City Controller Rachael Heisler

In recognition of Women Veterans Day, I want to thank Andy Miscuk from Love Carrick for sharing the story of Frances Grimes, a WASP pilot who graduated from Pitt in 1937 and is buried in South Side Cemetery. Frances lived a remarkable life and was considered one of the best athletes in West Virginia before she joined the WASP. She was killed in a plane crash in 1944, becoming one of 38 WASP pilots to be killed in service of our country.

Today our office had the honor of meeting Sami Steigmann, a survivor of the Mogilev-Podolsky labor camp who uses his powerful story to teach people across the country about the horrors of the Holocaust and the importance of combating antisemitism.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity to meet Sami and honored to present him with a proclamation from City Council establishing today as Sami Steigmann Day in the City of Pittsburgh. You can read more about Sami's life here: https://www.hhrecny.org/view-speakers/sami-steigmann

Thanks to Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Sgt. LaBella for bringing me on a ride-along last week. Riding along with our police officers is the best way to learn about the difficult work they do, and to see how the City can better support them.