🏫 School district in hot seat over ICE

⚖️ Man Freed After 26 Years in Prison For Wrongful Conviction

Tyree Wallace was only 19 years old when he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Point Breeze deli owner. From the beginning, Wallace argued that he was innocent, but he was only freed a few months ago. Wallace is now dedicating his time to empowering his Philadelphia community. Executive producer Matt Katz discusses the long road to freedom with Wallace and David Perry, a lawyer and musician who took on Wallace's case (and released a song about it). [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🏫 Kids Criticize School District’s Immigration Response

Students, families, and educators demanded more from the School District of Philadelphia in its handling of concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement potentially detaining students at schools. While the school district released a toolkit to educate immigrants and refugees on federal and state laws, educators are calling for more support and said the district cancelled “Know Your Rights” workshops at some schools. [Chalkbeat]

🌳 EPA Firings Could Have Long-Term Impacts in Philly

Several employees at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 3, which includes the Philly area, were fired following President Trump’s executive order to end DEI programming. This was apparently because the term “environmental justice” was tied to their work. Employees worry the setback disrupts progress in communities most impacted by pollution and inhibits access to information on grants. [Green Philly]

🏛️ Decide What Happens to Hamilton and Furness Halls

Scout, the company behind the Bok Building, won its bid to secure Hamilton and Furness Halls at the University of the Arts. Now it wants the community’s help to reimagine the buildings. The proposal includes turning Hamilton into a makerspace, just like the former vocational high school in South Philly, while Furness will have apartments. Scout is soliciting feedback on what else Philly envisions for these buildings. [🔒 Philly Mag]