interview
City Commissioner Al Schmidt, Hero of the 2020 Election, Is Ready to Call It Quits
When Al Schmidt first ran for city commissioner in 2011, seeking one of the three seats in charge of Philly’s elections, he probably never thought […]
Meet the Founder of Philly’s First Black-Owned Biotech Manufacturer
Tia Lyles-Williams is a unicorn. As a queer Black woman serving as the chief executive officer of a Contract Development Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) that helps […]
Novelist Jennifer Weiner on Mask Shaming, Virtual Book Tours, and the Toxic Side of Social Media
Philadelphians first saw Jennifer Weiner’s name when she was a young Inquirer staffer in the 1990s. More than two decades later, the Philly-based writer is […]
James Beard-Nominated Author Reem Kassis on Her Favorite Philly Takeout and Her Next Cookbook
Lauded author Reem Kassis left her hometown of Jerusalem at 17 to attend Penn. After more degrees, a stint in London, and a James Beard-nominated […]
Coronavirus Has Mutated Into a New, Potentially More Infectious Strain
While the world continues to grapple with curves and waves of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to note that the virus itself is not new, […]
MSNBC’s Ali Velshi on Covering Primaries, Pandemics and Protests
From primaries to protests to the pandemic, 2020 has been a busy year if you’re a journalist. For MSNBC host Ali Velshi — who splits […]
Rebecca Rhynhart on Her Political Aspirations and the One Book Everyone Should Read
I was born in … Madison, Wisconsin. My parents were at school there. And then I grew up in Abington, went to Abington High School, […]
Penn Bioethicist Zeke Emanuel on Why We Should Expect More Pandemics in the Future
If you’ve watched much TV during the pandemic — outside of Tiger King, we mean — chances are you’ve seen Ezekiel Emanuel weighing in on […]
Jerry Blavat on Sinatra, the Mob, and the Music That Connects Us
Celebrating his 60th year in radio, and with his 80th birthday on the horizon, Jerry Blavat — a.k.a. the Geator with the Heater, the Big […]
Jose Garces on Restaurant Critics and the Strangest Thing He’s Ever Eaten
My full name is … Jose Alonso Garces. There are accents on it, but I don’t use them. I was named after my grandfather, who […]
Exit Interview: City Council Veteran Blondell Reynolds Brown
The start of the new year was the end of an era for Blondell Reynolds Brown, who has stepped down from her City Council at-large […]
YA Author Kacen Callender on Transgender Characters and Writing for Teens
The Rundown Age: 30 CV, abridged: Editoral staffer, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2014-’18); three-time Kirkus starred author; winner, Stonewall Book Award, for middle-grade […]
Maria Quiñones Sánchez on Her Pet Shih Tzu and Hanging Out in Northeast Philly Bars
My full name is … Maria de los Angeles Quiñones Sánchez. The woman next to my mother in the delivery room — her child passed […]
Experimental Filmmaker Tiona Nekkia McClodden Doesn’t Care If You Miss the Point
The Rundown Age: 38 CV, abridged: Pew Fellow (2016); Guggenheim Fellow (2019); fellow in art and activism, Bard College (2018-’19); works exhibited at the Museum […]
Wawa’s Corporate Chef on the New Food She Can’t Wait to Share With Customers
Before I started at Wawa, I was … a culinary-school teacher, and then corporate chef at Buffalo Wild Wings in Minneapolis. I’ve been at Wawa […]