PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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I L C O E P

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F L IT’S TIME FOR ALL COPS TO HELP CORRECT COP CULTURE

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FROM THE EDITOR

’m thankful for George Floyd. the image of police brutality in Philadelphia, I’m thankful for the uncomfortable shows the thousands who took to the streets in feeling so many of us felt watching protest that the city heard them and that hopehim brutally murdered at the hands fully change is starting. of men who took an oath to protect The multiple nights of looting, violence and and serve. I’m thankful that his death destruction can’t be in vain. The lives ruined wasn’t a quick news segment but that and the jobs lost as a result of battered storefor days it has disrupted our way of life, a life fronts can’t be for naught. There needs to be policies enacted, cops held to the fire for egrealready disrupted by a virus that for so many gious methods – like shooting tear gas on prohas already taken so much. testors trying to flee as we witnessed during I’m thankful for the anger that allowed us to rush hour on I-676 Monday or turning a blind put COVID-19 on the backburner, as hundreds of us donned masks and took to the street, risk- eye to a racist neighborhood militia trying to ing our own lives and wellbeing to speak out incite a riot in Fishtown.

These things can’t be allowed to stand – and on injustice. If anything the demonstrations we’ve seen are indicative of people fed up with in the case of Fishtown, the very next night so much, having our freedoms taken, having it didn’t, as many of those same officers knelt with protesters, hugged them and had our way of life uprooted and the final civil conversations about where we go straw of watching another unarmed from here, as a neighborhood, as a city person of color lose their life senseand as a nation. lessly at the hands of police.

“This city was a warzone over the Within the confines of our city, we weekend,” said my cop friend, who were witness to nearly a week of pronoted he pulled a 16-hour shift on Sattests turned riots that have exhausted urday, the first night of the protests. those who reside within the epicenter “The radio didn’t stop and a lot of cops of multiple demonstrations – both in will tell you we never thought it would Center City and scattered across Philget that bad. What we saw is that peoadelphia’s neighborhoods. George ple weren’t afraid to act out – they Floyd’s death got our own police weren’t afraid of us. It was more than force and city government to take a just protests, it was anger you could hard look at how they do their jobs. feel. I mean I get it, people are sick I know because I’ve spoken to and tired of being pushed around.” buddies who are Philadelphia PoIn a 2015 report from the U.S. Delice officers, who detest the murder partment of Justice examining the of George Floyd, admitting however use of force by Philadelphia police that some officers in our own city officers, Ronald L. Davis, the director have been known to use tactics like of the study, wrote that “the issue that while others turn a blind eye. facing the Philadelphia Police DepartUsually, in my conversations with ment was an increase in use of force my law enforcement friends, there resulting in a fractured relationship is this period of them poking fun with community stakeholders.” To at me, the liberal alt-weekly editor, put in layman’s terms, the communichallenging their world view, one ty doesn’t trust cops, and cops aren’t molded by having to witness the helping that by harassing people. worst of humanity on a nightly ba@SPRTSWTR It’s not every police officer. It’s not sis. the cop who volunteers his time at the This time though, when talking about George Floyd’s death and the powder Police Athletic League after working a 10-hour keg it created, the conversation was different. I shift. It’s probably not the cop who reads books was talking to Philadelphia Police officers visi- to kids at city schools or turns a blind eye to black kids smoking pot in a park. It’s not the bly upset at what we all witnessed.

“You can’t do shit like that man, eight min- cop who has a clean service record or the one utes? Eight. Like what was this guy thinking?” who volunteers to feed older adults at a senior center. said my one buddy, referring to Minneapolis All events my police buddies take part in police officer Derek Chauvin and the knee he placed on Floyd’s neck, rendering him uncon- within their own precinct. But we need good cops to speak up when they disagree with one scious. While my friend was outspoken during our chat, he did ask that his name be left out of their colleagues. Call out the ones who show “if I planned on writing about any of this,” for up to a scene with the us vs. them mentality that finds far too many incidents ending in a fear of retribution. manner that could be avoided. Allow cops to Fear of retribution. From a brotherhood of cops and a system that should all feel the way speak freely on issues and not hide behind the veil of anonymity for fear of being fucked with he does.

But thanks to George Floyd, that conversa- or ostracized by colleagues.

I saw a quote from George Floyd’s young tion is happening. I’m told the cops who took daughter that has stuck with me through all a knee with protesters on Tuesday night in Fishtown did so for more than the news cam- of the events that have transpired over the last eras and helicopters flying overhead. I’d like few days.

“My daddy changed the world.” to believe the quiet removal of the Frank RizI certainly hope so. But for now, I’d settle for zo statue outside of the Municipal Building, a statue that stood for far too long and served as a change in cop culture.

Thank you, George

NM-00428291

KERITH GABRIEL

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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STATE OF OUR CITY

STATE

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OF OUR

CITY

Rodney King (1991)

A HISTORY OF (POLICE) VIOLENCE

What should have been a routine traffic stop between Los Angeles man Rodney King and members of the Los Angeles Police Department turned violent as the camera rolled while four police officers beat King mercilessly with nightclubs, fists and tazed him while he was already lying on the ground with a 50,000 volt Tazer.

King survived and became the posterboy for American outrage against police brutality. This was heightened by the fact that three of the four cops were found not guilty of any crimes, which sparked riots throughout the country, but specifically in LA where protests, riots and looting took place for six days straight.

Sadly, the events that have transpired in the aftermath of the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd are what many will remember, but what should emerge from this is that Floyd is just the latest in a series of unnecessary, yet significant police violence that has occurred over the course of a generation – some of which transpired here in Philadelphia.

In honor of Floyd and with a goal to invoke some reflection on both sides, here’s a recap of the times cops both here and across the country took it just a little too far.

The MOVE Bombing (1985)

Eric Garner (2014)

After negotiations failed between Philadelphia Police and a black liberation group called MOVE nestled in the heart of Cobbs Creek, city officials allowed a police helicopter to drop a C-4 bomb in the middle of a set of row homes along Osage Avenue. A fire then ensued, which ended with the death of 11 members of the organization, including five children. It was only this year that members of City Council issued a formal apology for the events that transpired. It marked the only time a police force would bomb its own citizens.

Eric Garner was a horticulturist for New York City’s Parks and Recreation Department who cops suspected of selling loose cigarettes. It was then caught on video, after Garner insisted he was not selling cigarettes and pleaded with police to leave him alone, one officer, Daniel Pantaleo, put him in a chokehold rendering him unconscious. The cops then left Garner unconscious for nearly 10 minutes until an ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital where he later died.

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Darin Lee (2019)

Michael Brown (2014)

Darin Lee was a 31-year-old Kensington man with a history of mental issues that showed up to a family cookout acting erratically. In the end, he would find himself surrounded by police officers with guns pointed at him while he armed himself with a box cutter. After officers believed Lee came toward them with his weapon, one officer fired several shots hitting Lee in the leg, but raising concerns throughout the city among residents and politicians alike on why police felt the use of a firearm trumped other means to incapacitate. In the end, Lee, who did survive his wounds, would be charged with a host of criminal charges, but his friend and a witness to the event, Frank Noble told reporters: “He didn’t really lunge at nobody. He was too high at the same time then he was trying to walk to the cops to give them the knife but next thing you know the cops, they ‘Bang. Bang. Bang.’”

Just 18-years-old, Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, Missouri, after an altercation with police in which officer Darren Wilson fired a barrage of bullets at Brown, 12 shots in total, six of which hit Brown ultimately killing him.

This would result in riots throughout the nation, perhaps most aggressively in Ferguson, where riots turned violent for nearly a week.

Almost a year later, the U.S. Department of Justice would exonerate the officer saying that Wilson’s shooting of Brown was in self-defense.

Philando Castile (2016) Another routine traffic stop gone horribly wrong, the 32-year-old Castile was shot and killed in yet another senseless shooting in Minnesota. Upon being pulled over, it’s said Castile told officer Jeronimo Yanez that he had a firearm in the car. It’s said that as Castile reached for his paperwork to show the officer, Yanez believed Castile was going for said gun and pulled out his own service revolver, shooting Castile seven times. Castile would later die at the hospital from his wounds.

Over the course of two days, protest and civil unrest would ensue, resulting in 21 police officers being injured as angry protesters hurled bottles, rocks and homemade fire bombs at police.

7,666

The number of people killed in the United States at the hands of police according to research and advocacy group, Mapping Police Violence. In Philadelphia, 49 percent of officer-involved shootings at that same time were unarmed suspects, according to an independent report led by the U.S. Department of Justice. This same report adds that 81 percent of the victims of these incidents were black.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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Stanley Dawson, a cook at a local nursing home is also a union representative with SEIU Pennsylvania. Dawson has been fighting for hazard pay and personal protective equipment for service workers like him at his facility since COVID-19 began. | Image: Kerith Gabriel

‘They don’t care about us’ Nursing home staff fight for fair wage, PPE working in COVID-ravaged facilities

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tanley Dawson, 67, has been workBut for Dawson and other nursing home ing as a cook at a West Philadelphia workers like him, staying dedicated to their nursing home for 16 years. He is jobs since the pandemic hit has proven to be dedicated to his job, feeding close a strain. to 400 residents when his facility is Matthew Yarnell, president of SEIU Healthfull. care Pennsylvania, said union leadership has “I’ve grown real close to my resbeen pushing for a variety of improvements to idents, and I like to make sure that support workers as the pandemic has surged. they eat real well,” Dawson said.

SEIU represents 45,000 health“And that’s my job. That’s my care workers across the Commonthing I do every day. I make sure wealth.

BY COURTENAY that they get a well-balanced meal The union has been able to HARRIS BOND every day, every single day, beachieve hazard pay, ranging from cause that’s what I enjoy doing.” an extra $2 to $5 an hour, at only Dawson is also the union leader 33 of the 109 nursing homes it repfor his chapter of the Service Employees Inresents, Yarnell said. The SEIU has also been ternational Union (SEIU). He said he has had actively advocating for robust health care for to fight for everything he and his co-workers workers, to guarantee that if they contract the need to protect themselves since COVID-19 virus, they will be covered. struck, a virus that has either hospitalized or In addition, a severe shortage of the proper worse, killed close to 110 residents from his fapersonal protective equipment (PPE) spurred cility. the union to find ways to source it from the “Each day that I go to work, I don’t know if outside and get it to workers. And for workers I’m going to contract it [the virus],” Dawson who are experiencing stress, anxiety and/or said. “I don’t know if I’m going to come in condepression due to their jobs and possibly due tact with it. I don’t feel good about it. But I love to mass deaths in their facilities, SEIU has the work that I do, and I know I need it now been trying to help them access mental health more than ever. And I know that if I don’t do services, Yarnell said. it, you know, who’s going to take care of these “I think health-care workers are incredible residents?” people, and you don’t go into doing this work

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PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY without having a love and passion for caring for others,” Yarnell said. “And so oftentimes, people put their needs aside and focus on the folks who are caring for. But I think it’s been really challenging and stressful for folks. And look, these are all jobs that are oftentimes lowwage.

“And we don’t think that’s an accident either,” Yarnell continued. “When you look at caregiving, and you look at the demographics of the workforce, largely it’s women – largely women of color.”

As part of the advocacy SEIU is doing on behalf of its workers, “We’re talking to every single person we can in any kind of leadership position about how we make folks understand what the actual reality on the ground for workers is, and B, how do we never get here again” in terms of a shortage of PPE, for instance,” Yarnell said.

Workers at Dawson’s facility only received the proper PPE, such as N-95 masks, gowns and gloves, about three weeks ago. And that was through a donation.

Dawson, who earns $14.43 an hour, said his crew does receive some hazard pay but that he had to fight the management hard to get it.

Workers at other nursing homes say they also lacked the proper PPE for weeks and that they are not getting any hazard pay, despite the high risks they are taking every day at their jobs.

That is true for a North Philadelphia housekeeper at another nursing home in Bryn Mawr, who wants to remain anonymous because she has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow.

Out on a temporary medical leave because she was having trouble breathing behind the N-95 mask, this housekeeper, 60, said she is trying to retire for medical reasons with her full benefits. She doesn’t want to risk going on the record with her name because of her fear of retribution from her employer.

Earning just a little over $13 an hour for cleaning and disinfecting rooms, the housekeeper said she and the other employees at her facility do not earn hazard pay – despite the high risks they are taking being around a vulnerable population during the pandemic.

For instance, she said that she had cleaned several rooms before she learned that residents in those rooms had tested positive for COVID-19.

“They told me too late, and I got mad about it,” she said. “Why you all telling me now? I been in them rooms!

This was before she and other employees had the proper PPE, the housekeeper said.

Then the union came in with the PPE and instructed her and every other employee to treat each room as if it could be infected.

So the housekeeper is wearing her gown, gloves, booties, and N-95 mask – and using bleach even though the fumes are bad for her – even though she is “suffocating” under the mask.

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Matt Yarnell, the president of SEIU Healthcare PA has been an outspoken advocate for service workers across the state, many he says are barely making past minimum wage in some cases working in facilities that have ben ravaged by COVID-19. | Image courtesy: SEIU Healthcare PA

“You tell me I gotta wear that mask, I probably will fall out by then,” the housekeeper said. “It’s 80-something degrees out there, and they don’t give us no air [conditioning]. They got partial air. I probably got to go all the way down the halls just to get some air.

“So I called my doctor yesterday, and she gave me a letter,” the housekeeper said. “I’m staying out for a week for now [on medical leave]. “I want to come out [retire]. I can’t take this.”

To retire with her benefits for medical reasons, she needs her doctor to fill out the proper paperwork. The housekeeper believes she will qualify. Nonetheless, she is scared. She SEE FRONTLINE, PAGE 8

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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The average caretaker at a senior living facility makes a little bit more than $12 an hour, according to workforce site Indeed.com. Of 109 older homes throughout the state, SEIU has been successful in getting hazard pay in place for just 33 of those facilities. | Image: Hush Naidoo

FRONTLINE, FROM PAGE 7 is getting tested for the COVID-19 this week.

The housekeeper said one floor of the facility is now designated just for COVID-positive patients, but that it took the management several weeks to get that organized, and sick individuals were spread throughout the building.

“I would have stayed, but I don’t have [any] choice,” the housekeeper said. “That shouldn’t stop me from getting what I’ve earned.

“They don’t even look at us [as] important,” she added. “We just there. They don’t honor us…We workin’ our asses off, and they won’t give us a raise…If it wasn’t for us, that place wouldn’t be. That’s a fact. And clean.”

A cook at another nursing home, Julie D., who only wanted to use her first name and last initial, also for fear of retribution from her employer, is a single mom. She had to give

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

up working on weekdays because she had no one to watch her two young children once the schools closed due to the pandemic Now she is working weekends, sometimes a double shift. But she has lost at least 40 hours of work every two-week pay period, making it hard for her to pay her bills, Julie said.

“We really feel like that is so critical – that not only is it critical to figure out how to lift wages in the sector of work at this moment, but also to figure out how we make sure we keep it going forward,” Yarnell said. “We know because of the economic shutdowns that there’s going to be huge challenges to state budgets. And we know that depending on who’s in charge, it’s going to be the conversation.”

Julie said that as union leader for her building, she had to fight hard for hazard pay. She now makes an extra $2.50 an hour, bringing her pay up to $26.80 an hour. Julie has worked

at the nursing home for 13 years.

“We had to argue about it, and she [the administrator] didn’t want to give it to anyone,” Julie said. “We had to be like, ‘These people are risking their lives coming to work helping these people out.’ So they finally came up with an agreement the nurses and CNAs [certified nursing assistants] get an extra $5 and hour, and the housekeepers and dietary workers an extra $2.50 an hour.”

This was after the entire second floor became a virus ward, housing approximately 28 people who are COVID-positive. More than 10 residents in the Montgomery County nursing home have died from coronavirus, said Julie, who commutes to work from Philadelphia.

“We’ve had at least eight or nine staff members that have gotten sick, and they’re like, ‘Well, I don’t know if I want to come back because the virus is still in the building,’ and they’re scared,” Julie said, adding that, like at

Dawson’s facility, the union had to fight for the proper PPE for its workers.

“As far as masks and gloves and stuff, the administrator was just holding onto everything in her office,” Julie said. “She wasn’t giving anyone anything, so it took some time for that. It just recently started getting better. We had to make several complaints. I had to email the owner personally, because at the end of the day she [the administrator] was making like everything was OK in the building.”

The only way workers found out there was a COVID-positive resident in the facility was because a family member called, Julie said.

While she used to help serve trays of food on the different floors in the building, Julie said she is now staying only in the kitchen doing her work. She also said that the facility is now finally using disposable products, so they no longer have to deal with disinfecting plates, cups, and silverware.

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When she returns home, she strips down on her enclosed porch and immediately takes a shower before taking care of her children, Julie said.

“It’s a lot to deal with, but we love our jobs,” Julie said. “It’s why we still get up and do what we do, and they [the administration] should appreciate that, because people are getting sick helping the helpless.”

‘This is not an easy job’ Stanley Dawson knows just what these women are referring to because it’s also his life five, sometimes six days a week.

“They need to know that this is not an easy job,” said Dawson, who is also the union representative at his nursing home facility. “They need to know that every day my life and my co-workers’ lives are on the line. We’ve had people [break] down emotionally, and we needed folks to come in and speak to us on a psychological level, where some folks were losing their minds.

You know they are not thinking the same way they normally would think. We needed counseling.

We needed somebody to come in, and we finally got that [but] I had to fight for it.”

SEIU has contracted with Highmark to make mental health treatght for thement available online to workers and has created a pilot prostuff, thegram to support people who are working in nto every-environments where there have been mass wasn’t giv-death, Yarnell said. e time for As the union representative, Dawson also better. Wehad to fight for the proper PPE for the workers d to emailin his facility. he end of “They got a floor with nothing but coronaas makingvirus victims on it,” Dawson said. “That floor ng.” is so contagious, you have to go in with full there wasgear from head to toe. We didn’t have that at cility wasfirst. We [were] going in with just a face mask, ie said. gloves, a gown. We didn’t have no protective ys of foodshield or nothing across our face to protect us ding, Juliein case droplets were in the air.” itchen do- Yarnell said the union has sourced PPE facility isfrom other organizations, including a sigts, so theynificant donation from Pennsylvania Health ing plates,and Wellness, which provides Medicaid and insurance plans in the Commonwealth. But

ultimately, “it’s really the employer’s responsibility to provide” the PPE, which largely isn’t happening. And if there is another surge of the virus, the union could find itself right back in a shortage situation, Yarnell said.

“We’ve been really calling on Congress to push the president to use his authority and really work with manufacturers in this country to begin to manufacture what we need to keep people safe,” Yarnell added.

Dawson said that despite the new PPE, the counseling, and the little bit of hazard pay that workers now receive, everything has been a battle – and that the $14.43 he earns is not a livable wage for him, his wife, and his son.

“Oh, heck, no. No, no, no,” Dawson emphasized. “We’ve been fighting to get more money for this stuff. We’ve been fighting and fighting and fighting. And we’re going to continue to fight until they give us what we need and what we deserve.”

