QIANA BUCKNER IS RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF PENN HILLS.
by Diane I. Daniels, For New Pittsburgh Courier
Most of Qiana Buckner’s adolescent years were spent in foster care and homeless shelters throughout the Pittsburgh area.
A Penn Hills resident for the majority of her adult years, leaning on her life experiences, she has been involved in the community helping others facing similar circumstances with the goal to build a promising future for young people by opening doors of opportunities for them. With the vision to lead and help the residents of Penn Hills, Buckner is campaigning to be the next mayor of Penn Hills. If successful, she will become Penn Hills’ first Black female mayor.
She relayed to the New Pittsburgh Courier that her priorities for the municipality are public safety, positive community-police relations, government accountability, community recreation and investment, public infrastructure, and building pathways to quality living.
“There’s a need for restoration in Penn Hills,” Buckner said. “A need to build and strengthen partnerships and relationships that make our community stronger.”
During her official campaign announcement in December 2022, she said: “I stand, with a grieving heart, for the young people and parents of our community whom I love, cherish, and connect with daily. Some of our residents have nowhere to go, nothing to do, and no recreational facilities or additional resources that address the mental, physical, and emotional stress they face regularly. Now more than ever, it is crucial for us to come together as a whole community. Quoting our 16th president of the United States, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’”
QIANA BUCKNER
Buckner continued: “We cannot and will not forget all of the people who live here that make up our community. For years now, the leadership regime has chosen in the words of a dear friend, ‘politics over the people.’ Parents have lost their zeal to become actively involved because they have been pushed away or they simply continue to wonder what they can do. Our community has been crying out for change for years, only for it to be ignored.”
Affordable housing is a major concern and focus of Buckner’s campaign. “Our housing market was once welcoming and within the means to people like me. A community where I could flourish and do my part. These days, that is no longer the case and creates a void for those trying to improve living conditions for their family. They are turned away from our community when it comes to being active and getting the job done. This is not the Penn Hills community that I remember. Housing prices and taxes continue to rise, causing a pathway to affordable living to be nearly impossible.”
Equally important to her are the relations between the police department and the community, which she believes has eroded over time. “We are one community, and we need to stand strong for Penn Hills. It is a time for us to all come together to support the safety and future of our children, residents, and business owners.”
An entrepreneur, advocate, educator and published author, Buckner currently serves as a member of the Early Childhood Education League, where the team focuses on grassroots policy issues for children and families related to early childhood education. For eight years until the COVID-19 pandemic, she was vice president of the Board of Directors for the Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship and served as head of the personnel committee, as well as the director for their Soaring in the STEAM program.
The entrepreneurial ventures that she deems as “passion projects” include a mentoring program for girls ages 12 to 17 called Girl P.O.W.E.R., a sports/mentorship camp called Camp of Champions, and expositions for education, health and wellness. Her scholarship program, Gifts for Grads, provides furniture for dorm rooms of high school graduates entering four-year colleges.
Never one to shy away from hard work or a challenge, Buckner is simultaneously running for mayor while operating her other ventures. She’s working on becoming executive director and CEO of Diamond in the Rough Productions and Lady Q Network. The businesses focus on event planning, locally and on a global scale.
“I host women’s empowerment conferences and speak motivationally at the national level to encourage CEOs and entrepreneurs by sharing my life’s journey with others to provide inspiration and guidance,” Buckner told the Courier.
She is also the author of three books. Her latest release, “Of Course, I’m Cute; Affirmations and Declarations to Polish Your Inner Diamond,” focuses on affirmations for women and young girls to empower themselves daily. Her first book, “My Journey. My Peace.,” reveals her life’s journey, and her second book, “Metamorphosis,” is her letter to transformation.
Buckner, the mother of 15- and 13-year-old sons, is striving to bring her personal, professional, and leadership experiences to the office of Penn Hills mayor. “Together, we must put in the work and stand strong for Penn Hills youth and senior citizens, all races, nationalities, and income levels. Relationship-building has to take priority within the community and we have to reach beyond our boundaries.”