Main ST

To increase our social impact, our goal is to improve the region’s economic inclusiveness by creating equitable economic opportunities for those who are underrepresented to increase their economic capacity in order to have dignified, productive and creative lives.

The goal of We Are Open strategy is to provide underrepresented businesses with affordable multimedia services and products.

The goal of Tech Innovation is to strengthen our communities and increase workplace inclusiveness, by working with schools and youth serving organizations to prepare a new generation of minority youth to be work ready economic innovators in the multimedia technology industry.

The goal of Pulsus Digital Arts Collective is to work with other black art organizations to provide multimedia, technology and marketing / branding support that provides equitable economic opportunities for black artist to promote, showcase and sell their art.

Working with DeLoJe’s production house, Pulsus Digital as well as other partners, we will build multimedia creative and technical capacity of the underrepresented as a means to improve their impact and reach in order to equitably economically and culturally strengthen our communities.

Using our production expertise, we will provide multimedia technical and technological support to help our customers increase their marketing capacity, that will showcase and promote what they do.

We will work with customers to identify areas of multimedia growth or goals through assessment of needs; create unique effective messaging/media that shares value, maximizes engagement, and improves multimedia operational efficiency; and, train and educate (build multimedia competency) to maintain newly attained level of efficiency.

We will inspire youth to develop skills, aspirations and capabilities in the multimedia industry.

We will prioritize the development of youth who, as adults, are categorized as underrepresented in STEM jobs (the socioeconomically effected, females and blacks)

We will counteract issues that contribute to inequities in the STEM by focusing on providing positive micro-messaging, programming facilitated by staff who represent the demographic of youth we served, developing youth’s individual capacity, and improving their perspectives and values as it relates to STEM/STEAM.

Main St staff have what it takes to get the work done.

Our producers, former Urban League youth participants and staff, who, as a result of their STEM learning experiences, are now experts in the local multimedia industry (https://www.deloje.com/pulsus-digital).

As highly proficient experts, Main ST producers have the required skills, abilities, and knowledge essential to the work that we do. As multimedia Producers, they process extensive knowledge and technical skills in using equipment, providing production and digital services, and training others. Their technical work experience includes photography, video production, audio visual work, website development and design, and graphic design. They have done extensive work in multimedia production and technology services. We have successful helped build multimedia technological and technical capacity for numerous small businesses and organizations, increasing their ability to operate and expand.

As professionals, our producers have successfully provide local businesses and organizations with expert multi-media services. Our list of clients include Pittsburgh Arts and Lecture (5 years of multimedia technology support), Gregg Kander / https://ohringerarts.com/ (website development and design), Braddock Water Authority (IT support and website development and design), Kelly Strayhorn Theater (3 years of IT support and multimedia services), The Legacy Arts Project (5 years of youth programming design and implementation and multimedia services), Larimer Consensus Group (photography and graphic design), Community Kitchen (IT support and photography), Talk Magazine (2 years of photography, multimedia services and technology support), United Black Book Club of Pittsburgh (COVID19 multimedia services and digital tech support), Tina Calabro/ADA for All - Allegheny County and Pittsburgh (COVID-19 digital tech support), Baker Wells House (Podcast producing and digital tech support).

Main ST’s executive director, Lori Rue has been involved with youth development associations on a local, state, and national level since 1998. She has conducted various degrees of youth programming throughout Pennsylvania. As a leader in the field, she has served on youth development boards, presented at national conferences, and received recognition for her work. She currently serves as a member of the PSADYN Steering Committee for Quality Youth Programming. Additionally, as Main ST leadership, she has the required skills and capabilities for organizational management overseeing administrative and fiscal responsibilities associated with nonprofit operations. Her most recent positions include Project management at the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and the Braddock Water Authority.

Main St / DeLoJe has the fiscal and organizational capacity to govern and deliver the proposed program. We have a solid track record for fiscal oversight, managing payroll, and program accounting.

Concentration has been on building organizational capacity to operate services and programming full time. In 2019, we focused on internal organizing (i.e., administration structure, service and program development and strategic planning. In 2020, we are focusing on resource development and fundraising for our three programming areas: We Are Open, Tech Innovation and Pulsus Digital Arts Collective.

Establishing Partnerships is an important part of our approach. Partnerships with schools, organizations and businesses that share our vision and who can contribute vital resources is critical to achieving our outcomes. The executive director has worked to establish partnership relationships and secure letters of commitment or memorandums of understanding from 2-3 schools / organizations in Allegheny County before October 2020.

As of September 28, 2020, partners to date include the Legacy Arts Project, Pittsburgh Public School District and Propel School District. Partner resources that have been committed so far include access to participants, devices for participants to engage virtually, some virtual services, database for collecting data, and physical sites for when it’s safe to conduct onsite in person programming.

Through We Are Open, we are helping businesses and organizations stay operational during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing virtual multimedia services. Our customers include The Baker Wells House (monthly podcast to stay connected to clients during the pandemic), GlobalPittsburgh (filming and hosting an online version of their annual award ceremony), Pittsburgh Arts and Lecture (streaming their Authors to School events) and Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium.

Tech Innovation conducted weekly animation and coding classes for Legacy Arts Project and weekly stop motion animation classes for Propel Charter High Schools (NorthSide and Braddock Hills). Summer programming plans include hosting a 5 week Drone Academy for Propel School in Hazelwood and hosting a 6 week Stop Motion Animation session for campers at Legacy Arts Project.