Representation in government is extremely important. We haven’t had a Black woman on City Council since 2009, and there have never been more than two Black people on council at any given time. I also do not recall the last time we had a truly active disability rights advocate who was also disabled on City Council, and I would also bring that representation and perspective.
Meet the Candidate
Welcome to the 2025 election season series ‘Political Q&A’ – interviews with candidates throughout Pennsylvania. Since 2013, we’ve published nearly 150 of these interviews. We use an email Q&A format to allow the candidates to speak directly to you, the readers.
Candidates can be anywhere in Pennsylvania running for any level of office. Please note that these are not necessarily endorsements, more of an opportunity for candidates to connect with the LGBTQ community, progressives neighbors, and others with an interest in Pennsylvania. If your candidate would like to participate, contact us pghlesbian at gmail dot com. We welcome candidates at all levels of government across the entire Commonwealth. We publish in the order that they are returned and will accept Q&A’s until Election Day.
Please note that Pennsylvania has over 500 school districts. We’d like to talk with candidates in any one of them. Tell your district’s story statewide.
Important to note that I do not edit the responses, including their framing of LGBTQ identities.
These Q&A’s are lengthy because there is a lot of ground to cover. This year, I created about 20 questions per candidate. This is and should be a deep dive because you deserve as much information as possible.
By participating in this Q&A series, candidates are saying that they
- are an LGBTQIA+ ally, specifically supporting equality and dignity for transgender persons
- identify as pro-choice
I read about Amanda’s campaign and reached out to her. She immediately agreed to complete the Q&A. District 2 is one of the only competitive seats this year due to the retirement of the incumbent. It is quite important that everyone pay close attention. Amanda has a nuanced professional history that lends itself to fresh vision.
This is your moment, Pittsburgh, to consider what the lack of a Black woman’s voice at City Council means. Think hard.
Name: Amanda Neatrour
Pronouns: She/Her
Office Sought in This Election: Pittsburgh City Council, District Two
How do you describe your identity? I am a cisgender, disabled Black woman. I am a mom, a caregiver, a wife, an activist, an artist, and a social justice and community advocate.
Tell us about your district.
District Two comprises the western end of the city. The entire West End is represented – Sheraden, Windgap, Chartiers City, Fairywood, Elliott, etc., in addition to Duquesne Heights, Banksville, and parts of Mt. Washington. I myself live in Sheraden. But as proud as I am of the home I have renovated and the family I raise in this neighborhood, it isn’t hard to tell that this area of the city has been… pushed aside by City Government. Neglected. You look around this city and see investment, progress, economic development. And yet here in District Two, we’ve been a bit forgotten. Our businesses are closing down, our roads aren’t fixed, our challenges compound. In Sheraden, for example, we don’t have a grocery store. We don’t have any bank branches. We have a station on the West Busway… that, considering the state of the PRT at the moment (in desperate need of further state funding), could have less-frequent busses in the future. We need new leadership that will fight for economic prosperity and growth in this underserved, forgotten region of Pittsburgh.
Local government also sets the tone for the culture of a city, and has the power to make residents feel safer and more secure within city limits despite whatever may be happening in other parts of the state or country. This is something we can and must do, for all residents.
Questions and Answers
What is a hidden aspect of City Council most people might not know about?
The importance of teamwork and collaboration. When Members of Council work together and support each other, especially when it comes to positive initiatives, they are much more successful, and the outcome is much greater. Even when you have Representatives fighting for their own constituents in their respective Districts. The opposite is also true. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the benefit of widespread partnerships and collaboration between folks of different levels of local and regional governance coming together to benefit District Two. I am running because I am a collaborator, a coalition builder, and I believe the only way to achieve true progress and prosperity in this District – and in this city – is through true community engagement and intentional collaboration.
What accomplishment from your time on the Pittsburgh Gender Equity Commission are you most proud of?
I am proud of our commission of the 2019 report, which was one of the first of its kind at the city level to look at the intersection between race and gender to better understand the experiences, conditions, and challenges facing residents in our city. Though the work was not completed, as that report was just one phase of what would’ve been four, I’m very proud of all of the work that legislators, community leaders, community activists, and journalists have been able to support and push for greater equity. Relatedly, a lesser known project from the Workforce Equity Committee, which I cofounded and led, led to a partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and the American Association of University Women, bringing salary negotiation that was free for City of Pittsburgh residents. This was to be the start of a three-pronged program inspired by the City of Boston, which was the inspiration of the Level Up work led by YWCA, Black Women’s Policy Agenda, and the Women and Girls Foundation to advocate for fair wages and gender-based pay parity in Pittsburgh and our region. Lastly, as Chair, I led the GEC to adopt a set of guiding values and principles that would call upon us to be intersectional in our work and to always center the voices and experiences of those who are most marginalized.
