On April 28, 2026, the Community and Racial Equity Leadership (CREL) Fellowship, led by faculty member Dr. Aliya Durham, hosted its second End-of-Program Wrap-Up at the Homewood Community Engagement Center. Fellows and community partners gathered to reflect on their experiences, share a meal, and look ahead at the possibilities the fellowship continues to inspire. Using a Human-Centered Design activity, participants shared what they liked about the fellowship, what they hoped to see strengthened, and what they imagined for the future. Feedback highlighted deep relationships built between fellows and community partner organizations, the power of immersive learning about race in Homewood, and a shared vision for even more collective, community-centered work in the years ahead. Congratulations to our CREL Fellows and a heartfelt thank you to our community partner organizations for another impactful year!
Standing (left to right): Jay Gilmer (Executive Director, Operation Better Block, Inc.); Vernard Alexander (Director, Homewood CEC); Linda Kent (Director, CHAPEL Project); Sarah Indyk (Fellow); Rickeya Giles-Cottrell (Outreach Coordinator, Homewood CEC); Shaheen Qureshi (Fellow); Rachel Bierarck (Fellow); and Dr. Nichelle Nelson (Vice President of Programs, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh). Seated (left to right): Laier-Rayshon Smith (Housing Director, Operation Better Block, Inc.); Ron Idoko (Associate Director, Pitt SSW’s Center on Race and Social Problems); Leanna Totten (Fellow); Dr. Cynthia Wallace (Executive Director, The Oasis Project and Executive Pastor, Bible Center Church); and Aniah Brewer (Fellow). See all photos here! Photo credits: Dr. Aliya Durham