Our Reporting
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Smoke Shops on the Rise in Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Critics say they claim to be convenience stores, but sell drug paraphernalia By Haddijatou Jammeh by Haddijatou Jammeh It’s hard to walk down South Street without seeing the flashing lights and rainbow-colored decor of at least a dozen smoke shops, an increasingly common sight not just in Bella Vista but throughout the city. Rows of…
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New Roots: Brazilians in Philadelphia Transcript
Return to audio story HOST (ELISA):This is a story about the Brazilian community in Philadelphia. Some names in this story have been changed for safety reasons. ELISA: If you walk through parts of Northeast Philadelphia, you might hear a language you weren’t expecting to hear: Portuguese, the language of Brazil. I can hear it in…
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New Roots: Brazilians in Philadelphia
By Elisa Spagnollo According to the Pew Research Center, across the United States, an estimated 170 to 230,000 Brazilians live without legal status. In Philadelphia, no official data separates those who are documented and those who aren’t. But based on national estimates, hundreds, possibly more than a thousand Brazilian in the city may be living…
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Bars for queer women are making a comeback in Philadelphia
Philadelphia joins the list of cities reviving the nightlife scene for queer women. by Ashlee Moore Illustration by Ashlee Moore Patrons file into a nondescript bar where a tall doorwoman greets them with “baby” as she scans IDs under a black light before ushering them into a pink room. It may seem like a familiar…
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The History of Queer Nightlife
From mob-run bars to modern havens, Philadelphia’s lesbian nightlife has a complicated past By Ashlee Moore Philadelphia’s gay bar scene took off shortly after World War II in what’s known today as the Gayborhood, a neighborhood bounded by 11th and Broad streets and Pine and Chestnut streets, according to Bob Skiba, curator of the William…
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Unfounded rumors of ICE raids in schools heighten anxiety for Latino parents and students
“You can’t learn if you don’t feel safe.” By Valeria Uribe Illustration by Ashlee Moore Some names have been changed to protect the identity of people due to heightened scrutiny of immigrant communities. Lorena’s peaceful life has changed since President Donald Trump’s administration ramped up immigration deportations across the country. As an undocumented immigrant, rumors…
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The Black Lions’ fiery message resonates
Fighting ICE, feeding the poor and bearing arms is attracting donors and members By Christian Barnes On a cold winter morning, over 100 people squeezed into a narrow North Philadelphia rowhouse, while over two dozen others stood patiently in line outside. Inside, six armed men in military garb stood in the front of the living…
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Philadelphia artists use murals to protest ICE
Artists in the mural capital of the world have created vistas honoring immigrant life By Morgan Ritter Shades of cherry red, aqua blue, and sunny yellow cover the wall of a building at the intersection of 7th and Mifflin streets in East Passyunk. The image of a tamale stand brightens up the street corner surrounded by low-rise rowhomes and a convenience store. The image isn’t just…
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Claims of drink spiking and harassment at Woody’s Bar stoke fear in the queer community
One of Philadelphias largest and oldest gay bars no longer feels like a safe space to some By Dani Hollidge A 22-year-old Temple University graduate arrived at Woody’s for an open bar event promoted by a local queer group last September. He says the event was from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and shortly after…
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Staff shortages keep some Philly libraries closed on Saturdays
Despite promises the doors are closed By Leila Oyeku Staff shortages are preventing some of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s branches from opening on Saturdays despite the system’s goal to have all open six days a week by last year. “We’ve had a little bit of trouble with keeping people and making sure that we’re…