Barb in the news
Winning the District 5 City Council seat
On Nov. 8, 2022, the people of District 5 chose Barb to be their voice on City Council in a landslide victory of nearly 11,000 votes. Since her swearing in on Dec. 12, 2022.
“As we embark on this new chapter – know that my door is always open. You have my ear. And while I can’t promise that we’ll always agree or get everything we want all at once, I can promise you will always know exactly where I stand. And that my staff and I will be proactive and persistent, that we will listen and push and follow up and follow up again – until every community has what it needs to thrive.”
Read about the swearing in from Pittsburgh Union Progress and get Barb’s full speech transcript from The Homepage.
Winning the Democratic nomination for City Council
On Sept. 15, District 5 members of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee chose Barb to be their candidate in the special election on Nov. 8. There were four candidates in the race, and Barb won by an overwhelming 58 of 92 votes.
“I've knocked over 1,700 doors at this point, talking to people and hearing what their needs are. I hear a lot of people say, 'We feel forgotten. Nobody cares about us.' I think people are really hoping to have someone listen and respond in a proactive way.”
Read the article from WESA and watch the Candidate Forum where Barb had the chance to explain some of her ideas for the District.
Launching a community-driven City Council campaign
Barb talks with WESA’s Chris Potter about why she is running for City Council and her unconventional approach to campaigning.
“District 5 is a microcosm of the whole city. We have some of the most powerful and influential people in Pittsburgh, as well as some of the poorest and most vulnerable — and everything in between. … So we really need someone on City Council who is active in the community, who has their ear to the ground and who’s ready to stand up and advocate for the needs of residents, especially when big money and special interests are involved.”
Read the full story from WESA.
Working for food access in Hazelwood
When multiple development projects failed to meet resident demands for a full-service grocery store in their community, Greater Hazelwood community leaders realized the only way to get the food access they need was to build a grocery store themselves. Collaborating closely with the Greater Hazelwood Coalition Against Racial and Ethnic Disparities (GH-CARED), Barb has been an active member of the grassroots team working to bring a new employee-owned co-op grocery store to the Hazelwood Business District.
Learn more from WESA and Public Source.
Expanding bus access for District 5
Find out how residents from Hazelwood, Greenfield, and Four Mile Run worked with public transit advocates, riders, and workers from across Pittsburgh to expand weekend bus service from much of District 5 to Schenely Park, Squirrel Hill, Oakland, Bloomfield, and Lawrenceville.
Read the full story at The Homepage.
Speaking out to protect parks and improve transit
As part of a joint press conference calling for greater budget equity and transparency, Barb and her neighbors from across District 5 called for the City to end the Mon-Oakland Connector (MOC) – a privately operated shuttle road through Schenley Park and the Hazelwood Greenway – and use that money to improve street safety and expand public transit in the District. After eight years of fighting, the MOC was finally defeated in early 2022.
Watch the coverage at WPXI.
Community organizing to open local pool
Between a broken pump, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a shortage of lifeguards, Magee Pool has been closed for three years. Families in Greenfield, Hazelwood, and Squirrel Hill South want to see their local pool open again this summer. To help make their voices heard, Barb spearheaded a community petition asking the City to put the pool at the top of the list to reopen in summer of 2022. The petition garnered more than 570 individual signatures and sign-ons from 23 local businesses and community organizations.
Watch the coverage at WPXI.