Roots to Rivers is a community-driven leadership program offered by UpstreamPgh and the Neighborhood Allies’ Social Impact Design (SID) Program for residents of East Hills, Homewood, and Wilkinsburg who want to understand how their neighborhoods were shaped—and how they can lead the changes needed now. 

Many communities have experienced flooding, illegal dumping, disinvestment, and slow or inconsistent support during environmental disruptions. Residents have shared that they want to be equipped to protect and stabilize their neighborhoods themselves, instead of depending on outside emergency organizations or waiting for external institutions to intervene after a crisis. 

To support the initiative, the SID team is developing and coordinating a curriculum of workshops that connect cohort members to subject-matter experts that will share practical lessons, resources, and knowledge around climate justice issues and community development strategies happening in their neighborhoods; ultimately equipping the cohort with the necessary tools to advance policy change and resilience in their communities. 

Over six sessions, participants will: 

• Learn how neighborhood design, infrastructure, and public systems reinforce environmental inequities. 
• Build practical skills for DIY neighborhood response—such as identifying hazards, reporting issues, mobilizing neighbors, organizing cleanup efforts, documenting environmental impacts, and advocating for services. 
• Gain knowledge about community-driven green design, from gardens to bioswales to street-scale improvements. 
• Connect with local organizations doing place-based environmental justice work. 
• Co-create action plans that reflect the community’s priorities and lived experiences. 

The program centers resident voices and provides the tools communities need to lead environmental response, advocate for accountability, and build resilience from the inside out.  

Funding for Roots to Rivers is provided through UpstreamPgh via the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green & Healthy Homes Initiative under the Thriving Communities Grant Program. 

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The Team: