Pittsburgh's creative class hampered by a lack of diversity (Philadelphia: 2014, buying)

[zman63]

Thought this was a good read for everybody.

Report: Pittsburgh's creative class is hampered by a lack of diversity - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[UKyank]

Any report written by the group Richard Florida heads shouldn't be taken seriously & do we really need to start a whole new boring diversity tread every month.

[I_Like_Spam]

I don't think so, zman.

Pittsburgh's greatest age of innovation, when innovative guys like Heinz, Westinghouse, Carnegie and Frick were around town doing their things, was also an age of a lot less diversity than we have today.

None of those men were hampered at all by a lack of non-white immigration or lack of the city fathers to promote same-sex partnerships in the city at the time.

[sskink]

I'd buy into the idea that there are barriers to accessing capital for Blacks and Latins, but am not buying into the idea that there are any roadblocks for gays here.

To date I haven't seen any indication that gay talent or capital is leaving the area due to PAs stance on same-sex marriage. That may come if PA continues to lag behind other states, but so far I'm not seeing it.

The dearth of Black-owned businesses in areas other than historically Black enclaves is noticeable, however. Even Latins have had more success breaking out.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by sskink

To date I haven't seen any indication that gay talent or capital is leaving the area due to PAs stance on same-sex marriage. That may come if PA continues to lag behind other states, but so far I'm not seeing it.

I'm gay. I'm planning to start my own business. I will leave PA if same-sex marriage isn't legalized soon.

[sskink]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I'm gay. I'm planning to start my own business. I will leave PA if same-sex marriage isn't legalized soon.

Thus my qualifier of "so far".

Anyway, you probably have a better chance at that than I do of getting the PLCB dismantled

[Blackbeauty212]

It's more of Pennsylvania Problem than it is a Pittsburgh or Allegheny problem.... Just like we've had a change of guard in Pittsburgh politics with 2 progressive leaders running the show now. We need the same overhaul change of the guard at the state level.

A lot of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia's governing and oversight are done at state level it hard for these 2 cities to get anything done that doesn't circumvent the state's authority. Look at the whole Taxi mess, again another State level issue, LGBT marriage, a state level issue, Penndot, PAT all state level issues.

Pittsburgh may have/be getting rid of the "Old Boy Network", but Pennsylvania it is still alive, well and kicking.

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

It's more of Pennsylvania Problem than it is a Pittsburgh or Allegheny problem.... Just like we've had a change of guard in Pittsburgh politics with 2 progressive leaders running the show now. We need the same overhaul change of the guard at the state level.

A lot of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia's governing and oversight are done at state level it hard for these 2 cities to get anything done that doesn't circumvent the state's authority. Look at the whole Taxi mess, again another State level issue, LGBT marriage, a state level issue, Penndot, PAT all state level issues.

Pittsburgh may have/be getting rid of the "Old Boy Network", but Pennsylvania it is still alive, well and kicking.

I fully agree. On the city level, there is nothing wrong with the LGBT treatment, etc. On a state level, obviously, we have a ways to go...

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

It's more of Pennsylvania Problem than it is a Pittsburgh or Allegheny problem.... Just like we've had a change of guard in Pittsburgh politics with 2 progressive leaders running the show now. We need the same overhaul change of the guard at the state level.

A lot of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia's governing and oversight are done at state level it hard for these 2 cities to get anything done that doesn't circumvent the state's authority. Look at the whole Taxi mess, again another State level issue, LGBT marriage, a state level issue, Penndot, PAT all state level issues.

Pittsburgh may have/be getting rid of the "Old Boy Network", but Pennsylvania it is still alive, well and kicking.

The only way to get rid of an 'old boy network' is through open primaries and (more importantly) citizen-initiated referendum voting. In states that have municipal-level citizen-initiated referendums, but lack state-wide citizen-initiated referendums, you can see the old-boy network alive and kicking at the state level, but virtually non-existent at the municipal level. Pittsburgh's old boy network might be 'progressive' but it's still an old-boy network.

[gg]

Originally Posted by UKyank

Any report written by the group Richard Florida heads shouldn't be taken seriously & do we really need to start a whole new boring diversity tread every month.

I thought these were biweekly now? Most articles these days like this one shouldn't be taken seriously. They are just to get someone to read so there is advertising revenue. It is all about money, not substance.