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in: Who

Khari Mosley

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Background[]

  • D, activist

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City Council Event[]

Transcript[]

We are honored to have with us the honorable Chela Wagner County Court of Commonplea who will administer the oath ofoffice to Kari Mosley from Council District Number Nine.

So as our family assembles here, let me just say how proud I am, how proud we all are of my better half Kahari Mosley, and we're just really elated to share all of his intelligence his heart and his passion for the residents of District 9 and the whole city.

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I want to thank the City Clerk, Kim. I've known you since our Idays, and you do a great job. Can we give her a round of applause for putting all this together? Um, I want to thank the mayor. I want to thank all the elected officials here, all the dignitaries, the friends of Labor. Um, all those who are gathered here for this momentous occasion. Um, thank you to my new colleagues on Council for the warm welcome you've given me over the last several months. Uh, thank you for your insight, your advice, and your enthusiasm about me joining this body.

To join this body is truly the honor of my life, and I look forward to working with you. Uh, for all the people across the city of Pittsburgh, um, thank you to the voters of District 9 for believing in me. Um, thank you to everyone who donated, volunteered, and endorsed our campaign over the last year. Um, thank you to everyone who worked on behalf of my campaign team. Uh, my honorary campaign chairman, Reverend Welch, uh, Brandy Fiser, my campaign manager, Tracy Wright, my treasurer, and Aaron Watt, my finance director. I am internally grateful for your amazing efforts. Um, you know, thank you to my incoming staff, Grace Leslie and Stanford, for agreeing to join me on this journey.

I'd also like to acknowledge my family, uh, the Mosley, uh, the Reads that are in the house. There's always a lot of Reads whenever, whenever two Reads show up. Like we're like the Wuang clan. Um, as well as the Wagers that are in the house tonight, as well as my uncle, former council president Jack Wagner. Also like to thank my sons, Aus and Isaiah, and also my wonderful wife, the honorable Judge Chelsea Wagner. And, um, and I'd be remiss if I didn't give a shout out to my One Hood family.

And, uh, before I give my formal remarks, I would like to acknowledge the memory of my dearly departed mother, Ivonre Mosley. Um, so for the last year, I've been talking a lot about the idea of transformation, emphasizing the ability that we have to positively transform lives if we dare to be bold, think big, and rise up above cynicism, above division, above pessimism, above intimidation, above retribution, above coercion, above provincialism, above self-absorption, above opportunism, above negativity, above biases, and above the myopia that has plagued our politics.

I've stressed our need to rediscover the transformational, creative, innovative, and entrepreneurial spirit that has defined the city since the 19th century. I've shone a spotlight on this great choice we have between aspiring to be transformational leaders, citizens, and advocates or conceding to the tried and untrue transactional politicking that has stood in the way of meaningful progress for far too long.

I believe our city is experiencing a transformational moment, and our generation has been tasked with the responsibility to seize a once-in-a-century opportunity and lay the foundation for a Pittsburgh that embodies the type of prosperity, vibrancy, and diversity that EP epitomizes our progressive values. And if we can do that, we can make this city a place we can be proud to call home for generations to come.

I call this our transformational moment. Today I submit to you, my friends, we are in the midst of a transformation that provides us the opportunity to build a more prosperous, resilient, and equitable Pittsburgh. This is our transformational opportunity, and we have an obligation to each other, to those who came before us, and to future generations to answer this call to build a prosperous Pittsburgh that encourages shared economic growth, provides economic security for the most vulnerable, and creates economic opportunities regardless of your ZIP code, bloodline, or station in life.

We must answer the call to build a resilient Pittsburgh on the foundation of a sustainable infrastructure network, accessible multimodal transportation system, and reliable critical services to mitigate the challenges of climate change, make our communities more interconnected, and respond expeditiously to unexpected disasters.

We must answer the call to build an equitable Pittsburgh by intentionally focusing on inclusion, structural equity, and celebrating our city's rich diversity to foster a sense of shared belonging, solve our common challenges through diverse perspectives, and honor the numerous Pittsburghers who have contributed to our amazing cultural legacy.

But before we begin, before we can seize our transformational opportunity, we must embrace our transformation potential. We have the potential to restore hope, uplift, and inspire each other to make good on the promise that Pittsburgh's best days are yet to come. We have the potential to embody the same excellence that introduced modern electricity to the world, created the first movie theater, invented the World Series, established the first commercial radio station, built the first Jeep automobile, discovered the vaccine for polio, and started the first Emergency Medical Service. Now, I can name countless other significant achievements that Pittsburghers have made from now until the next time my beloved Pirates win the World Series, but it's time for us to put pen to paper and write our chapter in the annals of Pittsburgh excellence to inspire the coming generations who will stand on our shoulders.

When the time comes for us to join the ancestors, seizing our transformational opportunity, maximizing our transformational potential, and meeting our transformational moment demands that we are transformative leaders who have authenticity, exhibit creativity, strive to be inspirational, solve problems proactively, and proudly walk in our purpose. These are the qualities we must embody to deliver principled, innovative, and cooperative governance to the people we serve.

South African author GIF Gummona says transformational leadership is a deliberate action taken in response to a vow made to transform people's lives. As transformational leaders, we must take action to govern openly, work cooperatively, and deliver essential services effectively to earn the public's trust and confidence.

