Assemble has a magical vibe about it.
It's partly a physical space for gathering to learn, share, and grow; it's partly an overarching concept of STEAM-education out-of-the -box, which can be brought to schools or organizations across Pittsburgh (& virtual spaces!); it's entirely about uplifting people to learn from others, to find their own expertise, and to support a more equitable, exciting, and inspiring future.
I'm lucky to have met Nina Barbuto, the founder + heart behind Assemble, when it was just getting started over ten years ago. Throughout the years, Nina has brought extraordinary experts and community members into the fold, always increasing the idea of Assemble's capabilities to serve Garfield neighborhood kids and learners all around the city.
Empowerment and education move hand-in-hand through hands-on learning at Assemble, where confidence is built through real experiences and everyone is welcome.
Volunteering for one of Assemble's Unblurred gallery shows was a wonderful way to spend a Friday evening. It was both personally rewarding and simply enjoyable to assist. I loved watching people of all ages witness and interact with the art/artists. Assemble does a fantastic job of making art accessible to everyone. I felt welcomed and needed. Can't wait for next month!
Assemble is a terrific asset for Garfield and surrounding neighborhoods. It offers regular programming in the Penn Ave space, and is doing more around the city everyday! The combination of kid-focused and all-age events sets it apart from similar organizations, and really creates a community-friendly environment. I wouldn't want to do my Americorps service anywhere else!
Assemble is providing such a needed service to the community, working to get the doors open for more accessible hours to the neighborhood kids. Watching some of the more familiar faces getting to know and trust the Assemble team has had a huge impact on me.
Giving people of any age a place to experiment, make, and interact with people who are totally obsessed with their field of expertise is a service as important as the public library- and increasingly necessary.
Supporting this space will mean more service to the public that could expand into your child's raised GPA, new literacy, and access to common tools like computers and the internet.