Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson

The President’s House slavery exhibit is the result of years of advocacy from the Avenging the Ancestors Coalition, its founder Michael Coard, Esq., and countless others who believed that the history of the nine people enslaved by George Washington during the nation’s founding must be told accurately and honestly.

No matter how uncomfortable it may be for some, it is necessary to understand our past in order to shape our future. We cannot fully appreciate how far we have come or grasp the work that remains if we are not able to confront the realities of our nation’s history.

The decision by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals to allow this history to be edited based on the whims of whoever is in power isn’t just wrong, it’s incredibly dangerous. I fully support our Mayor and her team in fighting this unjust decision and am committed to working with my fellow electeds, advocates, and our communities to ensure Philadelphia continues to be a place that embraces our nation’s complex history rather than hiding from it.

We wrapped up our final day of Staff Retreat with our friends at the PHL Visitor Center , volunteering for the Block Party Bonanza Volunteer Day!

We spent the afternoon packing block party boxes, organizing supplies, and helping prepare materials that will be distributed to neighborhoods across Philadelphia as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.

Shoutout to my colleagues Councilmember Mark Squilla Mike Driscoll Councilmember Isaiah Thomas Councilmember Nina Ahmad (At-Large) Councilmember Jamie Gauthier and their teams who joined us as well!

For more information on the block party bonanza, visit: https://www.phlvisitorcenter.com/block-party-bonanza

A heartfelt thank you to Temple Women’s and Families Hospital for hosting Team KGR on the third day of our staff retreat!

We had the opportunity to tour the hospital, learn more about its day-to-day operations, and gain a deeper understanding of the incredible work being done to care for patients and families across our city. We also got to see some precious newborn babies during our tour.

A special thank you to Marybeth Taylor, Manager of Community Benefit and Special Projects, Lakisha Bullock, Director of Operations, and the amazing nursing staff who took the time to answer our questions and share their expertise throughout the tour.

Today is day 2 of our Team KGR staff retreat! ☀️

We kicked off the morning with an engaging Time Management: Pause, Plan, Propel training led by Tracey Bryant, Deputy Director of the Office of Talent and Employee Success, where she provided us with useful tools to work smarter and more effectively.

We then had the opportunity to explore the incredible history of medicine during a tour of the Penn Medicine Museum. A special thank you to Stacey Peeples for providing such a thoughtful and informative tour!

Today, Team KGR kicked off our first day of staff retreat with an in-depth look at Philadelphia’s correctional system.

We toured the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility (CFCF), and the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC), where we had the opportunity to learn about the intake and custody processes, reentry housing, workforce development and trade programs. We also got the opportunity to visit the facility orchard, and more.

A special thank you to Commissioner Resnick, Deputy Commissioner Jaco, Deputy Commissioner Nash, and Assistant Deputy Commissioners Baker, Archer, and Degner for hosting us today.

Please join me in keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in your prayers.

Happy Saturday! Team KGR is out and about in the community today! ☀️

✅ We joined Disability Pride Philly 2026, celebrating this year’s theme: “We Belong Here and We’re Here to Stay!”

📚 We also provided resources at the 6th Annual Book Fair hosted by Literacy Moments Magazine & Just for Us Girls Foundation, featuring community resources, local vendors, and bestselling author Omar Tyree.

Thank you to everyone working to bring resources, education, and fun to our communities!