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Dispatch from The Hague: If the Trumps are serious about economic equity, ‘let women flourish’

On May 14, I opened an email titled “An invitation to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2019 June 3-5th in The Hague” and my first thought was “How do I figure out if this is a scam?”

What made it initially so hard to believe was that I was getting invited just before the event without any prior knowledge of the event, let alone submitting an application. Then there was the fact that they were offering to cover my hotel, transport, food and conference ticket. All they wanted from me was to show up and meet with investors who focus on impact companies. Hardly a tough sell for someone like me, a startup founder in the beginning of raising a new round of funding.

I later learned that this was the 10th year of GES and that it was no small endeavor, as it’s co-hosted this year by the United States’ and the Netherlands’ governments and convenes some 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, private sector partners and policymakers from around the world. The organizers had been reaching out to women founders to fix their (at the time) imbalanced attendee gender ratio, which is why I was invited.

I realize the invite to GES sounds like most entrepreneur’s dream come true. And in many ways, it is — I was being chosen without even having to apply — something I later realized thousands of people did as a way of getting into the conference — to embark on a trip filled with lunch at the American ambassador’s mansion, a beach party with lobster and Heineken (when in Rome), and conference networking sessions in lush meeting areas with orchids and velvet throw pillows scattered about. Plus, all the free lattes you can drink.

But there was something looming that did not sit right.

Morgan Berman at GES 2019. (Courtesy photo)

Before I get to that, it is important to understand the purpose of the GES. This conference was not just a general startup event, albeit on a grand international scale. It’s specific focus is to connect entrepreneurs and investors who are tackling four of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): water, energy, connectivity (this is the one my company, MilkCrate, fits into because of our work building mobile apps for nonprofit programs and government initiatives) and food/agriculture.

In addition to the SDGs, there were three overarching themes, one of which was “women empowerment.” Throughout the event, the organizers expressed a desire to show that the co-host countries of the U.S. and the Netherlands were aware of the inequities women face in entrepreneurship, and had an earnest desire to do something about it.

I was cautiously optimistic; they had reached out to me and wanted us to meet investors and provide a growth opportunity for our businesses. They had even asked me to do a press briefing about our MilkCrate’s new contract with the City of Philadelphia to build an app that pays people to pick up trash. Opportunity upon opportunity seemed to be given to me.

The big “but” that I felt — and I was not alone in my concern — was the speaker lineup and how it might contradict the pro-sustainability and pro-woman message. After all, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao was one of the opening headline speakers. In January 2015, she resigned from the board of Bloomberg Philanthropies because of its plans to significantly increase support for the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” initiative — not exactly the actions of someone in line with SDGs. Then there are her numerous ethically compromised activities around family finances and campaigning related to her father’s China-backed business and her husband’s election fundraising activities.

I’ve already written a bit about how I wish I wasn’t referred to as a “Female Entrepreneur.” I don’t mean I wish I was a man, or that I wish I had access to the other 98% of funding that men get, although I do want that number to change for myself and all the other women founders struggling to fundraise. What I do mean is I wish my gender wasn’t something worth talking about in the context of my job. But we humans keep creating a world where that matters. And thankfully, this conference is making a point of highlighting both countries’ efforts to correct these major imbalances that exist around the world — something I truly deeply applaud and appreciate.

Unfortunately, Ivanka Trump’s role and words at the event have stuck with me the most.

Morgan Berman (L) with other GES 2019 attendees. (Courtesy photo)

She was presented as the closing act, the representative of women entrepreneurs and our champion. She was there in part as the face of the new Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, a cross-agency push to address women’s economic inequity worldwide in partnership with agencies like the U.S. Department of State and the Peace Corps. But it was whispered that this was a strategic swap to avoid having her father attend and cause even more criticism from the international delegates who by and large do not approve of our president or have confidence in his ability to lead the world’s most influential country.

In her opening remarks, Ivanka described the new initiative as the first effort by a U.S. administration to create a plan to support women entrepreneurs in the developing world, with goals to support 50 million women by 2025 with an initial $50 million of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development. However, NPR reported that last year the Trump administration proposed a 35% cut for global gender-equality programs (which was thankfully blocked by Congress).

These are not consistent messages and bring into question the authenticity and intentions behind this initiative and something that challenges her suitability to represent women entrepreneurs or pro-women causes at all, let alone at such a high profile event. Then, of course, there’s her own business’ unethical practices — similar to Elaine Chao’s — of using her unelected political position to promote her own personal financial interests in her now-defunct business.

At GES 2019. (Courtesy photo)

In the interest of not coming off as incapable of seeing the good that people can do alongside doing very bad things, I will give credit where it is due.

At the summit, there was an invite-only “Power Lunch” for some of the women entrepreneurs. At my table, we were asked to share a barrier we are facing, and I shared that my fiancé and I want to start a family soon after our wedding. This prospect has me filled with excitement and anxiety about how as a startup founder marrying another startup person — where will we find the time, money, and emotional space to take on this new venture of a baby? I also feared what my current and future investors would think or do if I shared my intention to start a family soon.

Thankfully, at least one investor (our largest, actually) broached the subject with me a few weeks ago at lunch. I asked him what he thought about it and he warmly replied  “Do what you want!” and then offered his summer home for our honeymoon.

I am so lucky. I know this. And I still worry about how we are going to do this with all the support we do have. It’s terrifying and deeply frustrating to be at this moment in my life and not feel safe to take the leap. So I can only imagine how women with fewer resources must feel in this moment of pre-baby planning. And on the flip side, if I were a woman with an unplanned pregnancy, what would my chances be of wanting to start or continue both a company and the pregnancy? I’ve never met a female founder in the early stages of her company who was also building a family, planned or otherwise. Not one.

So when Ivanka said, “In the developed world, we have challenges” and mentioned child care and paid family leave as solutions, I was surprised and grateful. These are truly important changes we need to make in our society and I’m really am glad she is giving these important issues attention.

However, as she continued, Ivanka also talked about how her new initiative’s third pillar is focused on fighting “laws or norms where women don’t get the same chances” as men. Hearing her remarks, all I could think about was how this same administration, the one her father is running, has done it’s hardest to elect judges and support policy that curtail women’s choices when it comes to reproductive health and abortion, creating a barrier that harms and impedes millions of women’s economic growth worldwide.

If you are not a women’s policy buff, you might not know that the United States has not only been curtailing abortion rights at home, we’ve been exporting this dangerous policy abroad by way of what is called The Mexico City Policy, also better known as “the global gag rule.” Basically, if an organization is even counseling women on the existence of abortion, they will no longer be eligible for any U.S. funding. This applies to groups providing HIV care and other reproductive health services. The consequences of this gag rule to women and their families are very real, medically and economically.

