Does it matter that Cherelle Parker once went to jail?
Cherelle Parker spent three days behind bars after a DUI conviction over a decade ago. Here are some details to help you decide if that matters
Apr 28, 2023•6 min•Season 1Ep. 1056
CitizenCast
The Philadelphia Citizen podcast offers spoken versions of articles, deeper dives into the political, social and cultural workings of our city, explainers on the issues of our day, interviews, conversations and solutions. Lots of solutions. All to help you become a better citizen of your city.
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Episodes
Why Ed Rendell is for Rebecca Rhynhart
In this guest commentary, the former mayor and governor endorses Rebecca Rhynhart for Mayor of Philadelphia. He also offers advice and a challenge on how she should govern.
Apr 26, 2023•6 min•Season 1Ep. 1055
Ali Velshi | Half of the worst wildfires in US history have occurred since 2018
MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi draws our attention to the rise in number and severity of wildfires. Could this be the year that we begin turning things around?
Apr 26, 2023•5 min•Season 1Ep. 1054
Stop idolizing politicians like they're celebrities
In democracies, citizens ought not to idolize their electeds — even if they're people we really like. Philadelphia's mayoral race is no exception.
Apr 25, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1053
Ali Velshi | Let's talk about the House of Representatives...
MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi explains what the founders were trying to do with the House of Representatives and why it's failing to live up to their designs. When a single representative is responsible for close to a million citizens, how can this be government by and for the people?
Apr 24, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1052
What wasn't said about Chester and Philly's trash
In last week's debate, Jeff Brown took heat for what he said about our Delco neighbor. But the problem is really about regionalism.
Apr 21, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 1051
Building a diverse tech pipeline in Philly
NBC10 Investigative Reporter Claudia Vargas sits down to talk tech and the future of Philly with Michael Ellison, CEO/founder of CodePath.org, a nonprofit transforming computer science education for underrepresented minorities at over 50 colleges and universities.
Apr 20, 2023•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1050
Interview Special | Why it's so vital to let Unaffiliated voters cast a ballot
In this special interview edition, Citizen writer J.P. Romney sits down with David Thornburgh, Chair of Ballot PA (a campaign to repeal the closed primary system in Pennsylvania), to discuss why we need Unaffiliated, Independent and third-party voters so badly in this state.
Apr 19, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 1049
This is how Center City will recover
Center City District’s President/CEO Paul Levy R. on how the city is rebounding from the last three years — and what new leaders must do
Apr 18, 2023•6 min•Season 1Ep. 1048
Ali Velshi | "You sound like a white girl"
On this episode of #VelshiBannedBookClub, MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi speaks with Julissa Arce about reclaiming her Mexican roots and writing her banned memoir "You Sound Like A White Girl."
Apr 17, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 1047
Is Helen Gym a hypocrite...or just wrong?
What value is a true believer if they put ideology over reason and practical solutions?
Apr 14, 2023•13 min•Season 1Ep. 1046
The answer to homelessness and litter, might be the homeless and litter
City Bright Philadelphia is a neighborhood cleanup that's also about creating jobs and a path to financial stability — and you’re invited
Apr 13, 2023•5 min•Season 1Ep. 1045
Why do primaries even exist?
On this episode of Your City Defined, we look at why we have primaries, how they came to disenfranchise 1.2 million Pennsylvanians, and how they might change to allow everyone to vote.
Apr 13, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 1044
Ali Velshi | After 40 years of warnings, has climate change reached the point of no return?
MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi gives us a rundown of how long we've known human action has been changing the climate. We thought it would still take centuries for humanity to irreparably damage the planet. It may have taken just forty years.
Apr 11, 2023•5 min•Season 1Ep. 1043
Ali Velshi | This book has been banned since the 90s
On this episode of #VelshiBannedBookClub, MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi talks with Julia Alvarez, the award-winning author whose book, "How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents," has been on banned lists for almost 30 years.