Nonetheless, he loves his job and will continue doing it, Dawson said.

Has he thought Matt Yarnell, president of SEIU about quitting?

“I would be Healthcare PA says that the union has honest, I would been able to secure have to say yes, valuable PPE for I thought about Dawson workers and has be- that,” gun disseminating said. “But evthem around to ser- ery time I think vice workers across about that, I althe state –many ways look at that recipients work here old lady on Three in Philadelphia. | West that’s alImage courtesy: ways looking for SEIU Healthcare PA me. She always sat right there and [doesn’t] talk to nobody but me.

“I’ve got to keep going. I’ve got to keep doing this job.

These folks need me.”

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DOLLARS AND SENSE With much of the spotlight on doctors, nurses and emergency personnel, it’s easy to forget other essential personnel who are also risking their quality of life working in COVID-19 conditions. This week, we examined the staff working within nursing care facilities, which housed the highest population and demographic of infected persons in the state.

$2.50

The average pay increase SEIU Healthcare PA has been able to net in hazard pay for many within its union. This includes environmental staff workers, kitchen personnel, etc.

33

The number of nursing homes with workers within its union that SEIU was able to get hazard pay for. In total, the union has workers in 109 nursing homes throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.

$12.27

The average pay for a caregiver working in a nursing home in Philadelphia, according to salary averages from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics and Indeed.com. According to Indeed.com, that average amount is increased by just 54 cents for caregivers with an average of six years or more on the job ($12.81).

408

The number of deaths directly related to COVID-19 across the 62 nursing homes within Philadelphia County, according to data as of May 26 from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

12

The number of COVID-19 positive employees in one facility, Philadelphia Protestant Home in the Lawncrest section of the city. According to Pennsylvania Department of Health data, this was the only facility in the city where more employees tested positive for the virus than residents (10).

This story is a part of Philadelphia Weekly’s Behind the Frontlines series, which aims to look at the lives of other essential workers forgotten in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Behind the Frontlines is delivered in partnership with Broke in Philly, a collaborative reporting project among 23 news organizations, focused on Philadelphia’s push towards economic justice. Read more of our reporting at brokeinphilly.org.

53

The percentage of people aged 50-plus who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state of Pennsylvania. Coincidentally, 53 percent was also the total number as of June 1 of COVID-19 deaths (684) of people who were residents in long-term care facilities like nursing homes.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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GOSSIP

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ICEPACK

Image: @Shotbywave

Embarrassed The list of shame is long after last weekend

T

his column will come days considering the psychic and spiritual after the initial shock of the damage to the black community.

Embarrassed that mayors like our weekend, but the ever-madown exposed and opened season on our dening reality of the situcities to looting rioters – not peaceful ation will still be as raw as protestors, they’re always permitted, freshly cut bloody meat and as loud and incessant as the always desired, always welcome – then mix of police, military and wouldn’t call for peaceful assistance when we/they/us needed it, putting the news copters buzzing around us, overcitizenry who voted for them, head, like medflies on a warm and good cops, in jeopardy. summer's night.

Embarrassed by the looters I’m embarrassed. EmbarBY A.D. who tore deeper holes in their rassed that white police officer AMOROSI own long-struggling neighborDerek Chauvin had the savagery hoods by stealing from those and the hubris to look the world they know and love. in the eye while choking to death Embarrassed by any and all civic leadanother black man hollering for help. ers who refused to demand calm, safety, Embarrassed that it took four days to law and order to go with all matters of bring that same man to justice for slayanti-racism. ing George Floyd.

Embarrassed that journalists got arEmbarrassed that mayors and heads rested. of police departments can’t keep its citEmbarrassed by media outlets that fuizens free from racism and police harm. eled any and all racial fires for commerEmbarrassed that good cops aren’t safe from harassment and physical cial gain, spouting divided nation porn.

Embarrassed that I still have to wake harm. up in a city in a state in a country in a Embarrassed that mayors like our own exposed and opened season on our world where all of this racist shit still cities to looting rioters – not peaceful happens.

Oh, and, fucking COVID-19, just in protestors, they’re always permitted, alcase you forgot. ways desired, always welcome – before

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

GOSSIP

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY ‘Lootering’ Not being snarky or sarcastic or sniping here. Not this week. One interesting new word to come from the murder-mess of the weekend came from Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw when she called the actions of many of the rioters, “lootering,” which just happens to be a real cross between “looting” and “loitering.”

Le Guess Who? music Philadelphia conceptual artist, poet, rapper, experimental musician and stark, dark mistress of the avant-garde Moor Mother makes the sort of serious, spontaneous composition necessary for times such as these.

When she hooked up with Pittsburgh flautist/fellow conceptual artist Nicole Mitchell back in 2018 – at the Le Guess Who? Festival, which Moor Mother curated, in Utrecht in the Netherlands – the two made a beautiful noise. Don Giovanni Records just released the audio of the performance as “Offering - Live At Le Guess Who” on June 1 https:// moormother.bandcamp.com/album/ offering-live-at-leguess-who.

Listen loud.

Drive-in at the Shore When it comes to getting back to the business of safely distanced live music at drive-ins – how many are even left in Philly? – it looks as if the Jersey Shore has us beat.

A new series of drive-in shows was just announced for Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport with hometown hero, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, set to launch the venture July 11. And if Johnny Lyon and his Asbury Jukes are there, how far behind could pal Bruce Springsteen and original songwriter and producer Little Stevie Van Zant be in joining them?

Fuel the Fight Since the beginning of May, Philadelphia musician Madalean Gauze has been a real force in making certain that the area’s most

essential workers, those dealing directly with COVID-19, get their due, our respect, and some cold, hard cash. To that end, Gauze started with the local artist-driven “Fuel The Fight” compilation at the start of May, and will put out a second volume, “Fuel The Fight II,” on June 5, therefore totaling the number of tracks and artists to nearly 100. Where is the money going? The Fuel the Fight campaign, which is partnering with area restaurants to get meals to healthcare workers at Image: Mike Riley Philly hospitals. Hit up the fuelthefight. bandcamp.com for the purpose of music and money, or just send cash to https://www. gofundme.com/f/ xxedc8-help-our-heroes.

Latino Film Festival For its ninth season in the blazing sun, the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival will go all virtual starting Thursday June 4 and running through June 7.

Along with Festival Director Marángeli Mejía-Rabell, and Programming Director Kristal Sotomayor, focusing on Latinx filmmakers and Zoom panels exploring intersectionalities with LGBTQ, Afro-Latinx, immigrant and undocumented identities, the PLF Fest will host a handful of big news premieres, such as “Mariachi con Pantalones, “a documentary, sinner and show featuring a live performance from the all-female Mariachi Flor de Toloache, the soccer-flavored “Identidad: As We Are,” and “Say My Name,” a documentary about transgender women fighting for the right to change their names and gender with official documentation. Check https:// www.phlaff.org/ for all of the premiere info, and know that both of the women heading the fest have a long pedigree of presenting the finest, rarest, rawest, deepest, most inclusive and most passionate works, be it film, art, music and food.

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Image: Wellfleet Drive-In Movie Theatre

@ADAMOROSI PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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VOICES

OF OUR

CITY

SHOUT BACK

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

THE SHOUT OUT

Last week, we asked readers to tell us which summer events canceled or postponed by the coronavirus pandemic they will miss the most. Here’s what you told us on Instagram:

Keystoneconcierge: Not a fan of festivals. Bummed that city pools are cancelled.

Ladytee_73: Definitely the Roots picnic and all of the Dell music and Mann music shows.

Shoffnerphotographynyc: Made in America/ 4th of July fireworks/ roots picnic.

Bluehensfan: Italian Market Festival.

Joe Biden: Race-baiter?

[Recently], Joe Biden melted down on The Breakfast Club and then told host Charlamagne tha God, “If you have a problem figuring out whether you’re for me or Trump, then you ain’t black.”

Charlamagne tha God immediately responded, “It don’t have nothing to do with Trump, it has to do with the fact, I want something for my community.”

Absolutely appalling. Joe Biden just told every black Pennsylvanian who supports President Trump that they aren’t black. And to Biden’s point that he wants people to look at his record, let’s do that.

On the issues of criminal justice alone, Biden is responsible for the 1994 crime bill which “many experts now associate with

mass incarceration.”

Biden’s crime bill doubled imprisonment from 1994 to 2009, and instituted the “three strikes and you’re out” rule. And it wasn’t just the federal prison system that Biden’s bill affected. MSNBC reported, Biden’s bill “influenced states to increase their prison rolls” too.

It wasn’t until President Trump was elected that the wrongs of Biden’s legislative history have begun to be righted. President Trump signed criminal justice reform into law with the First Step Act. With a disastrous interview like this, now the American people know why Joe Biden was avoiding an appearance on The Breakfast Club in the first place.

– Melissa Reed | Philadelphia

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Image: @Shotbywave

Following peaceful protests last weekend, numerous Philadelphia businesses were vandalized, looted and burned.

Your turn: We want to hear your thoughts on everything that went down last weekend in Philly. Did the violence take away from the message of the protests?

Send your thoughts to voices@philadelphiaweekly.com

VOICES OF OUR CITY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

13

To fight the virus, fight disparities The coronavirus struck quickly, but its impact has been far from equal. The numbers tell the story: The coronavirus struck quickly, but its impact has been far from equal. The numbers tell the story: In Pennsylvania, where African-Americans account for 11.3 percent of the state’s population, they comprise almost 33 percent of the reported 22,725 COVID-19 cases where the race of the patient was known. In Philadelphia alone, 52 percent of the coronavirus deaths in the city are among African-American residents. The virus is hitting our communities of color the hardest.

