For years, Hazelwood’s Center of Life has been primarily focused on community engagement through the arts, music, athletics, and education. But like most organizations this past year, Center of Life had to shift to COVID-19 relief and family assistance when the pandemic hit last March.

And the center has been so successful in that shift, that other groups have noticed. Recently, Center of Life has been named a 2021 “Champion in Action'' by Citizens Bank, Trib Total Media, and Pittsburgh Cares for its recent COVID-19 relief efforts. The designation comes with a $35,000 award from Citizens Bank, as well as media coverage from the Trib and volunteer support from Pittsburgh Cares.

"Smile, You're Alive," a tweet that has been sent every day for months by popular hip-hop artist Benji., is as much a daily reminder to be grateful as it is a reminder that his re-released album of the same name will be coming out in the near future — possibly as soon as March.

I joined him inside the ID Labs studio on Saturday in Etna to document a little bit of the work that goes on behind-the-scenes. Recording most of his vocals at his new home studio in Atlanta, Benji. takes his producing work to the studio to keep up his focus and productivity that can be easily distracting from home. Benji., also part of the collective Spillage Village, who recently released the album Spilligion, is juggling a number of projects simultaneously.

Hazelwood has changed Tim Smith for the better, just as he’s bringing positive changes to the neighborhood through his nonprofit, Center of Life.

When Smith’s family first came to the neighborhood in 1980, his father was a pastor at Hazelwood’s Keystone Church and Smith was studying to become a banker. Now, 40 years later, Smith is a pastor in the same church his father once led, changing his career path from an investment banker to an advocate for children and community development.

Smith, the CEO and founder of Center of Life, founded the nonprofit in 2001, when he says there were needs in the community that were not being met. The organization functions as many different resources for the community in Hazelwood, focusing on empowering people, children, and families through music, arts, and education.