bookmark_borderOccupy Philly Events

Mon Sep 30
6:00pm Act-UP Weekly Meeting – St Luke’s Church Basement – 330 S. 13th St Between Pine and Spruce

Tue Oct 1
7:30pm Books Through Bars Packing Cafe – The A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave

Wed Oct 2
6:00pm Money Out of Politics working group/ Philly Rootstrikers – Friends Center

Fri Oct 4
12:00pm Bubbas and Zaydas for Peace in the Middle East – 19th & JFK

Sat Oct 5
11:00am Books Through Bars Packing Cafe – The A-Space 4722 Baltimore Avenue

Sun Oct 6
2:00pm PHARE/Wells Fargo working group – 1706 Race St.

5:00pm Long Term Organizing MDU working group – Ethical Humanist Society, Rittenhouse Square

On Monday the corporate school reform crowd are holding a closed door assembly of rich people and their foundations to further their aim of unfettered charter school growth, privatization and union busting. Meanwhile our public schools are being systematically starved of resources.

The connections between the condition of our public schools and the growth of corporate influence in public education are becoming clearer to more and more people. And their fighting back. On Monday four things are happening.

Fight For Philly Action at 12:30pm at Grover Cleveland Mastery Charter (19th and Erie Ave) The conference participants will be touring this school at this time and an “unwelcome” is planned. For more information visit the Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/1383118675256438/

Support Khepera Charter School Teachers in Their Fight for a Fair Contract

Assemble at 3:30, Bargaining Session at 4:00
Khepera Middle School Campus (144 Carpenter Lane) School staff at Khepera Charter, one of the few unionized charters in the city, have been working for a year without a contract in the face of the administration demanding give backs that will hurt students and teachers alike. The staff, along with some parents, are picketing and during the negotiation session. They have called for community supporters to join them.

Youth Action: Bring The Noise Students are planning to send the corporate reformers a message by staging a loud protest from 4:30 to 6pm at the Union League, targeting the budget cuts, tax breaks for corporations and expanded prison construction. For more details visit their event page at: http://www.facebook.com/events/185020475017297/

Alliance For Philadelphia Public Schools is holding a rally and picket at 5pm., also at the Union League, to “speak out against corporate control of our public schools and to fight for fully funded public schools!”

PCAPS supports all of these initiatives and urges people to come out in the spirit of building broad, grass roots, resistance to the corporate agenda of austerity and privatization. This agenda is being advanced in the guise of charitable giving and philanthropy. Our schools need full and fair funding, not charity by self interested parties. If hedge funds and corporations want to help public education we suggest they pay their taxes like the rest of us.

Monday, September 30, 7:00pm, Community Meeting to address neo-Nazi Rally, A-Space Anarchist Community Center, 4722 Baltimore Avenue

To discuss and plan how to oppose the annual white supremacist event “Leif Ericson Day Celebration”, a community meeting will be held Monday, and the public is invited to participate.

From Philadelphia Residents Against Racism (http://leifericsondayprotest.wordpress.org/)

Community Alert: Neo-Nazis plan to rally and march in Fairmount Park.

Where: Thorfin Karlson Statue, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

When: October 19th, 2013 @ 10:30 AM

What: Stand up to racist hate and bigotry of all kinds.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that Matter” – MLK Jr.

For the past 7 years, the city of Philadelphia has played host to a gathering of Neo-Nazis right under the noses of it’s residents.

This gathering, known as “The Leif Ericson Day Celebration” is organized, promoted, and attended exclusively by members of Neo-Nazi organizations. In past years the gathering has drawn upwards of 50 hardcore racists and fascists to Philly and served as an recruiting and organizing tool for the main organization involved, the Keystone State Skinheads (KSS).

In addition to KSS, past Leif Ericson day celebrations have been attended by members of the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC), The American 3rd Position Party/American Freedom Party (A3P/AFP), Volksfront (VF) , The Vinlanders Social Club (VSC) and the Hated Skins. All of those groups are considered hate groups by several independent organizations including the Southern Poverty Law Center, The Anti-Defamation League and the FBI. Furthermore, individuals who have attended past Leif Ericson day celebrations have been tied to racist terror organizations such as Blood and Honour and the KKK.

KSS has announced their event for October 19th in Fairmount Park. If past years are any indication, they will do a very short march in formation down lemon hill at Noon and attempt to lay a wreath and make speeches at the statue at the statue of Thorfin Karlson along Kelly drive.

