Immigration: Maria Sotomayor Leads Refugee And Immigrant Youth In Social Advocacy
Immigrating to the United States from Ecuador when she was 10 years old, Maria Sotomayor quickly realized immigrants to the U.S. faced an entirely different world than she expected. “My parents had lived here before that, and I had expected them to have a really big house and a nice job and all the things […]
Hunting Park: Black Diamond Dance Troupe Prepares Girls For Healthy Futures Through Dance and Mentoring
Hip-Hop music played loudly at the Hunting Park Recreation Center, where a group of young girls smiled with joy as they began preparation for their next performance. The Black Diamond Dance Troupe was founded two years ago by Camisha Moyer, Shana Bowman and Kishna Jeantine, who serve as the dance coaches for the troupe. The […]
Pennsport: A Union Leader’s Voice Worth Hearing
Kathleen Kramer is a 5th grade teacher at Vare-Washington Elementary School and a union leader for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. She has been the Union Leader for six years and has many responsibilities, including informing staff of any union issues and keeping track of vision and dental forms. What is the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers? […]
Germantown: Businessman Joe Martin Carries Out his Vision for a More Idyllic Neighborhood
While Germantown still has a need for improvement, the community has come a long way in the past few years. As owner of Acclaim Academy and chairman of the Germantown Special Services District, Joseph Martin has impacted the community in more ways than one. From striving to make the streets cleaner, to implementing murals to […]
Chinatown: Xu Lin Builds Community With Dragon Boat Team
The summer weather is arriving and the school year ending, but Chinatown is not exactly the ideal vacation spot. “There’s nothing to do in Chinatown during the summer,” said Jason Lin, 31. “There are no activities.” Luckily for the kids, Xu Lin, 31, helps solve the predicament of no fun stuff by taking locals dragon boat […]
West Kensington: Rev. Adan Mairena Transforms Community with Holistic Approach
After the Presbytery of Philadelphia asked Rev. Adan Mairena to come to Norris Square following his Resident in Ministry in 2005, he was tasked with a daunting challenge: revitalize the West Kensington Ministry. The neighborhood was in economic decline following factory shutdowns, and church members fled while poverty rose. Mairena has since committed himself to […]
Cedar Park: Girls’ Camp Continues Leadership Programs
Founded on the values of respect, diversity and collaboration, Camp Sojourner, the Girls’ Leadership Camp has continued to provide young girls from the ages of 8 to 17 with the tools to be well-rounded individuals. Unlike a traditional outdoor camp, Camp Sojourner is housed inside the Calvary Center for Community and Culture at 48th Street […]