Insight Pt. 2: Children First's Mayoral Forum (Broadcast Version)

We hosted the Children First Mayoral Forum with high school students from their Kids Campaign asking top Mayoral Candidates questions on what matters most to young people in the City. The event was streamed live from the Dunkin Music Lounge at iHeartMedia Philly. Three of the top candidates who were invited - took part - Helen Gym, Cherelle Parker and Rebecca Rhynhart. This is the broadcast version.
https://www.childrenfirstpa.org/

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Good morning. You're listening to aspecial edition of Insight. I'm Lorraine Valadmorrow.
You'll be hearing an edited version ofa mayoral forum sponsored by Children First
and hosted by a team of highschool students who ask questions to the three
candidates who attended. At the end, we'll tell you how to access the
full version of the Mayoral Firum,which was streamed live from the Duncan Music
Lounge at iHeartMedia Philly. Let's getstarted. My name is Lakayla Coleman.

(00:24):
I'm from the Kids Campaign and yourhost for the Kids Debate. Thanks for
turning in. We're here today withthree top candidates in the running to be
the next mayor of Philadelphia, RebeccaRheinhart, Helen Gim and Cheryl Parker.
And the next hour there'll be answeringquestions from us about the issues week the
future of Philadelphia care about. Butbefore we get started, I will try

(00:44):
to meet our crew. Tell thelisteners who you are, what school you
read, and why you love this. Hi everyone, my name is Mecca.
I got to camp, but Ilove how the metal world we are
in Philly. We always look thecity we go everywhere we go. My
name is Fatsia. Go to Wimbledonbecause we're one of us. Times.
My name is Aarah Julia. Igot a parkway in Northwest and I love
Philly beautiful park. Hello, guys, my name is Kwamer. I go

(01:06):
to FS Eedmands. I love Philly. Be cut the downtown park where all
the good stories is. Hi.My name is Joshua. I go to
nant Shipmans. I love Philly becausePhiladelphia has different stories that other suities don't.
Also, people in Philly can makefood a little better than others.
Two. Hi, my name isIcia. I go to FS Sermons.

(01:26):
I love Philly because we have thebest sports teams. Hi. My name
is John. I got a GreenfieldElementary and I love how Phildelphians care for
one another and how Philly is justtruly one big family. Hello. My
name is Sutton Fletcher and I goto Greenfield as well, and I love
the uniqueness of each different resident inPhiladelphia. Hi. My name is Kylie.
I got a little flower and Ilove the welcome feeling that you get
in Philly when you're not always goingto phillield that you're welcome. Hi.

(01:49):
My name is Nilia. I gotto Saint Raymond and I love the block
parties in Philly. And again,my name is Mikayla Coleman. I'm your
moderator. I got a Carver HighSchool of Engineering and Science and I love
because if it's rich culture and diversity. So some of you may be wondering
why young people like us to interestedin this election for Philadelphia's next mayor,
and Pamir, Josh and Isaiah willtell you just why. We want people

(02:13):
to hear our voices and know whatwe think about certain things in Philadelphia.
We lived in all of the air. We want clean as safe truths.
Some of us here are voting,but others can't vote at our age.
We want people to take what wesay into considerations because of our future,
and that's why we're here. Wehave Rebecca Rhyanhart, Hanlen gam and Cherrelle
Parker with us today. We knowyou're busy stuff. Thank you for choosing

(02:37):
to be here today. We've donea lot of candidate research. We have
five rounds of questions for you,which you each will get two minutes to
respond and in the last round youget to ask us questions. So let's
get started. Miss Parker, wehear that you want us to go to
year round school. What is yeararound school? What's your mindset behind us
do you talk to young people whenyou came up with this idea? Thank

(03:00):
you so very much for that questionand I love it and appreciated. Number
One, you access the year roundpublic education is very simple. It means
employing the use of creative scheduling.It doesn't mean that we're actually in school
Monday through Friday, twelve months ayear. It means it's two weeks off

(03:23):
here, it's two weeks off there. It's school opening as early as seven
thirty, closing no earlier than sixpm. It's having an access to the
building trades in school, to homeeconomics, to arts and culture, to
coding. It's access to learning toplay an instrument and get some very specific

