Will Thompkins, director of community and outreach at The Pittsburgh Project, doesn't seek the spotlight. But it has found him: The Dignity and Respect Campaign, launched last fall to unite people and organizations throughout the city under the common belief that everyone deserves dignity and respect, has named Thompkins their first Dignity and Respect Champion. The award will be given monthly throughout the coming year to Pittsburghers who exemplify the campaign's goals.
Through his work at The Pittsburgh Project, and through service on the boards of KidsVoice, the Pittsburgh branch of the NAACP, Children 2 Champions, Northside Old Timers, Pittsburgh United, and The 100 Black Men of Western Pennsylvania, the campaign feels that Thompkins has devoted himself to promoting "the principles of dignity and respect" and "an environment of inclusion" here in Pittsburgh.
He was nominated for the award by Saleem Ghubril, executive director of the Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program for students in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
"Will models servant-leadership in everything he does, but never with the aim of drawing attention to himself. He makes whomever is in his company feel deeply valued and highly regarded. He is a bridge-builder between those typically alienated whether because of race, ethnicity, gender, economics, age, or politics. This is Will's first nature," Ghubril said in a statement about the award.
What issues are taking up most of Thompkins' energy these days? Helping to combat homelessness tops the list, as does the challenge of helping low-income Pittsburgh students get access to the best possible education. As we enter the second year of recession, Thompkins says those two problems often cross paths. Homeless students do their best to stay in school, he says, but it can be incredibly difficult.
"Education is a major issue... and one great challenge we face for young people, whether in high school or college, is employment," he says. "To identify and work with those young people who go to school and are homeless is very important. ... A lot of young people, if they're given an opportunity to work, they will work. And they will do well, in some cases excelling beyond our imagination."
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