This policy has been turned on and off, depending on the administration in charge with all too predictable consequences. Bush reinstated it, Obama removed it. Guess who reinstated it again? Trump. It was one of his very first acts in office.

My government is directly contributing to the reduction of health care services women receive because we don’t want health care providers to even talk about abortion. While I appreciate Ivanka’s championing of childcare and the new program to extend more debt financing options, it is an incomplete picture of what is needed to make sure the unequal barriers that exist for women are completely eliminated. And since they weren’t taking questions from the audience, I did what anyone with a Twitter account would do:

Last time I checked there were almost 56,000 impressions on my tweet. I hope she was one of them.

Toward the end of Ivanka’s talk, MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga joined her onstage to announce a new corporate partnership to bridge the credit gap that prevents women from getting loans to secure or grow their businesses. Ivanka spoke about how many countries keep women down both through policy and cultural norms and about what is right or wrong for women to do in society, to which Ajay said, “That’s stuff that needs to go out with the last century.”

I couldn’t agree more, but I don’t think either of them realize that while they are doing some much needed good in the world they are also both contributing to a pinkwashed representation of an administration that is also creating major barriers for girls and women all over the world.

We need to repeal the global gag rule. Stop attacking reproductive rights at home. Move our policies into the 21st century. Stop placing restrictions on women’s economic growth by constricting our control of our bodies. Let women flourish so we can all become the fullest versions of ourselves.

I want my government to know I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by having been selected to attend, and for having the confidence in me and in my ability to represent my country at such an important gathering. I could have chosen to write only positive things from GES. But I knew if I didn’t speak up, that really, I’d just be listening to that little voice in my head — the one that says “Shut up and be grateful! Don’t bite the hand that pays for your ticket to Europe to eat lobster on the beach and incalculable mini lemon tarts.”

But then I’d be giving into the same sort of self-serving ethical gymnastics Elaine and Ivanka and Donald are all too well known for — the ones that serve their own interests above the collective good. So maybe I won’t be invited back. Or maybe they will ask me for a list of more women to invite next time. Or maybe Ivanka will wake up and realize her father gives every impression that he hates women and that she should stop working as administrative camouflage, and step up and actually do something brave. Or absolutely nothing will change.

Either way, I hope those investor leads work out. I certainly met a lot of them. So, thank you, GES. What you do, what you represent, is what we need more of in this world to help entrepreneurs grow through connections, investment and promotion.

Also, universal healthcare would help. And affordable higher education. Oh, and reproductive rights too.

-30- Source: https://technical.ly/philly/2019/07/08/morgan-berman-global-entrepreneurship-summit-if-the-trumps-are-serious-about-economic-equity-let-women-flourish/

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WATCH: Surveillance Footage Captures Suspects Wanted For Stealing $60,000, PS4 From Bensalem Home

BENSALEM, Pa (CBS) — Police in Bucks County are asking the public for help tracking down burglars that stole approximately $60,000 and a PS4 gaming system from a residence. The theft happened at a home on the 700 block of Bridgewater Road in Bensalem on June 30.

credit: Bensalem Police

Police describe one of the suspects as a male who was wearing a white hoodie and black pants, along with two other suspects described as tall and thin, dressed in all black with their hoods covering their faces.

If you have any information about these suspects or the incident contact Bensalem Police at 215-633-3719.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/07/09/watch-surveillance-footage-captures-suspects-wanted-for-stealing-60000-ps4-from-bensalem-home/

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Six things to know about new Eagles linebacker L.J. Fort

The Philadelphia Eagles addressed a need on Thursday morning by reportedly signing free agent linebacker L.J. Fort.

But who the heck is L.J. Fort, exactly?

In order to answer that question, I thought it’d benefit BGN readers to get a Pittsburgh Steelers perspective on him. In order to do that, I reached out to good friend Jeff Hartman (@BnGBlitz) of Behind The Steel Curtain. Here’s what he had to say.

1) Can you summarize L.J. Fort’s stint in Pittsburgh?

Fort was a tremendous special teams player, but really came into his own as a sub package linebacker for the Steelers last year. He was the closest thing to bridging the gap between Ryan Shazier and whoever steps into that role next. He is a solid player, very athletic and covers extremely well.

2) What’s the reaction to him leaving? Should the Steelers have kept him?

A large majority of the fan base wanted Fort retained. He is a good insurance policy at ILB, and reports are stating the Steelers did try to retain him, but failed due to the Eagles giving him a better offer. He is a very hard worker, a journeyman, and played well when the team finally gave him a chance.

3) What are Fort’s strengths?

As I said before, his strengths are as a sub package player. He is not an every down linebacker. He is fast and athletic, which helps in coverage schemes. Since the Steelers play a lot of sub package defense, he saw the field a lot in 2018 and was able to do more than enough to solidify the position for the remainder of the season. Fort is also a very solid blitzer, when the Steelers gave him a chance to do so. Even though he only registered 1 sack last season, good blitzing isn’t always told by the overall number of sacks a player racks up.

4) What are Fort’s weaknesses?

For all the positives he brings in athleticism and coverage, he is a bit on the light side and isn’t as strong in the run game. If an offensive lineman gets to the second level he struggles shedding the blocker and making plays. He is best suited to play in space, and would be subbed out during goal line, short yardage and obvious running situations.

5) Do you believe he can be a starter?

He could be in the right scheme, but as I said earlier he is a good insurance policy. I would tell fans to expect a solid special teams player, and a part-time player who does well in sub packages. If he is starting it usually signifies a void on the defense he is attempting to fill.

6) Anything else to know about Fort off the field?

Not really. Fort was a good player on the field, and never an issue off it. A team oriented individual who has spent a lot of time in other NFL locker rooms. His experience is very valuable to any franchise.

For more Steelers perspective, check out this BSTC article on Fort. And the reaction from Steelers fans:

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2019/3/14/18265782/lj-fort-eagles-steelers-linebacker-philadelphia-pittsburgh-nfl-free-agency-profile-highlights-news

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Skaters are so fed up with potholes at FDR Park that they're accepting donations to fix them on their own

You’re all set!

Billy Penn will land in your inbox every morning around 7:00 a.m.

You can add news@billypenn.com to your contacts to stop overzealous spam filters from eating our messages.

