Nicetown: Activists Continue To Fight Against SEPTA’s Gas Plant
For the past three years, environmental groups from across the city have actively opposed the construction of a new SEPTA gas plant (pictured above) planned for North Philadelphia. They have protested outside the Mayor Jim Kenney’s office and outside Councilwoman Cindy Bass’ office, gathered signatures for a petition sent to the mayor and taken legal […]
Germantown: One Refugee Family’s Experience Avoiding Deportation
This past August, Oneita and Clive Thompson (pictured above) received a phone call telling them something they never could have imagined: they were being deported. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer left Clive Thompson a voicemail instructing him to call back as soon as possible. “They called us on the 24th and said we […]
Germantown: Church Welcomes First Generation Haitian-American Youth Ministries Director
The First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG) has sat on the corner of East High Street and Germantown Avenue since 1796. In September, the congregation welcomed 33-year-old Jeanna Murat (pictured above). Murat is first generation Haitian-American who has dedicated her life to empowering youth and pushing them to explore their faith. “My role whenever […]
Germantown: Andrew Trackman Talks Bettering Businesses And The Community
In 2014, Andrew Trackman (pictured above) became the Executive Director of Germantown United Community Development Corporation (GUCDC), located at 5320 Germantown Ave. He has been with the organization since it was created in 2012. He grew up in New Jersey, but has lived in Philadelphia since moving here at age 18 to got to school at […]
Germantown: Engaged Citizens Spend Another Evening With The Captain
Police Capt. Anthony Ginaldi (pictured above) and Officer Joseph Lukaitis hosted the 39th Police District monthly Captain’s Meeting and Community Town Watch Meeting on Sept. 24 at Mercy Neighborhood Ministries of Philadelphia, a few blocks away from their station at 2201 W. Hunting Park Ave. “We blast out the meetings every month,” said Ginaldi. “We […]
Germantown: Local Artists Gather To Promote Their Scene
The Germantown Artists Roundtable held their monthly meeting Oct. 3 at the iMPerFeCT Gallery on Germantown Avenue. Germantown artists and art lovers are invited to attend this meeting to meet other local artists, share their works and discuss ways to get more attention to the arts. Paula Paul (pictured below), who has lived in Germantown […]
Politics: Cindy Bass Gives The Community A Voice
Logan residents feel they have been kept in the shadows for decades by their council people, but City Councilwoman Cindy Bass is finally giving them a voice. “We’ve been promised that our issues are going to be addressed by the politicians over and over again,” said Cecil Hankins, a neighborhood resident. “Logan is the least of […]
Germantown: Club LaRose Has Turned Into A Home And Hub For All
Chenet LaRose’s dream was to open a community hub in Philadelphia where he could teach people about his Haitian heritage, but his Club LaRose quickly turned into a popular jazz club. LaRose, a retired dentist, never played music himself but he still calls the jazz club a second home, as do many of his regular […]
Germantown: Barber Mark Lightfoot Keeps It All In the Family
Mark Lightfoot arrives at his barbershop as early as 6 a.m. to make sure everything is in place for his morning appointments. From the placement of each tool at each work station to the cleanliness of the floor, appearance is just as important as the quality of the haircut. This is one of many reasons […]
Germantown: Building Community One Conversation at a Time
Keith Schenck sees familiar faces on every Germantown corner. Schenck, a photographer, is involved in an artists’ collective as a leader and mentor. He and fellow artists organized two One Love Guns Down events to raise funds to fight gun violence in Philadelphia. He works closely with the Friends of Germantown Northwest to host fundraisers and community-building activities […]