The Creative Force of Will Toms
Before receiving recognition as Forbes ’30 under 30′ honoree in 2021 for his remarkable social impact, gaining prominence as Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of REC Philly, a multimillion-dollar creative hub, and serving as a board member of several nonprofits dedicated to humanitarian efforts, William Tyrone Toms was a precocious Black boy living in the Germantown section of Philly, Pa., using his inner strength and forced resilience to navigate familial trauma.
Kid Killebrew: The Sneakerhead Superhero
There is something nostalgic about opening a box of new sneakers: the anticipation as you peel back the paper, pluck them from the box, spin them around in your hand in admiration, and take in that fresh sneaker smell. He’s never forgotten the confidence he felt as a child when he stepped into a new pair. “I felt like a Superhero,” shared Killebrew, “especially when I played ball. It may sound like a small thing, but it can be a big feeling, particularly to underprivileged children.” He wanted to give that feeling to youth in need.
ATTIC Youth Center and PhillyBOLT Invest In Youth to Future-Proof Philly
Philly’s youth are often at the center of news stories. They lead as protesters, activists, and organizers. They disrupt the status quo by riding motorbikes through the streets. They challenge definitions of identity and force us to evaluate whether the world we’ve designed does what it’s supposed to do. Yet, without guidance, support, and investment, youth are critically vulnerable due to a lack of safe places, housing, and education.
Words Beats And Life’s “Alt Spring Break” Web Series Comes to Philly: A Conversation with Love Now Media’s CEO Jos Duncan Asé
Like many leaders, Jos Duncan Asé’s origin story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. She faced significant adversities, such as the loss of her father and her mother’s battle with addiction. With the support of family and community members, these hardships molded her into a change agent, determined to make a positive difference in her community.
For My Sister, For Myself
For The Cook Sisters, the self and selves go hand-in-hand, transcending time and space. And they both require a “yes” to love. “I want for my sisters what I want for myself,” Jeannine once wrote in a post on social media. It would appear that what she wants for herself, is indeed what her sisters feel they need.
Loving Myself As I Am: Aziza Shuler in Her Own Words
I come from a lineage of women who’ve grappled with the complexities of love, a theme that has deeply shaped my own journey. At the heart of this narrative lies the absence of a mother’s love, a defining element passed down through generations. This absence, in turn, led me to a realization: one of the most powerful forces in the universe is a mother’s love.
School Groups De-escalate Youth Violence by Meeting Students Where They Are
When Rosa started as a school safety officer at Tilden Middle School, he realized he needed a way to connect more intimately with the students, to get them to trust and talk to him about what they were going through.
Young Philadelphians Take on Youth Homelessness
Young Philadelphians and advocates who feel that their concerns have been overlooked share these sentiments on youth homelessness.
For The Love of Germantown: Eboni Zamani
Eboni Zamani is a Black filmmaker who is Nicetown-born and who spent much of her coming-of-age with family and friends in Germantown. Years later, Zamani has officially made Germantown her home.
Black Reverence Chair, a Ritual for Joy and Affirmation
Explore the transformative ritual of the Black Reverence Chair, a gathering fostering joy and affirmation amid the trauma of state-sanctioned anti-Black violence. Learn about its origins, the power of celebratory witness, and the creation of an energetic archive to counter narratives of brutality. Join the movement for healing and communal celebration.