Source: https://billypenn.com/2018/10/11/skaters-are-so-fed-up-with-potholes-at-fdr-park-that-theyre-accepting-donations-to-fix-them-on-their-own/

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White Allies, the “We the People Rally” Is Your Time to Put Up or Shut Up

Opinion

Calls for a “diverse” crowd to confront what’s shaping up to be a gathering of white nationalists put black and brown lives in danger. White folks need to deal with their people on their own.

White nationalists and counter-protesters clash in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017. Photo by Steve Helber/AP

Political ideologies are expected to clash when the controversial “We The People Rally” hits Independence Mall on Saturday.

The organizers have asserted that “too many times our voices are drowned out by the voices on the left” and declared that the “Silent Majority must make a stand now.” If you consider to be one of the “Patriots, Militia, 3%, constitution loving Americans” or feel “pro good cop, pro ICE, pro law and order, pro life, pro American value, pro gun and anti illegal immigration,” you’re invited.

Despite how racially polarizing all of this sounds, the organizers want attendees to know that “any violence, racism, or display of hate by any group or individual is extremely prohibited” and that they will remove individuals displaying such behavior. However, organizers will also “not be held liable for bodily injury or personal damages.”

If you have to go out of your way to include a disclaimer that your event is not a hate rally, chances are that it is.

Case in point: On Wednesday, Comcast fired a 10-year employee who had been targeted in a viral petition for alleged ties to a Pennsylvania chapter of the Proud Boys — an all-male organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed a hate group — and a role working security at We the People.

At best, the organizers are being naive about the type of participants they’re attracting to the event, if not downright careless. All of this is triggering for a Black queer man like myself who knows too well the dangers of hate rallies going off the rails. I still haven’t fully processed the “Unite the Right” rally that took place last year in Charlottesville, which featured violent confrontations between participants and counter-protesters and ultimately led to the deaths of a local activist and two Virginia state troopers monitoring the event. It’s easy to imagine Philly, a city known for its large-scale demonstrations, becoming even more contentious than Charlottesville.

Which is why calling on people of color and other marginalized groups to counter-protest this rally is reckless. For the first time in a long time, I simply do not think diversity is the answer — an activism that so clearly risks violence requires white people only.

This week, organizers affiliated with the International Action Center, PushBack Campaign, and Workers World Party have been calling on “im/migrants, people of color, LGBTQ folks, women, Muslims, Jews and all workers who oppose racism and bigotry” to show up to oppose We the People. Organizers have put together a counter-rally of their own, which on the surface seems laudable — but it lacks a strategic consideration for the marginalized groups they are defending. Why should people of color yet again put themselves in harm’s way to confront hatred that they aren’t responsible for?

To put it bluntly, white supremacy is a white-people problem, and those who consider themselves allies and/or accomplices in the community should tackle it head on.

If people truly believe that Saturday’s We the People Rally is going to be filled with hate, bigotry, and racism, what good will it do to subject people of color to it? As one who has stood on the front lines of grotesque protests, I can tell you that the hate being spewed only further harms me physically, emotionally, and socially. It’s already enough that marginalized communities have to confront daily onslaughts of racism in their professional and personal lives. Black and brown people should not be expected to endure even more hate when there are others much more obligated to pick up this labor. And, as always, white people hold the privilege of being protected during such protests by police and others far better than people of color are.

Too often I am asked by white people what can they do to make things better. This is one of them — showing up to confront others in your group who are making matters worse for the rest of us. If you agree with the sentiment that all of us are created equal and deserve equity and access, then you have to put some real skin in the game. When potentially dangerous rallies come to our city, stop asking black and brown people to do the labor you collectively have yet to do. White people have to do more than just cheer on social media or cling to marginalized people for inspiration — they have to actually have to leverage their privilege to protect us as well.

In other words: White people, get your people.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2018/11/16/white-counter-protest/

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Snap count analysis: Golden Tate sees limited playing time in his Eagles debut

Here’s a breakdown of the snap counts from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-20 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10 of the 2018 NFL season.

OFFENSE

The offensive line played the entire game for the first time since Week 4 (Brandon Brooks only missed one snap in Week 4, close enough). Jason Peters usually has to come out but he didn’t on Sunday night.

Alshon Jeffery only had four receptions for 48 yards despite the fact he played nearly the entire game and saw eight targets. He dropped some passes.

Jordan Matthews still saw a significant workload even with the Eagles trading for Golden Tate. Tate only played 18% of Philly’s snaps and only saw three targets. The Eagles gave up a third-round pick for this guy who is only guaranteed to play seven more games in Philly.

Wendell Smallwood edged out Josh Adams and Corey Clement in playing time. Adams saw the most carries of all three backs with seven. Smallwood only took two carries but he did have three receptions.

Zero targets for Dallas Goedert. You know, it’s not like the Eagles’ struggling offense could use the dynamic player Philadelphia traded up to acquire in the second round this year.

DEFENSE

Avonte Maddox saw some playing time in the slot with Corey Graham returning on the back end on Tre Sullivan also sees snaps at safety.

The Eagles primarily went with a three-man defensive end rotation. It’s clear they don’t trust rookie defensive end Josh Sweat to play much.

Newly claimed defensive tackle T.Y. McGill saw the third most DT snaps. Eagles just had to cut DeAndre Carter to rush to sign this guy.

SPECIAL TEAMS

It was thought that newly acquired Cre’Von LeBlanc could be the nickel cornerback. He only played on special teams, however.

DID NOT PLAY

Inactives: Lane Johnson, Darren Sproles, Jalen Mills, Sidney Jones, Nate Sudfeld, Deiondre’ Hall, Matt Pryor

Active: Nick Foles, Jordan Mailata

Mailata has yet to play an NFL snap this season despite being active for two games now.

Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2018/11/12/18087018/eagles-vs-cowboys-snap-count-analysis-golden-tate-limited-playing-time-philadelphia-debut-nfl-2018

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Team Announces Promotional Schedule

PHILADELPHIA — OCT. 18, 2018 — The Philadelphia 76ers announced today details to its promotional schedule for the 2018-19 season, tipping off with tonight’s home opener against the Chicago Bulls at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and 97.5 The Fanatic. All fans in attendance will receive a promotional T-shirt, courtesy of Independence Blue Cross.

The promotional schedule includes five “Spirit of 76” Friday games, presented by StubHub. At each “Spirit of 76” game, the 76ers will wear their City Edition uniforms on a tribute court, featuring a custom-designed center-court logo, recognizing the rich history of the city of Philadelphia and 76ers basketball. The team will also wear its City Edition uniforms on Nov. 9, April 4 and April 10 in addition to the below “Spirit of 76” games.

