Teach-in Series

Teach-in Series

Access to Fair Housing

April is National Fair Housing Month. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing.

At Community College of Philadelphia, we work hard to make housing and related resources accessible to students, faculty and staff year-round. In 2021, the College partnered with the Philadelphia Housing Authority to provide low-cost housing for students, with a focus on students with experience in the foster care system. The Shared Housing Program provides housing on North 10th and 11th streets, less than a mile away from Main Campus.

Anthony KeenanStudent and Student Government Association (SGA) Senator for the West Regional Center, Anthony Keenan, moved to Philadelphia in 2020. Everything was going well until an unexpected health issue had arisen. Facing reduced work hours and income, Anthony was living in a homeless shelter on their first-year anniversary in Philadelphia. The College's SGA advisors connected Anthony with the College's Shared Housing Program team, and Anthony was able to move into low-cost housing provided by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. "This program has greatly impacted my life by giving me stability and shelter when I needed it the most. My involvement in this program has allowed me to regain my focus on my academic and career goals. My year two anniversary of being a Philadelphia resident was celebrated with me being in my own place."

Resources related to housing insecurity, legal assistance, and more are also available.

Reproductive Freedom: Whose Choice Is It?

Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | 11 a.m.

Bans. Rights. Facts. Myths.

A discussion about reproductive justice and abortion care. As a response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade and legislation around reproductive rights, this session examined the impact of these policies on a local and national level, and through a racial justice framework. Concerns and long-term effects about the abortion ban strongly linger and are especially unclear for marginalized communities. How can we differentiate fact vs. myth when it comes to making informed decisions about this topic?

Experts from Community College of Philadelphia, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, Apiary for Practical Support, and Women’s Law Center unpacked the implications of these policies and steps for action. Attendees learned how to be empowered and educated enough to navigate a health care system filled with rhetoric, ideologies and inapplicable scenarios.

Co-sponsored by the Women's Outreach and Advocacy Center

Host: Dr. Donald Guy Generals, President, Community College of Philadelphia

Co-Moderators:

  • Melissa Fogg, Director, Women's Outreach and Advocacy Center, Community College of Philadelphia 
  • Malika Rahman, Assistant Professor, Criminal Justice, Department of Social Science, Community College of Philadelphia

Featured Speakers:

  • Céshia Elmore, Organizer, New Voices for Reproductive Justice
  • Marisa Falcon, Founder and Executive Director, Apiary for Practical Support
  • Tara Mulrtha, Director of Communications, Women's Law Project

Understanding Redistricting and Gerrymandering

Tuesday, Apr. 12, 2022, 11 a.m.

Watch a Recording of this Session

Stand together in solidarity with one voice so loud that it cannot go unheard: BLACK LIVES MATTER. Join us in our mission to eradicate ideologies that perpetuate systemic racism as we examine new ideas and solutions to address inequalities in the criminal justice system. We call on you to join us for a teach-in to learn more about the police reform plan recently introduced in Philadelphia. Hear firsthand from those who drafted the plan and learn how you can take action in our community.

Host
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator
Laura Coates, Senior Legal Analyst and Radio Host, CNN and SiriusXM

Panelists
Carol Kuniholm
Co-founder and Chair
Fair Districts PA

Ricardo Almodovar
PA State Coordinator
Campus Vote Project/Fair Elections Center

Gary Mullin
Associate Professor of Political Science
Community College of Philadelphia

Omar Sabir
City Commissioner
City of Philadelphia


<<< View a recording of this session >>>

Privilege vs. Injustice in 2020: Police Reform

June 25, 2020

Stand together in solidarity with one voice so loud that it cannot go unheard: BLACK LIVES MATTER. Join us in our mission to eradicate ideologies that perpetuate systemic racism as we examine new ideas and solutions to address inequalities in the criminal justice system. We call on you to join us for a teach-in to learn more about the police reform plan recently introduced in Philadelphia. Hear firsthand from those who drafted the plan and learn how you can take action in our community.

Host
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator
Loraine Ballard Morrill
Director of News and Community Affairs, iHeartMedia Philadelphia

Panelists
Hon. Jordan A. Harris
Pennsylvania State Representative, 186th District
House Democratic Whip

Keir Bradford-Grey
Chief Defender
Defender Association of Philadelphia

Kevin Harden, Jr., Esq.
Attorney at Law
Ross Feller Casey, LLP


<<< View a recording of this session >>>

 


Privilege vs. Injustice in 2020: Where Do We Go from Here?

Enough is enough. Community College of Philadelphia stands together in solidarity and we stand together with you.

This teach-in examined new ideas and solutions to address inequalities in the criminal justice system that are creating an ever widening divide in our community and our nation. Specific focus was given to the current climate in America and the how the privilege of some creates injustice for so many.

