Editorials

529 results
Page 1
Vintage black & white photo of the historic brick buildings with wide, wet, empty streets around them.

Seven historic Philly civil-rights activists who demand your solidarity today

When we stand up for justice, we don’t stand alone: now and throughout history

Solidarity doesn’t just mean supporting justice today. It means honoring the work of past activists and realizing that we stand with them. Alaina Johns asks if we will despair, or if we’ll continue their work.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 8 minute read
Smiling selfie of Alaina and Sara, two white women in their early 40s with light from the setting sun on their faces.

A Valentine’s Day counter-romance roundup

Eight media picks to explore love outside of sex, romance, and marriage

Three hundred and sixty-four days a year, most of society puts romance above any other kind of relationship. Then, on Valentine’s Day, the message gets even harder to escape. Alaina Johns loves these alternatives.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 5 minute read
A huge crowd on Philly’s lit-up nighttime Broad Street, under the massive clock tower of City Hall lit up in green.

Can the Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl game make Philly feel like home for all of us?

The narratives Philly loves—and the ones we escape

Kyle V. Hiller's relationship with sports has always colored his relationship with Philly. We're a city of contradictions, always fighting that not-good-enough narrative. What can we learn about our city in the Eagles' latest shot at the Super Bowl?
Kyle V. Hiller

Kyle V. Hiller

Editorials 6 minute read
Nighttime city photo of a light pole with a handwritten sign on it that says hope, act, agitate.

Six reasons my friends aren’t calling Congress, DEBUNKED

If you hate picking up the phone, these tips are for you

This is no time to wring your hands. If you care about US democracy and its role in our cultural sector, it’s time to act. For some people, that means calling Congress for the first time. Alaina Johns has tips.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 5 minute read
The councilmembers sit at a long table in City Council chambers, listening to testimony.

Philadelphia City Council prepares for the “lived nightmares” of the new Trump administration

Will Philly stand as a Sanctuary City in the MAGA era?

Two days after Trump was inaugurated again, City Council held a hearing on how Philly can protect vulnerable residents from the new administration, drawing testimony from civil-rights advocates. Alaina Johns tuned in.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 6 minute read
Photo of the US Capitol dome at night with blurry yellow caution tape in the foreground.

Living in America today feels like having a mental illness. Here’s how to protect your sanity.

Symptoms of humanity

Coping with fear of disasters, irrational thoughts, constant crises, and crushing sadness is just an ordinary day in America. Folks who have been in psychiatric treatment have always known how this feels. Alaina Johns has survival tips.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 6 minute read
Handmade sign waving outside City Hall has painted illustration of Philly’s Chinatown arch and “say no the arena” on it

10 questions for everyone at this week’s Sixers arena press conference

BSR has questions for City Council, our reigning billionaires, and YOU

After more than two years of painful controversy over a proposed arena on the edge of Philly’s Chinatown and a massive legislative package, the Philadelphia 76ers joined hands with Comcast and walked away. We have questions.
Alaina Johns Kyle V. Hiller

Alaina Johnsand Kyle V. Hiller

Editorials 3 minute read
Two large black bookshelves packed with hundreds of books in a living room with a hardwood floor.

Looking for that next great book to read? Here are the editor's 2024 favorites.

Build your reading list with help from BSR

Alaina Johns is not going to rate her favorite 2024 reads, but she will offer you some micro-reviews, so you can figure out if you’d like to read them, too! Everyone is different, and books are individuals, too.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 13 minute read
A huge, bright rainbow against a luminous peachy sunset sky over South Philly rowhouses.

At BSR, our values do not change based on elections.

Justice is not a self-improvement project.

We offer a huge range of opinions here at BSR from journalists who know what they’re talking about. But this diversity of opinion is built on the value of respect for our shared humanity. We will keep that respect no matter what. Will you join us?
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 5 minute read
View from the audience of a standing ovation at the Wilma, with the cast and stage manager lined up joyfully under the lights

The Wilma’s Tony reminds us to keep fighting for Philly’s arts community

The future is collaborative

Philly’s theater community rejoiced at hearing that the Wilma will receive the 2024 Regional Theatre Tony Award at this year’s ceremony on Sunday, June 16. It’s a huge reason to keep fighting for Philly arts, but certainly not the only one.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 5 minute read