First-person essay by Sarah Samms Velázquez, Author at Pittsburgh's Public Source

A woman in a teal hat and patterned coat stands on a snowy hill overlooking a river, bridge, and cityscape at dusk.

I couldn’t forget the terrain, the nature, the rivers — but it’s the kindness that kept me in Pittsburgh

by First-person essay by Sarah Samms Velázquez January 9, 2026January 11, 2026

The forest almost reminded me of my home state of Oregon, only the evergreens were fewer and farther between. Wherever I was, I knew that I wanted to find it again – someday.

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