Women of the Mercy Corridor

Women of the Mercy Corridor is an oral history project in which youth interview women about their lives, challenges, and triumphs. From teachers to business leaders, nuns to entrepreneurs, and church leaders to engineers, each of these women have a unique story to tell. And the youth interviewers they spoke to have a knack for asking the right questions and listening to their stories.

SLB piloted the project in Fall 2017 when twenty-five women who live or work in the Hill District, Uptown, and Oakland neighborhoods of Pittsburgh were interviewed by twenty-nine girls between 11 and 17 years of age who live in those same neighborhoods. The resulting interviews — along with reflections from the interviewers — were published in 2019 in booklet and CD form. View the booklet here

The project continued in Summer 2024 with an additional forty-one women who live, work, or were raised in the Hill District interviewed by forty-eight teens. Rather than publishing a CD and booklet, SLB chose to create full transcriptions of each interview for ease of access by people who are hard of hearing, learning English, or prefer to learn by reading. Transcriptions also were created for the interviews collected as part of the pilot project.

The collection below contains all sixty-six interviews created to date. Reflections from the youth who conducted the interviews can be found here.

McAuley Ministries Logo

Women of the Mercy Corridor is made possible with generous support from McAuley Ministries. Special thanks to the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Hill District Branch, the University of Pittsburgh Hill District Community Engagement Center and all participating youth and adults.

Title Length Date Files
Play/Pause Angela Stribling Interview
5:18 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Beverly Walker Interview
4:11 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Brenda Gurley Interview
4:23 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Carol Brackett Interview
4:55 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Chi Ma’at Interview
4:39 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Collette Brooks Interview
5:12 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Darlene Moore Interview
5:25 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Davonna Shannon Interview
4:49 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Dawna Biggs Interview
3:54 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Debra Hearn Interview
4:23 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Denise Tucker Gordon Interview
4:40 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Diane Henderson Webster Interview
4:01 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Dr Sheila Biesly Interview
5:28 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Gerry Shields Interview
4:49 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Heaven Infinity Interview
4:11 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Kelly Protho Interview
6:04 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Kennatta Lark Interview
5:21 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause LaDona Dozier Interview
4:31 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Lashawn Reed Interview
4:30 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Marci Brown Interview
3:52 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Margaret Carney Interview
5:36 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Maria Searcy Interview
5:00 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Marilyn Simpson Interview
5:08 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Melvena Daniels Interview
5:28 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Michelle Winbush Interview
3:36 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Monique Olivis Interview
4:05 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Montia Brock Interview
5:28 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Nicolette Covington Interview
5:02 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Patricia McCann Interview
5:37 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Renarda Walker Interview
4:59 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Rhonda Hall Interview
3:44 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Roberta Brassel Interview
4:34 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Shanda Harris Interview
4:53 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Shauntae Denise Myrick Interview
4:41 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Sheila Carney Interview
5:02 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Sheila Wilson Interview
5:35 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Shinora Grayson Johnson Interview
4:50 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Sophia Green Interview
2:44 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Teaira Collins Interview
4:57 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Terri Minor Spencer Interview
4:30 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Tosha Morris Butler Interview
3:38 Nov 14, 2024 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Terri Baltimore Interview
4:34 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause ShiKayla Clancy Interview
4:54 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Ashley Comans Interview
5:40 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Kim El Interview
5:04 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Carmen Ellington Interview
5:50 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Charlene Foggie-Barnett Interview
3:41 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause DaVonna Graham Interview
4:27 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Sharnay Hearn-Davis Interview
4:09 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Kira Henderson Interview
5:01 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Danielle Jackson Interview
4:23 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Denise Johnson Interview
4:27 Oct 23, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Florence Johnson Interview
5:07 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Dr. Emma Lucas-Darby Interview
4:11 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Rev. Evelena McFarland Interview
4:43 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Ayisha Morgan-Lee Interview
5:10 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Majerica Rainey Interview
3:16 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Malaysia Rainey Interview
3:58 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Brenda Tate Interview
4:41 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Tia Torres Interview
3:12 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Denise Tucker Interview
4:56 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Diamonte Walker Interview
5:15 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Renay Warren Interview
4:33 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Marisa C. Williams Interview
3:58 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Merecedes J. Williams Interview
5:49 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
Play/Pause Jackie Wright Interview
4:37 Oct 29, 2019 Transcript Download
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