We plan to mobilize a huge continent of Anti-Racists, progressives, and all good people of Philly to the Thorfin Karlson statue. THIS WILL BE A PEACEFUL PROTEST. Please bring any signs, banners, noise makers or drums in order for our contingent to block/drown out the hate-speech of the Nazis.

We intend to stand together in defiance of racism and all forms of bigotry. Won’t you join us?

In solidarity, Philadelphia Residents Against Racism PhillyRAR@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 2, 7:00pm, New MOSAIC Open Mic, Oct 2013, A-Space Anarchist Community Center 4722 Baltimore Ave, W. Philly

Featuring Elijah Pryor, hosted by KhansciouStorm, Wed. Oct 2nd, doors open at 7pm, Free- donations appreciated.

Bring your spoken word pieces, poems, songs, instruments, essays, short stories, rants, flyers, political announcements and updates on your organization to the New Mosaic Open Mic. Acoustic only

Children welcome but content of performances may be mature, this is a drug & alcohol free event, free refreshments

MOSAIC is Movement of the Oppressed Sectors Acting in Concert, based on the work of West Philadelphia Political POW Russell Maroon Shoatz. Learn more about Maroon at http://russellmaroonshoats.wordpress.com/

Thursday, October 3, 11:30am – 2:00pm, Drexel Medicine Fall Health Fair, The Shops at Liberty Place Rotunda, 16th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia.

It’s the annual Drexel Medicine Fall Health Fair. Come for free health screenings* and talk with Drexel Medicine doctors and staff to learn more about arthritis, asthma, cancer awareness, heart health, dermatology, diabetes, eye care, sleep medicine, women’s health and much more. *The free health screenings available are: Blood pressure, Vision, Skin cancer screening.

Sunday, October 5, 12pm, Rally for Immigrant Dignity, Respect, and Family Unity , LOVE park, Philadelphia.

60+ cities throughout the country are holding actions in support of just and humane immigration reform on Saturday, October 5th. The Pennsylvania rally will be 12-2pm, starting at LOVE Park in Philly (1599 John F. Kennedy Blvd). After that we’ll march – while banging pots and pans – over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at 16th & Callowhill to demand an end to all deportations.
Hundreds of people from all over Philly and Eastern PA will be coming in for the rally. Come march with us! Want more information? Contact: Nicole@sanctuaryphiladephia.org or JorgeSalazar@paimmigrant.org. Call 215-279-7060.

Saturday, October 5, 12:00pm, Silent Death Walk, 12th & Market Sts.

Friends – As unending war continues, the United States’ DRONE BOMBINGS IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN,YEMEN, and SOMALIA are still killing unarmed and innocent civilians. We walk with banners showing a drone bomber and hand out leaflets to inform people on the street that this is being done in our names. We oppose the wars and all bombings and have walked monthly for almost 4 years.

We will do the DEATH WALK on SATURDAY, October 5, 2013 from 12:00 pm. – 1:00, meeting at 12th & Market. Please wear BLACK, we will bring plain white masks and will be sure to have some extra masks. Several people will hold signs and banners, two others will pass out leaflets. We will continue to carry signs opposing U.S. DRONE WARFARE and TERRORISM, which is the killing of civilians.

While walking in the manner of a SILENT DEATH WALK we bring attention to the wars and the victims in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries where drones are used.  This is street theater, thus we keep to the form of single file, silence, masks and black clothing. Our leaflet is intended to educate the public on U.S. drone warfare.

Peace, with hope that you will join us.

Sunday, October 6, 11:00am-5:00pm, FIGMENT Phila 2013, Clark Park, 45th and Regents Sts.

FIGMENT is an explosion of creative energy. It’s a free, annual celebration of participatory art and culture where everything is possible. This inaugural year in Philadelphia, it will transform Clark Park into a large-scale collaborative artwork.

Over 40 projects by dozens of artists and teams will be placed throughout the park for you to explore. At FIGMENT Phila, you aren’t just a spectator: you help bring this event to life. Everything is interactive, and you CAN touch the art!

Come see. Come participate. Come play.

For more details about the event, what to expect, and what to bring: http://phila.figmentproject.org/about-figment-phila/event_details/

FIGMENT Phila will happen rain or shine!

Saturday, October 12, 2:00pm, March Against Monsanto Philadelphia, Independence Mall

Be The Change You Want To See !! Volunteer Now !!

