Update April 2: The city records office has requested an extension to process documents related to the removal of the encampment. I have also added more links in context in the story below. Update: As of March 19, at noon Eastern, Mayor Parker's office has not replied to
If mutual aid is new concept to you and you're overwhelmed with how to create mutual aid in your community, here's two small things you can do now.
We've been talking a lot about Spring cleaning, and decluttering, and the ways to circulate resources through your community that you might be finished with. Going through your closet is a great way to start, identifying items you may have worn last year that don't fit,
It's a hidden fact (more popular by the day) that you can volunteer at the Philadelphia Flower Show and get free admission. I've volunteered at three separate shows, and saw drastically different exhibits each time. It's become something I look forward to and even
Join The Platia on March 3, to learn what to do when you see someone possibly overdosing on the street. You can sign up at this link, but keep reading too! We'll go over the signs to identify if someone needs help, how to use Narcan, CPR sheets,
This is not a Platia event, but a separate event run by the organization C.R.O.P.S. in nearby Atlantic City, New Jersey. I continually look to C.R.O.P.S. as I explore food systems, because of the way they're thinking about who gets
Misinformation often begins accidentally, just from a lack of knowledge. And misinformation about harm reduction abounds, from not thinking addiction could happen to you or your loved ones, to believing people on the street deserve their circumstances, to not understanding how needle exchange programs can help. But what happens in
As a journalist I try to have people who report to me on rapid response events take what's called "street medic training." Also called "Stop The Bleed," these are the kind of skills you should know if you may be in prolonged protest and
There are so many people who can benefit from community that it sometimes feels disorienting to know where to begin. But instead of waiting for someone to hand you a grand plan, you can do a small point of action today to make a connection with a neighbor. This is
When I'm asked why a newsroom with a focus on harm reduction talks so much about food and eating, I remember that the culture around food that we see online is one of luxury. It's a culture of new restaurants and of the current place to
Welcome to a new year. We've got a lot to do and The Platia has a few classes on offer already. In January, The Platia is hosting a deescalation event that is at capacity. If you want to attend the next one, please let me know. In February,
If you're new to The Platia, thank you so much. Let me take a moment to explain what The Platia is, and why I believe happiness and civic success is tied to information sharing. The Platia [ plat-e-uh] comes from the term for the village meeting space
