Previous Features

Save Point Breeze Campaign Fighting Gentrification in South Philly
sarah s.
| Jan, 10

The Save Point Breeze Campaign, a part of the community organization Concerned Citizens of Point Breeze, is an anti-gentrification movement in South Philadelphia fighting to stop market rate housing from pushing out poor and working-class families.
 

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The Blessing Sunlight for Philadelphia Taxi Industry
Mohammad Shukur
| Jan, 10

“My name is Ron, how are you brother?”,- This was my 1st encounter with Unified Taxi Workers Alliance of PA President Ron Blount. We were at 641 N. Broad Street, a huge gathering of taxi drivers, including New York TWA's Bhairavi Desai, demonstrating against the upcoming PPA GPS system. Simon Abitol was the target and I was inspired looking at Ron leading the rally. I also was looking at a group of drivers with unconditional dedication to launch a movement against the Parking Authority’s inhumane and unjust GPS system that was introduced in the early part of 2005.

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"It's time to do business in a different way"
MMP
| Dec, 09

Florida Farmworkers visited Aramark's headquarters in Philadelphia
earlier this month to call for justice and dignity for the people who
pick the tomatoes Aramark buys. The event was part of the Fair Food
Solidarity Tour, a national campaign with the United Workers of
Baltimore, Maryland, who work in the service sector. Amendu Evans
brings us an interview with Gerardo Reyes of the Coalition of Immokalee
Workers.

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Eighty-seven Souls: Reflections on Tough Times and Tight Choices in 2009
Todd Wolfson
| Dec, 09

On Monday people across the city remembered the eighty-seven souls that died in this last year either living on the streets or in shelters. Eighty-seven people!  This is a dramatic rise from the previous year and it is shameful.

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Support the Media Mobilizing Project in the New Year
MMP
| Dec, 09

We imagine a Philadelphia region where those of us working for justice move faster than lightning. When the city, big companies, immigration officials or bureaucrats step in front of our movement, we can communicate so fast and so well that we defend ourselves easily. The Media Mobilizing Project – in 2009, more than ever – was able to stop imagining and to see what we have already built.

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The Coalition to Save the Libraries Celebrates its First Anniversary and Continues to Fight for the Libraries
sarah s.
| Dec, 09

In the beginning of Decemeber the Coalition to Save the Libraries celebrated its one year anniversary. Through interviews with five coalition memebrs, this audio piece tells part of the story of how the Coalition was successful in keeping all of Philadelphia's libraries open and the work that has followed that initial victory. Although all of the libraries are still open, budget cuts have resulted in random closures and an overall decrease in open hours in neighborhood branches.

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Community Building Dinner: Presentation on Building a Movement
CarmenC
| Dec, 09

To build a movement to end poverty led by the poor and working class across the color lines, we need commitment and unity.  We need to be clever with our strategy and tactics.  We need leaders and organizers.  And we are all leaders and organizers.
 

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It Really Is Our Money: The Looming City Budget Deficit and What We Can Do About It
Nijmie
| Dec, 09

The issue here is not that there isn’t enough money.   The issue here is: who has the money, and who will be asked to pay?  We grow up being taught that we live in a representative democracy.  On the local level, every elected official has to build a base of support so that on election day, she or he will garner the most votes and win the election.  The broader and more diverse a politician’s base of support, the better, right?  Of course, we learn through experience that’s not the whole story.  Politicians need money to be able to run campaigns.  The

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New Years Resolution for the School District of Philadelphia
Philly Student Union
| Dec, 09

At PSU, students have put together some important New Years Resolutions for the School District of Philadelphia. 
 
Happy New Year! We have worked so hard on improving our schools that we should take time to relax (thou short lived) and reflect. So…  as we are all equal contributors of the Philadelphia School District (students, teachers, PSD Officials, and community members) here’s what we should be both reflecting upon and working on for the New Year.

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Low Power FM Radio Passes House of Representatives!
hannahsassaman
| Dec, 09



Low power FM radio stations have saved lives during Hurricane Katrina, put indigenous languages on the air, and developed youth, women, and elders into leaders in their communities.  Big broadcasters kept low power FM from most American cities – but communities struggled to bring these stations to everyone.

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Photos from the 4th Community Building Dinner
MMP
| Dec, 09

 

Thank you to all the people who helped make this year's dinner an amazing success.

 

 

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LISTEN: "They don't want us to speak out for our patients"
milena velis
| Dec, 09

Nurses and technicians at Temple University Hospital are facing a "Gag Order" in their proposed contract with Temple University Health Systems. This order could mean fines for any member of PASNAP, the nurse's union, who says anything negative about Temple in public. A report by Milena Velis.

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The Legacy of Gentrification: Support Songhai City and Other Community-Run Spaces Across the City
Todd Wolfson
| Dec, 09
VIDEO
See video

As Philadelphia neighborhoods like Brewerytown are transformed by corporate development projects which place profit over people, we must support the communities that have fought for survival. Songhai City Cultural Center and the brave leaders of African American Business and Residents Association (AABRA) are a perfect example.

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What became of drive-by ticketing?
UTWA
| Dec, 09

Unified Taxi Workers Alliance (UTWA) went into action. We met with the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA)’s Taxicab and Limousine Division (TLD) first, then with some of PPA’s Board. Stu Bykofsky wrote an article in the Daily News. We collected evidence from drivers experiences and GPS records.

The PPA’s response was: It doesn’t exist; Drivers are driving away when being ticketed; You are accusing us of being criminals; and your evidence is insignificant compared to the amount of drivers there are.

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Fourth Annual MMP Community Building Dinner
mica
| Dec, 09

Tonight is the fourth annual MMP Community Building Dinner, our yearly celebration of our leaders, organizations, network, and all the organizing, study and communicating we are doing together. We wish the whole world could be there, but our network is big and our space (and budget) are small, so for those who cannot join us we will be posting highlights over the next few days. Here are some pictures from last year's dinner, taken by Sham-e-Ali al-Jamil and Reverend Jesse Brown.

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