Please tell me about your familiarity with the LGBTQ community in your district.
As the Co-Author of the Small Business Pride Report, commissioned by 3RBA, I am aware that we have LGBTQIA+ small business owners who reside and are running their businesses here in District Two. I know they need and deserve support, connection to resources, and to feel they live in and can own a business in a neighborhood and a district where they are welcomed and affirmed. I have friends and neighbors who are members of this community that live in this district, and receiving the endorsement of Steel City Stonewall Democrats was a celebratory experience for all of us. My next-door neighbor and Campaign Chairperson, in particular, is very excited at the prospect of having a member of City Council who has consistently and openly championed and advocated for the rights of members of the community, including and especially Black Queer and Black Trans women.
Based on this, what do you understand to be our current top LGBTQ concerns and priorities for the City Council? How will you respond to those priorities?
I will always work hard to ensure members of the LGBTQIA+ community know that they have an advocate and an ally in me on City Council. I will advocate for more sustainable support for the LGBTQ City Commission and will partner with them to ensure the concerns, wants, and needs of the LGBTQIA+ Community are considered in decisions I make, legislation I put forward, and causes that I advocate. I will fight to make sure Pittsburgh as a city upholds basic human rights and liberties for every member of the LGBTQIA+ community, including freedom to choose where they will live, who they will be in a relationship with, the facilities they use and engage with, and full access to all city services, including being treated with respect, humanity, and dignity whenever they engage with a member of the City workforce and have equitable access to employment in the City of Pittsburgh.
In about 70% of Pennsylvania, it is legal to discriminate against people based on gender identity and sexual orientation – to fire us, to refuse to rent to us, even to deny to serve us in a business. The few protections we have come from municipal ordinances, court rulings, and executive decisions none of which carry the weight of legislative action by the General Assembly. Name three things your office will do to address the fallout of this legalized bigotry?
On business matters and protections for business owners, I will work with organizations like the Three Rivers Business Alliance to ensure any business-related advocacy, legislations, or budget priorities take in to consideration specific or unique needs of LGBTQIA+ business owners. I will work with the Gender Equity Commission and LGBTQIA+ Commission members, and related city leaders to ensure City run programs, initiatives, and employment practices are equitable and inclusive of members of the community, and I will ensure my staff has knowledge and training to be respectful, and affirming when engaging and communicating with LGBTQIA+ District 2 Residents.
What have you personally and professionally done to protect trans kids?
When I became a SOGIE Certified Trainer in 2016 through the Department of Human Services, I provided a training for City lifeguards, specifically to support their inclusive engagement with trans and gender expansive folks who used city public pools that year. And, in 2019 when I worked with Demaskus Theater Collective to bring Lady Dane Edidi to Pittsburgh to perform a dramatic reading of her work “For Black Trans Girls” at the August Wilson Center, we partnered with SistersPGH to provide 6 free tickets for Black trans-women, and Dreams of Hope to ensure some of the youth from the program, including trans and gender-fluid/expansive youth received free tickets as well.
As a blogger and activist for 20+ years, I just received my first death threat for my trans affirming content. I’ve been targeted with hate, vitriol, vicious mocking, and even a few death wishes. Last year, I was doxxed by white nationalist website Stormfront. This latest threat required me to go to the police. How do you support trans City employees who receive similar or worse threats and doxxing?
The threat to anyone’s life should always be taken seriously, and this includes those who are victims of domestic or intimate partner violence. When I worked for the city, I made our existing Domestic Violence awareness programming more inclusive by inviting a representative from PERSAD to present alongside someone from the Women’s Center and Shelter, to provide an LGBTQIA+ perspective on the dangers of intimate partners violence, what it looks like, how it can be different, and how as an employer or colleague we can be supportive and affirming. I will take this same approach when it comes to protecting city employees, to ensure our protections are inclusive.
Every school kid learns that we have three branches of government – executive, legislative, and judicial. We also have three levels of government – local, state, and federal. Democracy is supposed to rest at the intersections of these branches and levels. Those intersections also include people – citizens, residents, voters, workers, neighbors. It can be overwhelming when the balance of power is heavily tilted in one direction. What three specific actions will you take to address this imbalance from your office?