Apr 10, 2023•9 min•Season 1Ep. 1042
This is why ethics matter in the mayor's race
There's only one candidate for Philadelphia mayor who has a clean, non-transactional style of governing
Apr 07, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1041
How to get arts and culture into every neighborhood
In this presentation from our Ideas We Should Steal Festival, Erin Harkey, Chicago’s arts commissioner, talks about that city’s Arts 77 program which uses city government to push public art
Apr 06, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 1040
Sam Katz predicts who will win the mayoral primary
Looking at the election math, candidate messaging and campaign skills, the winner according to Katz will be...
Apr 05, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 1039
Can Temple's next president make it the People's University again?
Elaine Maimon believes Temple's next president must transform Temple into a model of 21st-century reform. Here's what needs to be done.
Apr 04, 2023•7 min•Season 1Ep. 1038
Ali Velshi | What causes children the most harm? Bullets.
MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi points out what is really causing American children harm. It's not books or photos of Michelangelo's David. Velshi looks to Japan as an example of adults taking an active role in protecting children in schools.
Apr 03, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1037
The candidates, artificial intelligence and a Sixers stadium
In this episode of the Ultimate Job Interview, 6abc anchor Jim Gardner mediates a Q&A between the mayoral candidates where the candidates themselves (and a couple of audience members) ask the questions.
Mar 31, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 1036
What's (almost) as bad as brain cancer?
Many Americans must fight cancer and their health insurance at the same time. One of our editors passionately explains how there is a cutting-edge treatment for glioblastoma, but insurance companies are prioritizing profit over healthcare.
Mar 30, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1035
The tragedy of (and antidote to) our criminal justice system | p.2
Join us for part 2 of this emotional panel from our Ideas We Should Steal Festival. Hosted by Emily Bazelon, criminal justice reporter for the New York Times, we hear stories of hardship and redemption and a light at the end of the tunnel. Bazelon speaks with Marc Howard (director of Georgetown's Prisons and Justice Initiative) and Cherri Greg (co-founder of the Law and Justice Journalism Project).
Mar 29, 2023•16 min•Season 1Ep. 1034
Critical race theatre
Dice Raw's New Freedom Theatre tells stories of Black Americans which are critical to understanding the American experience
Mar 28, 2023•10 min•Season 1Ep. 1033
Ali Velshi | This one change would make banking safer
MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi breaks down the fundamentals of our banking system and suggests one policy change that would prevent banks from taking risks and collapsing.
Mar 27, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1032
The mayoral ad wars have begun
The race for mayor is heating up ... on TV. Rebecca Rhynhart, Allan Domb, Jeff Brown, Cherelle Parker and Helen Gym leap into the fray.
Mar 24, 2023•14 min•Season 1Ep. 1031
How do we reduce youth gun violence? Start by listening to them.
In this guest commentary, a North Philly native who was shot, spent time in prison, and now works in schools offers ways to engage local youth to end gun violence
Mar 23, 2023•12 min•Season 1Ep. 1030
Using our sports teams to clean up litter
In this episode of Ideas We Should Steal, we look at Columbus, Ohio and Memphis, Tennessee, where their sports teams (the Columbus Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies) encouraged citizens to get out and pick up litter. Could a similar contest help clean up Philly streets?
Mar 22, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1029
The tragedy of (and antidote to) our criminal justice system | p.1
Join us for part 1 of this emotional panel from our Ideas We Should Steal Festival. Hosted by Emily Bazelon, criminal justice reporter for the New York Times, we hear stories of hardship and redemption and a light at the end of the tunnel. Bazelon speaks with Marc Howard (director of Georgetown's Prisons and Justice Initiative) and Cherri Greg (co-founder of the Law and Justice Journalism Project).
Mar 21, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 1028
Ali Velshi | Talking to kids about sex
On this episode of #VelshiBannedBookClub, MSNBC host and Citizen board member Ali Velshi interviews Meg Cabot about her book, "Ready or Not," which addresses the sex life of teenagers. "Teens are having sex," Cabot said, "whether we teach abstinence or not."
Mar 20, 2023•8 min•Season 1Ep. 1027
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