On top of Philly news ‘Up the Block’: A new resource hub for Philadelphians affected by gun violence
An initiative by The Trace wants to connect you with information on recovering from shootings, keeping young people safe, and holding local leaders accountable. Max Marin / Billy Penn Mar. 05, 2021, 1:30 p.m. Love Philly? Sign up for the free Billy Penn email newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day.
True story: In Philadelphia, we have a section of the city referred to as “the Badlands.” Google Maps even plasters the term over the parts of North Philadelphia associated with the nickname. It’s a reference to the area’s crime rate, and to some, a warning to stay away. But those of us who call the neighborhoods home know they are so much more than what you hear about on the local news. My own community, Kensington, is the sound of roosters crowing while you wait for the El at
A shift from conversation to action
“We cannot truly consider ourselves stewards of public trust and information if we aren’t embodying equity at every level. In 2021, journalism will get its shit together.”
Bright light can be unforgiving.
For years, journalists of color have been working to illuminate the systemic racism that our field has been content to keep hidden. In 2020, the spotlight was glaring. From Philadelphia to Los Angeles, very candid, very public declarations from journalists of color about their experiences working in this industry exposed a painful part of our collective reality.
In 2021, we will see a shift from