“SPIRIT OF 76” NIGHTS, PRESENTED BY STUBHUB:

Friday, Nov. 16 vs. Utah Jazz

Friday, Nov. 23 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Friday, Nov. 30 vs. Washington Wizards

Friday, Dec. 14 vs. Indiana Pacers

Friday, Jan. 11 vs. Atlanta Hawks

76ers fans will be delighted to know that some of their favorite activations from last season will be back for the 2018-19 season, including Wendy’s Frosty Freeze-Out, Chick-fil-A Basketball Challenge and Honda’s Half-Court Shot. Media may click HERE for b-roll of last year’s Frosty Freeze-Out and HERE for a lucky fan hitting the half-court shot in the Chick-fil-A Basketball Challenge.

Frosty® Freeze-Out, presented by Wendy’s®: The Wendy’s Frosty Freeze-Out will be returning this season and now includes an enhanced fan promotional offer. The day after an opposing player misses two consecutive free-throw attempts in the second half of a 76ers home game, fans can receive free menu items by mentioning the “Wendy’s Frosty Freeze-Out” at participating Philadelphia Tri-State area Wendy’s locations (no purchase necessary). The tiered and enhanced offer includes:

The first time the opposing player misses two consecutive free throws in the second half: Fans will receive a free Small Frosty.

The second time the opposing player misses two consecutive free throws in the second half: Fans will receive a free Small Frosty and free Small Fry.

The third time the opposing player misses two consecutive free throws in the second half: Fans will receive a free Medium Frosty and free Medium Fry.

Chick-fil-A Basketball Challenge: Beginning tonight and occurring at select games throughout the season, one lucky 76ers game attendee will have 40 seconds to make a layup, free throw, three-point shot and half-court shot. If the participant makes all four shots in the allotted time, fans in attendance may use their 76ers tickets at participating Chick-fil-A restaurants the following day to redeem one free chicken biscuit.  Offer will be available until 10:30 a.m.

Honda Half-Court Shot: At five games this season, one lucky fan will have the opportunity to shoot a half-court shot to win a Honda Accord.  

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS 2018-19 THEME NIGHTS AND PROMOTIONS INCLUDE:

Opening Night, presented by Independence Blue Cross: Thursday, Oct. 18 vs. Chicago Bulls

Military Appreciation Night, presented by Toyota: Friday, Nov. 9 vs. Charlotte Hornets

@Sixers Social Night, presented by Xfinity: Wednesday, Nov. 21 vs. New Orleans Pelicans

76ers vs. Nets, presented by Tastykake: Wednesday, Dec. 12 vs Brooklyn Nets

Chinese New Year Celebration, presented by Temple University: Tuesday, Feb. 5 vs. Toronto Raptors

Australian Heritage Night, presented by Four N’ Twenty: Thursday, Feb. 21 vs. Miami Heat

Franklin’s Birthday, presented by ShopRite: Saturday, Feb. 23 vs. Portland Trail Blazers  Go Green Night, presented by PECO: Tuesday, March 5 vs. Orlando Magic Fan Appreciation Night: Wednesday, April 10 vs. Chicago Bulls

DOLLAR FOOD NIGHTS

$1 Hot Dogs: Monday, Oct. 29 vs. Atlanta Hawks

$1 Pretzels: Thursday, Nov. 1 vs. Los Angeles Clippers

$1 Popcorn: Monday, Nov. 19 vs. Phoenix Suns

The 76ers anticipate sellouts of all 41 home games during the upcoming 2018-19 regular season. However, individual game tickets are now available through StubHub.com, the Official Ticketing Partner of the Philadelphia 76ers. For groups of 10 or more, fans can email tickets@76ers.com.

Fans interested in season tickets can register for the 76ers official season ticket waitlist, Club 76, by visiting sixers.com/JoinClub76. For more information on all ticket availability and the Club 76 season ticket wait list, please call 215-339-7676 or email tickets@76ers.com.

Source: https://www.nba.com/sixers/team-announces-promotional-schedule-0

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Score Free Or Pay-What-You-Wish Admission To 22 Attractions In Philly During Wawa Welcome America

Philly takes the Fourth of July very seriously. Block parties, concerts, fireworks shows and more taking place throughout the whole week leading up to Independence Day for the blockbuster Wawa Welcome America festival (June 29 – July 4).

Some of the city’s best museums and attractions even offer free or pay-what-you-wish admission to visitors on select days during the six-day July 4th fest. This year, more museums than ever — 22 total! — invite visitors to explore their collections for free or a donation.

Culture lovers can see the impressive permanent and special exhibitions on view at places like the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and The African American Museum in Philadelphia for a handsome discount.

And some institutions, like the National Constitution Center and the Rodin Museum, are open for extended hours on their free museum day.

Read on for our guide to all of the awesome free and pay-what-you-wish museum days for Wawa Welcome America.

Source: https://www.uwishunu.com/2019/06/free-or-pay-what-you-wish-admission-to-22-attractions-in-philly-during-wawa-welcome-america/

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Lane Johnson sees Carson Wentz taking it to another level this year

Getty Images

Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has never been shy about standing up for quarterback Carson Wentz, bashing Donovan McNabb this offseason for questioning Wentz. Now Johnson is talking up Wentz again.

Johnson said Wentz, who has been rehabbing a back injury this offseason, is working hard to be ready to go for, hopefully, a full healthy season.

“I love it, every day when I go in the building, all I see is him in there before everybody else, rehabbing, doing whatever it takes.” Johnson said on NFL Network. “I just think he’s really on a different mental state than he’s ever been as far as training and ignoring distractions and really trying to be the best player he is. So, I just see that worker and a guy who is about to do some big things this season.”

For two straight years Wentz has been hurt and Nick Foles has been leading the Eagles in the playoffs. But the Eagles showed by signing Wentz to a contract extension that they believe he is the future of the franchise. Johnson believes that too.

Source: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/07/09/lane-johnson-sees-carson-wentz-taking-it-to-another-level-this-year/

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Rebel Ventures pitch youth-powered corner store at Full City Challenge

Jarrett Stein kept apologizing to the crowd for his public speaking.

On a cold rainy Tuesday morning, the Rebel Ventures co-executive director told a roomful of food justice advocates and advisors that he first started as a nutrition teacher at George Wharton Pepper Middle School, and he was “terrible” at it. His students told him too, he told the crowd, eliciting laughter.

