on this region and get people to experience the best parts of Pittsburgh, and maybe want to stay. We are a unique place. We have incredible people, we have incredible institutions. We can be a welcoming place for everyone. And we’re going to create that shared future together.”
-Sara Innamorato, Allegheny County Executive
RESOLVE FRAGMENTATION, CREATE CONNECTION
“We have to inspire a shared vision of the future that’s inclusive, that really makes sure that every pocket of our society has an opportunity to feel a part of it. And not just so that people can survive, but everyone should feel they have the opportunity to thrive. And the only way you get that is if you create an environment where people feel that there’s investment across the board.”
-Evan Frazier, CEO and Founder of The Advanced Leadership Institute
“Right now we don’t have a government that’s collaborating on what that vision of Pittsburgh is 10 or 15 years from now. And we have to do that, and we have to do it immediately.”
-Corey O’Connor, Democratic Nominee for Mayor of Pittsburgh
Following the panel, we held a reception where the conversation continued into the night. These leaders, and the rest of the attendees, are in agreement that we can and will overcome any roadblocks to success – we simply must work together, and take bold action.
Be sure to join us at the next Intersection, and subscribe to our newsletter for updates as we continue to march forward here at Pittsburgh Tomorrow.
