Kai Wonder was preparing for graduate school when everything changed. Just as they were getting ready to pursue a master’s degree in social work, their mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She was given less than a year to live. In the process of grappling with their anxiety about death, Wonder began to research the
MoreJust off South Street, pink neon lights up the new sign outside Worm’s Emporium, a boutique-style vendor art mall. Inside the light, airy space, handcrafted fine art and craft pieces delicately line shelves constructed by cofounder Sabrena Wishart. Vendor stalls showcase a variety of mediums including ceramics, drawing, upcycled clothing, stickers and much more. Each
MoreOne of the things that drew me to Germantown was the amount of space to plant things in the ground. I’ve had my share of container gardens in concrete backyards that left me wanting to grow more plants. What I really wanted was enough space to grow my own food. In a time when supply
MoreFatherhood, for me, has been a course in community building and reclaiming collective cultural memory. As the son of a social worker and a Vietnam veteran (working with jazz musicians in Brooklyn post-war), I prayed for a daughter named Coltrane so that my parents would see that I understood the lessons that they taught through
MoreTarget has agreed to stop stocking glue traps in response to advocacy by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Glue traps are small boards with a layer of adhesive, placed sticky side up, that are meant to trap mice. The mice, with all feet stuck on the glue, die slowly from exhaustion and
MoreRebranding is the first step. Instead of having a “cleaning day,” which sounds a bit like a list of chores, I have what I call a “home day” — a day where I set aside time to take care of the house’s needs. There is no prescription for what order to do things in, or
MoreOver the last decade I have searched abandoned riverfront properties for skinks and black rat snakes, spooking deer and watching warblers, as I climbed over riprap shorelines and picked my way across the rotting timbers of overgrown piers. A city in decay offers the naturalist unlimited opportunities, while a city on the rise takes them
MoreBefore restoring anything, it’s important to examine what can stay as-is and what needs to be repaired, replaced or given a good scrubbing. It’s also important to have a strong end-vision. It takes belief to bring something back to life. To build it up, to improve and strengthen it. If you can’t envision it, how
More1. ALLschoolers Recycling and Making Paper by Wissahickon Environmental Center (Tree House) When: Tuesaday, April 19th @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Where: Wissahickon Environmental Center, 300 West Northwestern Ave. In preparation of Earth Day celebrations, learn about recycling and how to turn your waste paper into art. Ages 6 & up of all abilities
MoreThere are times that I struggle being a feminist in the work that I do. It doesn’t always feel like I am making a difference and men don’t actually want to learn how to clean, cook and give women domestic equality. Many times I feel like a misandrist toward men who aren’t fourth-wave feminists, a
MoreSustainable businesses of the 2000s paved the way for the innovative ventures of today
Successful businesses always start by filling a need or relieving a “pain point” for a target market. In Grid’s launch year 2008, when sustainability and “going green” were working their way into the common lexicon and Michael Nutter was elected Philadelphia’s mayor on a sustainability platform, the pain point was really located in the consumer’s
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