John, 

Earlier this week, I took on the status quo politics and politicians who have held our city back for too long. In a livestreamed interview with The Philadelphia Citizen, I said I would be a different kind of leader. 

In a contentious exchange with former Mayor Michael Nutter, I said that he made choices I would never pursue — closing down public schools in Black neighborhoods, shuttering libraries and fire stations, cutting funding for afterschool programs, and so much more. 

We still have not recovered from those losses, and I’m running for Mayor to show a different kind of leadership and investment in our city. Will you pitch in to support our campaign today?

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These choices had very real consequences in communities across this city, including for my own children who attended Philadelphia public schools. We still have fire stations shuttered, too many libraries closed on weekends, and closed schools from a decade ago abandoned and empty.

Throughout my life as a teacher and organizer and through my term on City Council, I have shown time and again that we don’t have to live like this. 

That’s how I organized parents and made the Philadelphia Parking Authority pay a share of its revenues to public schools. That’s how I helped end a state takeover of the School District and begin an investment agenda that put nurses, counselors, clean water and music programs back into every school. And that’s how I made sure that hourly workers got a chance for a regular work schedule and how I helped keep a roof over the heads of tens of thousands of people in the middle of a pandemic.

Status quo politicians told me this was impossible every step of the way. We proved them wrong.

When we focus on keeping people housed and when we invest in healthier communities, we build a safer, more prosperous city for all of us.

This is our moment. If you’re ready to elect a leader who will never turn their back on our kids and our city, can I count on you to support our campaign today?

A relentless never-say-quit spirit and smart solutions are what I’ll bring with me to City Hall and to every room I’m in. I’m never going to let the status quo politics of old hold us back. If that makes other people uncomfortable, then that’s too bad. Is this my attitude when I walk into a room? 

Let’s go!

Helen