(03:47):
training that may not have been availableduring your otherwise a school day. It's
having every industry that's growing in thecity of Philadelphia actually working through something called
a workforce development program, so thatyou, our students in the school district
are being trained to be the nextgeneration of city workers like firefighters and police

(04:13):
officers for e E. Mt s, our first responders, so that you
are trained as our next group ofbiotech experts in our city. We're only
second to Boston as it relates tothe growth of that industry. Lab technicians
earned a great living wage in thatindustry. Why earn't our young people being

(04:34):
trained to have access to those opportunities. It means that we bring the private
sector, those who are actually doingthis work, to work in partnership with
our teachers, to work in partnershipwith our administrators, so that every industry
that's moving in our city. Everythingthat young people who attend private schools to

(04:58):
be quite frank and more affluid schools, we want you to have access to
it. That's what year round accessto education looks like for me. Yeah,
how listen, this question is foryou as a man or. You'll
be balancing a lot of competing interestsand competing stakeholders. You'll also have to
meet with lots of limited We'll alsoneeds it with limited resources and limited budgets,
but we all approach to tough decisions. Thank you so much about that's

(05:20):
such a good question. You know, I have always assumed that you know
that's what we're sitting right. Wecan't actually fund everything that we can do,
but it is my responsibility to meetme if I just did things based
on the amount of money we have. Right now, we're getting you the
lease that we can get in partbecause we know so much have been denied

(05:44):
to Philadelphia school children and to childrenacross the board. This is a state
that has been charged with unconstitutional,unjust funding. You don't actually need a
Supreme Court decision to make that clear. You could just tell as soon as
you can tell the difference between youraverage Aladelphia public school and the brand new
ninety million dollars public middle pool thatthey just built in Lower Marians for ten

(06:06):
and twelve year olds. My missionis not to just talk about limiting yourself
to a budget that is unjust andunconstitutional. My vision is starting with a
budget elite got and telling folks thatwe need to invest and continue to invest.
So when I talked about like areal school modernization plan for the next

(06:28):
ten years, it means that I'malready starting with the school districts paying for
half of it. The city shouldmatch the other half. We should make
sure that we provide enough resources intothe school. But I absolutely expect for
the state to help pay in forprivate entities to help pay in because I
know that building a new school,modernizing opportunities, giving you real chances to

(06:50):
learn and grow in the beautiful,healthy environment is something that is not just
an education mission. It is absolutelyan economic mission. It is a public
health mission, and it is amission to grow Philadelphia. I don't just
talk about it, I actually doit. Two years ago we talked.
We did a big student roundtable whereyoung people talked about a lack of access

(07:15):
to safe rin team water, cleanthrinking water, and we made a pitch
to do a million dollar campaign tobring safe drinking water to every child.
That turned out to be so popularit started a five hundred million dollar investment
that is still continuing today. Notonly did we deliver safe drinking water to
every single child, we made surethat we started air condition We delivered air

(07:36):
condition, we started lad a SPECIsa mold removal projects, We started new
playgrounds and even continue to build newschools. This investment is not just about
what we've got right now. It'sthe vision for where we're going to be
over the next ten years and makingsure that everybody is on a whole city
mission to invest in all of ouryoung people. For our fourth round We're

(07:59):
also going to ask you another question. Okay, you have all said public
safety is a priority for you asmayor, how will you prioritize schools and
will you continue curfews for use.We want you to know that the curfew
really limits some of our ability totake transit home from after school activities,
sports or jobs that let out late. Improving public education, improving schools is
a top priority of mine and itwill be of my administration. I will

(08:26):
appoint a school board that shares myvision for a long term transformation of our
schools. I believe that every neighborhoodschool should be a good quality school in
a safe building, and that weneed accountability. We need to set goals
for improvement and then have to holdeveryone accountable that's involved, from the school

(08:48):
board to the superintendent to others.And we need to be transparent with that
for teachers, for parents. Therehasn't been enough transparency around everything from the
quality of school buildings to how decisionsare made at the school district and the
mayor appoints the school boards. Sothere's a huge opportunity and I will take
that opportunity as mayor to truly transformthe schools It also will be my number