Stein was part of one of five finalist teams vying for a $5,000 prize to pilot a project designed to tackle the city’s growing problem of hunger. But the Full City Challenge, a joint effort by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia and the Philly news website Billy Penn, offers more than just the chance to win money, any startup or lean nonprofit knows, can go fast.

The initiative aims to fold in the resources of the partnership  — and the networks that both organizations bring to the table — to help the winning team execute its pilot and fulfill its mission.

The benefits include six months of free co-working space at the Cambridge Innovation Center in the University City Science Center, strategic and technical assistance from the Economy League, and continued coverage from Billy Penn for the winning team. All five teams received one-on-one coaching from the online fundraising platform GoFundMe as well as the chance for matching funds up to $2,500 for the project that raises the most through the site. Another resource? Each other.

I participated as an advisor in a rapid incubator workshop that rainy Tuesday. One immediate sign that Full City was a different breed of challenge: Competition was not the vibe. I watched as these finalists introduced themselves with a 5-minute pitch, complete with an extremely intimidating timer the size of a classroom wall. Yet even with the giant egg timer looming, they worked with each other to refine proposals.  They were vulnerable. They were honest about what they didn’t know. And they were supportive of each other because they knew that no single pilot or project could solve Philadelphia’s poverty and hunger issues.

The feedback the participants gave each other — “Don’t be afraid to project!” “It wasn’t clear to me how you’d spend that $5,000, make sure you specify.”  —strengthened each project concept. 

By the end of the day, collaborations seemed all but inevitable. (“We grow leafy greens that would be great in a smoothie!” “You know I’m always looking for more local farms for strawberries.” “We could grow strawberries!”).

Feasibility is key when courting funders, especially when the challenge involves something as sexy and intangible as innovation, and as critical and urgent as hunger and poverty.

I sat with the Rebel team as they workshopped their concept for a youth-powered corner store that offers affordable, nutritious snacks and disrupts the current supply chain.

Stein’s co-executive director, Tre'Cia Gibson, joined us in the afternoon after class at the Community College of Philadelphia, where she is a freshman. She’s worked with Stein on the Rebel concept since she was a sophomore at Parkway West High School. The college freshman has a lot to do with the organization's model and mission to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into kids’ daily regime. Their first product, Rebel Crumbles, boasts more than 1 million sold to the Philadelphia School District’s breakfast program.

Rebel currently employs eight students and they hope to use the prize money to employ eight to 12 more at the aptly named Rebel Market. For brick-and-mortar retail mentorship, they partnered with two West Philadelphia businesses that celebrate fruits and vegetables—Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice in Cobbs Creek and plant-based Honest Tom’s Taco Shop in Spruce Hill.

Source: http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2019/02/18/rebel-ventures-pitch-youth-powered-corner-store-at-full-city-challenge

[costchard98-blog]

The One That Got Away: Marian Carson’s On Washington Square

South Washington Square, December 1959. (PhillyHistory.org)

The six, second-floor windows look out on Washington Square. They’re not very high, not even at the tree tops. On the outside they appear to be adjacent houses, except they are one, bought and joined together by Marian S. Carson, the widowed, single mother of two girls who traded their sprawling farmhouse in Bryn Mawr for whatever city life might offer—an unusual and bold move in the mid-1950s.

Across the square, Mayor Richardson Dilworth’s colonial replica was under construction. He’d move in, too, staking out a social/political/urban commitment that inspired the city’s first wave of gentrification. At Washington Square’s quieter southwest corner, Carson was more interested in the authentic, the vintage—the actual and historical. Her pair of rowhouses would be connected on the second floor creating a double-wide parlor, a gracious, even palatial room of more than 1,000 square feet. There she’d raise her daughters, host salons of sherry-sipping editors from nearby publishing houses and conduct a decades-long game of show-and-tell with collectors of all stripes from all over the United States.

Marian Carson had the stuff of history. She inherited much from generations of collectors on all sides. And over the decades she added acquisitions in great sweeping swaths as any seasoned, capable collector would—if they had the chance.

Visiting Marian never failed to be a treat, or a tease—depending on what she chose to share with you, or promise you might get to see next time. Behind those windows, you’d encounter early American gems of cabinetry illustrated in the volume  (Blue Book, Philadelphia Furniture) that she and her first husband William McPherson Horner, Jr. compiled and published privately in 1935. Visits often went beyond the woodwork and into the broader strokes of history. The tables in Marian’s parlor would be littered with specimens accumulated over the generations and added to in her own time: paintings, watercolors, archives, manuscripts and photographs. Not any photograph, mind you, but the first self-portrait (now known as the first selfie) by pioneering daguerreotypist Robert Cornelius. Marian might have had Francis Hopkinson’s toast to his friend George Washington from 1778, published in the Pennsylvania Packet, but she certainly had the original manuscript in Hopkinson’s songbook, purchased in Paoli at a consignment shop where a Hopkinson descendant had left it.

Home of Marian S. Carson 704/706 South Washington Square, December 1959. (PhillyHistory.org)

An early printing of the Declaration of Independence? Marian had one of two known copies of a July, 1776 printing from New York City. A post-humus portrait drawing of George Washington himself by Charles Balthazar Julien Févret de Saint-Mémin? Marian’s dated to 1800. A depiction of the senate of Liberia, a new nation settled by former American slaves? Marian’s watercolor was from 1856.

After an hour of looking at such treasures, one welcomed the calming view of sycamore branches out on the square.

Marian developed a revised vision of what history could and should be about. It would move away from celebration by those fortunate enough to inherit heirlooms. Her vision accommodated those who might make the past part of their lives and the life of their communities. As Marian expressed this shift, this awakening, in the 1977 reprint of her Blue Book, it would be “a new breed of informed collector” whose labors, explained historian Robert V. Remini, “would include research, public forums, restoration and publication, not simply acquisition.” This was Marian’s new creed as steward and collector. That commitment, as well as her vast collections, would make Marian a target for scholars, curiosity seekers, curators, librarians, philanthropists and collecting institutions.

In her later years, when Marian answered the doorbell at 706 South Washington Square, she looked frail, at first. But the more knowledge and appreciation shared, the younger she’d appear. For those who made it inside, it would be a decades long courtship requiring persistence, but most of all, patience.

It cane to an end in the mid-1990s, when Librarian of Congress James H. Billington stepped over the threshold for the first time. With the generous help of his James Madison Council (described by The Washington Post as “the wealthiest Friends of the Library group in the world”), Billington’s people negotiated a combination gift and a $2 million purchase of more than 10,000 manuscripts, photographs, paintings, books, broadsides, letters and official documents valued at approximately $6 million.

