From Grief to Action

In June 2020, CAASI launched the Grief to Action (G2A) volunteering platform to support the effort to fight the systemic racism that has been laid bare by the death of George Floyd and countless others. To date, over 100 volunteers (including 40+ non-Pitt community members) have contributed their expertise in our weekly Friday meeting.

G2A volunteers have developed three interdisciplinary data-driven projects: 

• The Allegheny Policing Project (ACPP): is a tool to facilitate transparency in the police accountability process. Learn about the need for the tool and its development by watching the tool’s launch video or by reading the following articles:
  • Pittwire: "Allegheny County Policing Project simplifies police policies for the community" 
  • Pitt News: "Pitt center provides resources for police accountability" 
• 412Connect: is an online platform that bridges university students with underrepresented communities. Find out more about the project's unique collaborative development by watching this 412Connect Year of Data and Society presentation!
• An LGBTQIA+ single-use bathroom finder

In 2021, CAASI hosted the 50th anniversary NSF/CEME Decentralization Conference with the theme of Mechanism Design for Vulnerable Populations. Project 412Connect won the New Horizons Award for bridging practice and research at the ACM conference on Equity and Access in Algorithms, Mechanisms, and Optimization (EAAMO ’21). 412Connect also participated in the ESDI Summer Intensive Design program, and its project leaders earned the prestigious title of Engaged Scholarship Summer Design Fellows. ACPP has been invited to present at the 2021 Annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit.   

To learn more about us:

• Stay up to date with G2A presentations and academic talks on the CAASI Youtube Channel! 
• Sign up here to join our Friday weekly meetings at 12pm. We are open to all community members from students to professionals and academics around the world!
• Check out our holidays card / 2020 year-end report!