Essays

1079 results
Page 25
Children gather at the base of City Hall's new Octavius Catto statue. (Photo by Alaina Johns.)

Philadelphia City Hall's new Octavius Catto monument

A monumental Philadelphian recognized at long last

Philadelphia's first monument to an African-American individual was unveiled this week at City Hall. Alaina Johns was there.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Essays 4 minute read
Glockabelle at work; she seems so harmless. (Photo by Glockabelle via Glockabelle.com.)

Five times the 2017 Philly Fringe Festival made me uncomfortable

Art attacks

Another year, another Philly Fringe Festival come and gone. Alaina Mabaso considers all the shows that made her go "hmmm..."
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Essays 5 minute read
Street art in Astoria, New York, pays tribute to Snowden. (Photo by LunchboxLarry via Creative Commons/Flickr.)

Edward Snowden in conversation with Jeremy Scahill

The surveillance state then and now

The NSA whistleblower spoke at the Free Library via video from Moscow, touching on governance in the Trump era, the role of the media, elections, how espionage works, and more. Sarah Grey was there.
Sarah Grey

Sarah Grey

Essays 4 minute read
Meagan, a speaker for Philly for REAL Justice, addresses the crowd as the bronze Rizzo vies for their attention. (Photo by Alaina Johns.)

The "Frank Rizzo Down" rally

Battle builds over a Philly monument

In 2017, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction and know who’s siding with whom, especially when it comes to the controversy over removing the Frank Rizzo statue. Alaina Johns reports.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Essays 5 minute read
The Robert E. Lee monument in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Cville Dog, via Creative Commons/Wikimedia.)

Confederate monuments down, racists still standing

Beyond sheetcaking

Maybe the nation's Confederate monuments will all come down, but what will we do about the racists who are still standing? Maria Corley considers.
Maria Thompson Corley

Maria Thompson Corley

Essays 5 minute read
A fidget spinner is an excellent example of UDL. (Photo via Pixabay)

Disability Inclusion Workshop for Artists

Inclusion for you (and everyone else)

An artists’ workshop from local theater-makers and inclusion specialists asked how we can make spaces more accessible for all people. Alaina Johns was there.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Essays 5 minute read
L to R: Jon Michael Hill's Moses and Ryan Hallahan's Mister in Antoinette Nwandu’s 'Pass Over,' at Steppenwolf Theatre. (Photo by Michael Brosilow.)

Hedy Weiss, Antoinette Nwandu, and taking ownership

What language does critique speak?

When a reader from the U.K. reviewed Maria Thompson Corley's new novel, it reminded her of the Hedy Weiss/Antoinette Nwandu reviewing controversy.
Maria Thompson Corley

Maria Thompson Corley

Essays 5 minute read
From a postcard depicting the Temple Gate at Fairmount Park's Japanese Garden and Pagoda. (Image courtesy of Joyce Munro.)

John Thompson Morris and Fairmount Park: A love affair

The green, green grass of home

Fairmount Park has always welcomed lovers; meet one lover whose affair began 150 years ago. Joyce Munro tells the story of John Thompson Morris.
Joyce Munro

Joyce Munro

Essays 4 minute read
#ReadAHCA's die-in. Vashti Bandy in pink pants, far right. (Photo by Alaina Mabaso)

Desperately seeking Senator Pat Toomey

Is there anybody out there?

Trying to contact Senator Toomey is increasingly fruitless. What are Philly’s most creative citizens doing instead? Alaina Mabaso checks out the scene.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Essays 4 minute read
Students from Food Moxie’s after-school cooking club demonstrate how to make a roasted-sweet-potato salad and eat healthily on a budget. (Photo by Brittany Barbato.)

Photo essay: Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger's Good Food for All

The art of food justice

The Good Food for All conference, presented by the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger and the Free Library of Philadelphia's Culinary Literacy Center, used art to convey key messages. Brittany Barbato was there.
Brittany Barbato

Brittany Barbato

Essays 2 minute read