Get to know our Window Keepers: Part 2

As we prepare to announce our next group of Pennsylvanians recognized through PA Humanities’ The Window Keeper: Civic Honors initiative on July 15, we’re taking a look at the first 25 Window Keepers who helped launch this special project.

These neighbors, educators, organizers, librarians, artists, volunteers and community members use cultural practices, storytelling, history and other tools of the humanities to bring people together and strengthen their communities. Selected from among PA Humanities’ network of partners, they inspire us and embody the spirit of the Window Keeper.

As you explore their stories and see where they’re located across the state, ask yourself: Who do you know who is a Window Keeper?

Our next group of Window Keepers are all nominated by people from across the state. Our goal is to recognize someone from every county in the Commonwealth. Check out the map to see what counties are already represented, and which ones are missing!

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary, help us shine a light on the people using the humanities to make a difference across Pennsylvania.

Nominate a Window Keeper you know today!

Here are eight more of our first 25 Window Keepers, with the final nine to come before we share our newest honorees next week! 

Rusty Baker

Executive Director, PA Museums

Harrisburg, Dauphin 

As Executive Director of PA Museums, Rusty Baker serves as a vital keeper of the Commonwealth’s history, ensuring that the stories, artifacts, and experiences that shape Pennsylvania are preserved, shared, and celebrated. Through his leadership, PA Museums supports a statewide network of professionals and institutions dedicated to telling meaningful stories, helping communities connect more deeply with their past and with one another. 

Kyra Taylor

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Erie’s Black Wall Street

Erie, Erie

As Executive Director of Erie’s Black Wall Street, Kyra leads a powerful effort to advance change and opportunity in Erie’s Black community. Through building meaningful relationships, expanding access to education, and promoting Black entrepreneurship and homeownership, she is helping to create pathways to lasting wealth and stability. Kyra was also a crucial partner in bringing Voices of History to Erie, helping to coordinate storytellers and tapings. Grounded in a deep commitment to service, her work fosters a culture that uplifts individuals and inspires future generations.

Bryan Wade 

Founder, Keystone Oral Histories

New Cumberland, Cumberland

Bryan Wade is a former educator with a passion for examining the human condition and telling the stories of ethnic minorities on a local, county and regional level. His documentary films chronicle African Americans from Dauphin and York Counties who served in the military from the Civil War through the Vietnam War as well as the Underground Railroad and abolitionists in south central Pennsylvania, including a teacher’s guide for classroom use. 

Allie O’Shea

Project Coordinator, Port Allegany Heart & Soul

Port Allegany, McKean

As one of youngest PA Heart & Soul project coordinators, Allie O’Shea leads a team of  residents who are implementing the four-phase Community Heart & Soul process –  while a full-time college student. She is passionate about serving her community and sharing her love for the town and the people who live there, and stewarding it as a place that other young people want to call home.

Ahmed Khalfani “K” Bey

Director, YMCA Homewood/Brushton Lighthouse Project

Pittsburgh, Allegheny

K. Bey leads the Lighthouse Project, a free, afterschool program where young people connect with mentors and like-minded peers to explore creative expression through writing, poetry, music and art. A poet, artist and creative force himself, K not only hosted Rain Poetry at the Y but also assisted as a teaching artist in multiple locations, supporting teens and nurturing their self-expression and exploration of the world around them.

Arrah Fisher

Executive Director, The Cooperage Project

Honesdale, Wayne

Arrah Fisher leads the Cooperage Project, a community cultural hub in Honesdale, PA, working closely with director of programming Amanda Masters. Her commitment to building a community that her children can be proud of is evident in the way she listens to residents, mirrors back what they need, and provides a community gathering space for connection, humanities learning, and bridge building. 

Glynis M. Johns

Founder & CEO, Black Scranton Project

Scranton, Lackawanna

PA Humanities partnered with Glynis Johns, who founded the Black Scranton Project to celebrate the city’s rich African American culture and history, for the Voices of HIstory installment in Scranton. Johns is a native Scrantonian, local historian, sociologist, documentarian, artist and advocate who is dedicated to celebrating and preserving narratives of the Black community and works to shift local perspectives on culture, inclusion, representation and history.

Octavia McBride-Ahebee

Poet

Philadelphia, Philadelphia

Octavia is a passionate champion for children and the transformative power of creativity and education. She was a key partner and collaborator during the inaugural Rain Poetry Project in Philadelphia, hosting workshops in her classroom and encouraging her student’s creativity. As an educator and accomplished poet, she goes above and beyond to support young people and connect them to the rich cultural heritage of the African diaspora.