Editorials

525 results
Page 1
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 crisis, 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

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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
23 storytellers of different ages, genders & races pose onstage with hands folded and heads lowered.

Mural Arts and First Person Arts present Embracing the Light

Philly storytellers tackle suicide stigma

Mural Arts and First Person Arts teamed up for a show tackling stigma around mental illness and suicide—unusual topics for public storytelling. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Alaina Johns reviews.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 7 minute read
Black & white vintage photo of five coiffed young ladies sitting in a row in the library reading newspapers.

Six tips for news and social media sanity in the 2024 election cycle (you won’t believe #6)

The news is stressful. Here’s how to stay engaged while keeping your cool.

Our democracy, our climate, our rights, our health, our wars and protests—it’s hard to look at any news at all without feeling like the world is ending. Spend seven minutes with Alaina Johns now and get six tips to help you navigate today’s media.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 7 minute read
Miller, wearing a kilt and holding a bloody knife, dodges away from Parkinson, who sits downstage & turns back toward Miller

Quintessence director Alex Burns addresses community concerns about his “all-male” Shakespeare productions

“When does the community get to abort someone else’s creative impulse?”

When Quintessence artistic director Alex Burns announced plans for his latest all-male Shakespeare production, he struck a nerve with the local theater community. He talks with Alaina Johns in defense of his vision.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 9 minute read
Close-up of Tom, an elderly white man, with glasses, a tan cap, white goatee, and calm smile.

The man who called me an optimist: remembering writer Tom Purdom

“This is my editor.”

In January, the BSR community lost one of our founding members: science-fiction and music writer Tom Purdom. Near the end of his career, he never balked at having a youngster for his editor. Alaina Johns remembers a treasured friend and colleague.
Alaina Johns

Alaina Johns

Editorials 7 minute read