Philadelphia
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“The Dope Teacher,” Giving Them Something to Lose
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Inside a Philadelphia middle-school classroom where students are building more than skills, and why it might matter more than anyone realizes. The Student Who Wasn’t Coming Back Jamiah wasn’t coming to class. Not late. Not eventually. Not after a warning or a phone call home. She made that clear the first time she crossed paths…
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Erik Sayles: The Anti-Hero of Philly Guitar
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Erik Sayles can play the damn guitar. Don’t just take my word for it. There are witnesses. Over the years, he has played with, recorded with, or shared rooms with people whose names eventually appeared on festival posters and Grammy broadcasts: Jill Scott. Musiq Soulchild. Bilal. Darius Rucker. Questlove. Randy Brecker. Macy Gray. What makes…
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Alyssa Wilmarth: Hooks, High Notes, and Hallelujahs
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One day she’s taking a right hook to the jaw. The next day she’s floating a Puccini aria across the room (think Madame Butterfly). On Sunday, she’s at the Block Church in Northwest Philadelphia, hands raised in worship, leading a congregation through praise songs. And people still ask, “Which one are you?” Alyssa Wilmarth laughs,…
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Philly Tech Rebel: How a Self-Taught Kid Outsmarted Big Business
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Most tech entrepreneurs come from elite universities or have deep venture capital connections. Josh Davidson? He was just a teenager in New Jersey who built websites for fun. In a city where blue-collar work ethic and gritty determination define its proud citizens, Josh Davidson is proving that entrepreneurial spirit is just as much a part…