Pennsylvania’s multicultural communities face a disproportionately tough battle against the virus and its effects. The people in these communities are struggling both to stay healthy and economically secure. The disparities they must grapple with are not unique or new to the coronavirus, rather they have been magnified during the pandemic.

They are rooted in deep structural inequalities in our communities. For the many who are from multicultural communities and are part of the “essential” workforce, staying home during quarantine is not an option. African-Americans are disproportionately being put at higher risk of exposure while serving in essential jobs – and at higher risk of unemployment as nonessential workers are furloughed or laid off.

Gov. Wolf recognized the need to address the racial and ethnic disparities related to the pandemic, and he announced the formation of a COVID-19 Response Task Force on Health Disparity led by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

This group of statewide experts represents the first step toward addressing the inequalities highlighted by the pandemic. However, simply knowing that a problem exists is not enough. Coming up with solutions comes next. This Task Force must have access to data that can be analyzed and used to guide recommended actions and it should be made permanent. The disparities it must address existed in our state before COVID-19, and they will continue after the virus has abated. The Task Force’s work will help Pennsylvania prepare for future health crises.

AARP Pennsylvania encourages the Task Force, along with local, state and federal officials, to commit to tackling the critical

problems that will help the commonwealth’s multicultural communities weather this and future pandemics, while putting the state on a path to eliminate these disparities: Protect Pennsylvania’s essential workers. Pennsylvania’s essential workers have put their lives on the line to keep our state running and provide the services Pennsylvanians rely on. The safety of these workers should be a top priority, as staying home during a quarantine is not an option for them.

As we fight the pandemic, Pennsylvania must ensure frontline workers have adequate amounts of personal protective equipment and access to rapid COVID-19 testing. These workers should also be given in-language, culturally relevant information on how to minimize their risk, and where needed, it should be delivered by the appropriate spokespeople.

Demographic Data Collection and Reporting. At the onset of the pandemic while other states and municipalities publicized

data on the race of COVID-19 patients, Pennsylvania struggled early on to collect comprehensive demographics, which experts and some lawmakers say are vital to public health officials’ ability to target resources and begin to scale back social distancing. The Wolf Administration made a commitment to provide, gather, and share data with the public; and by mid-May it began publishing the number of confirmed cases and deaths for every county in Pennsylvania, it created a public dashboard of hospital preparedness data, and released a breakdown of cases by gender, race and some ethnicity information for almost all of the state’s COVID-19-related deaths. The state must continue to improve its data collection capacity and act on the data it has while devising short and long-term policy solutions that save lives.

Combating Xenophobia The spread of COVID-19 has unfortunately led to discrimination and targeting of our

Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Wasi Mohamed, the chairperson of the Pennsylvania Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, has explained that the discrimination in the state has not just come in the form of physical and verbal assaults, but also in the boycotting of Asian American Pacific Islander-owned businesses, the denial of public accommodation, and the denial of access to relief efforts. The ire directed at them has hurt small business owners, individuals, and their families, and it should not be tolerated.

Target education to stop the spread.

Pennsylvania must reach out to vulnerable communities about preventive measures like hand washing and mask use, direct them to nearby testing and treatment, and provide guidance to families living in multi-generational households about steps to stop the spread.

Support unpaid family caregivers.

Pennsylvania’s 1.6 million unpaid family caregivers faced financial strain before this pandemic, and the virus is amplifying their struggle. Nationally, all caregivers spend an average of 20 percent of their annual income caring for older loved ones. However, Hispanic family caregivers report spending 44 percent of their annual income caring for older loved ones. African-American family caregivers are spending 34 percent of their income caring for loved ones.

Multicultural communities also see a higher prevalence of caregiving – 37 percent of caregivers are African-American or Hispanic, and, importantly, they are more likely to spend a greater amount of time caring for a loved one than white caregivers.

Passing a tax credit for family caregivers will help these unpaid Pennsylvanians support their loved ones where they want to live – at home – and out of expensive and potentially dangerous taxpayer-funded nursing homes.

Offer paid sick leave. The federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act temporarily ensures more workers have access to paid sick leave during the pandemic, allowing them to stay home and slow the spread of the virus without risking financial ruin. However, that provision expires at the end of 2020.

When it does, we need to ensure more Pennsylvanians continue to have access to this significant benefit.

Rawle Andrews Jr. is the AARP regional vice president, and Bill Johnston-Walsh is the AARP Pennsylvania state director.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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MUSIC

Three standout musicians came together to create Muzz. And while it took awhile to put all of the pieces together, the resulting music was worth the wait. Image | Driely S.

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Meet Muzz

The group’s self-titled album drops tomorrow

M

mained in touch: Barrick drummed in uzz is a new band comBanks + Steelz and on some of Kaufman’s posed of three guys you production sessions; Kaufman helped on probably know from othBanks’s early Julian Plenti solo endeaver bands. Paul Banks is or; various demos were collaborated on; a the singer in Interpol, has a project with The RZA studio in Philadelphia was co-purchased; “what if”s and “we should”s were tossed called Banks + Steelz, about. and has released records When the opportunity to make music as a solo artist. Philly-based Matt Baras a trio presented itself, the trio rick played drums for Jonathan pounced.

Fire*Eater and The Walkmen, and With that level of creative chemyou’ve seen him on tour with Fleet BY EUGENE Foxes. Josh Kaufman is a third of ZENYATTA istry in the lab, the only foreseen hold-up would be one of timing. the folk group Bonny Light HorseDue to the sheer weight of the man and has his producer mitts all trio’s independent obligations, the Muzz over esteemed recordings by The National, Bob Weir, The Hold Steady, The War on project took shape at a simmer. Multiple sessions were held over the years at varDrugs, and many more.

The band now is releasing its self-titled ious practice spaces and studios like Barrick and Banks’ Silent Partner in Philaalbum tomorrow (June 5) on Matador. delphia and Kaufman’s preferred Isokon So how did we get here? Banks and Kaufman have been friends since their in Woodstock, New York, with his regular engineer Dan Goodwin filling in as co-proformative teen years, having attended ducer on the album. A typical session inhigh school together overseas before sepcorporated demos that Banks or Kaufman arately moving to New York City for furbrought to the table with room in place ther study. There, they independently for any member to build upon an idea as crossed paths with Barrick while running he felt, or with a new skeleton composed in similar music circles and shapeshiftduring a jam in the live room. Barrick and ing scenes. Some years on, they each re-

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Kaufman tended to work on music in the early parts of the days, and Banks would join them to add lyrics and melodies on top or in tandem. In a first for Banks, the lyrics were not entirely his domain, as Barrick and especially Kaufman contributed words to certain songs and helped shape things vocally. The band always recorded as they rehearsed, lending a freshness to the material that also benefited the patchwork schedule.

The resulting songs are dark and gorgeous, expansive and sparse, like Cormac McCarthy prose stretched across a cowboy painting of a sunset. “Bad Feeling” chimes and slinks with a touch of Bryan Ferry panache as Barrick’s kick drum pushes the tune along and Kaufman’s Farfisa fills the space. “Evergreen” features Banks’s vocal doubling down on Kaufman’s slide guitar melody, and “Patchouli” and “Summer Love” burrow and twinkle psychedelically. There are upstart rockers like “Red Western Sky” and “Knuckleduster” and jazz-beat drum showcases like “How Many Days” and “All Is Dead To Me.” PW recently caught up with Barrick to talk about the group and its new album.

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY How did you come up with the name Steelz, Paul’s project with RZA. During that time, Paul and I started working on demos and Muzz? at a certain point it clicked – with Paul and Josh had been using that term to describe a certain quality of sound in recordings that Josh’s friendship and history – that maybe have a warm and grainy analog texture. But these projects should merge.

When the three of us first got together, at a that came at the tail end of a long and arduous practice space in New York, we could tell there process of trying to come up with a name!

How has the band been coping with the was something there, so we decided to head upstate and record a few weeks later. Once pandemic and all of the closures? in the studio, the music flowed pretty quickly Like everyone else, we’ve had a ton of and naturally. I think the foundation of our shows cancelled. We’re rescheduling for late friendships also contributed a lot to that, as fall, though it seems more and more likely well as a mutual respect of our other projects that will be moved to next year. We’ve never played a show together as Muzz and were real- and general taste and musicianship.

The band has ties to Philly. How has the ly looking forward to it. In the meantime we’re staying busy working on new music and re- city’s music scene influenced you? Are you a fan of any local artists? cording some cover songs, also trying to figure I’ve lived here for 15 years and really love out interesting ways of doing “live” versions the city. Last year, I opened up a recording of our songs. studio in GermanYour new altown called Silent bum is scheduled Partner (Paul is a for release in earco-owner).

We’ve ly June. How did had some amazit come together, ing people come and did it turn through and I’m out the way you looking forward to hoped? when we can open It’s been in the our doors again! In works for quite a the meantime we few years. We all are navigating the were busy with our world of remote other bands and sessions and thinkprojects so we’d ing of ways to help get together in the Philadelphia musistudio a few times cians in these tough a year starting in times. early 2017, usually The music comfor about five days munity here is so at a time. great and diverse While some of that I won’t even the songs started Muzz, a band of three guys start listing names from demos, most you probably know from for fear of leaving of the music was other bands, releases its someone out! I got written in the stuself-titled album tomorrow. to play one show dio together and Image | Driely S. before the shutwas recorded as down with a great we were writing singer Rosali. But it, which is a great thinking back to the influence of Philadelphia way to work because you capture that initial excitement of an idea. We didn’t necessari- music before I moved here from New York – ly have a preconceived idea of how the band definitely seeing The Roots at Wetlands in the would sound – and we certainly tried many ‘90s blew me away – Questlove drum solo on a different things until we hit on sounds that little vintage drum kit! Lilys. I also got influwe wanted to pursue – but I’m really happy enced by a lot of music from Philly when my with how it ended up. It was a really fun pro- old band The Walkmen toured with Mazarin cess working with these guys – and with Dan (Quentin is a studio partner), Blood Feathers Goodwin, engineer/co-producer who had a big (Ben Dickey/A. M. Mills), The War On Drugs, Man Man. It always seemed like there was reimpact on the sound and vibe. ally cool and unusual stuff going on here.

Muzz is three guys who had a lot of sucWhat’s ahead for Muzz once the pancess with other bands. Was it a great fit from the start? How did you know the three demic passes, and what are the best ways for people to stay up-to-date with what of you were meant to form a band?

I loved Josh’s playing and energy from the you’re doing?

We’re looking forward to playing our first first time we worked together, so I definitely show someday, and a bunch of touring. Hopehad an interest in continuing to work with him. We got together back in 2015 and made fully it won’t be too long but maybe we’ll have some demos (one that ended up on the record). another record by then.

Best place for Muzz info is probably www.

This was before I had become friends with instagram.com/muzztheband/.

Paul while playing drums with Banks and

MUSIC

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Image | Driely S.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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MUSIC

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Coronacast WNUW develops oral history of C-19 pandemic

BY EUGENE ZENYATTA

E

ver since its campus shut down due to COVID-19, Neumann University has been collecting and airing diaries of the coronavirus pandemic on its Delaware County radio station, WNUW 98.5 LP FM. The purpose is to give ordinary people a voice during the crisis, create a sense of community, and develop an oral history of the pandemic experience. The diaries air every hour at the 15-minute mark and go out on social media.

So far, the university has collected around 200 stories from the Philadelphia area and beyond, even as far away as Europe. In the end, the university will archive them all into a special collection available to researchers and the public.

People participate by recording themselves using the voice memo app on their phone and emailing WNUW@ neumann.edu or by calling the station and leaving a message.

PW recently caught up with Janis Chakars, associate professor of communication and digital media at Neumann, to chat about the process.

Image | israel palacio

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY What sparked the idea to turn this radio show into a virtual diary for people who want to discuss COVID-19?

When the virus started moving across the globe, we knew that we were witnessing a major event. Then, when campus closed, businesses closed, and the quarantine began, we wanted to offer people a way to express their thoughts and share their experiences about what was happening. Our station manager, Sean McDonald, was able to set up a remote studio and keep our radio running. We talked about how we could use it to address the crisis and the Coronacast was born.

Image | Jason Rosewell How do you think this program is helping people deal with the stress that comes with it?

We are a storytelling species.

That is how we work things out and make sense of them. Sharing stories helps people get a handle on things.

When you contribute a story to the project, you are working out what you think about the pandemic and your place in it, and when you listen to other people’s stories, you are doing the same thing.

Sharing stories in media is also a way to create and maintain community.

It can make us feel less isolated while socially distant.

What’re some of the stories you’ve heard that made you realize this is an important thing for people to have right now?

The diaries present the full gamut of experience and thus make the pandemic fully real beyond any one person’s experience. A nurse’s experience of caring for the dying really touched me. Another story from someone who had the virus helped me understand what it feels like. Another person spoke about being happy to get a job in a nursing home, one of the most dangerous places to be, even though she is terrified of the virus because she has bills to pay.

We also have a lot of light-hearted ones, and I think those are really important to have too

MUSIC right now. We got a really funny one about a Wawa in Delaware County that could have been written by Tina Fey. A lot of people end their stories with encouraging messages of hope, which I think attests to the goodness of people and is very encouraging.

You’ve received stories from all over the world. Is that through marketing, word of mouth? And what’s the feeling of making a global impact?

It is really interesting to see the similarities and differences in experience around the world. The stories have all come through word of mouth, Neumann people reaching out to contacts abroad, and just snowballing sources.

I definitely think the wide reach of the project enhances its significance.

It is hard to measure or predict impact, and so I usually think it is best to just do things because they are good to do in their own right, but all of the diaries will be archived into a special collection at the Neumann University library and that will certainly give them a lasting impact.

They will forever be a resource for researchers or anyone that wants to know what the pandemic was like.

How long do you plan to keep these diaries going? And what do you hope giving people a platform helped to aid as they deal with this crisis?

The stay-at-home order will be loosened by June 5 and things are already opening up elsewhere, but the hangover from this episode is going to be bad.

So many people are out of work and so many things have already changed, so I want to keep the project going as long as people still have stories to tell about the pandemic and its aftermath.

It may sound grandiose, but I think when you give people a platform to speak and you tell them that their voices matter, you affirm their dignity, and that is important for people during this crisis and always.

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THE RUNDOWN How we’ll food truck this summer....

Summer is getting closer, the economy is opening up again, and everyone is ready for, yes, food trucks. But how do you get the most out of your food truck festival experience? We reached out to Beau Jadrosich of PBJ Soft Serve for his advice.

Follow the trucks

It would suck to find out afterthe-fact that your favorite truck was actually at the event, but you didn’t know because you couldn’t find them. Follow your favorite food trucks on social media.

That’s where you’ll find their menu and alerts on where they will be located at your event.

Cash is king

Ya gotta pay some way, and Jadrosich recommends good, old-fashioned currency. While many trucks take credit cards (and even Venmo or CashApp nowadays), there are many trucks that don’t. It’s also the most preferred way to leave a tip.

Be ready to order

Jadrosich here touches on one of our biggest pet peeves, whether it’s at a food truck festival or Taco Bell: Read the menu in advance so you can be ready to place your order when you get to the window. Hungry people are waiting behind you, maybe patiently, maybe not.

Take a lap

We found this to be Jadrosich’s best tip. Assess all of the food options first so you don’t end up with buyer’s remorse when you see another truck you’d prefer to try. We’ve learned this lesson the hard way – on more than one occasion.

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Bring a friend

Not only are there social benefits to this, Jadrosich notes there are strategic ones as well. You can tagteam to cut down on wait times at each truck, and you’ll be able to try a lot more food by sharing your orders with each other.

Eat on the go

Be prepared to eat standing up. Most festivals/events with food trucks don’t have tables or seating. We’d add that you also should keep this in mind when ordering unless you’re an experienced ice cream cone juggler and really can handle 10 cones at once. If you’re ordering for 10 people, bring at least five with you to the truck to carry the food.

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The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

A couple of weeks ago, we brought you Visit Philadelphia’s list of movies starring, well, Philadelphia. Today, we bring you TV shows. You can go to visitphilly.com for the entire list, but here are some of our choices, excluding one of our favorites because everyone knows it’s always sunny here.

You knew we had to have this one, right?

Though the show (1990-1996) wasn’t set in Philly, Will Smith’s character was – as the wildly catchy theme song goes – born and raised in West Philadelphia. Smith infuses his character with an authentic Philly personality and demeanor on the hit sitcom, which probably wasn’t a stretch, considering the actor is famously from West Philly, too.

Though L.A. is the primary setting, the show is still widely associated with Philly and considered a must-watch by residents.

How we’re watching Philly on TV....

Cold Case

Kathryn Morris plays a detective – the only woman on her homicide unit in Philadelphia – who works unsolved cases, seeking justice for all the victims she can in this crime drama (2003-2010). The show – primarily filmed in L.A. – shot in Philly several times over the course of its seven seasons to get proper visuals of places like City Hall, the Masonic Temple and Swann Memorial Fountain.

This is Us

Image: Walt Disney Television

This flashback-heavy, tear-jerker of a drama that premiered in 2016 features Philly during its third season, when Randall (Sterling K. Brown) runs for a seat on Philadelphia City Council. In the fourth season, when Randall’s family moves to Philly, he takes everyone sightseeing and they all end up running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Some scenes were also filmed on South Street and around Headhouse

How to Get Away with Murder

In this thrilling legal drama (2014-2020), lawyer and law professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) teaches at the fictional Middletown University in Philadelphia. Though not filmed in the city, visuals of the skyline and City Hall are often shown.

Thirtysomething

Co-created by Lower Merion native Marshall Herskovitz, this angst-filled drama (1987-1991) set in Philadelphia follows seven thirtysomethings trying to navigate adult life.

The show was well received, and won 13 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards over the course of its four seasons.

The Goldbergs

Jenkintown is the setting of this family sitcom based on the creator and show runner’s real-life experiences growing up in the 1980s in suburban Philadelphia. Though the show isn’t filmed in the city, characters dressed in vintage Flyers tees and references to places like Jenkintown’s Hiway Theater, the bar Buckets and, of course, Wawa add real Philly authenticity to the show, which debuted in 2013.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

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PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Breaking Fast

Mike Mosallam’s rom-com stars out actor Haaz Sleiman as Mo, a heartbroken gay Muslim who meets – and eats with – Kal (Michael Cassidy) during Ramadan. Because the Holy Month forbids impure thoughts and activities, Mo is forced to practice self-control.

Mosallam’s clever conceit allows Mo and Kal to fall in love as their relationship develops over numerous romantic meals and dates.

When qFLIX Philadelphia, the region’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival, had to postpone to the fall due to the global pandemic, PrideFLIX was born. The virtual film festival launched June 1, and promises a stellar line up of LGBTQ+ documentaries, feature films, short films and web series. Head over to qflixphilly. com for tickets and all the info.

In the meantime, here are our film fest favorites.

How we’re attending PrideFLIX....

Almost Love (aka Sell By) Gay Chorus Deep South

Straight Up

Gay writer, director and star James Sweeney’s funny and talky romantic comedy is about a gay man (Sweeney) who re-evaluates his desires when he falls nonsexually in love with Rory (Katie Findlay), a straight woman. Sweeney and Findlay are charming as they navigate uncertain waters in this amusing spin on the gay guy/straight girl dynamic.

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

Gay actor-turned-writer/director Mike Doyle’s film is a dramatic-comedy about gay and straight friends grappling with issues of trust and jealousy, intimacy, and communication. Gay actor Scott Evans stars as Adam, a frustrated painter whose five-year relationship with Marklin (gay actor Augustus Prew), an internet influencer has hit a snag.

A documentary about the week-long goodwill tour the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus took in five southern states with strong anti-LGBTQ+ laws. The film is a showcase for the power of music, which, of course, is wonderful, but it is the how the chorus changes the minds of the people they meet – and how the people change the minds of the chorus – that reverberates.

Huckleberry

“Late Night” films

This is a thriller about the trans title character (Daniel Fisher-Golden) whose friendship with Jolene (Sarah Ulstrup) is tested when she asks for Huckleberry’s help in dealing with her violent boyfriend (Justin Rose).

Sadulous

This is a webseries and a timely entry about Philadelphian Alejandro (director Alejandro Morales), a gay Latino who hasn’t left his apartment in weeks. An LGBTQ+ comedy showcase featuring Morales is planned for June 23.

“Late Night” films being pursued include the documentaries, “Blue Flower of Novalis,” about an HIV-positive gay poet in Brazil, and “Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life,” a striking portrait of the Israeli porn star, as well as two features, “Aviva” an eye-popping, genderbending drama full of sex and dance, and “Equation to an Unknown” an explicit and largely forgotten 1980 French porn film.

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY

Life isn’t returning to pre-pandemic levels anytime soon, but things are starting to loosen up a bit. So we’re planning our schedule once the stay-at-home orders are lifted. Here’s a part of our list, and we didn’t include “get a haircut” because everyone is going to be doing that. Want to share what you’re going to do? Hit us up on social or email us at voices@philadelphiaweekly.com.

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Go back to work

We know this won’t be possible for way too many people, but for those who have a spot to return to, we know you miss it. You miss the social interaction and teamwork. You miss seeing your friends.

You miss the stability a routine offers.

You even miss the person in the office who talks too much and too loudly.

What we’re going to do when this is all over....

Say ‘bye’ to the kids

Take them to Grandma’s house for an extended visit. Send them to daycare. Drop them off for summer camp, even if it’s way before the camp opens. Hey, we love you guys, but we need you gone for a little while.

Drive the Schuylkill at rush hour

This might seem odd to you, but we miss the 30 feet-per-hour speed limit, the constant honking and obscenity-shouting (and that’s just us doing what we do), and watching some idiot try to weave in and out of traffic to try to gain a couple of spots (and then laughing when his lane stops cold and we breeze by him). Yes, we miss the good old days.

Not touch stuff

This is a holdover from the quarantine thing, but, even after the powers-that-be give the all-clear, we’re still not going to touch stuff we don’t have to.

Sure, we’ll be a little more relaxed when it comes to going back to normal life, but somewhere in the back of the head will be a little voice asking, “Do you really need to touch that?” More often than not, the answer will be “no.”

Hit the gym, then eat

This sounds weird, but it will be fun. After being stuck at home for months, we need a good workout. But we also need a cheesesteak and soft pretzel. So we’re going to do both, in that order, on the same day. Does this make sense? No. But nothing makes sense these days.

Get a tattoo

If you have tattoos, you understand where we’re coming from. If you don’t, never mind. But, for all of you really ready for more ink, stay tuned. PW will have a story in a few weeks on how tattoo parlors are adapting to life after the coronavirus. Read it and then go out and have some work done.

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Blinders

Q: Here goes: I’m a 32-year-old gay male and to talk to me and all of my readers about I have trouble staying out of my head during them. I realize it’s a little different, DIL, as sex. I feel like there may be many issues. The you don’t have to look me in the eye while we one non-issue is everything works fine on my discuss your dick. But there are therapists own. When I’m single or “available,” I am OK. who specialize in helping people work through Let’s be honest: I’m a slut and I enjoy it. their issues around sex and they’re usually But when I invest in someone, when I’m pretty good at setting nervous new clients at trying to have an actual relationship, the sex ease. They have to be. suffers. With a partner I care about So I would encourage you to have I feel nervous. I feel small both mena few sessions with a sex-positive tally and physically. And I worry queer shrink. Talking about your my dick is small. I’ve measured and dick with a stranger will be awkphotographed it, so I know better, ward at first, of course, but just like but something in me is always askeating ass, DIL, the more you do it, ing ... are you really enough? the less awkward it gets – and after I’m currently in an open relationa few sessions, your therapist won’t ship with a guy I’ve known for a debe a stranger anymore. (To find a cade. He’s amazing. Often I’m hard sex-positive/poly-positive sex theraAF just sitting there relaxing with pist, head over to the website of the him.

American Association of Sexuality But the closer we get to actualEducators, Counselors and Theraly having sex, the more nervous pists: aasect.org.)

I become. I even stop breathing In the meantime, DIL, go ahead consistently. It’s almost like I feel and blindfold your boyfriend – if ashamed to want someone so much. @FAKEDANSAVAGE he’s game, of course, and I can’t Or something? It’s frustrating beimagine he wouldn’t be. You seem cause I would love nothing more to have an irrational fear of being than to fuck like rabbits until we were both seen. If your boyfriend were to get a good look exhausted. at you naked, DIL, especially if he got a good I love him and I want to be able to please look at your dick, you’re convinced he would him sexually! Our intisuddenly conclude – macy, our conversation, even though he’s known our connection – everyyou for a decade and is thing else is so strong. obviously into you – that But I feel like my probyou’re not “enough” for lem will kill any future I him. So don’t let him get might have with him. He a good look. Blindfold hasn’t really expressed a that boy. concern but I worry.

Don’t lie to him about I have considered the why you want to blindidea of therapy but the fold him – tell him you idea of talking to some feel a little insecure – but stranger about my sex bringing in a blindfold life face-to-face is just makes working through daunting. So what do I your insecurities into a do? My other thought is sexy game. Being able to just blindfold him and to have sex with the boysay bottoms up. friend without having to – Dazed In Love worry about him sizing up your cock will free you to enjoy sex, and So you don’t wanna talk with a therwho knows? After a few hot sex sessions with apist about your issues – which touch on your sensory-deprived boyfriend (or a few more than just sex – but you’re willing dozen hot sessions), your confidence may get

DAN SAVAGE

“Every day I go back and forth between loving where we are and wanting to run the fuck away.”

JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

SAVAGE LOVE

PHILADELPHIAWEEKLY.COM @PHILLYWEEKLY the boost it needs and you won’t feel so insecure about your cock or anything else.

And even if your dick was small – which it isn’t, DIL, and you’ve got the measurements and photos to prove it – you could still have great sex with your boyfriend. Guys with dicks of all sizes, even guys without dicks, can have great sex. And if you’re still nervous after blindfolding the boyfriend and worried you’ll go soft, DIL, you can take the pressure off by enjoying sex acts and play that don’t require you to be hard. You can bottom for him, you can blow him, you can use toys on his ass, you can sit on his face while he jacks off, etc.

There’s a lot you can do without your dick.

Zooming out, DIL, intimacy and hot sex are often negatively correlated – meaning, the more intimate a relationship becomes, the less hot the sex gets. Anyone who’s watched more than one American sitcom has heard a million jokes about this sad fact. People in sexually exclusive relationships who still want hot sex to be a part of their lives have to work at solving this problem with their partners. But if you’re in an open relationship and can get sex elsewhere, well, then you can have love and intimacy and pretty good sex with your partner and adventures and novelty and crazy hot sex with other people.

Ideally, of course, a person in an open relationship wants – and it is possible for a person in an open relationship to have – hot sex with their committed partner as well as their other partners. But some people can’t make it work, DIL. However hard they try, some people can’t have uninhibited or unselfconscious sex with a long-term partner. The more invested they are in someone, the higher the stakes are, the longer they’re together, etc., the less arousing sex is for them.

Most of the people with this problem – people who aren’t capable of having great sex with a long-long-long-term partner – are in monogamous relationships and, judging from the jokes on sitcoms, they’re utterly (but hilariously) miserable.

You’re not in a monogamous relationship, DIL, so if it turns out you’re incapable of having great sex with a committed partner – if you can’t manage to integrate those things – you don’t have to go without great sex. You can have intimacy at home and great sex elsewhere.

But it’s a double-edged sword, DIL, because if you can get hot sex elsewhere, you may not be motivated to do the work required – to talk to that shrink, to get that blindfold, to work through those issues – that would make it possible for you to have great sex with your partner and others.

Q: I’ve been with my boyfriend for three years. I’m a 27-year-old woman and this was my first “real” relationship. Before I met my boyfriend, I would have considered myself a steady dick-jumper. I went flitting from guy to guy.

On paper, our relationship seemed great. He tries to make sure I have what I need, whether it’s a meal, a TV show, a record to play. He is stable and affectionate; most of all, he wanted to be with me. But he’s boring. When I talk to him, I want to be somewhere, anywhere else. The more I tried to engage with him, the more obvious our lack of any deep connection seemed. He is stoic and un-emotional whereas I cry during car commercials. I’m desperately seeking an emotional equal.

Every day I go back and forth between loving where we are and wanting to run the fuck away. I have a tendency to do the latter – with guys, friends, jobs – so I don’t know what I REALLY want. But I feel so incredibly unfulfilled.

We have a lackluster sex life and I feel more like his roommate the past year than his girlfriend.

I want to be inspired by my partner. My question is ... actually, I’m not really sure I have a question.

