Words by Josiah Gilliam
- Tell us about yourself and your organization
My name is Josiah Gilliam and I am the Executive Director for PUMP, but I have been a fan of
and involved with POGOH for years now ever since I worked at the Homewood Children’s
Village. PUMP’s mission is to make Pittsburgh the most dynamic and diverse place by
engaging, educating, and mobilizing all young people to create change in our community. Our
largest program is Pittsburgh Sports League which includes basketball, softball, pickleball,
volleyball, bowling, and many others. We also partner on 40 Under 40 with Pittsburgh
Magazine, put on Kickball for a Cause, and nonpartisan community events for local elections.
We try to encourage people to explore Pittsburgh, meet different people, and get engaged
civically.
- How will being a POGOH Ambassador help your organization achieve its goals?
Being a POGOH Ambassador is a great way to highlight organizations doing good work,
interesting areas of the City, and to encourage people to come out and enjoy some time
together. POGOH’s growth and success is related to the City becoming a safer and better-
designed space for everyone and requires lots of cooperation from neighbors, organizations,
and different levels of government. POGOH evolving means that the City is evolving in
interesting ways and that means lots of ways to get involved, learn more, and advocate for
equitable improvements.
- Why did you apply to become a POGOH Community Ambassador this year?
When I worked at the Homewood Children’s Village, we used to talk about the idea of an
ambassador program and so it’s a thrill to be in a position to become one through PUMP. There
are a bunch of great biking/cycling-related organizations and it’s a privilege to be among them
and highlight their work. And it’s a great reason to get out and about and explore the City
through interesting routes designed by the Ambassadors themselves. There’s always something
cool to discover or learn about on those kinds or rides and it’s a lot of fun as well.
- What are you hoping to see at our Community Day on September 30th?
I thought last year was great, so I’d like to see a bigger and better event this year! I am looking
forward to having more delicious food, meeting new people, and hopefully going on a fun bike
ride all on the same day.
- What would you like to see for your community in the Greater Pittsburgh Area?
I would like to see more and more people enjoy a good quality of life in Greater Pittsburgh. I’d
like to see the floor risen so that there is more security and more freedom for our neighbors to
chart their own course and help their families achieve their goals.
- How do you think the Community Ambassadors can help break down barriers to bicycling in Pittsburgh?
The Community Ambassadors all have stories of what biking and biking in Pittsburgh means to
them and those stories are powerful! Hearing other people’s perspectives can really break down
barriers because it can grow empathy and emphasize common interests and goals. Two
neighbors may come from completely different walks of like and backgrounds and yet bond over
the idea that people from their respective neighborhoods can benefit from incorporating biking
and more wellness into their lives and can work together to see that the City becomes more
safe and accommodating for cyclists, pedestrians, and everyone else using our City
infrastructure.
- What do you think the Pittsburgh biking community has been missing?
I think the Pittsburgh biking community has been missing easily accessible e-assist bikes and I
think POGOH is on the cutting edge of providing those at a scale we haven’t seen before! It’s an
exciting time to be on a bike in Pittsburgh and we are just getting started.
Click Here to register for any of this summer’s remaining Community Ambassador Rides!
