Issues Facing Philadelphia—and Visions for the Future

With important elections on the horizon, the shape of a post-pandemic Philadelphia continues to emerge. While there are promising signs, new approaches are needed to solve persistent challenges, including public safety, housing affordability, and the need for quality jobs for all.

On Wednesday, April 12, The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Every Voice, Every Vote initiative hosted a live webcast featuring expert insights on the current state of Philadelphia and what residents think about their city. A panel discussion explored potential solutions to some of the city’s biggest problems—as well as what approaches a new crop of local leaders may need to take. Pew’s president and chief executive officer, Susan K. Urahn, provided opening remarks.

The event marked the release of Pew’s 2023 “State of the City” report, which includes comprehensive data on public safety, jobs, the economy, housing, public health, and more—often benchmarking Philadelphia with other major cities. In addition, it marked the recent release of The Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote citywide poll results, which shed light on residents’ views of the city.

Agenda

Welcome and opening remarks

• Susan K. Urahn, president and CEO, The Pew Charitable Trusts
• Donna Frisby-Greenwood, senior vice president, Philadelphia and scientific advancement, Pew
• Jim Friedlich, executive director and CEO, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

‘State of the City’ 2023 key findings

• Katie Martin, project director, Pew’s Philadelphia research and policy initiative

Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote poll findings

• Julia Terruso and Aseem Shukla, Philadelphia Inquirer journalists, on behalf of The Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote initiative

Panel discussion

Moderator:

• Michael O’Bryan, founder/principal, Humanature, and distinguished resident fellow, Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation, Drexel University

Panelists:

• The Rev. Luis Cortés Jr., founder, president, and CEO, Esperanza
• Wil Reynolds, CEO and vice president, innovation, Seer Interactive
• Akira Drake Rodriguez, assistant professor, Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania
• Dr. Adriana Torres-O’Connor, president and CEO, Mental Health Partnerships

Audience Q&A

Closing remarks

• Elinor Haider, senior director, Pew’s Philadelphia program

Continue the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PhillyStateoftheCity

For more information about The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, including its Every Voice, Every Vote initiative.

The views expressed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, its Every Voice, Every Vote initiative and its partners, and the event moderator and panelists are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts.