Conference Overview

For the first time in decades, leaders in Southwestern Pennsylvania are engaged in serious consideration of regional governance mechanisms and options.  These discussions have taken on new urgency due to the fiscal crisis of the City of Pittsburgh and increasing evidence that government fragmentation hinders the economic competitiveness of the region. Also imperative to consideration of governance reform are issues of social equity and the impact on communities of color.

In the spirit of encouraging public dialogue, we invite you to attend:

Equity and Regionalism: The Impact of Governance Restructuring on Communities of Color

The keynote address will be by Professor john a. powell, executive director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University. Dr. powell is a recognized authority on race, ethnicity, poverty, and law.  The conference will also feature presentations by local experts in the fields of housing, education, and transportation. Including your participation, conference objectives are to:

• raise awareness of the impact of governance restructuring on communities of color

• examine promising models and principles wherein regionalism and equity can co-exist

• build a foundation for participation by all constituencies as the dialogue on regionalism continues in  the region.

Conference Partners