PITTSBURGH, PA (October 30, 2025) — UpstreamPgh and East Hills Consensus Group will host a public art unveiling and community celebration on Saturday, November 1st from 1-4pm at the Dornbush Rain Garden in the East Hills. Sankofa Garden: Roots to a Brighter Future is a large-scale sculptural relief piece by Pittsburgh artist Marlana Adele Vassar, now nested in the garden. An unveiling ceremony will take place at 2pm.
Sankofa Garden was inspired by the rain garden and the cultural identity and stories of East Hills residents. “The story of these sculptures centers around characters inspired by African folklore. In the center, a Sankofa bird character comes to life with bright colors…,” said Marlana Adele Vassar. “The bird pays respect to the elder tortoise, staying true to its purpose of looking back to honor and respect the past. The young turtle follows suit, representing our younger neighbors who can learn from and respect the elder residents of East Hills.”
The project was funded by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, and was completed in partnership with Shiftworks Community + Public Arts and the East Hills Consensus Group.
“I am both excited and deeply grateful for this project. UpstreamPgh has invested tremendous time, effort, and thoughtful planning into bringing the rain garden to life,” said Diane I. Daniels, Executive Director of East Hills Consensus Group. “Having a talented artist like Marlana Adele Vassar create such a meaningful art installation for the East Hills community is truly significant. East Hills is a community that has triumphed over its setbacks and is striving for a brighter future. The Sankofa Bird featured in the artwork serves as a powerful reminder to honor our roots, reflect on our past, and use that wisdom to shape our present and future.”
“Thanks to funding from the URA and partnership with the East Hills Consensus Group, we are able to add this beautiful art piece to a highly functioning stormwater project on what used to be a vacant lot,” said UpstreamPgh’s Executive Director, Mike Hiller. Dornbush Rain Garden can capture up to 1.75 million gallons of water annually. UpstreamPgh is currently in the process of identifying and prioritizing other projects of this type as part of the Nine Mile Run Environmental Justice Watershed Plan, “Ripple”.
More information about the Sankofa Garden art unveiling can be found on UpstreamPgh’s events page at upstreampgh.org/events.
