In conversation with Ernest Owens

A consultant and writer in the fields of civic activism and government reform, Brett H. Mandel served as director of Philadelphia’s Financial & Policy Analysis Unit in the city controller’s office, was a member of the Tax Reform Commission, and was assistant policy director of the Philadelphia Independent Charter Commission. Co-authored during his stint in the city controller’s office, his book Philadelphia: A New Urban Direction won the 1999 Association of Government Auditors Special Project Award. Mandel was also executive director of the National Education Technology Funding Corporation and executive director of the citizens' organization Philadelphia Forward. Told through the story of the corruption case of John Dougherty and the machine politics that foster corruption, his new book illustrates the ways our inattention gives way to corrosive politicians and policies, the effects this blight has on the soul of Philadelphia, and how collective action can lead to a better city for all.
 
Ernest Owens is editor-at-large for Philadelphia Magazine, host of the podcast Ernestly Speaking!, and president of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. His book The Case for Cancel Culture was published in February, and his other work has been featured in a number of media outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post, and NPR. He teaches media and journalism at Cheyney University.