Education and training can and must be part of the solution for change, and we as individuals must band together and commit to act.

Host
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator
Dr. Debonair Oates-Primus
Assistant Professor of English
Coordinator of the Black Studies Program and
Co-Creator of the Diversity Certificate Program

Panelists
Deborah Francis, President
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
Philadelphia Chapter

Dr. Anyabwile Love, Assistant Professor
History, Philosophy and Religious Studies

Malika Rahman, Adjunct Instructor of Justice, Former Deputy Sheriff
and Community College of Philadelphia Alumna

Gilberto Gonzalez, Graphic Designer and Community Activist

Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela, Assistant Professor
English

Herman Nyamunga, Director
Power Up Your Business

 


Privilege vs. Injustice in 2020: Violence Against the Transgender Community

July 30, 2020

A video recording of this session is not available.

When we say Black Lives Matter, we need to be inclusive of all Black lives. Violence against the trans community has been on the rise, and 2020 has been one of the deadliest years on record for transgender and nonbinary people. Trans women of color, especially Black trans women, experience disproportionate levels of violence, and make up the majority of trans murder victims.

Join us for a virtual teach-in with some amazing local trans activists as we discuss the impact of transphobia, misogyny and racism on our community. Hear firsthand from trans advocates, as well as those who support and educate others on impactful allyship.

Education and training can and must be part of the solution for change, and we as individuals must band together and commit to act. Community College of Philadelphia stands together in solidarity and we stand together with you.

Host
Dr. Donald Guy Generals (he/him)
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator
Vincent E. Scarfo (they/them)
Coordinator, MarcDavid LGBTQ Center
Community College of Philadelphia

Panelists
Deja Lynn Alvarez is an award winning transgender advocate and activist with a long history of representing and serving LGBTQ+ communities in Philadelphia. She is the first transwoman in the state of Pennsylvania to run for public office.

Kendall Stephens is a woman of trans experience born and raised in Philadelphia. A 2020 CCP graduate, Kendall is now majoring in Public Health at Temple University. She has dedicated more than 10 years of advocacy work in the LGBTQ community and has engaged tirelessly in driving community building, facilitating support groups and creating spaces for marginalized individuals to find personal empowerment.

Avery Shaw is a pre-law student at Drexel University who has been doing volunteer work within the LGBTQ+ community for nearly a decade. He has volunteered his time the Human Rights Campaign, the American Civil Liberties Union and the William Way LGBT Community Center.

Hazel Edwards is an unapologetic queer transwoman of color and LGBTQ+ youth advocate. As the Coordinator of The Bryson Institute of The Attic Youth Center, Hazel provides workshops for youth and adults throughout the Philadelphia region on gender, sexuality, intersectionality and best practices for building genuine cultures of respect for LGBTQ+ youth.


Privilege vs. Injustice in 2020: Allyship 101- How to Be an Ally to the Black Community

Join us in our mission to eradicate ideologies that perpetuate systemic racism as we examine new ideas and solutions to address inequalities. This session focuses on allies among Black and Brown communities. Allyship requires education, relationship building based on trust, consistency and accountability.

Are you an ally in your workplace, community or home? Do you curb racist jokes? Do you tolerate intolerance? Are you proactive about inclusion in your daily life? Sometimes we are silent or fail to act because we are uncertain of how to respond in a way that isn’t inappropriate or offensive. However, the willingness to acknowledge and effectively engage with one another is essential to allyship.

Hear firsthand from those who have committed to being allies, as well as those who support and educate others on impactful allyship. Education and training can and must be part of the solution for change, and we as individuals must band together and commit to act.

Community College of Philadelphia stands together in solidarity and we stand together with you.

Host:
Dr. Donald Guy Generals, President
Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator:
Leila E. Lawrence
Diversity Compliance Officer/Title IX Coordinator
Community College of Philadelphia

Panelists:

Faye Allard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Sociology Department
Community College of Philadelphia

Derrick Perkins
Director, Center for Male Engagement
Community College of Philadelphia

Debonair Oates-Primus, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, English Department
Co-Coordinator, Black Studies
Community College of Philadelphia

Victoria L. Zellers, Esq.
General Counsel
Community College of Philadelphia

 


Enough is Enough Virtual Solidarity Walk

September 1, 2020

The College community showed our support of the Enough is Enough initiative by participating in a Virtual Solidarity Walk in memory of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Organized by the College’s Center for Male Engagement and the Black Studies program, we stood up, stepped outside and walked for 8 minutes and 46 seconds at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1, to commemorate George Floyd’s death.

Walking alone or socially distanced with family or friends, our CCP family wore all black, or CCP or Black Lives Matter apparel and we didn’t forget to wear our mask! We created signs, large and small, to let others in our community know why we walked.

