Throughout Women’s History Month 2023, the Dr. Edna B. McKenzie Branch of ASALH presents brief features on a female Branch member or a family member of the Branch member.
Andrea Coleman is a local leader and a community activist for the Greater Hazelwood Community in Pittsburgh PA focusing on Lifelong Learning in Higher Education. She is a preaching and teaching prolific poet concerning Social and Human Justice and is a Disability Advocate of ADA Compliance and Awareness.
Andrea is the daughter of Helen Dennis, matriarch of the family with five living generations from Hazelwood. Andrea attended Grade school, Elementary School, and High School in Hazelwood and then moved on to pursue a career in the field of Education, graduating from Carlow University in 2006 with a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Development and then a Master’s of Education in Curriculum Instruction in 2011.
She held employment positions as a Private Duty Nanny. She also worked at the Downtown YMCA, Hazelwood YMCA, University of Pittsburgh Families of Excellence, under Jerome Taylor, Ph. D., Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Beginning with Books, Western PA School for Blind Children, Children’s Institute, Pittsburgh Public schools, Andrea Coleman Family Daycare Home, St Edmund’s Academy, the Jewish Community Center, and currently is an Instructor in Senior Programming for Community College of Allegheny County.
Andrea currently serves on the Carlow University Alumni Advisory Council, Advisory Council for Allegheny Health Network, Teacher’s Advisory Council for the Carnegie Science Center STEM Program, the 3C Cohort of the Center of Life Program in Hazelwood on Social Justice, the Committee of the Affordable Housing for the Hazelwood Initiative community, the Committee of the Greater Hazelwood Community Collaboration Making a Greater Hazelwood, and is a member in good standing of the Edna B. Makenzie Pittsburgh Branch of ASALH under President Ronald Saunders. Andrea also sits on the Penn Hills Advisory Council to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Greater Pittsburgh Age Friendly Program Community Panel.
She also founded the Garden of Different Abilities in Hazelwood in 2017, after suffering a stroke stemmed from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
Awards include the Civic Leadership Academy, Frank E. Bolden Tuition Scholarship Award, Poise Foundation, Administrative Skills Award Diploma from Goodwill Employment Training Center, Proclamation from the City of Pittsburgh, Corey O’Connor for over fifty years of Volunteer Service in Hazelwood.
Andrea is a preaching and teaching prolific poet concerning Social and Human Justice and is a Disability Advocate of ADA Compliance and Awareness. She also has established the Black History Initiative in Hazelwood in addition to being a Mentor, Tutor, and Volunteer for the Hazelwood Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Andrea, as part of her community involvement, is currently launching a new Curriculum of P>U>S>H> which stands for Prayers Up Sends Hope to Domestic Violence. Andrea says, “I ain’t been around the world, but I been around the block”.
Ronald B. Saunders, President of Dr.Edna B. McKenzie Branch of ASALH
DR. EDNA B. MCKENZIE BRANCH OF ASALH 