In the Fall of 1996, at a celebratory dinner in the Library of Congress’ Great Hall, Billington called the acquisition nothing less than “the most significant acquisition of Americana by the Library of Congress in this century.”

Good for the Library of Congress. Not so good for Philadelphia, where much of what Marian Carson had so much context and made so much sense.

Other collections got away over the years, but nothing quite like this one.

[Sources: Marian S. Carson Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Reading Room, The Library of Congress; Sarah Booth Conroy, “Philadelphia Stories,” The Washington Post, October 14, 1996; Bernard Reilly and Gail Fineberg, “Library Acquires Carson Collection,”LOC Information Bulletin, October 21, 1996; Gathering History: The Marian S. Carson Collection of Americana, (Washington, D.C. Library of Congress, 1999); Gayle Ronan Sims, “Marian S. Carson, 98, preservationist,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 16, 2004.]

Source: https://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2019/07/the-one-that-got-away-marian-carsons-on-washington-square/

[costchard98-blog]

Game Preview | Team Tries to Sweep Homestand

Scene Setter:

Throughout his four-year NBA career, T.J. McConnell has always been among the first 76ers (16-8) to take the floor - home or away - for pre-game warm-ups.

This year, nothing’s changed. On the contrary, his work ethic has at times seemed even more fierce and determined, his on-court training starting even earlier, and ending later.

This correlation is no coincidence to Brett Brown, one of McConnell’s staunchest supporters since the Sixers signed the Arizona product as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2015.

“I think he’s doubled down, I think he’s worked harder,” said Brown.

Thanks to his trademark, determined mindset, McConnell has subsequently been ready recently when called upon.

He was terrific in Friday’s one-sided 123-98 victory over the Washington Wizards, finishing with 15 points (his second-highest total of the season), two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

“I’m just doing whatever this team needs me to do, whatever Coach needs me to do,” said McConnell. “Just trying to get us some Ws, and bring energy like I always do.”

The wins have been coming frequently lately - three in a row, and eight times in the Sixers’ last 10 games. The club will enter the finale of a three-game homestand Sunday tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for second-place in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s great,” McConnell said Friday of his impressions of this year’s team. “Since I’ve been here we’ve had great guys, and we again have great ys this year. It’s fun to play with them, and off the court they’re great as well. We just got a great locker room.”

Belying this enjoyment, though, is McConnell’s tenacious and meticulous approach to preparation. He makes it a point to constantly be in the gym.

“It just never ends,” said Brown of the pace of the long, 82-game NBA season. “You’re always doing something, or you should be doing something. Some people don’t. He does. And he goes harder. And he’s heard me say all the time, ‘This is life - it’s opportunity.’ You have zero idea when somebody wants you to play.”

 And here the Sixers are, on the cusp of heading into the heart of the 2018-19 schedule, with McConnell making valuable contributions.

Thinking back on nearly two decades of NBA coaching experience, Brown can recall a couple other good examples of players habitually keeping themselves fresh, and their teams reaping the benefit.

As an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs, Brown had a second-row seat for Steve Kerr’s ridiculous performance off the bench in Game 6 of the 2003 Western Conference Finals (see highlights below). The Jeremy Lin effect in New York during the 2011-12 season also came to Brown’s mind.  

“TJ’s story is real,” Brown said. “None of us should expect it to be any different knowing who he is. Give him credit where he came in, and he’s capable of playing minutes because he’s maintained his fitness base.”

Opponent Outlook:

Sunday will bring the Sixers’ second and final go-round of the season with the Memphis Grizzlies (13-8). Memphis halted a season-high three-game losing streak Friday, with a double-overtime win at Brooklyn. Rookie big man Jaren Jackson (19 years, 76 days) made a bit of history in the marathon contest. With a career-high 36 points, he became the second-youngest player in league history to hit the 35-point mark. LeBron James remains the youngest.

Follow Along:

• Audio: 97.5 FM The Fanatic / Sixers Radio Network

• Video: NBC Sports Philadelphia / NBC Sports MyTeams app

Source: https://www.nba.com/sixers/news/game-preview-team-tries-sweep-homestand

[costchard98-blog]

12/04/18: Gary Giddins Bing Crosby: Swinging on a Star: The War Years, 1940-1946 - Parkway Central Library

Gary Giddins | Bing Crosby: Swinging on a Star: The War Years, 1940-1946

Tue, December 4, 2018 7:30 P.M. Add to your calendar Parkway Central Library

Cost: FREE

Gary Giddins is the author of the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning Visions of Jazz: The First Century, “a grand, brilliant history" (The New York Times Book Review). Jazz columnist at The Village Voice for 30 years, his other books include Weatherbird: Jazz at the Dawn of Its Second Century, Faces in the Crowd, and biographies of Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker. Giddins teaches at the City University of New York Graduate Center and was prominently featured on Ken Burns’s landmark Jazz documentary series. Drawing on scores of interviews and unprecedented archival access, his latest book is the second installment of his multi-part biography of America’s quintessential crooner. 

Adult Author Events Speakers and Lectures Author Events - Free Series Author Events Biography & Autobiography Music

Source: https://libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/event/79491

[costchard98-blog]

Healthcare.gov System Hack Leaks Personal Information Of About 75,000 People

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Tens of thousands of people had their personal information exposed after a hack of a computer system that works with the Healthcare.gov.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) says there was exposure of about 75,000 people through the direct enrollment pathway.

The portal allows agents and brokers to help consumers with their applications for healthcare coverage in the exchanges.

CMS in a statement says, “Accounts exposed by the hack were deactivated, and the direct enrollment pathway was disabled.”

Suspicious activity in the computer system was initially investigated on October 13, with the breach confirmed three days later.

A CMS administrator says open enrollment, which begins next month, will not be impacted.

Officials say Healthcare.gov and the Marketplace Call Center are still available to customers.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2018/10/20/healthcare-gov-system-hack-75000-people/

[costchard98-blog]

Why Philly landlords are fighting Blondell Reynolds Brown over lead

Claire Wilson’s family drama started with a curious infant.

The Wilsons were delighted to watch their only child, Jude, grow — slowly and simultaneously so fast — as babies do. One month, he was lying on his tummy; the next, he was rolling to both sides; and then, he was moving all over the floor of the row house they rented in South Philly.

“He was crawling on an area on the floor, and maybe he put his hands in dust,” Wilson said. “He was … exploring and putting things in his mouth.”