Many of our CCP family members shared their commitment to act online. Taking photos and videos and we shared images from our walk by tagging @CCPedu on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, using #EnoughisEnough.

View our #EnoughisEnough Solidarity walk on Facebook. 

For Black Lives Matter apparel, support a Black-owned business and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alum, Harriett’s Bookshop.


Environmental Racism: Is it Safe to Breathe?

Oct. 19, 2020

Our latest discussion was held on Oct. 19 at 11 a.m. Hosted by Dr. Generals, panelists led a conversation that examined new ideas and solutions that address inequalities within urban communities. Environmental justice calls for equal access to a healthy environment for all. This convesation empowered and encouraged the community to become a changemaker to promote environmental hazard awareness and improve our neighborhoods. Education and training must be part of the solution for change, and we as individuals must band together and commit to act.

Moderator: 
Jasmine E. Sessoms
senior vice president of Corporate Affairs
Hilco Redevelopment Partners

Panelists:

Maurice Sampson, 
Eastern Pennsylvania director, Clean Water Action

Saleem Chapman, 
Deputy director and chief Resilience officer, Office of Sustainability
City of Philadelphia

The Honorable Donna Bullock
Pennsylvania State Representative, 195th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives

 


The State of Small Black-Owned Businesses

November 2020

Here in Philadelphia, many of the black owned businesses are in health care, hospitality and retail, and the most impacted by the pandemic. Many of these businesses are going to go out of business, and those who survive will require more assistance both technical and capital than never. And while triaging the existing businesses from the scorching effect of the pandemic, we must not lose sight of what to do to help those who have been forced to close their businesses and thinking long term by laying the infrastructure to train and power the next generation of sustainable, scalable and reputable black businesses.

The event goal was to share available resources and to provide accessible tools to small business owners in the City of Philadelphia that will allow the opportunities to reimagine, rebuild, and expand within local communities. To discuss and develop a funding blueprint to address the underinvestment in black businesses in the city.


COVID-19 Vaccination: Myths vs. Facts

February 1, 2021

Featured Speaker: Dr. Ala Stanford, Founder, Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium

News of a COVID-19 vaccine left many across the country feeling hopeful — but also skeptical. Concerns about the vaccine still linger, especially among minority communities. So, how can we differentiate fact vs. fiction when it comes to the vaccine, and feel empowered as we navigate the health care system?

Hosted by Dr. Generals and moderated by Dr. Tamika Curry, our Feb. 1 installment of Enough Is Enough explored the facts around the COVID-19 vaccine, including the pros and cons, benefits, liabilities and biggest questions that still surround it. Watch a recording of this session to learn how the pandemic has exacerbated health care inequities plaguing communities of color, and how we can remove systems and ideologies within health care that leave us feeling skeptical. Commit to act with the College in gaining knowledge and valuable information that could help to create the “new normal.”

 


Enough is Enough: Health Care Disparities in Women of Color

March 24, 2021

Have you been on the receiving end of implicit bias while receiving a check-up, treatment plan or during a visit to an emergency room? In this session, we examined new ideas and solutions around health care inequities among Black and brown women.

Women of color experience health disparity rates far higher than their counterparts. These include high maternal mortality and infertility rates, a decreased representation in clinical trials, and less funding for health care conditions that disproportionately impact women of color, such as uterine fibroids and breast cancer. Hear from an expert to learn how to identify and address disparities that happen as we seek adequate health care from medical professionals. Specific focus and exploration was given to the current climate in America and how the privilege of some and the injustices of others can impact thoughts, decisions rationale and outcomes.

Hosted by:
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderated by:
Petrina McFarlane, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing, Community College of Philadelphia
Guest Speaker:
Chidinma Nwakanma, M.D.
Emergency Medicine Physician
Department of Emergency Medicine, Penn Medicine

 


Dimensions of Diversity Panel

June 29, 2021

Inclusion is key in enabling individuals to participate, contribute and thrive in the workplace, and in creating global, transformative businesses. During this event, distinguished guests shared how diversity, equity, and inclusion could be embraced, applied, and embedded in your work culture

Moderator:  
Greg DeShields,
Executive Director, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau – PHL Diversity and Tourism Diversity Matters

Panelists:
John Chin, Executive Director, Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation
Yvette A. Núñez, Deputy Vice President of Communications and Marketing, UnidosUS
Dr. Rònké Òké, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) 
Zachary Wilcha, Executive Director, Independence Business Alliance, Greater Philadelphia's LBGT Chamber of Commerce

Sponsored by: Corporate Solutions’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Institute 

 


The Sound of Music: Celebrating Black Music Month

June 16, 2021

On June 16, we gathered for a lively and engaging discussion surrounding Black music in America, and its instrumental relationship with social justice movements. Joined by music industry legends, they eloquently explained music’s role in Black history in Philadelphia and beyond.
 
