Explore: Social Justice

Tagged Social Justice

Blog 20
Events 14

Power Up! for Civic Awareness with the Free Library

September is Civic Awareness Month — a time to engage with our community, learn more about our civic responsibilities, and participate in initiatives that make a difference. In honor of this month, the Free Library of…

Join Us for the Premiere Screening of “The Command Center to Bring Women Home”

Join your neighbors at the Parkway Central Library on Wednesday, November 30 at 6 p.m. for the FREE Philadelphia premiere screening of the new short hybrid documentary film, “ The Command Center to Bring Women Home…

Empathy Versus Misinformation Wrap-Up

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Empathy Versus Misinformation: Transgender Youth series of panels. There has been a lot of interest in transgender youth in the media, and yet so few easy ways to access reliable answers to…

Free Library Seeking Teen Social Justice Fellows!

Are you between the ages of 14 and 19? Do you have a passion and commitment for social justice? Are you looking for an opportunity where you can learn, serve your community, and develop/demonstrate your leadership skills? Would you like…

Lovett Library's Book Walk Continues the Conversation on Race

If you have been to the Lovett Memorial Library recently, you have likely seen the Black Lives Matter book walk prominently displayed in its park. The idea came from Lisa Browne of Colorful Stories . Following the racial justice…

The Social Justice Symposium Turns Five!

Planning and hosting the Free Library's Social Justice Symposium for young people has become an important tradition at the Philadelphia City Institute Library . We held the first Symposium in 2016 and have scheduled one annually…

Indigenous Peoples' Day Philly

Though I’ve lived in so-called Philadelphia for several years, it was only last year that I learned that Lenapehoking is the name of this place so many of us call home. In learning how to acknowledge the ancestral homeland of the…

Race in the United States: Social Justice Virtual Workshops for Teens

Updated Friday, July 10, 2020 4:59 p.m. "The Social Justice Symposium Teen Planning Committee supports the Concerned Black Workers of the Free Library of Philadelphia ! CBWFLP Response to DEI/Board of Trustees' letter We are…

What is "Public History", Anyway?

On Thursday, February 20 , David W. Young will appear at Parkway Central Library to discuss his book, Battles of Germantown: Effective Public History in America . Many Philadelphia residents are familiar with the annual…

Food Insecurity, English Language Learning, and Community Conversations in North Philadelphia

Edible Alphabet is a free English language learning program offered to adults by the Free Library's Culinary Literacy Center . The mission of the program is to teach English language and literacy skills through hands-on cooking and…

Happy Birthday, Frida!

Independence Day isn’t the only famous birthday this week: on July 6, 1907 in Coyoacan, which is now part of Mexico City, the revolutionary spirit Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon was born in a blue house. If you…

Teens Explore Social Justice at the Free Library

by Timmy Lawrence and Geneva Williams, members of the Youth Planning Committee for the 2018 Social Justice Symposium for Teens. Today, more than ever, social issues have reached a pivotal point in our society. Although injustice may…

Remember an Gorta Mór: the Great Famine

Now that the fog has lifted from St. Patrick’s Day, it occurs to us at the Free Library that the holiday is the moment where the fact of an Irish diaspora is felt most strongly in Philadelphia. However, as St. Patrick’s Day…

Second Annual Social Justice Symposium Wrap Up

A little over a week ago, on the same day that a hate-fueled gathering was taking place in Charlottesville, Virginia, a group of teenagers was gathering at a small library in Philadelphia to talk about combating hate. The Philadelphia…

Resources for Responding to Hate

As adults, it’s our job to help the children in our lives make sense of the world around them. After the events in Charlottesville this past weekend, and events around the country in recent months, there seems to be more need than…

Good Food for All: What Does Hunger Look Like To You?

As we gear up for the 3rd Annual Good Food for All Conference with the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger on May 11 at the Parkway Central Library , the Culinary Literacy Center wants to know – what does hunger look…

Love is Love

Looking for something heartfelt and inspiring to read while supporting a worthy cause this Valentine's Day? Check out Love is Love , a 162-page graphic novel from IDW Publishing and DC Comics , honoring the victims, supporting the…

Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin

Every parent's worst nightmare is something bad happening to their child. For Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, that nightmare became a reality when their 17-year-old son, Trayvon Martin, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman on…

One Year of Stories Alive: Looking Back and Planning Ahead

Incarcerated mothers and fathers face many challenges to maintain bonds with their children in the face of difficult circumstances. Limited time in prison visiting rooms is not always enough. Using videoconferencing technology, the Free…

Focus On: Free Library Prison Services

by Ned Scharff A little boy gazes into a Free Library video screen when suddenly a familiar face appears—that of the boy's father, an inmate in a Philadelphia prison. "Dad," the boy exclaims, "Where are you? I…

Bridging Blocks: “Aging in the City”

20% of Philadelphia’s population are over the age of 60 with a record number of them living below the poverty line. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, lower-income older adults spend 131% of their income on…

James Baldwin Reading Group

"The People of Philadelphia Read James Baldwin" is a citywide series of book clubs at several locations across Philadelphia. Facilitated by the Saturday Free School as part of their "Year of James Baldwin." Tuesdays…

Bridging Blocks: Gentrification

Philadelphia has seen a sharp increase in new housing units in the city but, affordability is a huge issue plaguing residents. According to data from The Pew Charitable Trust, the median price for a single-family, entry-level home…

James Baldwin Reading Group

Today We Are Possible Exhibit

"Today We Are Possible" is an exploration of the connections between gender and wealth. Photographer Gregory Wright skillfully captures vibrant and intimate portraits depicting the captivating stories of six remarkable…

Juan Williams | New Prize for These Eyes: The Rise of America's Second Civil Rights Movement

The Author Events Series presents Juan Williams | New Prize for These Eyes REGISTER In New Prize for These Eyes, award-winning author Juan Williams shines a light on this historic, new movement. Who are its heroes? Where is it headed?…

James Baldwin Reading Group

Coffee & Conversations: Open Mic Spoken Word Night

Hold fast to dreams… Join us for an enchanting evening of poetry and community as we gather to share our dreams, honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and give voice to our hopes for the future. Whether it’s a…

The Phillypino Oral History Project: Exhibition

The Phillypino Oral History Project is an intergenerational, community-based oral history and photography project capturing the rich narratives of Filipino immigrants who arrived in Philadelphia, particularly in the 1980’s, after…