Results tagged “activism”

Sorry for the late notice, folks, but today is Park(ing) Day! What's Park(ing) Day you ask? It's not a tour of our many parks but rather a day when meter parking spots across our great city get temporarily transformed into mini public parks, courtesy of activists, artists, and various non-profit groups. The event is meant to celebrate green space in cities and also raise awareness for the need for more parks and more ped-friendly spaces and the need overall for better use of public space. The event was started in 2005 in San Francisco and is now sponsored by the Trust for Public Land. It came to Philly for the first time last year and is done with the permission of the Parking Authority (see, they're not that bad). We think it's a pretty great idea and can't wait to see all the little parks. We're betting, though, that it will irk a fair share of motorists, specifically, about 30 of them.

Fun around town, for $10 or less:

We are drumming Japanese, we really think so: The Kyo Daiko performers bang the drums.

In most parts of Pennsylvania, it is still perfectly legal for an employer to fire someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Likewise, a person can be evicted or denied housing. This denial of basic civil rights needs to end, and thankfully, a bill (House Bill 300) was introduced on March 4th in the House of Representatives which would add sexual orientation and gender identity or expression to the list of protected classes under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. The Act currently protects against discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, handicap or disability, education, and the use of a guide dog. The bill was proposed by Dan Frankel (D), a representative from Allegheny County, and has a whopping 79 co-sponsors, from both parties and from all across the state.

We heart Duane Swierczynski and all he writes, even though it scares the shit out of us. The Punisher has that effect as well, so this latest project is a perfect match.

Tomorrow, Saturday November 15th, from 1:30-4PM, Philadelphians will be protesting to join in the solidarity for marriage equality. Appropriately, the rally will be held across from LOVE Park (Broad & Market Streets at Dilworth Plaza), because that's what this issue is ultimately about: Love. And if you don't know why this mattters to everyone, watch this:

It's Book Quarterly time! They got fiction, non, and some excerpts.

It’s bringing Tina Turner to mind: Do we really need another hero? When it comes to Philly sports, the answer is always yes; does Cole Hamels really fit the bill?

Fun around town, for $10 or less:

Given the crime rate in Philadelphia, it's not surprising that there are plenty of children in our fair city with a parent (or two) behind bars. Since children often model their behavior after what they see their elders doing, we could be in for a heap of trouble. According to New York Amsterdam News, children of incarcerated parents are six to 10 times more likely to end up in prison than the average young person.

Phillyist likes supporting good causes, and you can’t get a better cause than breasts. Our lip service pales in comparison, though, to the efforts of five local women, who are raising money to participate in 2008 Philadelphia Breast Cancer 3-Day this October. Each walker must raise $2,200 to take part in the 60-mile trek, and the women, collectively known as Team Bosom Babes, are turning to a time-honored Philly tradition to meet their goal: the Beef & Beer. Join them Saturday, along with WXPN DJ Robert Drake and local band The Modern Hypocrites, at the First Unitarian Church for an evening of music, food from Whole Foods, lots of Victory beer, prizes… and do it all knowing that you are supporting an important cause and allowing people to take part in a rigorous event that, let’s face it, most of us couldn’t hack.

• Bostonist attended the Anime Boston convention and took some glorious pictures of anime fans showing off their costumes at the mall, much to the delight of civilians.
• Seattlest took a trip on Virgin America Airlines and lived to tell the tale of its awesomeness.
• Londonist experienced a total lack of surprise at the chaos, crisis, and near-collapse of famous English reserve at the opening of the hotly opposed new airport terminal T5 at Heathrow.

Ask anyone in an even slightly serious relationship: real change is impossible without good communication. You've got to UNDERSTAND each other; take your little concessions and feel free to make your points; get at that deep seated shit and work it OUT, man. You got to be PROACTIVE, knowwhatImean, be willing to GIVE and TAKE and talk and cry and all that good shit. It’s hard but it’s NECESSARY, youknowwhatImsayin? It’s deep man… hard.

LAist initially met the coolest police officer at the Anonymous protest, and then later caught thousands of UCLA students celebrating spring break in their undies.

March 15 through March 24, starting at 7PM

Did you know that in 2005, women represented 26 percent of new AIDS diagnoses, compared to only 11 percent of new AIDS cases reported in 1990? Or that most women are infected with HIV through heterosexual contact and injection drug use? And did you know that women of color are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, or that AIDS is now the leading cause of death for black women ages 25 to 34?

In honor of Ben Franklin’s birthday, lettuce-clothed PETA activists braved the cold yesterday afternoon to spread the word about animal cruelty. Dressed in nothing but iceberg lettuce, a bit of trim and a stretchy waistband, local Lettuce Lady Nicole Mathews passed out faux-turkey sandwiches, talked to tourists and answered bewildered Franklin Institute attendants in 30 degree cold. All, of course, prompting the perfectly reasonable question, “whaaaa?”

If you have some free time this Sunday and just can't wait to hear more about Mayor-Elect Nutter's vision of "Philadelphia being the next great city," sign up as a volunteer for the The Great Expectations Citizens Convention. Volunteers are needed from 10:30AM-6PM to staff registration tables and act as guides to rooms between sessions. We're betting you'll be able to sneak a peak at some talks while you're at it too, including Michael...

At 12:30 this afternoon, the organization Moms Against Guns will bring its message to the masses from a stage in Love Park. Lynne Korman Honickman, local philanthropist and founder of the organization, was told she'd be "spinning her wheels" if she tried to galvanize women across the state to express their outrage over our appalling rate of gun violence, particularly that against children. This afternoon's rally is the organization's official kick-off; there is already a petition online you can sign if you can't make it downtown for lunch. Monica Yant Kinney's Inquirer column today was devoted to Honickman and her movement; colleague Jane Golden said of her: "She really believes one person can make a difference." Amen to that. Spin on, grandmom, spin on.

According to Phillyblog, there's a protest tonight from 5 to 7 at the Sugar House site on Delaware and Frankford Avenues:

From art and live music to puppetry and comedy, immerse yourself in the local flavor. Come for the outdoor art gallery and poetry, stay for acts like Drake and Philadelphia Slick. All proceeds from the vendors help to support Penn Future, an environmental advocacy non-profit agency.

Girls Rock Philly, the organization, is gearing up for Girls Rock Philly, a week-long alternative music camp for girls aged 10-18. This is the first time Philadelphia will host such a camp (we're slightly behind Chicago, New York, Portland, and Murfreesboro, TN), and they need your help to make this debut really, well, rocking.

Phillyist has a problem with school, specifically that we can't stop going. We're fortunate in that regard, as our current gig allows for free college classes, which we take with impunity. But we also realize we were lucky to have the resources to obtain a decent education, and the related accoutrement, in the first place.

To state the obvious: Spiral Q Puppet Theater is a Philadelphia institution. Combining social activism with larger-than-life puppetry has made the organization a neighborhood favorite in, well, many neighborhoods in the city, seeing as how their folks partner with the community to put on fantastic parades and pageants.

In response to the shootings on the Virginia Tech Campus and the escalating violence on Philadelphia streets, Broad Street Ministries will hold an ecumenical candlelight vigil service tonight at 7 p.m.

On average, women and children in developing countries walk three miles a day to provide clean drinking water for their families. This Saturday, Philadelphia’s acknowledgement of the World Water Crisis will continue with the city’s Third Annual Walk for Water.