(09:13):
one priority with the state to getmore money for our schools. The school
building improvements will cost at least fivebillion dollars. We're going to need the
state and federal government's help to improvethose buildings, and it will be my
number one priority to get that moneyand also match city services with school district

(09:35):
with schools. So, for example, I believe that every school should have
a nurse, should have a socialworker, and should have a therapist.
If the school doesn't, then weneed to match city services with that school.
So the city has a Department ofPublic Health, for example, we
can provide access to a nurse fromthe city's Department of Public Health to that

(09:58):
school. And that's the way thatI see our city moving forward. And
I am one hundred and fifty percentcommitted to improving our schools for every child
to create opportunity. Thank you,Miss Ryan Hunts. Sure what about you?
How will you prioritize young people inyour public safety plans and continue citywide
curfews? Jud And Sutton, I'mthank you. I wanted to go back
to make sure I actually answered yourquestion. It was about safety and relative

(10:22):
to curfews. Let me go backand tell you why I publicly stated that
I did not affirm the curfews specificallythat was outlined for Centive City. I
went to high school at the ParkwayProgram High School at eleven eighteen Market Street.
It was directly across the street fromthe Gallery. I had classes at
Society Hill Playhouse, at the PaintedBride at the African American Museum, and

(10:46):
I rode the subway. The broadStreet line is what I took to and
from Broadenomali to catch the sea bushome. And it was definitely after hours,
and there was very much a coordinatedapproach between septives mass transit. How
late, I think use my schooltokens along with our interaction with all of
the businesses that were in that area, and we were able to work through

(11:09):
it. However, let me bevery clear, very transparent with you.
All. Public safety and quality oflife is different depending on the community that
you live in. This idea thatall of our young people are coming from
perfect homes where they have a motherand a father checking for them to be

(11:33):
in a house at a certain time, checking their homework when they get home,
that they are coming from what Icall the cos be life. You
know, lifestyle that is not true. I didn't grow up in the perfect
family, and because of that,I'm ultra sensitive of acting as if all
of our children are coming from perfecthomes because I was raised by my grandparents,

(11:54):
So regardless of our race, ourclass, or our socioeconomic status or
a zip code, public safety byhaving officers walking to bat riding a bike,
not parked in a car, drinkingcoffee and eating doughnuts, but actually
walk in our neighborhoods, getting toknow the people that this one to protect
and serve, and understanding that therewill be zero tolerance for any misuse and

(12:16):
or abuse of authority. I havea ten year old son named Langston.
He wears locks that he's chocolate,just like I am. I want Langston
and every kid similarly situated, andevery adult and every Philadelphia to be safe.
We deserved it, and you deservea mayor who's unafraid of making tough
decisions to make your health and yourpublic safety are number one priority. Helen,

(12:39):
what about you? How will youprioritize schools and your public safety plan
and will you continue city wide curfuse. I have always supported safety in schools.
My work comes out of working veryclosely with victims who then victims of
crime and hate crimes. Fifteen yearsago, I walked into a school that
was listed as one of the mostdangerous schools in the entire state, where

(13:03):
kids were being bullied and harassed,teachers were being harmed, and families were
clean that school and I came in. I did not have a title,
I wasn't working for the school districtor the city. I just knew that
safety had to be the mission,and in less than two years, we
turned that school around and made ita safer place, and it never ended
up on the safe miss dangerous listagain. I have always been deeply committed

(13:26):
to the safety of young people insideand outside of the school, but I'm
also very clear that safety is asan all effort mission. Curfews of two
pm at shopping malls do not ensuresafety periods. I also do believe,
though, that young people do needto be in at certain times, and
that we need to encourage their safetyas well. So at a certain appropriate

(13:48):
time, I think it's important tolet families know young people should be in.
I do not think that they shouldbe at ridiculous hours, because I
know how much young people work.But to me, safety is about investment.
It's not about like restrictions. Safetyis about investments in young people.
I helped create school safety zones inand around schools. I helped make sure

(14:11):
that they were going to be realinvestments in nurses and counselors and social workers
at every single public school because thatis also a safety mission. I am
bound and determined to make sure thatthere are vibrant after school programs, guarantee
jobs for young people in the summertimeand throughout the school year, because I
want you to know that this cityis invested in you. You should have

