When it comes to your job, how much ‘AI anxiety’ makes sense?
Optimistically, we’re in a very exciting time for the technology, and the possibilities truly do feel endless. On the other hand, we may just be in another AI boom. The bubble could burst and leave us with just enough machine learning to make things a little easier, but without a major Jetsons-level advance drastically changing how we live and work.
Power Up! Civic Awareness with the Free Library
This fall, the Free Library of Philadelphia is teaming up with Temple University’s Dr. Aaron Smith, an Assistant Professor of Africology and African American Studies, to present an enlightening six-part series titled “Power Up!”
The New Normal: Rewriting the Narrative of Black Motherhood with StoryCorps
In June 2024, for the first time in its history, the Philadelphia City Council allocated $1 million to address the Black maternal health crisis. Based on a recent report from ABC News, the government at all levels is collaborating to improve maternal health by increasing access to midwives and doulas to address common issues and coordinate necessary care. And just last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services pledged $568 million to support efforts to improve maternal health.
The great debate: Does artificial intelligence have any place in American politics?
Surprisingly, several people interviewed said they’d support an AI candidate — but that doesn’t mitigate the danger of deepfakes
Community Education Will Save Us: West Philadelphia’s W.E.B. Du Bois Abolition School
“Education must not simply teach work – it must teach life.” Teaching life means transmitting survival tools that allow folk to live freely and fully. This framework underpins the mission of the West Philadelphia-based W.E.B. Du Bois Movement School for Abolition & Reconstruction (the Abolition School), a critical space for political education born from the 2020 uprisings.
A Conversation with Jeffrey L. Page on The Power of African Dance in a Time of Resistance
Jeffrey L. Page’s passion for African dance is palpable, rooted in the movement and the deeper connections it fosters. As he explained, the study and practice of traditional African dance allow individuals to connect with something greater than themselves—beyond the oppressive histories many have experienced. “These dances are not just about movement,” Jeffrey said. “They are about rhythms, rituals, and life themes—whether it’s a celebration, a time to fight, protect, or harvest. These dances embody a history and a culture that transcends what many of us have experienced in the United States.”
Focusing on ‘joy’ in Philly schools will reduce racial discipline disparities
Lift Every Voice, the organization behind this year’s Joy Campaign, is backing the creation of a “joy-based budget” for schools to bolster access to recess, the arts, counselors, and the district’s program to bolster student mental health known as the Support Team for Educational Partnership. The blueprint would also create a Chief of Joy position in the district; in June, the City Council adopted a resolution exploring the creation of this position in Philly schools.
AI Goes to College: Can artificial intelligence and higher education peacefully coexist?
Does artificial intelligence have a place in these supposed bastions of independent thoughts?
We should obviously be considering the ethics of AI use by students and teachers, but also be thinking about recruitment and retention as well as the technology disparities between public and private universities as we embark on a deeper search for answers.
Black Women Find Play and Community with New Approaches to Wellness in Philadelphia
“Sometimes it was intimidating being in a space where people were already super buff, throwing around this equipment with these loud noises – and then it’s just little old me,” said Briana Thomas, who works out as part of the Get Mo Phit program. In response, Green-Smith says, “as Black women so often do, we find a way” to find solutions and approaches that work culturally and create safe spaces where Black women feel comfortable, in contrast with a fitness industry where less than 10 percent of instructors are Black.
Dance challenges, deepfakes and discrimination: The deal with AI and personal safety
When you consider some of the more high-profile ways artificial intelligence has gone rogue, it might leave you wondering if the technology is truly ready for prime time.
