A passionate advocate for people moving to Pittsburgh writes about why she took a job convincing more people to move to one of Postindustrial America’s success stories.
In 2018, I was 28, working in fashion in New York City and living in a sun-drenched, rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn Heights.
I had an eclectic circle of amazing friends, an unlimited Metro card, and a designer wardrobe. I was living the dream.
And I was miserable.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, I often dreamed of leaving and never coming back. When the time came, I did just that, pursuing my education in North Carolina, after school moved to Boston, then New York.
It was a formative time of personal discovery and constant change. I entered and left the workforce several times. I learned to use public transportation – something I hadn’t done much in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Tomorrow’s Caroline Fisher shares a “blueprint” for attracting newcomers to the city
I navigated the rental market on budgets ranging from my minuscule grad-student stipend to my “grownup” creative-industry jobs. I traveled for work and for pleasure, spending time in L.A., Paris, Shanghai, and many other exciting locales.
And then, one day, I woke up and realized I wanted to live in Pittsburgh.
It’s not just because I’m from here. And it’s not because I think this city is perfect. It’s because, despite all our challenges, I realized that this is the place where I feel most alive.
Something about Pittsburgh allows me to be, well, me.
In the South, I learned how to be polite and genteel, no matter your true feelings.
In Boston, I adopted Puritanical emotional repression and navigated a society of unspoken rules.
And in New York, I learned never to ask for help, never to admit you don’t know something, never to show weakness.
I wanted to return to a city where you can ask anyone any question – a town where random strangers will show up, unasked, to help you during a terrible crisis. I missed knowing my neighbors, all four seasons of nature in my backyard, and third spaces saturated with charm and authenticity. I yearned for a place where brilliant people did brilliant things, solely for the love of doing them.
Eight years later, I can happily say that I’ve rediscovered myself and this city, and I’ve never looked back. I now work for Pittsburgh Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization with the mission to grow Pittsburgh’s population to help the city reach its full potential.
This region’s population decline has been widely reported on since the 1980s, including by our founder, journalist Doug Heuck, who led the Pittsburgh benchmarking project at the Post-Gazette newspaper for many years.
When stacked against the top 50 U.S. metros, Pittsburgh has consistently led the nation in troubling statistics, including natural population decline (more deaths than births), the oldest median age of the population, negative job growth, and the lowest percentage of foreign-born residents.
The author, her husband, Mac Moylan, and their dog, Frankie, on their stoop in Pittsburgh
The ramifications of this decline are not just an imminent threat; they’re already here.
A shrinking tax base translates into fewer public transportation options, more school closures, and ongoing infrastructure issues. Vacant and abandoned properties abound. Small businesses lack foot traffic; startups can’t find investment. An unchanging demographic makeup leads to cultural stagnancy and pessimism.
But we believe Pittsburgh has the potential to be one of the greatest places to live in the world, and we want others to know that too.
Our work has one bright north star: convincing people to move to Pittsburgh (and making sure they’re happy when they do). The strategy is built around what we call the new resident funnel: attraction, retention, and engagement.
As a brand and content marketer, my work largely focuses on spreading the word about what’s happening (and what’s possible) in Pittsburgh. We produce a docu-style social media series about the region’s founders, creators, and visionaries.
We’ve also created national ads about Pittsburgh, including the “Your Dog Wants You To Move To Pittsburgh” billboard in Times Square.
When it comes to retention, our main goal is to help newcomers feel at home – and to prevent flight risks from leaving.
To that end, we’ve created a first-of-its-kind platform, LifeinPittsburgh.com, designed to help newcomers and residents alike find community, opportunity, and resources to create a better life here.
We’re also hosting social events for newcomers to make new in-person connections (join us on June 18!). Finally, we’re designing a program of 1-1 ambassadorship and concierge services.
In terms of engagement, the goal is to open hearts and minds to the idea of growth in Pittsburgh.
Our community programming includes engaging young people in Pittsburgh’s future through our Leadership Corps and convening public forums about creating a better Pittsburgh through our acclaimed series, The Intersection.
Population growth is vital to realizing the future in Pittsburgh we all want to see – a vibrant, thriving city where people can build the lives of their dreams.