(14:33):
seven day a week libraries, eveningrecreation centers, and vibrant places for you
to learn, whether it's playing sports, doing music, engaging in the arts
and culture, or fulfilling your dreamsin a science lab or at a at
a graphic design studio. This cityhas left its children behind time to time
again, and I am going tobe the first mayor to really see a

(14:56):
wholehearted, engaged investment and in alleyes on young people right now that I
think has been listing for Part twolong our last questions is for all of
you. We live in Arlania andlike other parts of the city. We
don't always see politicians until there areelections, and they don't always come back
to meet their promises. But wewant to feel safe and have clean streets

(15:20):
too. You all have big platformsthat you promise to deliver one how will
you hold yourself responsible for these promises? Miss Parker, You can't answer first.
Thank you so very much, Komirand Joshua, So number one for
me. If you live in Onni, you know that the Omni Recreation Center,
you see that construction underway, andyou see those blueprints out there so

(15:45):
that you can see what it willlook like. I am proud to have
been a leader in the City Councilof Philadelphia to ensure that you've got a
state of the art track there anda new recreation center and spraypool because you
deserve it at that location. Ifyou want to look at how someone will
respond to you in the future,you can only look back at the work

(16:07):
that they've done. When you lookat the parts the rec centers and the
libraries in the areas that I represented, along with the commercial quarters, you'll
notice something there that they're well keptand they're well maintained, and all of
them are in few to be rehabthat's for those but also my neighborhood based
commercial quarters. Other people talk aboutwanting Philadelphia to be cleaned. I'm the

(16:30):
only candidate that put together a plancalled Philadelphiare Taking Care of Business PHLTCB.
When you travel through the city andyou see people with Neon shirts or Hoodi's
on and they're cleaning the street,I want you to think that's Sharelleker's plan,
paying people in the neighborhood to helpkeep our city clean. You deserve

(16:52):
it. You also have to havethe experience to get it done. I
have experienced at both the state atthe local level, and I have already
delivered for the public school system whenit wasn't an easy thing to do,
and I am super proud of thattrack record. I will also have a
Mayor's Community Council in every council districtand every department in the City of Philadelphia

(17:17):
will be available to meet with residents, students, their parents and caregivers,
business leaders, block captains, andit won't be because the mayor's running for
reelection. It will be that's whereyou can access city government and services,
bringing government to the people, andthat's already been my record. Thank you
both for that question. Let's findher. What about you? How will

(17:40):
you hold yourself accountable to your bigpromises? Yes, thank you for that
question. So what I'll do issimilar to what I did a city controller,
but on a much bigger scale.I will have transparency around the goals
of my administration and have ways tomeasure that are on the city's website.

(18:04):
The City of Boston actually gives itselfa letter grade every quarter, like a
report card, based on how itdoes with trash collection, with public safety,
with library hours, with rec centerhours, and the City of Philadelphia
should do that as well, andI will lead an initiative similar to that
here in Philadelphia. As mayor.Also looked at how I operated the city

(18:27):
Controller's office. I believe strongly incommunity engagement and community involvement. For my
major initiatives in the Controller's office,I created community councils for my offices investigation
into the city's response to the civilunrest following George Floyd's murder. I pulled
together community members from across this city, from different backgrounds, with different beliefs,

(18:52):
to chart a path forward together.And that's the type of outreach that
all do. As mayor, I'llalso go into every neighborhood regularly. I
did it as city controller, andI'll do it as mayor. The only
way to truly lead our whole cityis to be connected to every neighborhood.
That's my belief and it's how I'lllead as mayor. And I will be

(19:15):
completely transparent with the people to say, here is what I'm setting out to
accomplish. Here is how I'm goingto measure my success as the mayor,
and I'm going to make it availablepublicly on a website so that you can
all see it. And if myadministration falls short on something and we need
to correct it, we can allsee that together. That's the way that

(19:37):
I lead, and that's the waywe're going to fix the city and move
it forward for everyone. Let's givewhat will you do it? If you
can't meet your promises, how willyou? Oh? Just sof accountable?
Well, I'm gonna thank you,Joshua. I'm an outcome driven person.
You know, I show up andI make sure that things get done.