The Wilsons had no clue that something was irreversibly harming their baby. Invisible particles of lead-based paint were pouring from windowsills and baseboards onto the floor; and from there, inevitably, into Jude’s mouth. They saw none of the paint flakes doctors typically warn about.

Then, at a check-up when Jude was 9 months old, their pediatrician took a routine blood test and the Wilsons’ world came crashing down. The blood test showed extremely high lead levels in Jude’s blood; they were seven times over the 5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) threshold that indicates elevated levels.  

“We were terrified,” Wilson said. “We didn't know anything about lead poisoning, it wasn’t something that we had ever learned about before. So we were very scared as to what that could mean and how we could protect our son.”

The Wilsons are not alone. Ten percent of children living in 16 zip codes in Philadelphia have elevated blood lead levels, according to 2014-2017 data from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Sixty percent of the kids with high lead levels in the city live in rental units, as Claire Wilson and her family still do. The number of new lead cases identified has decreased in the last 10 years. But a law enacted in 2012 to stop babies from being poisoned has proved not to be effective. Lead poisoned over 1,600 children in Philadelphia in 2017.

A new set of bills introduced in City Council by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown want to expand the current law to make it more effective. Some of Reynolds Brown’s anti-lead bills have already passed Council, but one in particular faces resistance. That bill would require landlords in the city to certify all rental units in buildings built befoew 1978 as lead-free before signing leases.

As the law stands now, the Philadelphia Lead Paint Disclosure & Certification Law requires landlords renting properties built before 1978 to families with children 6 years old or younger to certify that a unit is free of lead. But, according to the city, out of an estimated 22,000 rental units housing kids of those ages, only 5,776 have complied with the regulation.

Colleen McCauley, health policy director for Public Citizens for Children and Youth, says expanding the law to mandate lead certifications for all older rentals in the city would solve the enforcement problem. The Department of Licenses and Inspections could simply deny a rental-license renewal if the Health Department didn’t have a current certificate on file.

“Then everyone complies and it’s not a guessing game where these kids live,” McCauley said. “Also, we know that kids visit other houses and apartments. And sometimes kids are temporarily living in places where they are not actual tenants on the lease.”

According to the Health Department, 38 percent of children with significantly elevated lead levels have a secondary address where they spend time.

A protection the industry deems "impossible"

The bill to make lead certification universal for landlords of pre-1978 buildings faces significant resistance.

Industry lobbyists such as the Homeowners Association of Philadelphia, known as HAPCO, argue that expanding the regulation to all rental units would burden landlords without solving the problem. There’s no legislation forcing homeowners to abate lead, for example, although the city could sue parents neglecting their own children, said Harvey Spear, HAPCO’s president.

“It should be universal, for everybody and everywhere. But that’s impossible,” Spear said.

Impossible because L&I has limited inspectors to enforce such a regulation, Spear said, and because there’s a limited amount of lead professionals doing certificate inspections in the city.

“I manage over 30 buildings, over 300 apartments, and we have probably two children in Center City that live in the buildings,” he said. “It’s impossible for me to do lead-paint testing for 298 apartments.”

The opposition has slowed the bill, but advocates said Thursday that they hope to see City Council vote by June 20, when it breaks for summer.

“I thought my child was safe"

The Wilsons never got a lead certificate, and they didn’t know to ask for one — their South Philly row home was old, but clean and in good shape. If Reynolds Brown’s bill becomes law, landlords like the one the Wilsons had won’t be able to renew their rental licenses without lead certificates.

“I thought my child was in a safe environment,” Wilson said. “We thought that our landlord gave us the information that he was supposed to, and that he was compliant.”

But he wasn’t. Jude is now 18 months old. He has already tested low for communication skills and is undergoing developmental and speech therapy. But it will take years for the Wilsons to find out the full array of consequences those few months of lead exposure will have on their son.

Science shows that no amount of lead is safe. Even at low levels, lead exposure in children can cause lower IQ, slowed growth, behavior and learning problems, anemia, and hearing problems. Some observational studies have linked early childhood lead exposure and future violent behavior or criminal activity, but direct causality hasn’t been proven.

“It’s a terrible feeling as a parent to know that you’ve allowed your child to be in an environment where they’ve been poisoned, and that from 9 months on, this is something that will irreversibly affect him for the rest of his life,” Wilson said.

Very few landlords voluntarily comply with the city’s current lead law. Between 2012 and 2017, the Health Department received a total of about 1,500 certificates. The number is a small fraction of the total rental units housing Philadelphia children over that five-year span, experts say.

The main problem, city agencies testified at a March Council hearing, is that there is no way for public agencies to know which of the approximately 270,000 rental units in Philadelphia shelter children.

Reynolds Brown told PlanPhilly that the low compliance rates were not anticipated when the current legislation was written. The law was a compromise reached after 18 months of negotiation, she added, saying it’s imperative for it to be revised.

The city has made efforts to increase compliance. L&I has started asking landlords renewing their rental licenses to affirm that they either have no children in their units or that they have submitted lead certificates to the Health Department. But L&I has no way of knowing if a landlord is telling the truth.

The Health Department has been using its immunization database to estimate where babies and toddlers live and sends letters to landlords asking for lead certifications. As of January, the department has sent 6,100 letters, given 2,500 code-violation notices to those who didn’t respond, and got about 4,000 new certificates.

“While that represents progress, it still means that 70 to 75% of children in rental properties are not protected by the current law,” said Thomas Farley, the city’s health commissioner.

Moreover, the current law doesn’t include rental units managed by the Philadelphia Housing Authority or that are part of the Housing Choice Voucher program because those are subject to federal requirements administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Erica Miller, a mother of six, said that’s unfair.

Four of her kids have been poisoned by lead —  16-year-old Khalide, 9-year-old Makhi, and 3-year-old twins Micah and My’ell, three of them while living in public housing in North Philadelphia. The twins have speech problems. Makhi has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and needs special classes at school. Khalide has had severe behavioral issues since preschool, has been arrested three times, and is currently on house arrest with a GPS around his ankle.

“That’s probably what I have to look forward with the rest of the kids,” Miller said.

She said it’s devastating to see the problems they have when they’re trying to socialize — their behavior is so overwhelming that it overshadows all of their other qualities. Or to compare them with their straight-A sisters who didn’t got lead poisoning.

“It’s always a phone call, about ‘Oh, your child did this or did that, can you come pick him up?,’ or ‘They’re getting suspended.’ So it’s always ... if you’re not at the doctor, you’re back to school; if you’re back at school, you know, it’s always something,” Miller said.

