‘Peoplehood’ parade in West Philly pits community power against oppression
-
Beta Weissman, 4, marches with other members of her Philadelphia community at the 17th annual Peoplehood parade on Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Social justice advocates march in the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016, behind a giant puppet symbolizing the power of communities working together. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Rachel Adler, from Spiral Q, teaches with teenagers from the Youth Volunteer Corps how to make the giant puppet appear to be walking. The theme for this years annual Peoplehood parade was ''We might all be giant.''(Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Teenagers from the Youth Volunteer Corps cover a cardboard boulder with different types of injustice before the start of the 17th annual Peoplehood parade in West Philadelphia, October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Dennis Cook sits in a chair decorated with angel wings to show of his support and gratitude to the organization Angels in Motion, which works with substance abusers and helps them get treatment. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
A member of the Girard Medical Center coalition steps out from under a massive puppet he and his fellow recoverers made for the 17th annual Peoplehood parade in West Philadelphia, October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Asa Morrison, 10, discusses which issues matter to him at the Neighborhood Bike Works set-up spot before the 17th annual Peoplehood parade in West Philadelphia, October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Kids from Neighborhood Bike Works covered a banner with issues that mattered to them. The banner will lead their delegation at the 17th annual Peoplehood parade in West Philadelphia, October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Young people from Extreme Creations in Southwest Philadelphia step into their drum line before the start of the 17th annual Peoplehood parade, October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Social justice advocates march in the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Social justice advocates march in the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Young people from Neighborhood Bike Works chat as the 17th annual Peoplehood parade makes its way through West Philadelphia October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Community members watch as the 17th annual Peoplehood parade passes through their neighborhood in West Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Teachers from Teacher Action Group march in the 17th annual Peoplehood parade October 29th 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Social justice advocates march in the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Kids from Children's Community School join the parade halfway through the route with noise makers. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Representatives of Girard Medical Center carry the giant puppets they created for the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Representatives of Girard Medical Center carry the giant puppets they created for the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Members of the Neighborhood Bike Works delegation march as birds for the 17th annual Peoplehood parade in West Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
The 17th annual Peoplehood parade ends in Clark Park, Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
The 17th annual Peoplehood parade ends in Clark Park, Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Children use a paper maché hammer to smash the boulder of injustice at the conclusion of the 17th annual Peoplehood parade Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
-
Marchers dance at Clark Park at the end of the 17th annual Peoplehood parade, Oct. 29, 2016. (Emily Cohen for NewsWorks)
Spiral Q’s annual march for social justice through community activism wound through the streets of West Philadelphia on Saturday led by the group’s signature giant puppets.
Board member Katrina Clark kicked off the 17th annual Peoplehood parade with a call to solidarity.
“We have collective power within us to awaken the giant. We are stronger together than we are apart. Together, giant, we can budge boulders of oppression and step over the dark mountains in our lives. Together, giant, we can see more, shout louder, lift heavier loads, travel farther and faster. Together, giant, we rumble into our power,” she shouted as the parade stepped off at the Paul Robeson House at 50th and Walnut streets.
The theme, “We Might All Be Giant,” was symbolized by Spiral Q’s giant puppets and echoed by the different organizations gathered for the march.
“It’s exciting, what we do here to merge art and community,” said Rafael Reynoso, a junior at Temple University who has been working with Spiral Q since his freshman year.
This year, Spiral Q worked with different organizations in Philadelphia, like the Journey of Hope program at Girard Medical Center, which gives support and guidance to men of Philadelphia who battle substance abuse and chronic homelessness. With the help of Spiral Q, they are given new opportunities to become involved and reintegrated into their communities and they are given new means to express themselves through art.
Other community organizations that came out included the teenagers of Mighty Writers and the Youth Volunteer Corps.
The youth drum corps Extreme Creations from Southwest Philadelphia provided powerful drum beats as revelers marched and chanted messages challenging oppression and discrimination. With banners that read “All our kids deserve clean water” and “White silence is violence #BlackLivesMatter,” the marchers made their way through West Philadelphia and picked up other community members along the way.
The parade ended in Clark Park, where children used a giant papier maché hammer to smash a cardboard boulder of oppression.
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
