Curious about joining Dreams of Hope’s theater ensemble? “Try out theatriQ” is your opportunity to check us out!
We are welcoming queer & trans creatives ages 13-26 for our upcoming season (Sept 2026 – April 2027). Applications are due September 10th. See more at dreamsofhope.org/theatriq
Tag: Community Building
Educators, come learn about the History Center’s incredible teacher resources!
Join the History Center for a night of educational enrichment at our Tasting Through Time: Fall Educator Open House.
Discover the fascinating history of chocolate with American Heritage Chocolate historian Dave Borghesani, complete with historic tastings and ideas for bringing this delicious story into your classroom.
Journey through Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages on a guided tour, where you’ll learn how Ice Age people hunted for food and complete a prehistoric trail mix activity.
Explore Pittsburgh’s culinary past in the Detre Library & Archives during a primary source workshop featuring food-related collections.
Connect with the Learning Team to learn about field trips, classroom resources, outreach programs, and educational opportunities available for your students.
Enjoy complimentary light refreshments and cocktails while networking with fellow educators and discovering new ways to make history meaningful for learners of all ages!
Admission
The open house is free for educators with advance registration. For an additional fee, teachers can receive two hours of Act 48 credits.
The first 50 teachers to register will receive Act 48 credits for no additional charge.
For additional questions, please contact learn@heinzhistorycenter.org.
2026 is the FIRST EVER Unicorn Palooza. You might be saying, “Why did Assemble wait so long to have such a fun event?” Great question! We decided to remix MakerDate (thank you for all the years) and transform it into something new, like nothing before. Instead of bidding on dates during the live and silent auction, we will be remixing carnival games where folks can “spin the wheel” to land on a learning experience with a local ceramist, welder, writer, or celebrity! Pick up the duck to see if you won tickets to a museum or a charcuterie board! Unicorn Palooza will have plenty of amazing opportunities to connect with creatives, artists, makers, and technologists. Want to sign up to offer a making experience? Fill out our Maker Form here!
The Unicorny Awards
To be announced soon…
In celebrating 15 Years of Assemble, we want to shout-out our gratitude to the folks who have helped Assemble to keep Assemble-ing!
Awards include: Unsung Unicorn, Fabulous Funder, Afrofuturist Activator, and Magical Maker.
Why Unicorns?!
Our mascot, which was designed by Brenna Thummler in 2016, is a Unicorn Robot in Outer Space. From kids to grown-ups, folks love Unicorns – and feel like them too! Do you ever feel like you have something special to share, yet it might not be visible to others? You, too, might be a unicorn.
All funds raised at Unicorn Palooza directly support Assemble’s STEAM education programs for youth, teens, and adults, like Assemble Afterschool, Saturday Crafternoons, Hack the Future, and Summer Camps!
What to expect at Unicorn Palooza:
Carnival Games, featuring a variety of local Makers Experiences (sign up here!)
The inaugural Unicorny Awards
Flash Tattoos and temporary body art
Drinks by WBU
Delicious hors d’oeuvres
Community Cookie Table
Hands-on activities & games made by Assemblers
Green-screen photo booth
Music by DJ
Spectacular fun for a good cause!
Event tickets include drinks tickets + hors d’oeuvres.
All proceeds raised at Unicorn Palooza support Assemble’s STEAM education programs.
Celebrate summer with a mushroom walk at Frick Park with author & mycophile Maria Pinto! Learn some of the basics of mushroom identification, reading the landscape, and traveling at mushroom speed. Seekers of all levels welcome!
Meet us Wed, July 22nd, 4 pm @ Frick Environmental Center & join us post-walk for a cooking demo with foraged mushrooms at the Kingsley Association.
Presented in collaboration with Dreams of Hope, The Black Unicorn Library and Archive Project, and Rainbow Serpent.
NOTE: Spaces are limited, so registration is required. If you need to cancel your ticket, please email us at info[at]dreamsofhope[dot]org so we can give it to someone else
We’re excited to invite you to Mechanism’s National Gathering in Philadelphia from May 12–14.