We need your help! Do not be shy! We will guide you and teach you how to be effective and help our mission!

Be a part of history! Help organize the LARGEST global march ever conceived in human history against corporate greed and the genetic bio-hazard we loath, Monsanto Company.

Drop us a line email : mamphilly@gmail.com SOLIDARITY !! March Against Monsanto Philadelphia. Call (267) 586-9545, http://mamphl.org/, #MAMPHL

We will not stand for cronyism. We will not stand for poison. That’s why we March Against Monsanto.

Saturday, October 12, 2013, 3:00pm, PHILLY TRANS* MARCH 2013, LOVE Park, Philadelphia.

Philly Trans* March is not only a rally and demonstration, but rather a revolutionary movement. Open to people of all gender identities, expressions, and experiences, Philly Trans* March welcomes everyone to join in this MARCH TOWARDS EQUALITY and protest against the hate, social injustice, and inequality faced by trans*, gender variant, gender queer and gender non-conforming communities.

PTM is also a CELEBRATION of the triumphs we have experienced in our city and the unique resources Philadelphia offers to our community. With an aim to increase Trans*, GV, GQ and GNC visibility and to gain equality, Philly Trans* March is an affirmation of our beauty, strength, and diversity. Organized by members of Philly’s trans*, gender variant, gender queer and gender non-conforming communities and our allies, this endeavor is committed to creating a safer, more inclusive environment for everyone.

This October Philly Trans* March will host it’s first PTM Advocacy Awards, giving much deserved recognition to those who have stood on the front lines in support of Philly’s Trans* community and the fight towards equality.

After we march, and return to LOVE Park some of our most creative local Trans* talent will rock the stage and help bring the event to a celebratory wrap-up!

Come One, Come All as EVERYONE is welcome to attend this monumental event! Bring your friends, your signs, drums and beautiful selves and rally in solidarity at PHILLY TRANS* MARCH 2013! LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD!

**this is an all ages event ***a van will be on site to transport those with disAbilities who wish to march but are unable to.

The U.S. Court of Women on Poverty, Eastern Region will take place in Philadelphia, October 18-20, 2013. Activists from around the eastern U.S. and beyond will gather to tell the stories those in power wish to keep untold. Throughout history, women have been victimized by the brutality of men and by the denial of access to land, wages, and resources. The World Courts of Women help expose the treatment of women as violence, as brutality, as violations of basic human rights and dignity.

The Court will include personal testimonies, jury statements, skill-sharing workshops, and community outreach. Over 3 days, the Court will raise our consciousness, change how we think and talk about poverty and injustice, develop alternative visions for the future, and craft strategies and proposals for action.

Our aim is to connect peoples from the various communities (nationally and internationally), to record and discuss the different injustices that people have been experiencing because of poverty, and to develop ways to struggle against social exclusion and exploitation that too often affects women. The WCW helps name women’s experiences as violence and as unacceptable in the world we want to help build. In telling our stories, we will contribute to building a vision and a movement that can help change the world.

How You Can Get Involved

·Spread the Word: Tell friends, neighbors, co-organizers and people you meet. Like us on Facebook. Write letters to the editor about the WCW.

·Tell your story: You are not alone. Tell us how you experience poverty or violence so we can compile this into the court record. We want to hold the system accountable for the suffering it causes to women and their families. Post your story on our wiki (uswcweast.wikispaces.com) or email us at uswcweast@gmail.com.

· Come to Philadelphia: Come to learn, bring your friends and fellow-organizer/agitators, be part of the program October 18-20, 2013

. Register here.

·Organize in your community: See our page for “Links and Resources” to hold your own local World Court of Women to document human rights violations in your locale. Bring the story of your community to the larger world.

Please email us at uswcweast@gmail.com if you or your organization are interested in supporting and/or attending WCW Philadelphia 2013. Also see our page “Support WCW” for more information about types of assistance needed

Join a Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference Working Group. It doesn’t matter where you live, we want you to be involved!

After an incredibly successful conference in 2013, with 3,200 people attending the 3-day conference and related events, we are already underway with the 2014 planning process.

Regardless of where you live in the country, we welcome you to get involved in the planning process by joining a working group – or even a few! Working groups are utilized to develop programming and outreach for specific identity and content areas. These groups communicate primarily via e-mail (Google groups), as well as through conference calls and in person, if possible.

