Stephan Bontrager, of community-supported radio station WYEP 91.3fm, speaks to Making the Connections author Justin Hopper about what a difference a year makes.
Listen to Justin’s conversation with Stephan, who is also a Sprout Fund board member.
Written by Justin Hopper and designed by Landesberg Design, Making the Connections narrates the stories behind the creative and diverse projects of Community Connections.
Help others to learn more about the amazing stories in Making the Connections. Post a link to your profile or share it with your friends.
As the documentarian of Community Connections, I had the pleasure of spending 2008 meeting the people who made Pittsburgh 250 remarkable, from Bedford to Mercer and back again. But in trying to get in touch with the region, I discovered much more: An opportunity to fuel up on the high-octane black ‘n’ gold manna that is the people, places, and stories of Pittsburgh.
Some of those stories appear in this volume; so many more, of course, do not. But all of them attest to the eccentric beauty of the region we share as our home. Over the past year, it feels as though I’ve learned more than in the previous dozen: About Southwestern Pennsylvania, sure, but more so about the catalytic energy and indomitable spirit that arises when ordinary people are given the opportunity to show that they’re hardly ordinary at all.
Justin Hopper, February, 2009
For more than ten years, Justin Hopper has covered Pittsburgh’s art, music, history and culture as a writer for a broad variety of publications. After four years as a writer and section editor for Pittsburgh City Paper, he left to pursue a freelance career. Hopper’s work has appeared in regional publications including Pittsburgh, Carnegie and Pitt magazines and Pop City online journal, where his “Gospel of Pittsburgh” proved one of the site’s most popular essays.
Nationally, Hopper has written about music, art, travel and culture writing for publications such as Paste, XLR8R, Spin, as well as other magazines and web sites, often concerning either Pittsburgh or his other primary interest: obscure English culture and history. He is currently working on two book projects: an exploration of England’s 100-mile South Downs Way, and a history of popular music during the British miner’s strike of 1984–85.
Order your copy of Making the Connections today and pick it at the happy hour and book release party tomorrow, Friday, April 17th from 4:00–7:00pm at the Shadow Lounge in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Community Connections was a grassroots initiative of Pittsburgh 250 that supported 100 compelling initiatives that engaged citizens, addressed pressing issues, left a lasting impact on communities, and contributed to the “Pride & Progress” of Southwestern Pennsylvania in 2008. Developed by established and emerging civic leaders, these projects created a critical mass of grassroots activity throughout the anniversary year. More than 500 funding requests were received and decisions were made by regional and local panels representative of all 14 counties. Most Regional Projects received awards of $50,000 to catalyze their efforts, while most Grassroots Projects received $5,000.