– First Relationship Fizzle

“Talking about your dick with a stranger will be awkward at first, of course, but just like eating ass, DIL, the more you do it, the less awkward it gets.”

Since you didn’t ask a question, FRF, I guess you don’t require an answer. So I’ll make an observation instead: You repeatedly refer to this relationship in the past tense. (“…this was my first ‘real’ relationship,” “… our relationship seemed great,” “…the more I tried.”) So you obviously know what you need to do.

Your soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend sounds like a good guy, FRF, and you don’t want to hurt him, which makes dumping him harder. But if he’s not the right guy for you, FRF, you’re not the right woman for him.

Go back to flitting – and who knows? Maybe one day you’ll jump on a dick that’s attached to a guy who inspires you. Or maybe you don’t want one guy – forever or for long. Some people are happier flitting than settling.

Join me for my first-ever Savage Lovecast Livestream! June 4 at 7 PST. I’ll answer as many of your questions as I can, all from the comfort of your computer. Tickets are at savagelovecast.com/events.

Follow Dan on Twitter @FakeDanSavage www.savagelovecast.com

THERE’S ALWAYS MORE SAVAGE TO LOVE! Read: PhillyWeekly.com Have a question?: mail@savagelove.net

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Protests turn violent Photographer Wave Lane captured this image – and several others featured throughout this issue – during last weekend's protests. This photo was taken outside of City Hall as protesters set several fires around the building. If you have a photo to share, tag us on social at #PWBigPic or send it to mail@philadelphiaweekly.com.

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                                                                                

                                                                

                                                           

                                                                       

                                                                                          

It’s always a good time to buy a beach house!

You will be amazed at how affordable a place at the shore can be.

Your source for real estate from Ocean City to Cape May and along the Delaware Bay.

TONY DeCICCI REALTOR Cape May County Real Estate Brokers

609.675.1923

office

609.602.6817 cell

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@PhillyWeekly JUNE 4 - 11, 2020 | PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY

PW REAL ESTATE To advertise in this section contact Sales 215-543-3743 ext. 104 or sales@philadelphiaweekly.com

REAL ESTATE

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REAL ESTATE

REGGIE Midtown Center City

$1350 / 1br - 600ft2 - 1 Bedroom – 1 Bath – Midtown Center City July Move In. 1218 Walnut St. KEY FEATURES: Sq Footage: 600sqft. Bedrooms: 1 Bed. Bathrooms: 1 Bath.

Lease Duration: 1 Year. Deposit: $500. Pets Policy: Cats & Dogs OK. Laundry: Shared. Floor: 2nd. Property Type: Apartment.

Hardwood. Enjoy living in the heart of Center City. See more at: http://www.pmcpropertygroup.com/properties or call (215) 284-7750.

Great location

$1795 / 2br - Center City Charm! 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath Brownstone in Great Location! 15th & Spruce/Center City/ Rittenhouse. Welcome to 15th and Spruce! Home to a spacious & bright 2 bedroom in a charming brownstone.

This apartment comes equipped with pristine hardwood floors, large closets, on-site laundry, intercom entry, and a flat utility fee. Located close to premium shopping and eating establishments, 15th and Spruce is a must see for those looking to experience everything that Center City living has to offer. Available Mid-September! $1,795/month. $35 for Utilities (Includes heat, water, gas, sewer, and trash removal.

Resident is responsible for electric, cable, and internet.) westburyphilly.com.Call today to set up a tour! 215-735-8030.

Decorative Fireplace. Hardwood Flooring (current carpeting will be replaced with wood flooring prior to move in). Jack and Jill Bathroom. Abundant Large Windows. Beautiful Vintage Moldings Throughout. Ceiling Fans. Air Conditioning. Gas Cooking. Cable Ready. On-site Laundry. Secure Intercom Entry. 24 Hour Emergency Maintenance. Complimentary Package Acceptance Service. Awesome Center City Location.

Easily Accessible Public Transportation/Bike Share. Running, Walking & Bike Path nearby. Cats & Dogs Welcome! Blocks away from CC Dog Parks. Online Maintenance Portal and Rent Payment. Online Application and Lease. No Move-in Fee.

Pet friendly

$1080 / 1br - NEW RENT SPECIAL ! PET FRIENDLY/DOG PARK. City Line Avenue near Belmont Avenue. FEATURES: FREE WIFI IN LOBBY. On-Site Maintenance/24-Hours Emergency Service. Off Street Parking. Garage Parking Available. Close to Restaurants. PET FRIENDLY/DOG PARK. Spacious Floor Plans. 24-Hour Fitness Center. Laundry Facilities in Every Floor. Professional On-Site Management.

Dishwasher, Microwave, Garbage Disposal. Gas Range Call: (215) 600-2117. For more information, visit us at: yourmetropolitan.com

Two-bedroom

$1770 / 2br - 2 Bedroom – 1 Bath – Midtown Center City (201 S. 13th). KEY FEATURES: Bedrooms: 2 Bed. Bathrooms: 1 Bath. Lease Duration: 1 Year.Deposit: $500. Pets Policy: Cats & Dogs OK. Laundry: Shared. Floor: 8th. Property Type: Apartment. DESCRIPTION: 2 Bedroom –1 Bath, unit.

Vinyl Laminate flooring, with carpeted bedroom. Kitchen nook. RENTAL FEATURES: Range / Oven. Refrigerator.

Heat: baseboard heating. Hardwood floor. Website: http:// pmcpropertygroup.com.

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Want to list your apartment with Real Estate Reggie?

For only $75, you get 100 words to describe your place. For only $125, you get 100 words, plus a photo. Need something more or different?

Reggie can make it happen. happen Deadline is every Monday at 10 am for Thursday’s issue. Email him at REReggie@philadelphiaweekly.com for details.

24-story hi-rise

$1000 Center City Apartments Available In 24-Story Hi-Rise. 13th Street near Chancellor Street. Sunny, STUDIO APARTMENTS becoming available. Apartments feature upgraded kitchens and baths. Studios range $905 to $1,050 based on availability. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS becoming available. Rents range $1,300 - $1,485 based on availability. Apartments feature large windows and 9 ft. ceilings. Ask about our NO SECURITY DEPOSIT program!

Cats are welcome (add’l fee)! All apartments are rented unfurnished. Chancellor Apartments is a convenient high-rise apartment community in an amazing location in Center City.

We are close to most major schools and universities, public transportation, historical attractions, shopping, restaurants and theaters. Center City at its best! Rent includes: heat, hot/ cold water, 24-hour front desk attendant, free bike storage room, package acceptance service, 24-hour emergency maintenance service, on-site smart card laundry plus card access system and BuildingLink resident services portal access for all residents. The Chancellor boasts several different studio and one bedroom floor plans. Apartments feature high ceilings, large bright windows, ceiling fans in most units, hardwood floors and breathtaking views of the Philadelphia skyline and Delaware River. Many apartments have large walk-in closets, too! We have partnered with Optimal Sport Health Club to offer a generous discounted gym membership (we pay your initiation fee!). There are several off street parking lots and garages in the area, too! CHANCELLOR APARTMENTS. 215-735-8404.

Finished basement

$3000 / 4br - 2000ft2 - 4 BEDROOM 2 BATH HOUSE WITH FINISHED BASEMENT CLOSE TO CENTER CITY (2329 St. Albans Place). ONLINE VIDEO TOUR AVAILABLE- PLEASE REACH OUT TO VIEW THIS PROPERTY TODAY. It’s all about location for this 4 bedroom 2 bathroom house. Close to Penn University, as well as, Center City and is on one of the last few garden blocks in Philadelphia. There is an alarm system installed and a pool table in the finished basement. The large bathroom boasts a big Jacuzzi Tub. Washer/Dryer and a fireplace are all included. First month’s rent, last month’s rent, and 1-month security deposit must be paid prior to move-in.

Tenant is responsible for all utilities, including water. Available August 2020. Philadelphia Apartment Rentals Inc. www. philadelphiaapartmentrental.com.

Exposed beams $1999 / 698ft2 - Walk to Center City, Exposed Beams and Columns, Open Loft Layouts. 1600 Callowhill Street. This is a Studio, 1 Bath, approximately 698 Sq. Ft. Originally built amidst a sea of immense factories that made up the Callowhill branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Sixteen Hundred is an incarnation of the city’s manufacturing heritage. The newly updated Sixteen Hundred is timeless, modern, and distinctly Philadelphian. Features: Generous Closets, Exposed Beams and Columns, Equipped Kitchens, Original Brick Walls, Panoramic Views Available, Expansive Windows, Studios, 1 Bedrooms & 2 Bedrooms, Open Loft Layouts, 14’ Ceilings. Community Amenities: Terrace, Visit the Museums, Community Room, Ride the Broad Street Line, Roof Deck & Patio, Roof Lounge, Fitness Center, Bike Storage, Ground Floor Retail, Walk to Center City. Pet Policy: Pet friendly, contact for details. Want more information? Visit: http://cl.greystar.com

Arcade room

$1920 / 603ft2 - STUDIO APT CENTER CITY- BUSINESS LOUNGE, GYM, ROOFDECK, ARCADE ROOM. 1338 Chestnut St. near Broad Street. Convenient City Location! Start Life on the Avenue. Griffin Center City. http://cl.greystar.com.

This is a Studio, 1 Bath, approximately 603 Sq. Ft. Be a part of it all at Griffin – masterfully renovated apartments located along the Avenue of the Arts in the heart of Center City. With all-new finishes and features, complemented by a smart collection of amenities, Griffin is your canvas for artful Philadelphia living. Features: Modern kitchens. Stainless steel appliances. Freestanding kitchen islands. Mecho-style blinds.Washers and dryers. Designer backsplashes. Carpeted bedrooms. Keyless entry. Quartz countertops. Engineered hardwood flooring. Spectacular city views. Wood cabinets.