The call for working Group Members and New Working Groups will be until the date of the retreat (to be announced)

-All Working groups need to appoint a liaison (if not already done), as well as all returning member needs to update forms for 2014 working group.

-October 4,2014 is the deadline for all submissions into working groups

-Oct 15, 2014 “House Motto” to be submitted. All committee members photo and bio as well  

To see more specific information about the working groups, see the 2013 National Working Groups page here, http://www.trans-health.org/content/join-working-group-form

Events listed here include Occupy Philly related events as well as other social justice events. For more updates be sure to check the Occupy Philadelphia Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OccupyPhiladelphia. Your support is greatly appreciated!

bookmark_borderPhiladelphia Visitor Center

Discover American History at the Philadelphia Visitors Center
Discover American History at the Philadelphia Visitors Center

Welcome to Philadelphia! How Can We Help You?

Located in Independence National Historical Park, the Independence Visitor Center is the official visitor center of Philadelphia and the region, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Character actors, musicians and story tellers offer free entertainment and education. The Visitor Center is located adjacent to The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Independence Hall
It was in the Assembly Room of this building that George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775 and the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. In the same room the design of the American flag was agreed upon in 1777, the Articles of Confederation were adopted in 1781, and the U. S. Constitution was drafted in 1787.

To tour Independence Hall, you will need a ticket from March 1 – December 31, except July 4th and Thanksgiving Day when no tickets are required.

Free, timed tickets are available on the day of your visit at the Independence Visitor Center. Tickets can also be reserved in advance at 1-877-444-6777 or www.recreation.gov (there is a $1.50 reservation fee per ticket for tickets reserved in advance). The first tour starts at 9:00 a.m. For free, walk-up tickets, you may request tickets for any available time on the day of the visit only. A limited number of tickets are distributed to tour Independence Hall each day; therefore, ticket availability is best during the first two hours of the day (8:30 – 10:30 a.m.) If all tickets have been distributed by the time you arrive for pick up, please return to the Visitor Center the next morning at 8:30 a.m.

The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell’s inscription conveys a message of liberty which goes beyond the words themselves. An earlier bell for the Pennsylvania State House was cast in London, England, however, it cracked soon after it arrived in Philadelphia. Local craftsmen John Pass and John Stow cast a new bell in 1753, using metal from the English bell. The Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly had a Bible verse placed on the bell: “Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof”(Leviticus 25:10).

As the official bell of the Pennsylvania State House (today called Independence Hall) it rang many times for public announcements. Since the bell was made, the words of the inscription have meant different things to different people. The old Pennsylvania State House bell was first called the “Liberty Bell” by a group trying to outlaw slavery. These abolitionists remembered the words on the bell and in the 1830s adopted it as a symbol of their cause. Since then, the Liberty Bell has traveled around the country and its message of liberty has been heard around the world.

Today, it silently reminds us of the power of liberty.

bookmark_borderWissahickon High School Commencement

 
More Pictures From the 2013 Wissahickon High School Graduation

Due to the threat of extreme weather, the Wissahickon High School Commencement was postponed a day and held on the June 14, 2013. The school district said:

Dear Parents and Guardians, I am writing to inform you that we are postponing the Graduation Ceremony to Friday, June 14, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. Please understand that this was an extremely difficult decision to make. As explanation, in normal circumstances, we would graduate from our field and if it rained, our back-up plan would be to move the ceremony inside. This developing weather event, however is shaping up to be anything but “normal”. Our latest update is that the late afternoon will bring severe thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, flooding and a possible tornado. In addition, there may be widespread power outages which would affect even an indoor graduation event. Our first priority always is the health, safety and welfare of our students, staff, and the community. It is not advisable to hold an event of this magnitude and importance with the threat of severe weather in our community. As an extra precaution we also contacted Mr. Steve Beck, School Safety Coordinator for Montgomery County Department of Public Safety and local police who concurred with our decision considering the magnitude and severity of this storm. I know that this may create an inconvenience for some of our families who have visitors traveling from out of town, however, I cannot risk the safety of our students and families. Graduation is an important culminating activity. It is our hope that by making the change to Friday we will be able to have the ceremony in a safe situation that is memorable and meaningful for all. I thank you in advance for your support and understanding given this extremely serious situation and I look forward to sharing this once in a lifetime event with your children and families. We will keep you updated throughout the day on Thursday through the District’s Web site. Please click the headline for a weather briefing presentation. Sincerely, Judith M. Clark Superintendent of Schools