Civics & Society
Trump’s AI Billions Are Flowing to Pittsburgh. Why Is Philly Getting Left Behind?
AI investments favor Pittsburgh, leaving Philly behind; locals wonder how tech could create union jobs, apprenticeships, and digital equity.
Could a Zohran-Style Uprising Hit the Philly Machine?
Political earthquakes never copy themselves exactly, but the sudden retirement of Congressman Dwight Evans has created conditions that feel eerily familiar to what Democrats recently saw in New York in the primary for mayor.
I Am Shocked at How Cruel Trump's Bill is to Philadelphia
When President Trump signed his sweeping new spending legislation into law, he presented it as a victory for fiscal responsibility. The "One Big Beautiful Bill," as it’s been dubbed, promises trillion-dollar savings through deep cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP.
The Strike Is Over, but Philly’s Inequality Problem Isn’t
When Philadelphia’s sanitation workers walked off the job at the beginning of July, their absence was impossible to ignore. Garbage piled high, spreading across sidewalks in the midsummer heat, becoming potent symbols of a city brought to a halt.
The Right to the Black City: Thinking through Black Third places in the city of Philadelphia
Third place is a common term to hear these days across various social media platforms. The third place coined by Ray Oldenburg is a place between the first place (home) and the second place (work) where people can congregate and build community.
Philadelphia’s Largest Worker Strike in Decades, Explained
Late at night on July 1, 2025, Philadelphia saw nearly 9,000 city workers from AFSCME District Council 33 walk off their jobs.
As Threats Against Democracy Rise, Malcolm Kenyatta Calls For Common-Sense Protection For Legislators
State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta last week introduced a simple bill: allowing every Pennsylvania candidate and office-holder to spend campaign dollars on personal security. The timing was chillingly precise.
Can My Healthcare Provider Refuse to Treat Me Because I'm Trans?
Let’s be real: this question shouldn’t even need to be asked. But right now, it’s everywhere.
Political Violence is Unraveling Our Democracy
Something is breaking. You can feel it in the quiet moments after the news hits.
What is Mayor Parker’s H.O.M.E., Who it Includes, and Who Is Left Out?
Philadelphia stands at a crossroads. Mayor Cherelle Parker’s newly unveiled housing initiative—called H.O.M.E.—is her boldest effort yet to address the city’s affordability crisis.
What Is Inflation and Why Does Everything Still Cost So Much?
Everything costs more these days—eggs, rent, gas, even snacks from the corner store.
When Local Reform Isn’t Enough on Guns
On Memorial Day, Fairmount Park should have been a quiet refuge. Instead, it became a crime scene.
Why Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” Betrays Black Families
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” touted benefits for first-time homebuyers, but critics question its impact on working-class and Black families.
What Larry Krasner Got Right About Crime — and Democrats Still Don’t
On Tuesday night, Larry Krasner won the Democratic primary for Philadelphia district attorney, all but guaranteeing a third term in office. It wasn’t close.
Your Vote, Your Voice: Final Info for the 2025 Primary Election
As we have seen, over and over again in so many different ways over the past few months, who you elect has direct consequences, both bad and good, on our everyday lives.