Philadelphia’s quiet heroes include block captains, volunteers who, under the sponsorship of the Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC)—a division of the Streets Department—rally their neighbors to keep their blocks attractive. Now, in addition to beauty, some block captains help ensure food and a sense of security for their neighbors in the face of the COVID-19
More
The young american robin squeaked like a rewinding cassette tape as Margaret Rohde took the bird out of a cloth bag. Rohde, conservation manager with Wissahickon Trails, had untangled the robin a few minutes earlier from one of six mist nets she and Kristy Morley, senior naturalist, had set up before dawn at the Crossways
More
Last week, it was announced that a tentative agreement was made between the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Housing Action, and the residents of Camp JTD. The encampment, which formed at 22nd street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in early June, agreed to reopen the stretch of 22nd that had been barricaded. In return, the city
More
This is a big year for Leah’s Dream — a Philly-based nonprofit that works to mentor and financially support young women in Ghana. The nonprofit is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Like so many other events, the celebratory fundraising gala had to be postponed. However, the 10-year anniversary marks a significant milestone for this organization, and
More
Politics are personal to Malcolm Kenyatta, a third-generation community activist born and raised in North Philadelphia. Kenyatta began his career in civic activism as a block captain at 11 years old, and he worked his way up the political ladder over the next few decades, studying political science at Temple and Drexel universities and serving
More
Following the October 5th clearing of the homeless encampment known as Camp Teddy, the future of the James Talib Dean Homeless Encampment along the Parkway remains unknown. On September 26th the JTD Camp moved a long standing blockade they had formed on 22nd Street as a part of a deal with the City of Philadelphia
More
From the moment childhood friends Julius Aldrich, Brian Bonner, and Derrick Skipper met, laughter has been a central piece of their relationship. At nine years old, Queen Village residents Bonner and Skipper were introduced by their mutual friend Nicholas Herrera and began “running on each other” with teasing arguments and biting humor. In high school,
More
When folks go to the polls or fill out their mail-in ballots next month, they will likely have key issues on their minds—be it the environment, foreign policy, corruption, the economy, fighting against white supremacy or saving American democracy as we know it. You know, basic voting stuff. What will be on fewer peoples’ minds
More
Camp Teddy, a protest encampment established in June by the city’s homeless population outside of the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) building, has been cleared thanks to an agreement made on October 5 by the PHA and Occupy PHA. Per the PHA: “The agreement, completed after nearly four months of negotiations, resulted in the residents of
More
Whether you appreciate a good slice of cheddar or consider yourself a cheese connoisseur, you might learn a thing or two from local cheesemonger Alexandra Jones’s new book. Stuff Every Cheese Lover Should Know is a pocket-sized guide to the world of cheese, both global and local. In this behind-the-scenes look, Grid sat down to
More