In our district there is limited transparency from the office of our City Council person in District 2, and she generally only communicates via facebook, or with a select few group of people. This means that access to services, programming, and support services is limited to those who have access to facebook, or are invited to these “kitchen table” meetings. One of my first priorities is to institute a newsletter to be mailed to residents to make important information, including important passed legislation and actions, so that everyone has access to the same important information. I will also openly engage with residents and encourage participation and accountability of my office by the community.
City government has been restructured so departments that formerly reported to both City Council and the Mayor now only report to the Mayor. This includes 311, public access cable TV channel, the Communications office, and even the printing office. Should the executive branch have exclusive control over so much of City government? What impact does this have on City Council?
Though these offices and departments report to the Mayor, City Council still has to approve budgets, and the appointments of key personnel. Having worked at the City of Pittsburgh as an employee, I do not think it’s a bad thing these offices are under the Chief Executive, or the Mayor in this case. It can help these offices and department be much more efficient, and not be subject to political football that may often happen. In fact Wendy Urbanic the long time head of 311 noted how much happier she is with the move, and she is someone I have a great deal of respect for. David Finer as well who is managing the City Channel.
Our nation is in turmoil. Still, City business continues – crime addressed, permits issued, potholes filled. Our lives move forward, facing life changing personal circumstances in this larger context. How does a city councilor balance this cognitive dissonance?
I am running for City Council because I understand the importance of local government and the power of the office to impact our daily lives. It’s important for members of City Council to be aware of what is happening federally to understand the implications for how budgets and resident’s lives broadly may be impacted, and they have to stay hyper focused on ensuring a high quality of life by providing direct services and maintain the operations of the city. Local government also sets the tone for the culture of a city, and has the power to make residents feel safer and more secure within city limits despite whatever may be happening in other parts of the state or country. This is something we can and must do, for all residents.
What are the fundamental functions and responsibilities of Pittsburgh’s City Council?
City Council writes legislation, approves the budget, approves spending, and approves mayoral appointment. City Council also has a duty to ensure every neighborhood resident has equitable access to basic services, clean air, clean water, safe transport, and to advocate for the resources, funding, and development, to ensure a high quality of life regardless of zip code, or identity.
Your campaign website does not have many policy proposals or details. Saying you are running against homelessness without detail doesn’t instill confidence. What did you make that choice?
We will have updates with more specific policy details on our website very soon. When I say I am running against homelessness, I want to ensure we are providing seniors with resources to fix up their homes so they can stay, rather than losing their home to disrepair and face homelessness. I want to continue support for wrap around services for our most vulnerable residents to ensure substance abuse addiction, health challenges, loss of a job doesn’t lead to homelessness, or if it does, working to ensure we have enough housing, that is safe, and connected to services. I believe safe and accessible housing should be a right, and not a privilege. There is a plethora of vacant homes in my district, homes that should be remodeled and rebuilt as soon as possible and one plan I’d like to enact in my district is finding a way to subsidize those homes for teachers and daycare workers. This would help solve the issue of blight in District 2, while also ensuring we attract and retain top talent in our teachers in Pittsburgh Public Schools, and support the financial stability of daycare workers who are absolutely essential and grossly underpaid. We should also reject private equity and huge corporations from buying up properties and instead focus on helping neighbors buy properties and fix them up because we know they are much more likely to take proper care of the property, and less likely to hike up rents.
You have an incredibly robust professional history. How did your training as an opera singer prepared you for public service? What does opera offer to the typical voter even if they’ve never listened to it?
As an opera singer I am a musician, an actor, and I have performed in over 6 languages. I have also have the privilege of traveling around the world, performing and getting to engage in immersive international cultural experiences. I know my travels and work as an artist has provided me with a depth of human understanding, empathy, and appreciation, which can only be achieved through art. Becoming an opera singer also requires a great deal of dedication, discipline, a great work ethic, and working hard for a long time toward a singular goal or bettering oneself. Also, learning never stops. You are always required to seek out those who know more than you, have done better than you, and reached the heights you aspire to, which requires great humility. These are all characteristics I believe are key to being a great public servant, so when someone mentions to me how much the workload is, and the hours I may spend away from my family, I point to the fact that it took my and my partners 4 years through births and a pandemic to co-produce an all woman opera, which I performed 7 weeks after the birth of my second child.