Titled “Imagining the Future of Local Production,” this Gathering will be like prom for people who love local manufacturing and production.
Mechanism creates a joyous space where makers, manufacturers, policymakers, community educators, artists, faith organizations, community leaders, and more work together to strategize and dream about what’s possible when production is rooted in community, care, and shared stewardship.
With local tours, rapid share presentations by thought leaders in modern production practices, and a Design Jam where participants will identify creative ways to turn underutilized urban spaces into spaces for community-led production, it’s the type of conference that goes far beyond just sitting and listening.
Come hear about the innovative practices of groups like:
-Fab City
-Circular Philadelphia
-Kensington Corridor Trust
-North American Center for Post Growth Research
+ more TBA!
Formerly called the Urban Manufacturing Alliance, Mechanism is one of the only nonprofits in the U.S. working in collaboration with communities and manufacturers to create production ecosystems that increase local resilience, vitality, and well-being. They’re a leading voice in this space, which is why past attendees say there’s no other event quite like a Mechanism Gathering.
Noche de Ciencias is a free, hands-on STEM event for K–12 students and their families hosted by SHPE at Carnegie Mellon University. The event is designed to introduce students to science, technology, engineering, and math through fun, interactive activities such as LED light-up cards, wind turbines, biomedical sensors, coding logic, and more. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where students and families can explore STEM together and learn more about opportunities in these fields.
Join Pittsburgh authors Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski for an inspiring look at the legacy of Fred Rogers. Drawing from their acclaimed book, “When You Wonder, You’re Learning,” they use stories and songs to bring today’s adults back to the Neighborhood. Discover a proven blueprint for raising healthier children and building a more just world.
Join CyLab Security Academy for a full-day, in-person professional development workshop designed for middle and high school educators interested in bringing cybersecurity concepts into their classrooms.
This hands-on event will introduce teachers to picoCTF, Carnegie Mellon’s cybersecurity learning platform, and provide practical strategies for integrating cybersecurity activities into existing CS and STEM courses. Participants will hear from CMU faculty and students, explore CMU research spaces, and leave with classroom-ready ideas and resources.
Date: March 6
Time: 8:30 AM–3:30 PM
Location: Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
Mentoring Toward Queer Joy and Possibility with Dakota Rottino-Garilli is a training to build and strengthen your role as a mentor to queer and Trans youth.
At Dreams of Hope, we weave mentorship into the culture of the organization and look to our community for models of leadership and care across generations! Mentorship does not always have to be a formal relationship, but can inform how we share wisdom and experience with others.
This training is for new and seasoned mentors alike! It supports our work to engage community members in collaborative, trusting, intergenerational partnerships that focus on the expression and development of LGBTQIA+ youth.
Please prepare to attend the entire training. Refreshments and a break will be provided.
(If you are looking to be mentored or learn about peer mentorship, save the date for our youth training on May 21st, 2026 :D)
Please note: this event is available at no cost; however, space is limited. Please consider your registration a commitment. If you can no longer make it after registration, we ask you request a refund and/or let us know if you can no longer make it. Thank you!
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Join our five-day interdisciplinary workshop and learn the core principles behind artificial intelligence and machine learning through hands-on activities using free and easily accessible computing platforms. Participants will discover how Artificial Intelligence works and explore its impact on human decision-making in the criminal justice system, public policy, the allocation of scarce resources, and medical diagnoses. In addition, effective strategies for the use of generative AI in the classroom will be addressed. Educators will leave this workshop with a set of teachertested units and assignments, ready to be implemented where appropriate into their existing curriculum.
AUDIENCE
Teachers and administrators passionate about incorporating AI and its societal implications into their curriculum and exploring pedagogically sound best practices for classroom integration. No prior coding, computer science, or AI background is required. Pennsylvania attendees receive Act 48 continuing education credits. All others receive a certificate of completion.
https://www.cmu.edu/ai-sdm/education/k-12/educator-workshop/index.html