Gainey to headline Pittsburgh conference bringing 1,000 Black men to city

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey is slated to headline the opening of a large Omega Psi Phi Fraternity conference that this week is expected to bring more than 1,000 Black men into the city.

Iota Phi, Pittsburgh’s graduate chapter of the historically Black fraternity, is hosting Omega Psi Phi Fraternity’s 75th Second District Conference in the city from Thursday through Sunday.

Pittsburgh was originally set to host the conference in 2021, but the covid-19 pandemic postponed the in-person event.

“We feel privileged to bring 1,000 educated Black men together for the Second District Conference in Pittsburgh,” said Second District Marshal William “Skip” Blackburn, a member of Iota Phi. “We look forward to meaningful discourse about how we can continue the tradition of being beacons in our respective communities through providing uplift and focusing on educating our youth.”

The district includes 113 chapters from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. This week marks the sixth time the meeting will be held in Pittsburgh.

The conference will kick off Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh with a public forum that will include a fireside chat with Gainey, the city’s first Black mayor. Jake Wheatley, an Iota Phi member who serves as the mayor’s chief of staff, will be part of the discussion.

Gainey and Wheatley are slated to talk about the contributions of Black men and organizations that work to make a positive impact on Black youths.

“As a Black man, father and mayor of the great city of Pittsburgh, I am working each day to sow the positive energy needed to spark change,” Gainey said. “We need to continue to uplift and share these positive stories about Black men and boys to show that negative images are just a small part of a much larger community of positivity and strength.”

Fraternity brothers on Friday at 7:30 will compete in an intra-regional step competition between chapters from each state at the Wyndham Grand. Admission is $15, and the show will be followed by an after-party with a $10 admission.

The “Omega Bridge Builder Youth Leadership Summit” will be hosted at Pittsburgh CAPA High School beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday. More than 50 Black male student leaders in 11th and 12th grade from the Pittsburgh region are expected to attend.

The summit will focus on topics like setting goals after high school, mental wellness, monetizing skills and talents, and a youth peace dialogue.

The night will conclude with “The Omega Derby,” a Kentucky Derby-themed party at the Wyndham Grand. Admission is $35 and doors open at 10 p.m.