Opera offers one of the greatest forms of human power and expression, and there are now so many more diverse stories being told, there is something for everyone. I love connecting with our Italian neighbors and those with family from Italy over our shared love of the great Italian singers, and my time spent living in Italy studying opera. I love also teaching people about great artists and Pittsburgh pioneers like Mary Caldwell Dawson, the first woman to found and lead an opera company in the US.
You’ve worked in equity and adjacent roles. Do you support the City’s investment in DEI and the IDEA managers? Why or why not?
DEI is responsible for the establishment of important advisory groups such as the Gender Equity Commission, the LGBTQIA+ Commission, and the City/County ADA Task Force. It also supports an inclusive approach to public safety, taking into account cultural difference, diverse modes of communications, and can inform diverse ways of approaching emergency situations to keep everyone safer, including our public safety personnel. Not only should have a someone overseeing the city’s work in DEI, these are concepts that should be integral to every aspect of the city operations and workforce culture.
I absolutely support the City’s investment in this regard. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are among the greatest strengths in our city. These efforts ensure every eligible person has access to employment opportunities and salaries and benefits that come with them. It also supports the city in being intentional in recruiting and hiring from every neighborhood and among every community so we have equitable representation in the services it provides. DEI is responsible for the establishment of important advisory groups such as the Gender Equity Commission, the LGBTQIA+ Commission, and the City/County ADA Task Force. It also supports an inclusive approach to public safety, taking into account cultural difference, diverse modes of communications, and can inform diverse ways of approaching emergency situations to keep everyone safer, including our public safety personnel. Not only should have a someone overseeing the city’s work in DEI, these are concepts that should be integral to every aspect of the city operations and workforce culture.
There’s a clear need to actively create space for women, especially Black women and other women of color, in elected office AND on campaign and legislative staffs. These are issues of representation and realities. Tell us about your campaign team.
My official campaign team consists of a campaign manager – Dan Temmallo, who previously worked on Eugene DePasquale’s campaign for Attorney General. A senior campaign advisor Terri Minor-Spencer, and my campaign Chair Margaret Davis, both Black women. We also have volunteers and advisors who are disabled, gay, and my team is diverse in age as well. Representation in government is extremely important. We haven’t had a Black woman on City Council since 2009, and there have never been more than two Black people on council at any given time. I also do not recall the last time we had a truly active disability rights advocate who was also disabled on City Council, and I would also bring that representation and perspective.
Why did you agree to complete this Q&A?
I have a great deal of respect for you and your work. My work in the City has caused me to be aware of how many people engage with your content, and how well regarded you are. I felt this was a great opportunity for residents to get to know me, and learn more about me. I am thrilled at how detailed and personalized this was, so I thank you for the effort you put forth in putting this together.
Tell us about your endorsements.
I have received endorsements from some incredible organizations thus far, including the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, the Steel City Stonewall Democrats, the Pitt Democrats, and I received the endorsement recommendation from the
Young Democrats of Allegheny County. These organizations alone mean so much to me, and I am thankful every day that they have put their trust and their support in me. I have also received endorsements from local community leaders, including West End POWER activist Terri Minor-Spencer and former City Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak. They are dear friends of mine, and their support has been vital to this campaign.
Please list your social media accounts and your donation links.
Website: amandaforpgh.com
Instagram/Threads: @amandaforpgh
Facebook Page: Amanda Neatrour for City Council
X/Twitter: @amandaforpgh
Thank you, Amanda.
DEI is responsible for the establishment of important advisory groups such as the Gender Equity Commission, the LGBTQIA+ Commission, and the City/County ADA Task Force. It also supports an inclusive approach to public safety, taking into account cultural difference, diverse modes of communications, and can inform diverse ways of approaching emergency situations to keep everyone safer, including our public safety personnel. Not only should have a someone overseeing the city’s work in DEI, these are concepts that should be integral to every aspect of the city operations and workforce culture.
Other Q&A’s
Other Q&A’s in this election cycle series. You can read previous cycle Q&A’s here. If your candidate would like to participate, please contact us pghlesbian at gmail dot com.
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Lauren Leiggi, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Amy Mathieu, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Matt Rudzki, Candidate for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Amy Bridges, Candidate for New Castle School Director
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Sarra Terry, Candidate for Allegheny Court of Common Pleas
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Eva Diodati Candidate for Pittsburgh Public School Board District 7
The 2025 Political Q&A Series: Amanda Neatrour for Pittsburgh City Council, District Two
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