Building empathy, understanding: Pitt Greensburg reading initiative sparks community discussion

When Sheila Confer finished reading “Rising Out of Hatred” by Eli Saslow, she wanted everyone to experience the book.

Confer, an instructor for Pitt’s Greensburg campus, gathered about 400 students and 100 community members to read the book in 2022 through a program dubbed West­moreland Reads.

Saslow, a writer for the New York Times, tells the story of Derek Black, a former white supremacist. The book walks through Black’s journey of unlearning the beliefs instilled in him growing up and accepting a philosophy of inclusion.

“It was one of those books where I just really felt like it could have a real impact, particularly in the Westmoreland County area,” Confer said.

Westmoreland Reads is back for its second year, this time to unpack “How the Word is Passed” by Clint Smith, which explains the history of slavery in America. It will culminate in a free virtual talk with Smith on March 20.

The book is a required read for Pitt Greensburg’s first-year students, Confer said, but students from other nearby colleges, Westmoreland residents and members of YWCA Westmoreland and the NAACP Johns­town chapter also are participating.

Readers are encouraged to form small groups to discuss the book, Confer said. The university has hosted events to supplement the reading, including a Historians on History series that brings in speakers to expand upon the book’s topics.

Drawing inspiration from Smith’s experience at Thomas Jefferson’s estate, Monticello, about 30 Pitt Greensburg students visited the historic site in October to learn about the presence of slavery on the plantation.

Confer hopes the program facilitates discussion of difficult topics among community members of all backgrounds.

“We’ve become so divisive that I think this is a good way to bring the community together, get people to listen to each other, to understand each other and to really see where another person is coming from so that we can build empathy, understanding and grace to move forward,” Confer said.

Community impact

These conversations have an opportunity to impact the community at large, said Mandy Zalich, CEO of Westmoreland Community Action, a sponsor for the program.

Westmoreland Community Action has a program called Welcoming Westmoreland, Zalich said. It’s a diversity, equity and inclusion program formed in response to one of the goals in the county’s recent comprehensive plan: Welcome everyone.

When Confer mentioned the reading program at a welcoming committee meeting, Zalich felt there was an overlap between the two efforts.

“Anytime we are learning and asking questions, especially about something that is unfamiliar to us — a different culture or a different experience or a different perspective — it allows us to … get a peek in their shoes and gain a little bit more awareness and understanding,” Zalich said.

Westmoreland Reads also is meant to encourage people to read more often, Confer said.

“I think reading is just a really wonderful way to educate ourselves about the world around us,” she said.

About 13% of adults in Pennsylvania lack basic literacy skills, according to the state Department of Education. This is near the national percentage of adults who read below the basic reading level, 14.5%, which has remained unchanged since 1992.

In future years, Confer hopes to see more intergenerational reading groups, joining students and older community members to discuss the book selection.

“Even though I started (Westmoreland Reads), the enthusiasm of the community to get involved with it and continue working on it has been amazing,” Confer said. “It wouldn’t be this successful without all of that.”