Johnson, a member of the Wilkinsburg school board, said that he’s the endorsed candidate from the Wilkinsburg Democratic Committee. “My past investments in the community and my future vision for Wilkinsburg” make Johnson a viable candidate, he said. “I have provided food and gifts for our families with my annual Free Christmas Dinner. I have provided clothing for families through my clothing drives. I have provided over 300 gifts to patients in Wilkinsburg with my ‘Presents to Patients’ drive. I have provided job opportunities to residents with my job fairs. I mentor the youth, our future, by creating the Wilkinsburg Youth Commission to teach young individuals about how local government works and how they can become involved,” Johnson said.
Scott, who serves on the board of directors for the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation, said, “The main difference that separates me from the other candidates is my ability to actively listen and effectively respond to the needs of the people. My work and educational experiences have equipped me with a skillset that is designed to assist in the overall advancement of the people, and therefore, communities,” Scott said.
“Meeting the basic needs of the community and ensuring an adequate quality of living dynamic are factors that can improve the entire fabric of the borough. Residents want to know what is going on but cannot connect themselves to the system for various reasons. The process of connecting the stakeholders, community members, to the governing process is vital to the survival of Wilkinsburg. The voice of the residents should always be incorporated into decisions and should more than often drive the process. I am confident that I can be of assistance in this area,” Scott said.
Truedell Hayden could not be reached for comment by the New Pittsburgh Courier.
Garrett said lately, there have been efforts to forge partnerships with community organizations outside of Wilkinsburg. On April 28, Garrett attended an unveiling of a mural that was painted near the Wilkinsburg Busway. The event was sponsored by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Now people see that Wilkinsburg is invested in Wilkinsburg, and they (outside organizations) want to be a part of that for the better and keep that community fabric,” she said.
Johnson believes he can lead the charge in turning things around.
“Providing a safer place to live is a joint effort between the community residences, the police department, public servants, and the youth within Wilkinsburg,” Johnson said. “We must make it a priority to learn how to handle our displeasure without violence. We must encourage our schools to play a bigger role in violence prevention. We must challenge ourselves as community members to understand the havoc that violence plays on our community. We no longer have the luxury to be a bystander and we must invoke change through education, economic change, continued training for our police department and we must implement interventions that target those cluster areas that will be most effective.”
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