On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, The Hear Foundation brought The Weight of Forgiveness to the stage of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in downtown Pittsburgh. Written by Hear Foundation CEO Leon Ford, The Weight of Forgiveness is Leon’s first play. It is a two-person conversation between Leon and the officer who shot him, […]
Event
The Hear Foundation at the 2026 Eradicate Hate Student Summit
On Monday, September 14, 2026, The Hear Foundation joined students from across the region at the 2026 Eradicate Hate Student Summit at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. Our table featured NOBLE and our Bridging the Badge program, which builds authentic connections between young people and law enforcement. Students stopped by to learn […]
LOUDER! 2026 Gala
A Night That Refused to Whisper LOUDER! was never meant to be quiet. Hosted by activist and visionary Leon Ford and held inside the elegant ballroom at Rivers Casino, this year’s LOUDER! Gala became something more than a fundraiser. It became a declaration. A declaration that courage deserves a microphone. That community deserves investment. And […]
The Hear Foundation and Leon Ford partners with PPS to mentor high school students
Leon Ford, co-founder of The Hear Foundation, has teamed up with the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Division to mentor students in the district’s Emergency Response Technology (ERT) program. The ERT program — offered at Pittsburgh Westinghouse High School — prepares students for entry-level careers in emergency services, including firefighting, EMS, […]
Stuff-A-Store 2025
The Hear Foundation was proud to sponsor Stuff-A-Store, a holiday tradition rooted in service, legacy, and community care. The program was founded by the late Detective Jimmy Cvetic of the Allegheny County Public Safety Professionals Department, who believed that building trust between law enforcement and the community starts with showing up for children, especially during […]
Actors channel Anne Frank and MLK to inspire youth through paired monologues
The Anne Frank Center USA and The Hear Foundation hosted a “Voices for Change” program on November 14 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. The event featured actors Amelia Dudley and Marcel Daly performing as Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr., bringing their writings and experiences to life through powerful monologues about […]