(19:57):
In two thousand and teen, Icalled for an effort to bring air conditioning
and to school. We helped deliverit to schools like FS Edmonds that I
was just at last week. Wedelivered it at Low Elementary School and at
Kearney Elementary School. I made surethat when we talked about safe drinking water
that it went to every single publicschool. Because I track, I make

(20:22):
sure and I listen and engage withschool communities directly, and then I go
around and I visit these schools.I never talk about things and just assume
that they're going to happen. Iassume that it's going to be hard to
get this work done, that it'sgoing to take time. But this is
one of the missions of the mayor. The mayor is the person who not
just sets the ambitious plans. Themayor is also the person who is driving

(20:45):
and exhorting and checking and holding thingsaccountable so we actually get the job done.
It's why when I talk about thatten million dollar plan to actually modernize
school over the next ten years,that it is a mission to get to
the end of those ten years andmake sure that we actually give our young
people the modern, healthy, green, and joyful places of learning that you

(21:07):
actually deserve. But I'm also somebodywho really believes, like when I spent
a lot of time on keeping peoplehouse. We used to do thousands and
thousands of addictions every single year.I know what it feels like and what
it's been to like addict somebody fromtheir homes and have everything lost in just
a matter of a few minutes.So I made it my mission to really

(21:30):
do a program that last addictions byalmost seventy percent, help pay people's rent
assistance. And that work then becamea national model. It was copied in
city after city because it actually works. The reality is this, when we
actually solve problems in our city,they become enormously popular, They are extremely

(21:52):
successful, and they should be anincentive for additional investments. That's what I've
held myself accountable to and I alwaysmake sure that I measure that by how
people live and not just what agenciestell me is going well. So before
we go, just as important asit is for you guys to speak to
us, we would like to answersome of you guys's questions because fixing Philadelphia

(22:17):
isn't just a one person problem.It's a collective problem. So before you
go, we want to ask allof you if you have any questions for
us. Starting off well, Firstof all, I want to thank the
Kids Campaign for this excellent and wellrun and beautiful forum. I want to
thank all of you for your research, which you did very exhaustively and extremely
well. But my question to youis this, in a few short words,

(22:40):
if there was a huge investment inyou, your life and your family's
life, what would that investment looklike to you personally? I think that
for me and my family, it'sreally important to see that politicians connect with
the community and to see our voicesheard. So I think that it's most
important from my family just to knowthat we have a mayor that listens to

(23:03):
us and that interacts with us andactually keeps to their word and actually continues
to strive and make our city better. And just going off of what Jude
said, a politician that shows up, but also a politician that X on
their promises and X on the thingsthat they say, because a lot of
times, as we've said previously,we get politicians who don't you know,

(23:26):
they say they're going to do this, they say they're going to do that,
but nothing actually is followed through unlessmedia is there, or unless it's
something that's going to get more moneyfunded into their campaign and just stuff like
that, and so I think it'sreally important to see that, you know,
you guys took the time out toget on this call with us and
just hear our voices from my family. What i't about to be is an

(23:48):
active police sports not just the increatesin the amount of police, but also,
as Charell said, them being activeand engaging in my community so that
I know that my family is.So for me, I really want someone
who's going to value at the schoolprograms because I was a probably at the
two programs growing up. It's reallyhelped me holding to the young woman I
am today and I'm about to goto college soon. So a lot of

(24:10):
kids in Philly desire they had thetype of foundation like I did. So
I really value the at the schoolcurriculums and activities. I would just say
being approachable at the same time ashelping resources to help us a better our
careers for the future, not justextracurricular activities, maybe just bet our internship
opportunities and better things to help usget ready with college and funding and definitely

(24:32):
transportation. Just the safety within ourneighborhoods and bringing the unity with the children
together rather than separating itself from eachother. Next is Rebecca, do you
have any questions for us? Yes, I want to ask if there's one
or two things that the city couldfix that bother you about Philly. What
would be the top one or twothings. So I'm just gonna say if

(24:52):
one schools, I think a lotof us here can agree that our schools
aren't equitably funded, they don't meetour needs. And I think a second
big one is policing. Like Isaid previously, we're so worried about who's
bringing who metal detectors and uniforms andstuff like that, instead of prioritizing kids

(25:17):
learning. Knowing that you know alittle bit about Greenfield, because really it
goes there that Greenfield gets a lotof opportunities that a lot of schools don't
YEA. And we know that schoolsaren't getting that equal opportunity. And we
know that especially at Greenfield and allacross the city overall, that we need
schools to be equally fund until everyonethe equal, and they need absolutely.

(25:40):
My school is right in the centerof Northern Liberty, so it's like next
to gentrified neighborhoods. But at thesame time, we have to walk in
with metal detectors felt like it's contradictory. So I feel like the neighborhoods needs
to be taken care of a neighborhoodsthe same time and at the same time
really look into the neighborhoods instead ofthe students. Well not just inside of

(26:00):
the students, because you know,students have problems with them themselves, but
mainly the neighborhoods and taking care ofall of them equally and all the students
as well, and making sure youwant to say, my two things are
its first of all, the cleanslinessof the city. It's very dirty.
If I had to be so honest, I think we can all say that.
And my second thing will be likehow it's easy for like kids my
age younger. It's like, howso easy for kids like us they get

(26:22):
equipable weapons and stuff. Because Ihate to say it, but it's nowadays
just kids come and kids, ifyou get what I mean, And it's
like, and that's that's kind ofthat's triful because like nobody wants to hear
that the child has access to aweapon or that their child's in the same
vicinity of a weapon. That's justnot something that you want to hear.
What about you? So I'm allfilled up. You answered a whole lot.

(26:45):
But I have to go back toKylie when she talked about cleanliness.
You tell me, do you thinkthe quality of life in your environment that
you see every day where you live, does it have an impact on your
mental So black lives matter. Butevery time I go out my house,

(27:07):
Kylie, you just you just hitme right there. But every time I
go out my house it looks likethis, or every time I go to
school. You know, we're noteven getting to instruction. But why is
my grats not cut? Why?You know? Are are there not weeds
around the curve. There's attention todetail that you see in the suburbs that
you wonder is that here? AmI crazy? Or does that matter to

(27:30):
you too? Do you think aboutthat sometimes? I think about that every
day when I'm walking home from school. I when I walk home from school,
I see spit, huddles, Isee cans, I see bads of
chips. I hate to say it, I see this. I see stuff
you don't want to see. Whenyou walk out to your house, you
want to smell the fresh ara.When I walk out the house, I
don't want to smell nothing. Ijust want to go back and side.
I'm just gonna add onto Kylie becausebecause she hit it on the ball part

(27:52):
I live in Southwest. Southwest isa desert. I'm pretty sure I saw
a tumbleweed yesterday and just feels asthough you don't want to be there,
like you just want to turn aroundand go back inside. And it's just
and so therefore you never get thatfresh air. I have to walk four
or five blocks just to get freshair, just to see a restaurant that's
not a Popeye's or a KFC ora McDonald's. Just so many unsafe things

(28:18):
like needles. Just twenty for seven. Thank you also very much, thank
you, thank you all for givingyour time. It's important to us that
we feel empowered and we feel asthough our voices want to be heard,
like we don't have to constantly screamand yell for attention, that people want
to genuinely hear us speak and hereour opinions to better educate and rise in

(28:42):
nurture the next generation of leaders inPhiladelphia. As a final note to all
our listeners, we have five topCandida's ranks to be the next Mayor of
Philadelphia. Jeff Brown, Alan Dom, Helen gimm Cherrelle Parker, and Rebecca
Ryan Hart. We invited all ofthese candidates to participate in our debate.

(29:02):
Jeff Brown and Allan Don decline.However, we're happy that Rebecca Ryan Hart,
Helen Gan it's chill Parker. Wehope this gives you a sense of
what candidates will park Well prioritize uskids, young people when they're in office.
Remember, we are a week awayfrom the May six tea primary.
That's when we get to vote fora new mayor of Philadelphia. And we
hear that the mayor's race is afive way time. It's twenty percent of

(29:23):
all are still making up your mindand who vote for? You believe the
way it's forwards for young people aresecure. We hope today can help you
cast a good vote. Thank youall for showing up. Do you hear
the complete unedited version of this mayoralforum sponsored by Children First, go to
the iHeartRadio app and type in PhiladelphiaCommunity Podcast. I'm Lorraine Ballad Marl.

(29:45):
Thanks for listening.