Jamal Nasir was 15 the first time he sold drugs. It was an easy choice for the gullible teenager: As a Baltimore high school student in the late ’80s, he watched many of his peers arrive at school sporting flashy clothes, showcasing new cars and brandishing huge wads of cash. “It was eye-catching,” says Nasir,…
Not far from a bustling street and directly across from a heavily populated neighborhood sits a community beautifully decorated with sculptures and murals by The Village of Arts and Humanities. Deep within their North Philadelphia community, students of the Spells Writing Lab prepare for a daily routine of writing, reading, and other engaging activities. “I…
The last image that I saw of my dad, was when he was laying in his casket. He looked so peaceful and it was at that moment that I realized I would never hear from him again.
Volunteers and lawyers help residents clear their records for a shot at better jobs and housing.
What used to be nothing but a huge parking lot for the Philadelphia Housing Authority has become something much more to a group of residents living in the Haddington section of Philadelphia. Nearly hidden amidst a cluster of homes, the Conestoga Pearl Gardens is full of garden beds neatly in rows, cherry trees ready to…
Dysfunctional families, distrust of the system, the lack of affordable housing — there are so many situations that could influence why a person can become homeless that others might not consider as they walk past those experiencing it. “I think we tend to look for easy answers because homelessness is horrible and scary and you want that easy…
Aimed at providing a means of communication for student organizations, SwoopTEXT went live on Main Campus in Fall 2011. Since its inception at Temple, student organizations have found success in utilizing the program to connect with members. The idea for SwoopText was pitched to a professor at Princeton University who liked the idea and ran…
With the onslaught of recent flash mobs taking place in Center City, many are asking, “Why?” Are the youth of this city so bored with themselves, and so angry, that they find entertainment in hurting innocent bystanders for no reason at all? And are the adults of this city doing enough to engage them in…
In a way, we have the Wilmington tech scene to thank for Delaware’s newest brewery. Dew Point Brewery, a playful take on DuPont, opened in August just outside of Wilmington in Yorklyn’s historic Garrett Snuff Mill. It’s owned and run by Nick Matarese and his family. Matarese is a Wilmington tech fixture, the founder of…
Hilary Sedgwick created Hip Hop Illies with a core concept in mind; she wanted the personal project to be about Hip Hop but to also focus on different themes down the line. Manifesting from another project, Sedgwick first started Illies with an illustration of Biggie Smalls. She liked the drawing so much that she…