Small Businesses, Jobs, and Philadelphia's Road to an Inclusive Recovery

With vaccinations increasing and significant federal relief forthcoming, the time is ripe to look toward Philadelphia’s future, with a focus on achieving an inclusive economic recovery. How can the city support the creation of new businesses and family-sustaining jobs so that economic growth benefits all Philadelphians and builds community wealth?

Ensuring that the path forward addresses long-term challenges, including racial inequity, requires a clear view of the city’s current state and recent past. With an eye toward that, The Pew Charitable Trusts, in partnership with The Philadelphia Inquirer, presented a livestream event on April 30 offering a look back, plus data and discussions to help plan ahead.

First, Pew experts contextualized the COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts on Philadelphia’s trajectory by sharing findings from Pew’s 2021 “State of the City” report, as well as analysis of new data on the state of the city’s small-to-midsize businesses and middle-wage jobs.

Then reporters from The Philadelphia Inquirer led two panel discussions with local policymakers and economic development experts to explore what inclusive recovery would look like through two lenses: businesses and jobs, with a particular focus on city policies to support growth.

Agenda

• 9 a.m.: Opening remarks
  • Frazierita Klasen, senior vice president, The Pew Charitable Trusts
• 9:05 a.m.: An overview of Pew’s 2021 “State of the City” research and economic findings
  • Elinor Haider, director, Pew’s Philadelphia research and policy initiative
• 9:15 a.m.: Panel discussion on preserving and growing small and local businesses
  • Moderator: Christian Hetrick, business reporter, The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Della Clark, president and CEO, The Enterprise Center
  • Michael A. Rashid, commerce director, city of Philadelphia
  • Rick Sauer, executive director, Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations
• 9:50 a.m.: Panel discussion on supporting and increasing middle-wage jobs
  • Moderator: Ezequiel Minaya, “Future of Work” editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer
  • Dr. Eloisa Klementich, president and CEO, Invest Atlanta
  • Paul R. Levy, president and CEO, Center City District
  • Maria D. Quiñones Sánchez, council member, city of Philadelphia
• 10:25 a.m.: Closing remarks
  • Sophie Bryan, senior manager, Pew’s Philadelphia research and policy initiative

Continue the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PhillyStateoftheCity