What does a welcoming city look like? For Pittsburgh, it looks a lot like Open Field.
Founded and led by SPIA alumnus Justin Forzano (MPPM ’16), Open Field is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of young people through sport. While soccer is the vehicle, their work emphasizes leadership development, equity, education, and community cohesion.
“From day one, Open Field’s mission has been about more than soccer,” the organization shared in a blog post on its website earlier this week. “The beautiful game is the vehicle—but the destination is belonging, leadership, and opportunity for young people from marginalized communities.”
Open Field was honored by the City of Pittsburgh last week during its Certified Welcoming celebration. Hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA), the event recognized programs and partners that contribute to Pittsburgh’s ongoing efforts to build a more inclusive and welcoming city. Open Field was one of seven local initiatives highlighted as “best practice” in an assessment by Welcoming America and received recognition in the Education category for its innovative, sport-based approach to youth development. The organization partners with schools and community groups to integrate social-emotional learning, academic support, and pathways to post-secondary success—including a college readiness initiative at the Community College of Allegheny County.
A national organization that evaluates how cities and counties support immigrant and refugee communities, Welcoming America also used last week’s event to designate Pittsburgh as a 3-star Certified Welcoming community. One of just 36 Certified Welcoming communities around the country, the achievement reaffirms the city’s ongoing commitment to ensure that all residents, including immigrants, can fully participate in and contribute to the community in real and measurable ways.
“Pittsburgh shows what happens when cities invest in people,” Rachel Perić, executive director of Welcoming America, said at the event. “After decades of population loss, the city is growing again because local leaders have created real pathways for Pittsburgh residents, including those with immigrant backgrounds, to contribute their talents, start businesses, and help rebuild neighborhoods. This recertification recognizes that work and the partnerships making it possible.”
The Certified Welcoming recognition marks an important milestone for Open Field and reinforces the organization’s role in advancing Pittsburgh’s vision of inclusion, belonging, and equitable opportunity for all residents.
“For us, this recognition means a lot,” Open Field team members shared. “It affirms that what happens in Open Field’s programming across the city is now part of Pittsburgh’s official story of how we welcome immigrants and refugees and help them belong.”