The Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation invites the community to celebrate the 21st Annual Aggie Brose Awards Luncheon on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh. The event begins at 11:30 a.m.
Named for Agnes “Aggie” Brose, lifelong Garfield advocate, the awards honor her enduring legacy of grassroots leadership and community transformation. For more than five decades, BGC has worked to advance equitable development, affordable housing, and youth opportunity, work that began with Aggie’s belief that ordinary people can make extraordinary change when they care for their neighbors and invest in their community.
Proceeds from the luncheon directly support BGC’s neighborhood programs, including youth employment initiatives, affordable housing initiatives, small business development, The Bulletin, the organization’s free monthly community newspaper, and safety net services such as our Neighbors in Need Emergency Grants Program.. Every ticket sold and every sponsorship helps BGC continue its mission to create opportunity and stability for Garfield and beyond.
This year’s luncheon will also celebrate a major milestone: 50 years of The Bulletin newspaper. Since its founding, The Bulletin has served as a trusted source of news, stories, and connection for Pittsburgh’s East End, chronicling the triumphs, challenges, and everyday life. Beyond reporting, it has amplified resident voices, promoted civic engagement, and strengthened community identity. The anniversary is a reminder that BGC’s work isn’t just about programs and services, it’s also about preserving the stories and histories that shape a neighborhood’s sense of belonging.
This year’s keynote speaker, Natalie Bencivenga, is a journalist, producer, and media entrepreneur who uses storytelling to advance connection, empathy, and equity. Her work across KDKA, WQED, and PublicSource has inspired dialogue and redefined how media can serve the public good.
This year’s honorees are storytellers whose work uplifts voices, builds community, and inspires change across arts, media, and culture:
2025 Aggie Awardees:
✨ Bonita Lee Penn – Poet, playwright, and multimedia artist whose work explores memory, identity, and spirituality through the lens of the Black aesthetic.
✨ Alisha B. Wormsley – Guggenheim Fellow, interdisciplinary artist, and cultural producer whose visionary projects imagine liberated Black and Indigenous futures.
✨ Bill O’Driscoll – Award-winning Pittsburgh journalist whose 30-year career has shaped arts and culture coverage locally and nationally.
✨ Kahmeela Adams-Friedson – Pittsburgh-based producer, journalist, and multimedia storyteller who champions underrepresented voices with creativity and insight.
“The Aggie Awards remind us that change begins in community,” said Jarmele Fairclaugh, BGC Board President. “When we honor our neighbors who lead with heart, we strengthen the foundation Aggie built for all of us.”
More information available at Bloomfield-Garfield.org/luncheon. Join BGC on November 14 to celebrate the changemakers shaping Pittsburgh’s future, 50 years of the Bulletin, and the memory of Aggie Brose.
Secure your tickets today: https://tinyurl.com/AggieAwards2025