People, Places, News & Views
People, Places, News & Views
After a quarter century at Haverford High, 2026’s National Teacher of the Year Leon Smith shares what he’s learned about connection, critical thinking, and helping young people see what they’re capable of.
When Everything Shut Down, Philly’s Black Community Found New, Revolutionary Ways to Convene
When Odunde and the Roots Picnic were postponed, there came a wave of reimagination that, characteristic of our American experience, took the bad and made something new and good.
In 2020, West Philadelphia Was the Best Place in This Terrible World
My neighborhood is committed to the American city despite the continuing problem of American history, profoundly welcoming, community-minded, and thirsty for justice.
Six of Philly’s Best Writers on How the Past Year Changed the City — and Us All
After a long, unprecedented year, Philadelphia is still standing. We asked these powerful voices to reflect on how their favorite places in the city evolved and endured.
What Is Old City Without Tourists?
When travel restrictions curtailed the red-white-and-blue-clad throngs, another group of ardent pilgrims took their place, and changed everything about how we saw our home.
Bryn Mawr College Undergrad Says Former Professor Sexually Assaulted Her and Other Students
She lays out the allegations in a just-filed federal lawsuit against David Barreto and the college itself.
Brainiac scientists. The city’s most fanatical fans. A Mister Softee aficionado who stole our hearts — and more of our favorite neighbors this year
This city has had a love affair with the pitchers, running backs, goalies, and point guards who have called it home. Here, we present our definitive ranking. Let the debates begin.
Why Am I Not More Excited That Philadelphia Is Finally Reopening?
The city’s full-throttle charge into normalcy felt good at first, but now I’m feeling something unexpected: survivor’s guilt.
Want a Shot at $50,000? All You Have to Do Is Get Vaccinated
Anyone who’s been vaccinated so far is eligible to win the grand prize in Philadelphia’s new vaccine lottery — and those from zip codes with the lowest vaccination rates have even better odds.
What Will Happen to Center City If Commuters Never Return?
Many downtown workers spent the past year working from home. The future of office buildings — and Philadelphia — may depend on what happens next.
Check Out the Gayborhood’s New 36-Foot-Tall Lil Nas X Mural
It took South Philly artist Ash Ryan just over a week — and 138 cans of spray paint — to pay tribute to the LGBTQ icon.
Permits, Parking and Kiddie Pools: How to Throw a Raging Philly Block Party This Year
As post-pandemic revelry approaches, what better way to celebrate than with the age-old Philly tradition of the block party?
Sure, Philly gave America democracy. But, from bubble gum to the world’s first computer to life-saving medical breakthroughs, Philadelphia’s greatest export is actually our influence.
We launched a petition to urge the Mayor and City Council to make May 21st a day to honor the brave former slave who escaped from George Washington — because no one tells Philadelphia to keep the truth to ourselves.
Meet the Philly Lawyer on a Mission to End the Death Penalty
Marc Bookman’s new book, A Descending Spiral: Exposing the Death Penalty in 12 Essays, reveals the atrocities of death row and the broken system that puts defendants on trial for their lives.
One Moment From John Fetterman’s Past Could Derail His Senate Bid
The lieutenant governor has been on a meteoric rise from small-town mayor to darling of the national punditocracy. But one lingering incident from 2013 — and how it plays in places like Philly — may determine just how far his political journey goes.
Stop Assuming Black People Won’t Spend $100 at Dinner — and Look Amazing Doing So
If you think Steak 48’s policies are racist, you might want to ask yourself why.
A report from the Trust for Public Land finds that while 95 percent of Philadelphians live within a 10-minute walk of a park, access to green space in the city is far from equal along racial and economic lines.
