BY MELISSA BEATRIZ  ON JUNE 10, 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact communities in the United States, in early March 2020, it became clear that the arts sector was being gravely economically affected. This is a timeline of what the arts had to face during the pandemic, from budget cuts, closed offices, emerging media, canceled grants to a refunding budget allocation.

BY LAURA ANAYA-MORGA & KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON MAY 20, 2021

40 Years a Prisoner, from filmmaker Tommy Oliver, lays out the story of Mike Africa Jr., a man who spent his entire life fighting to free his parents, members of the MOVE Organization, from prison.

BY LAURA ANAYA-MORGA & KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON MAY 13, 2021

Mike Africa Jr. spent most of his life fighting to free his parents from prison. Both were incarcerated and convicted as members of the MOVE 9. The HBO Documentary, 40 Years a Prisoner, outlines the stark similarities between policing in Philadelphia today compared to the 1970’s.

POR LAURA ANAYA-MORGA EL 1 ABRIL 2021

La coalición Shut Down Berks continúa abogando por la liberación de las familias inmigrantes que buscan asilo en los Estados Unidos; siguen esperanzados por un cambio positivo con la administración Biden.

POR LAURA ANAYA-MORGA Y FOTOS POR BECCA HAYDU EL 25 MARZO 2021

Filadelfia tiene una larga tradición con las sociedades de ayuda mutua que han servido como catalizador para recursos modernos, y han inspirado la creación de The People's Fridge por dos hermanas en West Philly y de South Philadelphia Community Fridges en South Philly.

BY JULISSA ON MARCH 11, 2021

Julissa, a young daughter of two immigrant parents, is a member of MILPA (Movement of Immigrant Leaders in Pennsylvania) and fights for a standard driver's license for all, regardless of their immigration status.

BY BECCA HAYDU ON FEBRUARY 18, 2021

On Monday, February 8, public elementary schools in Philadelphia were set to reopen. Teachers, students and the community came together to protest against unsafe conditions in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

BY LAURA ANAYA-MORGA ON FEBRUARY 11, 2021

The Shut Down Berks Coalition continues to advocate for the release of immigrant families seeking asylum in the U.S. — they are cautiously hopeful that positive change will come with the Biden administration.

BY GABRIELA WATSON-BURKETT, MELISSA BEATRIZ AND LAURA ANAYA-MORGA ON FEBRUARY 9, 2021

In this interview, Philly-based multidisciplinary artist and performer Daniel de Jesús shares their inspiration behind making art and its importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Daniel de Jesús, intérprete y artista multidisciplinario de Filadelfia, habla acerca de qué les inspira a producir arte y su importancia durante la pandemia del COVID-19.

POR ANA LAURA PEREZ FLORES EL 2 DE FEBRERO DEL 2021

En México hay una guerra contra las mujeres y la situación no parece mejorar. Vivimos en un país donde tres feminicidios[1] ocurren cada día y, de acuerdo con fuentes oficiales, 40% de estos crímenes son cometidos en casa.

BY LAURA ANAYA-MORGA & PHOTOS BY BECCA HAYDU ON JANUARY 21, 2021

Community fridges have popped up all across Philadelphia in a time where Mutual Aid resources have become more crucial than ever. Philadelphia's long standing history with Mutual Aid societies has served as a catalyst for these modern resources, and has inspired the creation of The People’s Fridge by two sisters in West Philly and South Philadelphia Community Fridge.

BY EMMA RESTREPO AND JANE M. VON BERGEN ON DECEMBER 9, 2020 | PUBLISHER: PLAN PHILLY

The SEPTA bus line connects newer, growing Mexican and other Central American communities in South Philadelphia to more established Puerto Rican and Dominican communities in North Philadelphia, an area represented by Maria Quiñones-Sanchez, the city’s first Latina City Councilmember. There are many stories along Route 47 — stories of commerce, love, work, families, friendships, struggles, success and joy.

BY EMMA RESTREPO AND JANE M. VON BERGEN ON DECEMBER 9, 2020 | PUBLISHER: PLAN PHILLY

When Luis Uribe was growing up in Puebla, Mexico, soccer, or fútbol, as it is known in every Latin American country, was his life. Luis Uribe with members of the Los Lobos soccer league. Uribe has been leading the league for over ten years.

BY EMMA RESTREPO AND JANE M. VON BERGEN ON DECEMBER 9, 2020 | PUBLISHER: PLAN PHILLY

Philly Boricuas’s mission is to give voice to Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community and amplify the voices of their families on the island. Puchi De Jesus, a young activist who grew up in Puerto Rico and moved here in 2019, wants to increase political involvement among Latinos in her new home, Filadelfia.

POR MELISSA BEATRIZ EL 11 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2020

Mientras la pandemia del COVID-19 comenzó a impactar en Estados Unidos a principios de marzo de este año, Filadelfia no fue la excepción. Alrededor del 13% de la población de Filadelfia está compuesta por inmigrantes, y aproximadamente 25% de los extranjeros entre ellos son indocumentados.

BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON NOVEMBER 10, 2020

New Order (Nuevo Orden) by Mexican director Michel Franco is a suspenseful dystopian film that depicts the frustration of the widening wealth gap. It’s the perfect film to depict the complicated social dynamics between the ruling and the lower class and the misinformation of the general public.

BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON NOVEMBER 5, 2020

The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF) is one of the city's premiere destinations for films and storytelling from the Asian diaspora. With over 80 films to watch at PAAFF, we are sharing three films from the program that are available to audiences in the United States and Canada.

POR MICHELLE MYERS EL 2 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 2020

A medida en que Pennsylvania se convierte en un campo de batalla electoral, la comunidad latina tuvo que aprender a votar por sí misma. Solo en Filadelfia, 12.3% de los Latinos son elegibles para votar, pero la falta de información en español puede influenciar en el número final. Teniendo eso en cuenta, Philatinos Radio, ALA PHL y Philly Boricuas lideran iniciativas para informar a la comunidad.

BY MICHELLE MYERS ON NOVEMBER 2, 2020

As Pennsylvania turns into an election battleground, the Latinx community must teach themselves how to vote. In Philadelphia alone, 12.3% of Latinos are eligible to vote, but the lack of information in Spanish could tip the balance. Philatinos Radio, ALA PHL, and Philly Boricuas are leading initiatives to inform the community.

BY KRISTAL SOTOMAYOR ON OCTOBER 15, 2020

Treecup Tea founder Mark Sotomayor sets out to address the need for environmentally sustainable business practices. The tea company plants a tree in Haiti for each bottle sold to address the issue of deforestation, hence their motto “buy a tea, plant a tree.”