Community
Radical Futures and Ancestral Codes: Rashaad Newsome’s Assembly Reimagines Liberation
Assembly, by Rashaad Newsome and Johnny Symons, turns Park Avenue Armory into a speculative sanctuary for movement, memory, and Black queer freedom.
William H. Gray III Is Finally Getting His Memorial. Five Artists Rise To Create It
Plans for a William H. Gray III memorial at 30th Street Station arrive at a critical moment, honoring Black history amid erasure and revision.
Deliberate by Design: Pablo Alarcón Jr. on Printmaking, Platform, and Finding Joy in the Process
Pablo Alarcón Jr. doesn’t believe in accidents. Whether he’s designing the visual identity for BlackStar Film Festival or experimenting with stone lithography, every choice from type scale to tonal contrast is made with care.
From Takeout to Testimony: The Black Dragon’s Recipe for Communal Solidarity
It’s an almost impossible task within the Black Community to find a soul who has not been touched by the power of Orange Chicken or Combination Rice.
Open Treasures Found at TRUNC Artisans: A Black Business Spotlight
There is a well curated, locally made shop featuring home accessories, furniture, apothecary, art and jewelry nestled in the heart of Northern Liberties, called TRUNC Artisans.
A Home, Not Just Housing: How Forget Me Knot is Transforming Youth Care in Philadelphia
Forget Me Knot Children & Youth Services is quietly reshaping the landscape of youth care in Philadelphia.
OPINION: LET’S TALK ABOUT SIPS, BABY— AND THE OVER-POLICING OF YOU AND ME
Just as kids await summer camp, long days at the park and chasing the ice cream truck, many adults in the city feel the same way about Center City Sips.
In Healing Color: The 4th Annual United We Heal Film Festival
Just one day after Juneteenth, otherwise known as the “Black Independence Day,” celebrations in Philadelphia still held up, with laughter, cheers and most importantly, how healing in Blackness is portrayed on screen…
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.
Seven Black-Owned Eateries In Philly With Outdoor Seating
Summertime is officially upon us and we outside!
Piercing The Veil In Philly: A Juneteenth Festival Recap
On a balmy and bright Saturday afternoon was the fifth annual InterNASHional Bounce Juneteenth Festival.
Letter From The Download: Welcoming our First-Ever Executive Director/Editor-In-Chief, Cassie Owens
The Philly Download is proud to announce that Cassie Owens, an award-winning journalist, local media advocate, and proud Mount Airy native, is officially stepping in as The Philly Download’s first-ever Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief.
Reaping Our Reparations? A Recap of “The Cost of Inheritance” Screening
On the eve of the Army’s 250th birthday—right here in the birthplace of American democracy…Freedom rang a different kind of tune in Philadelphia.
Why Juneteenth Matters
Some folks may not feel very celebratory this Juneteenth. The continued attacks against our rights, the reduction of our social safety nets, and the looming threat of war all have taken a toll on the collective psyche.