There are a lot of things you learn very quickly as a college student. One is that there may be a few classes that you wish you never had to take. At Community College of Philadelphia, I certainly had a few – basic English and math, to be exact – but in the end it…
It was just two years ago that Philadelphia’s own Rocky 50k run made its debut. What started as a joke by Philadelphia Magazine writer Dan McQuade has quickly evolved into a yearly tradition for hundreds of runners from across the country. (There was even a baby named in its honor!) Created by ultra-runner Rebecca Barber, the serpentine…
Myra Gaskins’ life changed in 1989. Her son, LaFaye Gaskins, had been arrested for murder. Myra still insists her son is innocent, but a jury found him guilty in May 1990 of killing Albert Dodson, a drug dealer. LaFaye is currently serving a life sentence at the State Correctional Institution at Mahanoy in Schuylkill County….
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…
Walk down into Aminata Sy’s West Philadelphia basement, and you’ll see color splashed on the walls. There are self-portraits and large, red suns drawn in crayon, as well as maps of Africa highlighting the different countries of the continent. Sy, originally from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and later Senegal, runs…
The ideal of attending college after completing high school is ingrained in most people’s minds at a young age. Perhaps now more than ever, obtaining a college education is thought to be a necessity in order to succeed in the world today. But some people choose to take a different path. After graduating from Mastery…
For the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to assist Diana Lu of Plan Philly with a few audio stories. The project focused around WHYY’s listening post and while it still has a few small kinks here and there, it has been a success and a rewarding experience. Rewarding to be able to speak…
For Michael Cogbill, getting engaged in the electoral process is the best way an individual can help to eliminate community violence.
IRIS has come to play a central role in the lives of many immigrants.
Immigration pros from Community Legal Services and HIAS Pennsylvania clarify who is eligible for benefits such as a healthcare and SNAP.