ABOUT THE SOUL PITT AND FOUNDER

Here you will find info about the founder, awards received and media coverage

Donna Michele Baxter,
Founder & Web Mistress

"You can't keep doing the same thing, expecting different results!"

Find out more about Donna at www.donnambaxter.com

Photo Credit: Sandidge Photography, 412.628.7888

The Soul Pitt is a community web site that focuses on the Soulful side of the city of Pittsburgh, PA!  We are here to showcase the positive and unique things going on in our city for all to enjoy.  With our main focus on the African-American community, we also showcase the Latino Community as well.  Either way, all are welcomed as we know that EVERYONE has or enjoys a little SOUL! 

Our site was started by Donna M. Baxter, Founder and Web Mistress, back in 2000.  Underground at first, the Soul Pitt has surfaced to the mainstream to become The Official #1 Community Web Site for Pittsburgh and named the Best Local Community Site in the East USA by BlackWebAwards.com

On this page, you will find info about the founder, awards received and media coverage.  Our site receives well over 350,000 views per month and it one of the best places you can advertise at to reach our target audience of adults 25-54.

Congrats to The Soul SIS...for being selected as one of 50 Women of Influence by the New Pittsburgh Courier!  Donna, or Soul Sis as you all know her, has a web design company named Soul Pitt Media (formally Digable Digitals) to help more small Black businesses get online.  Through this, she saw a need for The Soul and has dedicated her time & web design skills to provide this site for the Soulful Pittsburgh community & others interested in our Soulful side!  Thanks to you all for supporting the Soul Pitt. Go to the New Pittsburgh Courier site to read about all 50 Women of Influence.   

  Send comments/questions to Donna at soulsis@thesoulpitt.com

Thank YOU Pittsburgh - We did it!  The Soul Pitt has been named 2007 BEST Local Community web site in the East USA.  Thanks to all your support, love, and voting, you helped put Pittsburgh on the Internet map.  It's a great time for all of our advertisers as well as you will be receiving national exposure.  Soul Day is TODAY, Nov 17th and celebrate with us downtown at the opening night of Carmen Jones.  Thanks again Pittsburgh.  We couldn't have done it without YOU.  Click here to WATCH the video and HEAR Soul Sis give her acceptance speech!

Web site helps promote 'soul' searching
Monday, March 27, 2006
By Monica Haynes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Contrary to what some think, there's a lot of soul in Pittsburgh, and soul sister Donna Baxter has built a virtual community based on its presence.

The 37-year-old entrepreneur and Webmistress is the creator of The Soul Pitt (www.thesoulpitt.com) a site developed in 2002 to give Pittsburgh's residents of color a place to learn about community and social events, businesses and other topics that may interest them.  Continue article here>>

Soul Pitt Makes An Impact!
Donna "soulsis" Baxter, creator of The Soul Pitt, was honored to chat with Darieth Chisolm about The Soul Pitt, which was featured on IMPACT Saturday, Dec 4th. IMPACT is a 30 minute weekly public affairs show hosted by Darieth Chisolm that focuses in on issues of importance to the minority and diverse communities.  IMPACT airs on Saturdays at 6am on WPXI and repeats Sunday on PCNC (The Pittsburgh Cable News Channel) 2:00pm - 2:30pm.  Darieth Chisolm is the co-anchor for WPXI.  Please click here to find out more about Darieth Chisolm who is a Detroit native.

Donna Baxter-Hankins, originally from Johnstown, PA, is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications/Media.  She received her Master s degree in Education and Instructional Technology from American Intercontinental University Online in 2005.  She was recently nominated as one of the New Pittsburgh Courier s 50 Women of Influence (Seen sitting in far right below).

The Soul Sis was very honored to receive an emerging trailblazer award on March 19th, 2005 at the Black Extravaganza for creating The Soul Pitt.  There were so many beautiful African-American people in the house!  It was a proud night for all.  Great job to Connie and the Staff at Renaissance.  Thanks to Bonita, Lisa, Jackie, Spa Lady, Dana and the rest of the Soul Pitt crew for showing their support.  We had a ball! 

Local web site represented soulful side of 'burgh at networking  by Murphy J. Hickerson
For New Pittsburgh Courier

" Get Motivated. Get Busy. Get Connected." was the theme of the 2005 PowerNetworking conference, held June 8 through 12 in Cleveland.

George C. Fraser, chairman and chief executive officer of Frasernet, Inc., is the creator and host of this annual event. He is considered by many to be one of the foremost authorities on networking and building effective relationships.

TheSoulPitt.com Web site founded by Donna Baxter-Hankins (Pictured right, with Bev Smith), can attest to the importance of relationship building. Through its relationship with Fraser, TheSoulPitt.com was able to be a media partner and exhibitor at the conference. 
Continue Story Here on the New Pgh Courier Web Site>>>

BACK TO MAIN

YOU Voted Us 2008 WINNER for Best Local Community Site in the East USA!
THANKS TO ALL OF OUR SITE VISITORS
 

Soulful Greetings!  I have a gift for you all, but first let me tell you a few things. 

My vision for The Soul Pitt when I started designing this site back in 2000 was to basically showcase the Soulful side of the Burgh.  Believe it or not, the site used to be red, black and green with a different logo and stuff all over the place.  Glenn from Spirits Embodied was among some of the first visitors that discovered The Soul Pitt.  My friends like Verris, Yvette and Donna W. were among the guinea pigs that I emailed the links for them to test out. It took me a long time to get it where it is today.  There were a whole lot of late nights, computer eyestrain and frustration using some of the new software, but I was determined to complete it.  I wanted to give something back to my community.  With the addition of the e-newsletter, word spread about the site.  The Soul Pitt slowly evolved into this web community for Soulful people or those interested in Soul that Pittsburgh has to offer.  I soon began to realize - There IS a lot of Soul in this city!

The Soul Pitt
815 Copeland Street, #117
Pittsburgh, PA 15232

412.407.SOUL