PA Humanities Launches “The Window Keeper: Civic Honors” to Recognize Everyday Leaders Across Pennsylvania

New statewide initiative honors 25 inaugural Window Keepers and opens public nominations for America’s 250th anniversary

PA Humanities today announced the launch of The Window Keeper: Civic Honors, a statewide initiative to recognize Pennsylvanians whose everyday actions help shape strong communities and sustain civic life through the power of the humanities. The project is inspired by Philadelphia Poet Laureate Yolanda Wisher’s poem The Window Keeper, in which the Declaration of Independence is imagined as a vast window, one that must be continually cleaned, clarified, and cared for so it can both let in light and reflect the light of each new day. Window Keepers are everyday Pennsylvanians who uplift their communities through dedication and service to others, using storytelling, preserving local history, education, civic engagement, and other tools of the humanities.

Created in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the Civic Honors initiative debuts with the introduction of 25 inaugural Window Keepers and an open call for nominations from across the Commonwealth.

“Window Keepers are people who are illuminating what’s possible in their communities every day,” said Laurie Zierer, executive director of PA Humanities. “They are contributing to a flourishing civic life in ways that often go unseen. Recognizing these people makes this critical work visible and invites others to be part of it.”

The first 25 Window Keepers were selected by PA Humanities staff, drawn from their statewide network, and represent a cross-section of Pennsylvanians whose wide-ranging work includes education, history, culture, the arts, and community development. Together, they reflect the many ways civic life is practiced across the state and serve as examples of how the humanities can be used in everyday life to foster positive change. 

“I am grateful for this recognition and am incredibly honored on behalf of the many people who share in the work and the scores more who’ve come together and have benefited from it,” said Ben Speggen, vice president of the Jefferson Educational Society in Erie, one of the inaugural Window Keepers. “When we create space to explore our humanity together, we find the power and potential of listening to and learning with and from each other and see how that develops stronger, better informed community growth and more vital and vibrant civic life. I am truly thankful that PA Humanities is shining a bright light on this work and more.”

“I’m honored to be recognized as a Window Keeper because my work has always centered on helping communities tell their stories, preserve what matters, and use culture as a force for connection and change,” said Tara Jones, executive director of the Chester Cultural Arts and Technology Center (CAAT). “The humanities help us reflect, remember, and make meaning of our experiences in ways that deepen belonging and strengthen civic life.”

As the statewide leader in the humanities and voice for the cultural sector for over 50 years, PA Humanities has demonstrated how stories, dialogue, and reflection can strengthen communities and expand participation in civic life. Their nationally recognized programs such as PA Heart & Soul and Youth-Led Humanities, has helped cultivate a growing network of civic leaders across Pennsylvania. The Window Keeper initiative builds on this work at a pivotal moment, as the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 

Through an open public nomination process, anyone in Pennsylvania can nominate a Window Keeper in their community. Selected individuals will be featured on the PA Humanities website, highlighted throughout the initiative, and included on an interactive statewide map that will show how democracy lives not only in historic documents, but in the everyday relationships, stories, and shared experiences of people across the Commonwealth.

“This initiative is about connecting with communities across Pennsylvania and celebrating the people who are already doing this work every day,” Zierer added. “It encourages others to step forward, get involved, and help shape civic life where they live.”

Nominations are open through July 31 and can be submitted online. To learn more about the initiative, submit a nomination, and explore the first 25 Window Keepers, visit pahumanities.org/thewindowkeeper.

The First 25 Window Keepers

• Rusty Baker (Dauphin County)
• Herman Beavers (Philadelphia County)
• Lisa Cordiano (York County)
• Tammy Blount (Erie County)
• Ervin Dyer (Allegheny County)
• Arrah Fisher (Wayne County)
• JoAnne Henry (Snyder County)
• Carmen James (Cumberland County)
• Glynis M. Johns (Lackawanna County)
• Tara Jones (Delaware County)
• Ahmed Khalfani “K” Bey (Allegheny County)
• Jessica Kiefer (Westmoreland County)
• Trapeta B. Mayson (Philadelphia County)
• Octavia McBride-Ahebee (Philadelphia County)
• Doug Miller (Bucks County)
• Erin Ninehouser (Beaver County)
• Allie O’Shea (McKean County)
• Todd Pousley (Lackawanna County)
• Chris Rogers (Philadelphia County)
• Joshua Sherretts (Crawford County)
• Ben Speggen (Erie County)
• Kyra Taylor (Erie County)
• Lindsay Varner (Cumberland County)
• Bryan Wade (Cumberland County)
• LaKeisha Wolf (Allegheny County)

The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative is supported in part by Pennsylvania state legislators, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, and individual donor Randall Miller. “The Window Keeper” by Yolanda Wisher was commissioned by PA Humanities and ArtPhilly for America250PA’s National Convening of State Partners Closing Dinner on September 21, 2024. The Civic Honors initiative was recently previewed on April 15 in the Pennsylvania House, where Rep. Joe Ciresi (D–146) opened the session with a reading of the poem. A celebration recognizing all the selected Window Keepers is planned for the fall.