Social Justice

Ali Velshi Reminds Us of Draconian Restrictions to Immigration a Hundred Years Ago
The MSNBC host and Citizen board member reminds us that we've been here before, restricting immigration and deporting immigrants is dangerous to our future and economy
By Ali Velshi
What’s Behind Philly’s Racial Wealth Gap?
Philadelphia is among a group of cities that received funding to answer that question — and to come up with ways to address it
By Courtney DuChene
Bigga Dre
A grassroots Black empowerment activist who has long flown under the mainstream radar is one of the reasons Juneteenth in Philly is the harmonious, artful and joyous celebration it is today
By Abigail Chang
A Time To Weep
Yes, let’s celebrate our liberation on Juneteenth. But also, let’s remember the history that came before
By James Peterson
Philadelphia Celebrates Juneteenth 2024
A holiday with Philly roots includes some of the city's biggest events of the year, from Germantown to West Philadelphia to Southwest and Old City — and then some
By Abigail Chang and Lauren McCutcheon
The Watermelon and the Flag in Our Upside-Down World
On waving symbols, extreme national distress and the regressive swing of the pendulum
By James Peterson
50 Completely True Things About Israel and Palestine
In the wake of Citizen stories about the encampments at Penn, several readers forwarded a Palestinian-American’s Medium post about simple truths we would all be wise to remember
By Mo Husseini
“You’re In This Fight”
How a peaceful march, a misguided cop and a rubber bullet turned Canadian-born (by way of Kenya, South Africa and India) Ali Velshi into a true American. An excerpt from Small Acts of Courage, the MSNBC anchor and Citizen board member’s new memoir, launching May 7, in Philly
By Ali Velshi
Climate Resilience Hubs
When government was slow to help Wilmington, DE residents hit by Hurricane Ida, one woman stepped up with a grassroots disaster response team that is now a permanent fixture. Could a similar program help underserved Philly communities at climate risk?
By Angie Bacha
Grow Your Own Black Teacher Pipeline
A donor helped fund a fellowship to bring new teachers of color to a suburban district. Here’s why a local educator thinks it’s an idea worth stealing
By Matt Reid