Bunmi Samuel Rewrites Resilience
Bunmi Samuel wants you to know that he is doing just fine. Ten years after a 15,000 ft skydiving fall, he is certain that this moment is his: “I am who I say I am. What I said I was going to do, I’ve done. Something tragic didn’t destroy me. I’m better than I’ve ever been.”
Making Love: Hacking the Holidays with Hard Conversations
What if we used this holiday season to do something truly transformative and rooted in love? What if we pushed beyond surface-level pleasantries and tackled the conversations we usually avoid? This year, I’m inviting you to “hack” the holidays by leaning into one of the hardest—and most necessary topics— money.
In Memoriam: Judith Jamison
In honor of the legendary Judith Jamison, we dedicate this article of remembrance to her legacy.
Peoplehood’s Return to West Philadelphia Inspires Hope and Fosters Resilience
Amidst the puppets, art installations, and banners, the spirit of community love filled the park, casting a warm glow over the gathering. The air was alive with excitement, showcasing the unity and creativity of the Greater Philadelphia area.
Kristal Bush on Freedom and #FreeMyWeedman
Bush sees herself as a disrupter and change agent. “I create movement in community for people who are voiceless,” she says, “but it all comes from the grassroots.” For Bush, the ability to shift to fill the needs of those in her community is freedom. She believes that education and the respect it brings is freedom.
The AI will see you now: How artificial intelligence is changing healthcare — and might become your best advocate
As this is the final essay of a five-part series, I thought it appropriate to begin where we started. Although focused on artificial intelligence, love has always been the throughline intentionally guiding each piece.
Creating Change In Spite of Cancer: Finding Purpose with StoryCorps
In a recent StoryCorps interview with her cousin, Tenika Floyd, Dr. Green reflects on the profound influence that her aunt and uncle had on her early life. Their love became the driving force behind her unwavering quest for cancer treatment solutions.
In Philadelphia, and at StoryCorps, Trans Youth Speak for Themselves
College roommates Andre and Trey share their experiences getting to know each other as freshmen: first, as new roommates from opposite ends of the country, and later as young men finding their way through what masculinity means to them.
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.
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.