First person Archives - Page 2 of 33 - 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

Person with glasses and colorful shirt uses scissors to cut mustard-yellow fabric in a fabric store surrounded by bolts of cloth and sewing supplies.

Tariff bills are making business all-but impossible for my Morningside store

by First-person essay by Erin Love January 2, 2026January 2, 2026

An older woman wearing sunglasses walks outside on a snowy street with a cane and a harnessed guide dog.

I haven’t seen the world through my eyes since a snowy day in 1969

by First-person essay by Sally Hobart Alexander December 26, 2025December 28, 2025

A man wearing glasses and a winter coat looks at a dog outdoors in a snowy area, with tree branches reflected or overlaid on the image.

I survived, learned that what I needed didn’t exist — and set out to create it

by First-person essay by Jeremy Carter December 5, 2025December 7, 2025

Two women stand side by side outdoors on a concrete platform, with a colorful mural and buildings visible in the background.

Community storytelling

How a boomer and a millennial started with flowers and ended up in Las Vegas

First-person essay by Carla Arnold & Tricia Patsilevas as told to Jamie WigganNovember 21, 2025November 22, 2025

A woman with long dark hair looks pensively out of a window, with reflections and soft natural light visible on the glass.

I was ‘the other’ until I found my people: neurodivergent millennials

by First-person essay by Shannon Parris November 18, 2025November 14, 2025

Three older adults sit around a table reading documents and taking notes in a well-lit room with artwork, books and plants.

A writers club for older adults soothed my grief as we’ve ‘ranted, raved and wrangled’ with aging

by First-person essay by Mary Schinhofen November 7, 2025November 9, 2025

A group of people of various ages and backgrounds pose together indoors, some seated on chairs and couches, others standing behind them, in a brightly lit room with large windows.

Community storytelling

From Pittsburgh’s towers to Kabul’s airport and a Nepali dance class in North Dakota, teens give voice to diversity

by First-person essay via Sharing Our Story October 31, 2025November 1, 2025

People walk along a path in front of a historic university building with a prominent tower, surrounded by green lawns and trees, with a cityscape in the background.

Gagging Academia

Trump says academic freedom is ‘not absolute.’ Three Pittsburgh scholars say it’s essential.

by First-person essay by Candace Skibba, First-person essay by Jane Windsheimer and First-person essay by Philip Hackney October 24, 2025October 26, 2025

A man sits in a modern chair with a black and white dog on his lap, in an art-filled room with brick walls and neon brain sign in the background.

Practicing psychiatry left me suicidal. Converting my pickup into an off-roader let me explore the world — and recover mine.

by First-person essay by Vint Blackburn October 3, 2025October 2, 2025