Dynamic Conversation about reinventing the American City to take place at the August Wilson Center March 8
January 12, 2016, Pittsburgh, PA—NPR’s Michel Martin, weekend host of All Things Considered, will be at the August Wilson Center for African-American Culture to host Michel Martin: Going There—Reinventing the American City, a conversation about transformative growth in Pittsburgh, on Tuesday, March 8th at 7pm. This dynamic event will combine discussion with art and performance that explores Pittsburgh’s evolution as a new American city. NPR and 90.5 WESA have partnered to create this live stage conversation as part of the national touring series NPR Presents Michel Martin: Going There.
UPDATE, MARCH 1: The event at the August Wilson Center is sold out. There will be a live video stream of the program starting at 7 pm on March 8, accessible from the homepage at wesa.fm.
"A city rebuilds itself with new industry, new energy and new people after a generation of decline. But what happens to those who endured the tough times? Are they lifted up, or pushed out? How can newcomers and established residents build a common vision of progress? Or is creative tension part of what pushes a city to a better future? These are some of the questions I plan to explore,” says Martin. Her guests will include
LaToya Ruby Frazier, the Braddock-born photographer and MacArthur fellow; Eve Picker, founder of CityLAB Pittsburgh; William Generett, President and CEO, Urban Innovation 21; Tara Sherry-Torres, founder and chief creative officer at Cafe Con Leche; filmmaker Chris Ivey (East of Liberty); performance artist Vanessa German; actor Wali Jamal; and the Pittsburgh Latin dance band, Guaracha.
The event will be streamed live and recorded for a featured segment on a weekend broadcast of All Things Considered'. The discussion will continue online and the public is invited to participate, along with an invited group of commentators, using the hashtag #LiveableCity and following @NPRMichel and @905wesa.
In collaboration with NPR Member stations, Michel Martin: Going There is part of NPR’s national events series. Martin connects people with different perspectives, histories and experiences. She encourages them to share ideas, hopes, frustrations and solutions in sometimes difficult, often poignant, but always engaging conversations. During its first season, Martin held Going There events in seven communities across the country, where she explored everything from the ethics of football, to education reform, to diversity in theater to immigration. This year, Martin will take the studio to the story in Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Fort Collins and Chicago.
NPR Presents: Michel Martin Going There is made possible by Kresge Foundation, and by a collaboration between NPR and 90.5 WESA.
ABOUT NPR
NPR connects to audiences on the air, online, and in person. More than 26 million radio listeners tune in to NPR each week and more than 30 million unique visitors access NPR.org each month making NPR one of the most trusted sources of news and insights on life and the arts. NPR shares compelling stories, audio and photos with millions of social media users on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat; NPR News and NPR One apps, online streaming, podcasts, iTunes radio and connected car dashboards help meet audiences where they are. NPR's live events bring to the stage two-way conversations between NPR hosts and the audience in collaboration with the public radio Member Station community. This robust access to public service journalism makes NPR an indispensable resource in the media landscape.
ABOUT 90.5 WESA
90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station, is a local, wholly-owned subsidiary of Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp. 90.5 WESA can be heard on 90.5 FM in Pittsburgh; 92.3 FM in New Baltimore; 100.5 FM in Johnstown, 104.1 FM in Ligonier and Somerset, and online at wesa.fm.
-NPR-
Media Contacts:
NPR: Isabel Lara / 202.513.2304 / mediarelations@npr.org
WESA: Elizabeth Baisley / 412.697.2939 / ebaisley@wesa.fm
EVENT SNAPSHOT
NPR Presents: Michel Martin
Live event at August Wilson Center for African-American Culture, Pittsburgh
Tuesday, March 8 at 7 PM
Tickets are $15, available starting January 12 at http://www.nprpresents.org
