Always, there are fireworks. And music and water ice and red-white-and-blue everything. But like the centennial and bicentennial before it, July 4, 2026—the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence—calls for a more lasting, more impactful celebration than the same old sparklers.
That’s why PHILADELPHIA250, the nonprofit planning the city’s 250th commemoration, is putting out a call for citizens from all walks of our city to share their ideas for how to mark the milestone with a meaningful addition to our city’s infrastructure—be that a monument, program or project.
They’re calling the initiative “Leave a Legacy” and on Wednesday, February 16, at 3:30pm, the group will be holding a free panel discussion and workshop to kick off its call for entries. Attendees can register to attend in-person or via Zoom here.
“It’s about moving Philadelphia forward and using this milestone as an opportunity to leverage collective action and legacy projects for 2026,” DiLeo Kim says. “We want it to be the most inclusive and transformational anniversary milestone in the country’s history.”
The panel, which will be moderated by The Citizen’s Executive Editor Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, will feature Paul Farber of Monument Lab, Cathy Cahill of The Mann Center, Tya Winn of Community Design Collaborative and Danielle DiLeo Kim of PHILADELPHIA250. The speakers will provide historical context for monuments in our country and city, provide examples of alternate ways to commemorate our history, and give examples of ways to involve communities in telling their neighborhoods’ stories.
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DiLeo Kim explains that PHILADELPHIA250, of which she became executive director three years ago, was created by passionate Philadelphians who realized that 2026 would be an opportunity for Philadelphia to play a leading role in commemorating the country’s birthday.
“It’s about moving Philadelphia forward and using this milestone as an opportunity to leverage collective action and legacy projects for 2026,” DiLeo Kim says. “We want it to be the most inclusive and transformational anniversary milestone in the country’s history.”
Previous commemorative projects for notable anniversaries have included Memorial Hall (1876), the Benjamin Franklin Bridge (1926) and the African American Museum of Philadelphia (1976). The Centennial celebration also coincided with the first World’s Fair to be held in the United States, drawing 10 million visitors—including one in every four Americans—to Fairmount Park.
For 2026, there is no similar concrete memorial being planned. Instead, PHILADELPHIA250 is interested in projects that will create positive change in the following categories, which also reflect the organization’s four key values: Improve the quality of life in neighborhoods (Shared Prosperity); Spark civic action to address injustices and inequalities (People’s Histories); Amplify diverse and inclusive stories of our people (People’s Histories); Celebrate our individual or collective passions and pastimes (Pursuit of Happiness).
Entries can be literacy initiatives, enhancements to rec centers, citywide community fridges, oral histories—any medium or format that fulfills the larger mission of bettering Philadelphia.
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The submission period for ideas begins February 16 and runs through May 20, 2022. Up to 16 projects selected from the initial round will be a part of a five-month accelerator program that includes access to a portion of $125,0000 in seed capital to develop the project idea with a team of advisors; recognition and promotion through the PHILADELPHIA250 network; and robust affiliate networking access. In December 2022, at the PHILADELPHIA250 Legacy Leaders Expo, the final projects will be announced and will receive support and stewardship through 2026.
As our country has finally started to take a collective look at the inequality and injustice present since our founding, the call for ideas will be an opportunity to include voices that have often been overlooked.
“We really want people to think beyond just their neighborhood,” De Veyra says. “It’s really trying to think about what makes us feel happy? What makes us feel safe in our neighborhoods? And what helps us thrive?”
“For centuries, decisions were made and policies were incredibly flawed and in some cases straight-out racist, and that caused people to be marginalized and not to have a voice in the process,” says DiLeo Kim. “We’re in a different place as a country—certainly many of the inequities have been exposed to everyone, not just those who probably have felt them the longest. And therefore it really is an opportunity for us as a city to talk with one another, to ask Philadelphians what do you want to see changed about your neighborhood or your city?”
Erike De Veyra, the project manager for Leave a Legacy, says the grassroots aspect of the effort is what truly sets it apart. “As a Filipino, I feel like in the past two to three years I’ve finally been able to have a voice and actually share the perspective I have,” she says. “And Leave A Legacy is trying to help propel that, and make that feeling known to everyone—that they really can make a difference.
“We really want people to think beyond just their neighborhood,” De Veyra says. “It’s really trying to think about what makes us feel happy? What makes us feel safe in our neighborhoods? And what helps us thrive?”
Wednesday, February 16th, 3:30 pm; in-person at Center for Architecture and Design (1218 Arch Street) or via Zoom; free! Register here. Proof of vaccination and face mask required to attend in-person.
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From top left clockwise: Danielle Dileo Kim, Tya Winn, Paul Farber and Catherine Cahill
