Oct 9: Inspire Lecture with Antwi Akom & Grant Ervin

The Inspire Speakers Series is a monthly lecture circuit featuring nationally renowned experts in various fields of sustainability, as well as local specialists who can share experiences of promoting environmental quality, social equity, and economic vitality in Western Pennsylvania.

The 2014-2015 Series theme is: Creating the Most Livable Places for All. Topics are centered around healthy and regenerative buildings, schools, neighborhoods, and cities; thriving communities and economies; socially just places to live; and so much more.
5-8 p.m. at the Elsie Hillman Auditorium at Hill House's Kaufmann Center, 1835 Centre Ave., 15219).  Networking, food & drinks begin at 5 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6.  Registration fee -- see web site for options (single lecture or a full fall package).

Dr. Antwi Akom sees “shareable cities” as the cities of the future and wonders what our communities would look like if we designed for everyone in mind.  As associate professor of urban sociology at San Francisco State University and co-founder of the Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, and Environmental Design (I-SEEED), Dr. Akom seeks to connect environmental health with societal well-being, equal opportunity education with economic equity.  His work includes developing tools, ideas, and models that would change the way social services are delivered to low-income communities and people of color. 

Grant Ervin is the Sustainability Manager for the City of Pittsburgh. He works to improve sustainability performance through city operations and policies. Grant has been working for the City of Pittsburgh since 2014. He is a member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) and a board member of Sustainable Pittsburgh. Prior to joining Mayor William Peduto’s team, Grant served as regional director for sustainable development advocates 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania where he specialized in transportation, infrastructure and land use policy. Grant began his career in community development with the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group were he led the organization’s public policy advocacy efforts related to vacant land reclamation, technology applications and neighborhood reinvestment.

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