The newly minted majority leader hit the ground running by fighting to end financial mismanagement in the Office of Homeless Services. At-large member KGR got a resolution passed to provide an ombudsperson at OHS to advocate for some of the most at-risk and powerless Philadelphians. Exactly the sort of leadership and make-stuff-happen energy we like to see. Read More »
While the Democratic primary was grim for lots of progressives (Helen Gym, Seth Anderson-Oberman and Amanda McIllmurray, for starters), Thomas was the top vote-getter in the hotly contested City Council at-large race. He tallied over 108,000 votes — not bad for a Black millennial best known for demanding more police accountability at traffic stops. Read More »
This year has been big for women breaking glass ceilings, what with Lauren Cristella and Chellie Cameron being the first women to lead the Committee of Seventy and the Chamber of Commerce, respectively. But Parker’s historic win — she became the first woman to earn the city’s Democratic nom for mayor — takes the cake. In a crowded primary that included several multimillionaires, celebrity endorsements, and deep-pocketed super PACs, Parker’s scrappy campaign strategically engaged diverse voters and broke barriers. Read More »
Cherelle Parker wasn’t the only ground-breaking “first” to emerge from our primaries. Landau and Ahmad made some hard-to-believe history with their victories in the City Council at-large race. Landau will become, shockingly, the first openly LGBTQ candidate to win a City Council seat. And Ahmad will become the first South Asian and immigrant elected. Both communities have fought for decades to be represented within City Hall — we’re excited to see how they’ll impact change now that they’re finally there. Read More »
The Councilperson had hoped to keep her breast cancer and treatment a secret — so personal, you see. But then: “I thought about the women I know who have lost their battles with breast cancer.” She also thought about Philly women who, like her, weren’t getting regular screenings. So she changed her mind, wrote her story in the Inquirer, and kept on keeping on. Read More »