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WHEREAS, in 1995, University of Pittsburgh graduate student Michelle Fanzo wrote an op-ed expressing her concern about the staggering number of young students leaving the city upon graduation in search of job opportunities in more vibrant cities, and after hearing from similarly worried young Pittsburghers, the idea for the Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP) was born; and,
WHEREAS, after its formal incorporation in 1996, PUMP embarked on a twenty-year mission to reverse the region's historic "brain drain" and engage young people in meaningful civic involvement; and,
WHEREAS, over the years, PUMP became the commanding voice for young Pittsburgh as the organization hosted televised mayoral and school board debates, forums on topics ranging from riverfront development to historic perseveration, lobbying days in Harrisburg for improved public schools and increased public transportation, and bimonthly town hall meetings to address challenges facing the region's millennials; and,
WHEREAS, in 2000, PUMP developed the Pittsburgh Sports League as a way for young residents of Pittsburgh to network and develop new connections over friendly yet competitive sporting events. In its first year, there were 150 participants in a flag football league and since then, the PSL has grown to engage 20,000 young Pittsburghers in games of softball, roller hockey, basketball, and kickball among other sports; and,
WHEREAS, PUMP's Connect Pittsburgh and Discover Pittsburgh programs help to publicize all that Pittsburgh has to offer its young residents, including vibrant neighborhoods, high quality of life, vast cultural opportunities, and affordable cost of living; and,
WHEREAS, now that the organization has grown to serve over 25,000 people annually and Pittsburgh has become of one of the nation's leaders in millennial growth, PUMP is beginning to focus its policy efforts on ensuring that all young Pittsburghers can share in the city's prosperity; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE ...
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