By Sharon Emdin Black Americans comprise about 14% of the U.S. population. But only about 5% of doctors in the country are Black, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. A more inclusive medical field benefits both aspiring Black doctors and the communities they serve. Addressing the Black physician gap requires intentional efforts in […]

By Milan Brooks In 2022, America hit a new high score for the most banned books in the nation – 1,477, according to PEN America. LGBTQ+ narratives, people, or stories were contained in 674 of those. Books exploring someone’s sexuality or defying gender norms are seen as “explicit” by parent groups such as Moms for […]

By Mikiah Moore As a teenager, James Ockimey was regularly beat up and chased down the street while walking home from football practice – simply because he was a Black person passing through a white neighborhood in 1980s Philadelphia.  He knew that the discrimination he was experiencing was born out of deep-seated racist stereotypes – […]

By Taylor-Anne Elizabeth Carbon Sheila Hall has been on TikTok since she was 12. She is now 17. Struggling with her spirituality at times, feeling anxious about college, and wondering if other people had gone through similar experiences, she turned to the popular social media app.  On the evening of Jan. 18, the app with […]

By Yassir Williams In Center City, Philadelphia, visitors encounter monuments, statues, and sculptures that shape the history and the art of the city. Here are a few images that might catch your eyes while strolling through downtown Philly.

I’m just an average teenager at Central High School, who decided to start documenting their life through photography—both the hectic school days and the fun moments with friends. I had never used a camera before, so it was a new and exciting challenge. What began as a simple experiment quickly turned into an eye-opening journey. […]

By Mariah Edmonds-Guridy Juliana Luu, like many others, finds herself surprised by just how much time she lets slip past her while scrolling through apps like Instagram. “Why am I complaining? I’m not even doing [anything] to break away,” said Luu, a 15-year-old sophomore at Central High School in Philadelphia, recounting the far too familiar […]

By Amelia Marasigan Nelson Malaika Bhullar no longer lets herself think about ethnicity. A blend of Filipino, Chinese, and Indian, she has Kenyan and U.S. citizenship and speaks English, Swahili, and Korean. Bhullar has never had a one-word answer to describe herself.  “I mean, I’m Asian,” said Bhullar, hesitating, “but it’s formed as a question, […]

By Swapna Kalaparambath At 20 years old, Carmine Picone is no stranger to change. His high school years were a frequent game of adjustment — new schools, cities, and challenges. What changed for him the most wasn’t just the people or places, but the educational opportunities.  As a freshman, Picone started at George Washington Carver […]

By Lucy Yan Around the stately chambers of Philadelphia City Council, two-thirds of the attendees were ready for battle. They donned matching red shirts that read, “We talkin’ ‘bout billionaires,” in stark white font across the back. Tucked in a corner stood the opposition: A conclave of mostly men – a few in neon construction […]

By Rowan Arthur Tioga Station, sat atop the intersection of Kensington Avenue and East Tioga Street, is one of the quieter stations on the El. But the small businesses and rowhouses that surround the station tell the story of what Philadelphia is, at its core. The neighborhood is extremely tight-knit, one where you cannot enter […]

By Madison Bradshaw Within President Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office, he signed an executive order titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” — the culmination of years of conservative resistance to teaching challenging parts of U.S. history. Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have spent recent years requiring schools to remove mentions of race, […]

By Deyon Fullard Fifteen-year-old Shiyah Travis, a sophomore at Friends Select School in Germantown, seamlessly balances the demands of athletics, academics, and her social life. From late January to mid-February, I had the opportunity to follow Travis, capturing her high school experience through photographs. Whether on the basketball court, in the classroom, or spending time […]

By Sasha Laventure Is early 2000s fashion making a comeback in 2025? Fashion, much like history, has a way of repeating itself—and the early 2000s are no exception. In a city like Philadelphia, where youth culture often drives trends, 2000s-inspired fashion has made a noticeable resurgence. On any given day, it’s not hard to spot […]

By Nia Mitchell As a senior at Murrell Dobbins CTE High School, a distinguished Career and Technical Education (CTE) institution, there are several unique elements that set us apart from other schools. The demands are high, with numerous deadlines and requirements, but we also embrace a range of events and celebrations that make the journey […]

By Dylan Jacobson Ahmad Alatmah, an aspiring kickboxer who grew up in poverty in Jordan, selling vegetables to make ends meet, has overcome significant challenges on his journey to success. At the age of 10, Ahmad moved to the United States, where he discovered martial arts and found a path that would shape his future. […]

By Jeffrey Heng The Spoke, the student-led high school newspaper at Conestoga High School (CHS) has told countless stories on the Tredyffrin Easttown (T/E) community in Berwyn, PA ever since its first journalists brought the paper to life in the 1950s. 75 years later, the paper has evolved to a 12-page spread of blood, sweat […]