Oakland, Pittsburgh: The place to ‘Be a Good Neighbor’

Pitt’s Be a Good Neighbor Block Parties are back in Oakland for the fifteenth year.

Hosted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Engagement and Community Affairs, residents of Oakland, Pitt students, staff and alumni can enjoy free food, live music, lawn game activities, conversations with the community and prizes at each event in the series.

The parties are thrown in a different Oakland neighborhood every Tuesday in September. The first party took place in North Oakland at Kathy Gallagher’s home — where each of the last 15 North Oakland parties have been held.

“I worked for many years with the community engagement department at Pitt, so the very first Be a Good Neighbor block party was hosted right here,” Gallagher, a Pitt alumna, said. “We started under a tent at the end of the driveway and handed out pizza. It has grown over the years, and it’s always a great opportunity for both students and residents.”

Gallagher shares her passion for the growth of both Pitt and Oakland communities.

“I am a lifelong resident of Oakland, born and raised,” Gallagher said. “Whatever you need or want is right here and most of the time I can walk to it. There is no better place to be.”

John Wilds, former assistant vice chancellor for community relations at Pitt, founded the Be a Good Neighbor Block Parties in Oakland.

“About 50 years ago, we were having lots of issues with the students living in the community, so we felt one of the things we had to do was to have the students get to know the neighbors in the community,” Wilds said.

Samantha Varela is a Pitt graduate student in the public policy and management program and staff member of community and engagement affairs. She assisted in coordinating Tuesday’s event.

“It’s all staff hands on deck. I enjoy helping out at the sign-in desk since we get to meet all the residents and introduce people to the fun block party,” Varela said. “We encourage students to meet and hang out with our long term residents and make Oakland more of a community.”

As attendees entered the party, they were met with tables for conversations with other community members, a catered buffet and prizes for the attendees like water bottles, plushies, hats and tote bags. A live band performed while neighbors connected.

Roxane Stewart, an Oakland resident and Pitt graduate studies alum, says the area feels like home because of both the place and the people living amongst her.

“I think it’s a great idea for the students and residents to interact like this,” Stewart said. “As residents, we are very happy to see the Pitt students come back. They bring with them life, energy and excitement, and that’s what we need. We enjoy the summer time alone, because we own the sidewalks, but once they get back, they bring so much fun. Walking together, talking excitedly and we all remember what it was like to be young, so we just love it.”
Stewart reminisced on her childhood spent going to Schenley Park, Phipps Conservatory and both Pitt and Carnegie Mellon carnivals.

“There’s a memory that whispers to me at every corner, everywhere I look there are memories, really happy ones,” Stewart said. “It was a great place to grow up.”

The Be a Good Neighbor Block parties don’t just attract Pitt students, but Carnegie Mellon students like math major Alice Liang.

“I live in North Oakland, so I’m trying to get more involved in the community as it’s my senior year,” Liang said. “I love Pittsburgh and have always been happy with how we do community outreach, so I’m here to get to know the Pitt community and learn more about what the university does for the students.”

The next Be a Good Neighbor Block Party is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Oakland Square.