Luxurious bathrooms with quartz countertops and glass showers. Community Amenities: Catering facility. Fire pit. Billiards. Shuffleboard. Prominent Avenue of the Arts address. State-of-the-art fitness center open 24/7. Private conference space. Resident business lounge. Valet laundry.

Golf simulator. Historic character. Walking distance to dozens of Center City shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions.

Concierge service. Outdoor kitchen. Indoor-outdoor rooftop clubroom. Panoramic views. Onsite management team.

24-hour maintenance. Onsite bike storage. 24-hour front desk.

Pet-friendly. One-time $350 pet fee followed by $35/month per pet. Maximum 2 pets per household. Certain aggressive dog breed restrictions apply.

Great price

$1495 / 1br - 563ft2 - Great Price – 1 Bedroom – 1 Bath~Center City (1411 Walnut St.) KEY FEATURES: Sq Footage: 563sf. Bedrooms: 1 Bed. Bathrooms: 1 Bath.

Lease Duration: 1 Year. Deposit: $500. Pets Policy: Cats & Dogs OK. Laundry: Shared. Property Type: Apartment.

DESCRIPTION: 1 Bedroom Apartment home with Hardwood Floors; Central Heating; Central Cooling; Microwave; Building Features Exercise Room and Front Desk. The original home of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. Known for its popular restaurants and nightlife spots, Midtown Philadelphia is a fun and exciting place to live. Just steps away from some of Philadelphia’s best culinary experiences, you will revel in the hustle and bustle of Center City life! RENTAL FEATURES: Living room. Range / Oven. Refrigerator. Microwave. Heat: forced air. Central A/C. Double pane / Storm windows.

Cable-ready. Hardwood floor. COMMUNITY FEATURES: Vintage building. Elevator. Doorman. Fitness center. Near transportation. LEASE TERMS: 1 year Lease; Tenant pays electricity (cost of heating water); Landlord pays gas and water. http://pmcpropertygroup.com.

Beautiful sunsets

$2162 / 1br - 690ft2 - Beautiful Sunsets Over Center City Await. 401 Race Street. The View at Old City unveils an exceptional portrait of living. A unique fusion of style and sophistication, our apartment residences reflect your contemporary flair. Enjoy the life you deserve. When you live at The View at Old City, your address says it all. 24-Hour Package Acceptance & Retrieval. NEST Thermostat E. Private Entries. Pet-Friendly Community. Designated Bicycle Storage.

Zen Garden. Reserved, On-Site Parking. Boardwalk Roof Deck with Overlook. In-Home Washer & Dryer. Dry Cleaning Service. Electric Vehicle Charging Station. Media Room. theviewatoldcity.com.

Luxury apartments

$2314 / 1br - 780ft2 - Pet Friendly Center City Luxury Apartments Available Now. 300 Alexander Court near Vine Street. WELCOME TO THE ALEXANDER. Call Now: (215) 5964234 x 87, or Text 87 to (215) 596-4234 for more information.

See our property details here: http://cl.greystar.com/20094z.

This is a 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath, approximately 780 Sq. Ft. Discover the definition of exceptional living at The Alexander. Here, at our high-rise Philadelphia apartments, you will find the perfect blend of modern design and enduring style. The Alexander will feature luxurious homes with unique configurations and unmatched amenities, all in a smoke-free environment.

Enjoy upscale urban living from the rooftop deck, the lavish courtyard or by simply letting our on-site concierge assist with making your everyday a little more extraordinary. Live in a walkable, pet-friendly residential neighborhood near museums and parks. Classic, warm, and inviting – find your future at The Alexander. Features: Views of Center City Philadelphia from select apartments. Picturesque terraces and balconies in select apartments. Walk-In Closets . WoodLike Flooring throughout apartment. Open-concept floor plans. In-home washers and dryers. Stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops in Kitchens.

Rittenhouse/Fitler

$1200 / 1br - Large Rittenhouse / Fitler Square One Bedroom, Center City (22nd and Locust St. Rittenhouse Square area: 22nd & Locust Streets. Large Rittenhouse / Fitler Square One Bedroom Apartment - Only $1,200 per month, Heat, Hot water & Gas included. Available for Lease Date starting July 1 or Before. Robin Apartments, Inc. - a family company for over 80 years! All Social Distancing Guidelines will be observed!

Showings by appointment only. Robinapartments.com.

Heart of Center City Philadelphia: Two blocks to Rittenhouse Square Park and Schuylkill River Trail, Fourth Floor front with Excellent Sunlight, Full Kitchen with Dishwasher, Hardwood Floors Throughout, Laundry Facilities available, Cable & Internet-ready, Within UP & Drexel Shuttle District, Walking distance to UP & Drexel & Hahnemann Hospital, Maintenance included, One cat allowed, Packages accepted at RE office for your convenience. Robin Apartments management graded A+

by University of Pennsylvania student survey eight years in a row. Apartments can be viewed BY APPOINTMENT Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM.

Lavish studio condo

$1045 / 319ft2 - Lavish Center City Studio Condo w. ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, all in-person showings for occupied properties are currently on hold. We will be doing our best to provide video tours of these units when available and are still accepting applications sight unseen. Please contact us for more information on this listing.

Available Early June. Unit #530 is a studio condo at The Arts Condominium building in Center City that has ALL UTILITIES included, even Cable TV (channels 1-100 + HBO). The building also has common laundry facilities, a fitness center, 24/7 front desk attendant, business center/community room, and computer/printer terminals in the lobby with free wi-fi. This unit is one of the most aesthetically pleasing studios in the building, with gorgeous hardwood floors, plenty of natural light, a small but lovely kitchen with cabinet lighting and tile backsplash, and modern track lighting overhead. There’s a large closet and a spacious tiled bathroom as well. The iconic Avenue of the Arts is home to big names like the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, Wilma Theater, University of the Arts, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, amazing eateries like City Diner, Sumo Sushi, Big Gay Ice Cream, Giorgio on Pine, Volvér, and hotspots such as Woody’s, Fox & Hound, Howl at the Moon, and MUCH more! Jg-realestate.com.

Arts condo

$1000 / 345ft2 - Arts Condo, 1324 Locust #615-Center City Studio w/ Utilities Included! (Avenue of the Arts/ Washington Square West). 1324 Locust St. NOW CONDUCTING VIRTUAL TOURS! Available NOW! The Arts Condominium building, formerly the historic Sylvania Hotel, is located in the Avenue of the Arts section of Washington Square, just off Broad Street.

This studio includes a kitchenette with a microwave and mini refrigerator, AC unit, ceiling fan, hardwood floors throughout and bathroom with retro black and white tile and shower. The building features include a 24 hour concierge, wheelchair accessibility, 24 hour fitness center, secured bike storage room, coin operated laundry facility on site, community room, business center, and free wifi in common areas! Sorry, no pets. $250 move in fee. Moving permitted weekdays and Saturdays from 8-4:30 pm. UTILITIES INCLUDED (Electric, water and basic cable). www.ocfrealty.com.

Adelphia House Parkway House

$1545 / 1br - 12th fl. 1 bedroom center city high rise~ $500 security deposit (2201 Pennsylvania Ave). Parkway House Apartments. Fairmount Park’s close proximity to the Rodin, Barnes Foundation, and Philadelphia Museum of Art allow ultimate access to world-renowned points of cultural interest, while Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row, and the Schuylkill River Park provide areas for rowing, biking, and running. Tree-lined streets, a small neighborhood feel, and cultural activities make Fairmount Park a highly desirable neighborhood! FEATURES: Fully-equipped kitchens. Card-operated laundry in the building. Hardwood floors available. Cable-ready. High-speed Internet. Heat, water, and cooking gas included. AMENITIES: Resident lounge featuring WiFi, comfortable couches, flatscreen TVs, ping pong, and billiards. Fully-equipped fitness center featuring cardio equipment, free weights, and strength-training machines. Rooftop deck. Community patio.

Newly renovated lobby with WiFi. On-site Parkway Corner Deli.

Freight elevator. Bike storage with tool stand and bike pump.

On-site parking available. Pet friendly. Pmcpropertygroupcom.

$985 4th fl. studio apt. center city $500 security deposit (1229 Chestnut Street). Designed by prominent American architect Horace Trumbauer, the Adelphia House is a renovated Philadelphia landmark offering a grand two-story lobby with detailed tile floors and beautiful plaster work.

Known for its popular restaurants and nightlife spots, Midtown Philadelphia is a fun and exciting place to live. Just steps away from some of Philadelphia’s best culinary experiences, you will revel in the hustle and bustle of Center City life! FEATURES: 24-hr front desk attendant. Controlled access. AMENITIES: Elevator. On-site laundry. On-site maintenance. Fully-equipped fitness center. Cat friendly. NEIGHBORHOOD: Local attractions include Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, Walnut Street shopping, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Local universities include Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson University. Rittenhouse Square Park Farmer’s Market, Parc, Rouge, Dandelion, Garces Trading Company, El Vez, and Sampan offer exceptional dining within a few blocks. Easy access to Market East SEPTA station and SEPTA bus routes, routes I-95 and 76. Pmcpropertygroup.com.

PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY | JUNE 4 - 11, 2020

family love Pride is everything. fierce unapologetic 365 days Pride is more than just a parade. It’s courageous and empowering to resilient and inspiring, and everything in between. Comcast NBCUniversal proudly celebrates all things Pride not just this month, but all year long.

Visit xfinity.com/LGBTQ to learn more.

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