This event was hosted by Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president of the College; and co-moderated by Dr. David E. Thomas, vice president, Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement; and Paul J. Geissinger, associate professor, Music Department head and Spring Garden Records director.

Guest Speakers:

Kenneth Gamble
Founder and Chairman, Universal Companies
Singer, Songwriter and Producer; The Sound of Philadelphia

Jamar Jones
Musical Director, Composer and CEO
Jamar Jones Institute

Ruth Naomi Floyd
Emancipatory Artist

 


Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis in Philadelphia

In 2020, while the world faced a deadly pandemic, the City of Philadelphia struggled with an additional epidemic within its own communities—uncontrolled gun violence. Claiming the lives of 414 individuals from gun-related homicides, 2020 hit a 30-year record. As of June 30, 2021, Philadelphia was on track to have its worst year on record, with 236 gun-related homicides.
 
Moderated by Dr. Jessica Beard, director of research at The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting at Community College of Philadelphia, Community College of Philadelphia held an Enough is Enough teach-in session on gun violence on July 15. The dialogue explored evidence-based solutions to slow the rampant spread of gun violence. Our panelists, experts in the areas of prevention, trauma, urban planning and more, discussed how changing the way the story of gun violence gets told—and by whom—can reduce violence overall. 

Hosted by:
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia

Moderated by:
Dr. Jessica Beard
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Fellow, Stoneleigh Foundation 
Director of Research, Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting

Panelists:

Ruth Abaya, M.D.
Attending Physician, Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Fellow, The Stoneleigh Foundation
Program Manager, Injury Prevention Program, Philadelphia Department of Public Health

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier
District 3, City of Philadelphia

Manuel Smith
Managing Editor, CBS3

Dr. Dorothy Johnson-Speight
Founder, National Executive Director, Mothers In Charge, Inc.

Malika Rahman
Visiting Lecturer, Criminal Justice and Diversity Fellow, Community College of Philadelphia

 


Hunger and Racial Equity: The Impact of Food Insecurity in Urban Communities

Oct. 19, 2021

The College's Enough Is Enough teach-in session for the fall 2021 semester focused on how to best achieve food security through food sovereignty. The College has been dedicated to helping and educating its community about sourcing healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through environmentally responsible methods through the use of Grady’s Community Garden. You'll hear from urban farmers and hunger relief specialists to learn about sustainable farming, food access and security in our neighboring communities, and other ways you can support our students and your community in gaining food sovereignty.

Host:
Dr. Donald Guy Generals,
President,
Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator:
Jenavia Weaver,
Director of Student Engagement,
Community College of Philadelphia

Featured speakers:

Christa Barfield, Founder & CEO, Farmer Jawn Philly

Loree D. Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Philabundance

Ty Holmberg, Co-director, Sankofa Farms

Elizabeth Okero, Director of Operations, Urban Creators at Life Do Grow Farm

 


Taking a Stand against Anti-Asian Hate

March 24, 2022

Watch a Recording of this Session

Community College of Philadelphia's March 2022 Enough is Enough session examined the impact of the surge in anti-Asian hate and how we can take a unified stand to keep our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities safe. Through data and advocacy, many AAPI organizations and allies have mobilized a nationwide movement to end the racial discrimination and violent attacks perpetrated against AAPI communities to build racial solidarity between communities of color and other marginalized populations.

According to an analysis from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, anti-Asian hate crimes increased in more than a dozen of the largest cities in the U.S. in 2021. The latest figures provided by the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force in November 2021 showed a 233% increase from 2020 in crimes targeting Asians while the state attorney general of California found that anti-Asian hate crimes more than doubled last year. In Philadelphia, AAPI hates crimes are not new, but reported hate crimes have risen since the beginning of the pandemic.

We cannot allow this directed hate to deter us from building our collective power. In order find a path forward, we must learn how to safely take a stand, protect those around us and be an ally to the AAPI community. As educators, we believe that nothing you learn is wasted, we must continue to educate, share knowledge and advocate for what is right, right now!

Host:
Dr. Donald Guy Generals
President, Community College of Philadelphia
Moderator
Michelle Myers, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor of English; h
host of the six-time Emmy-nominated "Drop the Mic" show on CCPTV; Faculty Advisor to the Spoken Word Poetry Club

Featured speakers:

Cliff Akiyama, Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia

Wei Chen, Civic Engagement Director, Asian Americans United

Peter Van Do, Director, Pan-Asian American Community House at PENN  

Catzie Vilayphonh, Founder and Director, Laos in the House