Nearly one in five student loan borrowers in Pennsylvania is now in default, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education and the Education Data Initiative. At the same time, new federal laws and policies have reduced student loan relief for the lowest-income borrowers, making it even more difficult for people to manage their […]

Savage Sisters mobile outreach van, photo courtesy of  Georgiana Constantinescu   “Do you wish you worked in an office or something?” a rookie volunteer asked me as we were picking up wet garbage and syringes off Somerset Ave.  It was 11:45 pm on a Tuesday evening. We had a line of 50 people to serve, […]

The author, Jackie Saez, talks with residents during the Cure Violence summer basketball league in Kensington. Photo above courtesy of NKCDC As a Kensington native, I have lived the reality of food insecurity and have relied on food stamps at multiple stages of my life, including as a child, a college student, and a mother. […]

Ever since DEI has re-entered the chat (this time as a political lightning rod), I keep returning to one question: What hills are organizations willing to die on? As a marketing and communications strategist who has spent the last several years helping nonprofits build and refine their brands, it’s gut-wrenching to see organizations scramble to […]

I am a longtime community organizer who made my home in Brewerytown Sharswood nearly 20 years ago. It’s the richness in history, the proximity to Fairmount Park and Kelly Drive, and the cohesion of resident-led community organizations that made me stay. Our community is a resilient one whose progress is entirely grounded in robust partnership, […]

In the areas where libraries are most needed, our youth are underserved and ill-considered. Communities across Philadelphia lack librarians and, consequently, the relevant programs to truly educate, encourage, and engage those who would benefit the most. Schools are closed for summer, at a time when these resources are crucial, and branches across the city remain […]

What good are cleaner streets if those who should enjoy them are either dead or inside on the respirator?

Health disparities go beyond mere access to healthcare, and the inequities are impacting our skin.