While the August Wilson African American Cultural Center’s upcoming gala acts as a celebration, it also serves as a fundraiser — a way to support the nonprofit’s mission of elevating stories in Pittsburgh and beyond. “Especially now more than ever, we have people’s stories being silenced and artists losing funding and opportunities, said CEO and president Janis Burley. “We have to be very focused on fundraising, not just for the operations of the center, but also so that we can have a platform to support local artists as well as artists of African descent globally.”