People come to Philly because of its historical importance:  birthplace of the nation, home of liberty, we’ve all heard the story.  They come for history, but many neglect to see the city in its current state.  When you walk Market Street, you can feel the people.  So many people, living their lives, buying things, commuting, working.  The air feels alive.  When you walk through Love Park, you feel the activity.  People relaxing, talking, enjoying themselves.  Live music, the bands trying to make a little cash.  Over one hundred shops near Christmas time, selling things you can’t find anywhere else: hand-made ornaments, food you’ve never seen before.  These things make me never want to leave, making life outside of a city seem unbearable.  Too many people miss the most essential part of this beautiful city.  People come and see, but they don’t experience.

What people need to know about the philadelphia community is that it is incredibly diverse. We have west philly, north philly, northeast philly, south west philly, and Center City. Depending on what part of philly your are from your views and opinions can be radically different. Many people deep in west philly know of “the struggle.” They have faced various hardships such as discrimination and hate within the community. However there is also good in community. Within west philly there are many community structures such as community gardens and Enterprise centers to help build small businesses.

People also need to know that Philadelphia is in a bit of crisis. Studies have shown that the Philadelphia School district is subpar compared to districts elsewhere. Furthermore we have an astounding crime rate. Slowly however but surely we are set for improvement and growth. Recently a police station has moved into my neighborhood and more stores and businesses have began to open up in my area. Don’t be surprised if you see articles chronicling Philadelphia as one of the cities with the highest improvement rate.