I feel compelled to note that as important as good government, strategic policy, and consistent city services are, we cannot overlook the role that culture plays in our transformational journey. To ensure our city becomes the best possible version of itself, and with that, I want to give a shout out to my dad, Thos Mosley, the great sculptor.

We must encourage a transformational cultural renaissance across this city. We need to intentionally chronicle, celebrate, and educate our citizens about this city's rich legacy. Pittsburgh's contributions in philanthropy, art, music, cuisine, sports, and popular culture rival any American city and surely dwarfs any city of our size. Our city's role in the development of early American music to hosting North America's oldest and longest-running banal art exhibition to being the cradle of immortal jazz artists like Billy Exon and Mary L. Williams or legendary hip-hop artists like Wiz Khalifa and Mac Miller.

Our city has been a mecca for arts and culture for nearly two centuries. I believe we have a vested interest in making this cultural legacy common knowledge for Pittsburghers of all walks of life as a source of pride and inspiration citywide. As we celebrate our glorious past, let us promote, invest in, and support the development of today's local artists, space makers, curators, and cultural influencers. Our best and brightest should not have to leave our city to follow their dreams, master their craft, or advance their artistic endeavors.

By supporting our emerging artists, we are not only supporting homegrown talent, but we are also growing our regional economy and improving the quality of life for all of our residents by investing in a more vibrant, lively, and thriving cultural scene in a city blessed by our rich cultural and ethnic traditions. Leaning into making our city more diverse will make us more economically competitive, grow our population, and add to one of our city's greatest and most defining strengths. We can add to the phenomenal tapestry that is our cultural legacy and position us to better compete in a marketplace that comes increasingly global by the day.

With our city's future at stake, we must prioritize equitable, sustainable, and responsible development in our neighborhoods, with a commitment to transformational economic growth. The type of growth that promotes safe neighborhoods, supports local industries, expands access to opportunities for all, and creates opportunities for those who have been left behind for far too long.

To quote John Fitzgerald Kennedy in his 1960 inaugural speech, "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich." We have to ensure Pittsburghers of all income levels are part of our future by enacting policies that foster community wellness, expand affordable housing, empower neighborhoods in the planning process, and invest in locally grown small businesses and entrepreneurs that are creating jobs and diversifying our local economy.

Pittsburgh can be a model for cities across the country seeking to improve their quality of life, preserve the profound and unique character of our neighborhoods without displacement or erasing the uniqueness that makes our hometown such an iconic American city. To complement our economic strategy, we need a modern transportation and infrastructure system that is fitting for a city with so many remarkable institutions, businesses, and cultural amenities.

In order to secure our future health, pro, and prosperity and to attain the world-class status we have the potential to achieve, our economy can't achieve its full potential if we don't prepare and connect our workforce for the 21st century. This involves collaboration and alignment between economic development agencies, workforce training programs, and our rich educational institutions to strengthen pathways to careers. A comprehensive strategic approach will solidify and propel our region's competitive competitiveness for decades to come.

Now, to accomplish all these things I've outlined, they will not occur unless we answer what I think is the most important call to action. This is the call to embrace our transformational requirement. Now, this requirement hadn't dawned on me until one Sunday morning during the primary. I went to Sunday worship service at Baptist Temple on Ray Street, and it just so happened that Reverend Rodney Li's sermon that day was about transformation. I'd already been talking about transformation a lot up to that point, but it was one of those days when you're sitting in the pew and you really feel like the sermon was specifically written for you.

The basis of what Reverend Li had to say is we can't expect to transform our external surroundings until we are willing to go through our own transformation inside. For it is not possible to change lives and remain unchanged. To say this message hit home is a tremendous understatement. After the service, we sat together in the church for about an hour, talking about what I drew from the sermon and how much it moved me.

Now, we all must accept that any transformation that has not yet occurred in our city is a direct reflection of the transformation that we've been willing to undergo individually and collectively. In my mind, this is the most important transformation we have to make to usher in the change we hope to see. We must accept that the world around us will not transform unless we make a transformation within ourselves and how we are in community with one another.

So my question to you this morning is: Are we willing to make the transformation required of us? Are we ready to make the transformation in our daily interactions? Are we prepared to accept the journey towards the best version of ourselves? Is the only thing standing in the way of building the best version of this city? Because that's where the real work starts before we get to the community plan, the after-school program, or the brick-and-mortar projects. We must begin the transformation inside each and every one of us.

So starting today, let's rise above the pettiness. Let's rise above the narcissism. Let's rise above the callousness. Let's rise above the bitterness. Let's rise above the entitlement. Let's rise above the apathy. Rise above the paranoia. Rise above the insecurity. Rise above the suspicion. And begin the work necessary to transform ourselves and the city we love.

When I began this journey over a year ago, I said I was going to lead with empathy, compassion, and grace. I didn't know at that time my chief of staff's name would literally be Grace, but I promise you if you walk with me through the halls of power and the powerful boardrooms and the fancy office suites, I will walk with you through the community centers, the houses of worship, the neighborhood watering holes, in the streets of East Hills to East Liberty, from Friendship to Garfield, Howland Park to Homewood, Lmer to Lincoln Lemington, Park Place to Point Breeze, and Regent Square to Sten Heights. And together, we will bring the change our citizens need, want, and deserve. But most importantly, we will answer our call and meet this transformational moment. Thank you.


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