When Miller moved into the house where her kids got poisoned, she didn’t have an option. The house was old, but nice, she said. She remembers she was given a mandatory pamphlet about lead, informing her about the risks. But in the five years she lived there, she said, she never got a lead inspection. That changed when she informed PHA that her kids tested high for lead.

“When they showed up to my house, they had a whole hazmat suit on ... and that’s when the real worry starts to kick in,” Miller said. “If you can’t come in here and breathe it, like we’ve been here breathing it, then I know that this got to be crazy, this got to be something serious. Because, why are you protected and we’re not?”

But guarding against lead costs landlords, For that reason, the current law can create a perverse incentive for discriminating against families with children. While landlords renting to families with kids have to pay for lead certifications and remediation, those who avoid having children in their units can also skip the extra financial burden.

Kaitlyn Kubiak was 8 months pregnant with her first son, Sterling, when her landlord told her she had to move out. Kubiak was sharing a house with her younger sister near the Frankford Transportation Center, in North Philadelphia.

“He told me specifically I had to leave because he does not rent out to people with children under the age of 5, due to possible lead poisoning in the building that he was fairly certain was there and he didn’t want to be held liable,” Kubiak told PlanPhilly.

Kubiak, who is 23 and unmarried, had no savings and no support to make the move. She was working from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. at Wawa, preparing physically and mentally for her new son, when suddenly she found herself in need of a new place to live. She was saved by her employer, who gave her $2,200.

“It was a very stressful time,” Kubiak said. “But I got through it, and I don’t want anyone else to have to go through that.”

Sterling is now 14 months, and free from lead.

Lead certificates for all

In 2016, after realizing how little the lead-paint disclosure law had accomplished, Mayor Jim Kenney took the issue in hand and released a plan to increase enforcement of the law.

An advisory group including over 20 members from city and state agencies, tenant and landlord organizations, health providers, children’s advocates, and legal services look a deep look into what needed to be done to strengthen the regulation. The drive for a universal lead certification came out of that process.

HAPCO argues that the proposed requirement would add $3,000 in repairs to the cost of every housing unit. Landlords would pass the cost onto tenants, raising rents in a market already struggling with a shortage of affordable units. The increase could push tenants with less money into the unlicensed rental market, where they are even more vulnerable to hazards like lead.

Public Citizens for Children and Youth says HAPCO’s calculations are wrong.

PlanPhilly price-shopped for solutions, to see how much it would cost to check for lead in a two-bedroom apartment built before 1978. Out of 10 emails sent to lead-remediation services, six individuals or companies responded in a window of two weeks. Some offered lead inspections or risk assessments, others offered lead certificates or abatements. It wasn’t easy for a reporter to understand what was actually needed and in what order. Prices varied from $120 to $446 for a lead certificate, and from $400 to $960 for a lead-based paint inspection. That did not include the cost of fixing the problem.

In addition to those costs, a landlord could lose rental income.

“The landlords would probably lose a month of rent. Because you can't test until the prior tenant vacates. Then we would have to wait to get someone to do the test and then wait for the results,” Spear said.

Which is why a second recommendation of the lead advisory group is to increase funding for landlords to remediate properties if they show financial hardship. Councilwoman Reynolds Brown told PlanPhilly her office has explored that suggestion, but currently there’s nothing in the existing legislation addressing that issue.

Baltimore and Rochester, New York, reduced lead poisoning in children by about 90 percent legislation like the bill now under Council review. Reynolds Brown said that the law did not increase rents or put landlords out of business.

“If Rochester and Baltimore were able to figure out how to overcome the barriers, surely with smart leaders from all stakeholder groups, Philadelphia can do the same,” Reynolds Brown said in an email.

Source: http://planphilly.com/articles/2019/06/07/why-philly-landlords-are-fighting-blondell-reynolds-brown-over-lead

[costchard98-blog]

Meet 3 companies that are hiring at NET/WORK Suburbs

Next week, jobseekers will want to head to Paoli for Technical.ly’s annual job fair, NET/WORK Suburbs. The event will be held at Turn5’s 90,000-square-foot headquarters, offering room for “so many activities” and a cornucopia of professional perks, such as resume reviews, headshots, bevs and bowling.

As always, we’ve got the scoop on some of the companies you’ll want to mingle with when you get there. Let’s take a look at who to meet.

Register

Back in May, this thriving B2B customer experience agency — which specializes in engineering websites, apps and physical experiences — acquired MaassMedia, grabbing up expertise in big data and analytics. (Late last year Hero acquired Delphic Digital as well.)

Yet growth hasn’t changed the ego-free, “all are welcome” vibe of a company that prides itself on hiring people who are driven but feel like family.

“It’s refreshing how everyone is treated,” said Talent Acquisition Lead Toby Pool. “The top leadership team is out in the open. Anyone can schedule time with the CEO. The work is good and the people are happy.”

The company is actively hiring across all departments, with an extended lineup of project-management openings and talk of future growth in data and analytics.

This healthtech company recognized the overwhelming confusion and complexity of navigating health benefits, and the resulting neglect of personal healthcare across America.

Accolade combines technology with the personal touch of a designated health assistant to help individuals understand their options and make better health choices every day.

“At the end of the day, what we do filters down to actually helping people in their lives,” said Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist John Conner.

“We want to hire people who are passionate about what they’re doing. It’s challenging engineering work, and you know it’s helping someone,” said Conner.

Accolade’s Plymouth Meeting location is looking to fill a range of positions, especially engineers of all levels with experience in Java, Python, AWS and microservices, and data engineers experienced with SQL.

The largest independent fintech firm is helping more than 8 million Americans plan and save for the big stuff — like retirement, college and healthcare — using intuitive technology that lives in its proprietary cloud.

The “people-first” company believes in empowering its employees to create the careers they want. As it’s open door policy states, “If you have an idea, we want to hear it. If you have a vision, we want you to share it. If there’s a better way, we want you to find it.” Much like the approach it takes towards financial planning for its customers, Ascensus offers career planning for its employees, including over $5,000 in educational assistance annually and a mentorship program.

There are career opportunities aplenty at Ascensus, with openings for pros across engineering, information technology, marketing, finance, operations and client services.

-30-

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Source: https://technical.ly/philly/2018/10/12/meet-3-companies-that-are-hiring-at-net-work-suburbs/

[costchard98-blog]

New Building Filling Long Vacant Lot on 2nd Street, With Demo Across the Street

New Building Filling Long Vacant Lot on 2nd Street, With Demo Across the Street - OCF Realty

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Source: http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/northern-liberties/new-building-filling-long-vacant-lot-2nd-street-demo-across-street