One of Us
23 Questions With Amber Hikes, Director of Philly’s Office of LGBT Affairs
My full name is … Amber Jelena Hikes. It’s pronounced “Yelena,” and the only reason there’s a J is that my father’s name is Jeffrey […]
One of Us: Blanka Zizka
My full name is … Blanka Jana Jarmila Marie Zizka. I grew up in … Mladá Boleslav, a small town in Czechoslovakia. I left there […]
One of Us: Henri David
My full name is … Henri David. Henri with an “i.” My mother had a sense of humor. I went to school at … Central. […]
One of Us: Michael Coard
I grew up in … North Philly, at 20th and York. I went to high school … at Masterman. Then Cheyney for undergrad and Ohio […]
One of Us: David L. Cohen
My name is … David L. Cohen. I always use the L, because former Philadelphia City Council member David Cohen would get mad when I’d […]
One of Us: Nicole Cashman
My name is … Nicole Amelia Cashman. Actually, Nicole Amelia Cashman Richards. I almost forgot I was married! I grew up in … East Oak […]
One of Us: Alex Holley
My full name is … Alexandrya Holley. The Internet says my real name is Abigail Gustafson. I was getting tweets: Why aren’t you using your […]
One of Us: Frank Olivieri, Cheesesteak Royalty
My full name is … Frank Enrico Olivieri. My father is Frank Pasquale Olivieri, so technically I’m not Jr., but everybody still calls me Frank […]
One of Us: Kathy O’Connell
My name is … Kathleen Anne Clare O’Connell. I include my confirmation name in everything. I grew up in … Long Island. I came to […]
One of Us: Ali Velshi, MSNBC Host
My full name is … Ali Velshi. I don’t have a middle name. Sorry, it’s boring. I was born in … Nairobi, so I really […]
One of Us: Jannie Blackwell
My full name is … Jannie — with two “N’s” — L. Blackwell. The “L” stands for Lorraine. My maiden name is Brooks. They used […]
One of Us: Ron Jaworski
My full name is … Ronald Vincent Joseph Jaworski. I’m third-generation from Poland. I grew up in … Lackawanna, New York. I first came to […]
One of Us: Son Little
My real name is … Aaron Earl Livingston. My stage name comes from … a dream. Early in life, my family nicknamed me “Little Son,” […]
One of Us: Nick Elmi
The Top Chef winner, 37, has one of the hardest tables to get in Philly (Laurel) and is behind the eagerly anticipated Royal Boucherie in […]
One of Us: Nydia Han
My full name is … Nydia Hyungah Han. “Hyungah” is Korean for “bright and graceful.” People always ask me where Nydia comes from. My father’s […]