This afternoon felt like one of those days where you learn a lot without realizing you’re learning a lot. We started with the Riverhounds Director of Promotions and Entertainment, who somehow made me rethink what a sports team even is. I always thought teams were just teams. You show up, you cheer, you go home. But he talked about the Riverhounds like they were a piece of Pittsburgh’s identity. They give local businesses space to promote themselves, they bring people together, and they create a place where the city can show up and feel connected. It made me realize that sports organizations can be way more than entertainment. They can be gathering points, little pockets of civic pride, and honestly, a place where people who would never talk to each other end up yelling at the same referee.

Then we met with Elissa DiNello, who works on Allegheny County’s Main Streets Initiative. She thinks about the exact four building blocks we’ve been using: businesses, civic assets, community organizations, and public resources. One thing she said that stuck with me was how every Main Street needs a “champion.” Not a superhero, not a mayor, just that one person who refuses to let the town fall apart. Someone who pushes projects forward even when no one is watching. That idea confirmed a lot of what I’ve been thinking about Carrigart. You can have all the plans in the world, but if no one on the ground is excited enough to make them happen, nothing changes. I’m already planning to use that in our scope of work. Carrigart needs someone who knows the town, loves the town, and is willing to fight for it.

After absorbing all that information, my roommates and I decided to explore Pittsburgh with a Shadyside thrifting adventure. We found way too many cool clothes, and then we met Daryll, a street performer playing the clarinet who casually told us he met former President Obama twice. Twice. I don’t know what kind of life you have to live to meet Obama two separate times, but Daryll apparently lived it. He played us his favorite songs right there on the sidewalk, and honestly, it was one of those moments that makes you realize how random and fun Pittsburgh can be. After that, we headed back to the dorms to get a good night’s sleep, because somehow we’re only days away from Ireland.