Committee Hearing, March 5, 2012

DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Monday, March 5, 2012 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS, CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ BILL 120018 - An ordinance naming and designating the "Robin Hood Dell East" located at Ridge Avenue and Huntingdon Drive as the "Georgie Woods Entertainment Center." RESOLUTION 120045 - Resolution calling on the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold public hearings to determine and identify Parks and Recreation Department resources... - - - DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com

Good morning. (Pause.)

Good morning again. This hearing is called to order. This is a public hearing of the City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. The purpose of this public hearing is to hear testimony on Bill No. 120018 and Resolution No. 120045. I recognize the presence of a quorum of Committee members. Members of the Committee in attendance are Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., Councilman David Oh, and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, and my name is Cindy Bass as the Chair of this Committee. Councilman Jones is the Vice-Chair of this Committee, and at this time I would introduce him and also ask if he has any opening remarks.

Thank you, Madam Chair. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Oh, Mary, don't you weep, don't you mourn. Oh, Mary, don't you leave your love alone. Pharaoh's army got drowned. Oh, Mary, don't you weep. Now, before you think I fell down and bumped my head, Madam Chair, or before you think that I'm doing a great beat rendition of Barack Obama, our President, I want you to know for those of you who knew Georgie Woods, many mornings he opened up with that as his theme song. And after further discovery, we discovered that that was a slave song. That was a way that people who were enslaved would communicate to each other that there was hope of a brighter day, a brighter future and, those on the underground railroad, that there was good passage and that they could proceed up north. How ironic, how true to his nature for him to have that as a theme song, because I want to take you back to a time in our city when speaking out DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 wasn't common and speaking out about oppression was actually dangerous, that at 2:00 in the morning you could get stopped by folk who didn't like what you had to say and you could be physically accosted and even put in danger of your life. I want to talk about today a man who stood up, spoke truth to power, had a wonderful career in entertainment, but decided to take a different road to communicate to the masses and to bring about a period of change. I want to talk about a man that only recently at a mural with his likeness, I had a young group of interns come up and I pointed up to the mural and I asked, Who is that? And many of them looked and they said, I don't know. And I said that that in the City of Philadelphia, which he gave his professional life to, was unacceptable, that we owed him more than that, that but DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 for Georgie Woods there wouldn't be many of the broadcasters that I see out in the audience today. But his guidance and mentorship created news departments that actually gave real information and realtime to real people in communities, that because of him, the radio personality changed the game to talk radio in the inner city. He was a little bit Don Cornelius. He was a little bit John Shaft. He was a little bit Martin, Malcolm and Medgar. And I mean Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers. He was not perfect, but he was perfect for us at that time. (Applause.)

The man that we will talk about changing the name of the Robin Hood Dell to, you'll hear from many people who will give many stories about him, but it is not inconsistent that the Robin Hood Dell, the Hood family that conveyed those properties to the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 City of Philadelphia, had a lot in common with Georgie Woods; that they too spoke truth to power, coming from a Quaker background; that they too understood long before the slogan of being a progressive, they were progressive; and that they had a lot in common with the man that we are here to talk about today. So he was a little bit preacher, but he chose the pulpit of the radio to give his sermons to bring about change in the City of Philadelphia. And I want to thank our Chairperson for allowing us to vet this idea. It is counterintuitive sometimes to think about Georgie Woods in any other venue other than the Uptown, but I want and I hope that people will talk about him not just as an entertainer where he had his roots, but an agent for change in the greatest city in America, Philadelphia. Thank you. (Applause.) DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

What you see to the right are some pictures of some of his interactions. Whether it was Cecil B. Moore, whether it was Martin Luther King, whether it was members locally to deal with change here or change nationally, you're going to hear stories about him. We're going to bring this back at the end of it, for those of you who have not had an opportunity to see him in some of his varying stages of development as an entertainer, communicator, entrepreneur and others. But what we're going to do is turn it off so that we can give full attention to those who will testify today. So thank you very much, and let the people's work be done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Do we have any other remarks from Councilman Oh or Councilman Johnson? (No response.) DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

All right. So at this time, we're going to ask the Clerk to now read the title of Bill No. 5 120018.

An ordinance naming and designating the "Robin Hood Dell East" located at Ridge Avenue and Huntingdon Drive as the "Georgie Woods Entertainment Center." (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Okay. And I see our first panel has already been seated. Good morning. (Good morning.)

We want you to please state your name for the record.

Yes. A very pleasant good morning. My name is Leola Marie Stowall.

Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Chairman. I'm E. Steven Collins. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

And good morning, everyone. I'm Jerome C. "Jerry" Wells.

Good morning. You can begin your testimony, ma'am.

Councilwoman Bass and all Councilpersons assembled --

Speak into the mike.

-- assembled here this morning, it is self-evident by the sign that I am carrying. My sentiments for the late great Mr. Georgie Woods, a longtime community activist and civil rights leader, his entertainment expertise brought many to the City of Philadelphia; i.e., Jerry Butler, Little Anthony and the Imperials, the Jackson 5, The Chantels, The Moonglows, The Platters, and so many more. I strongly support the Robin Hood Dell East's name be changed to the "Georgie Woods Music Center." DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Thank you and God bless.

Thank you.

Madam Chairman, members of the Committee, it's an honor to be with you this beautiful Monday morning. So I don't know, 19-something, 60-something, I was about eight years, ten years old, and my father, who is a carpenter, at our home on Girard Avenue, 5538 West Girard, where my mother still lives, was sawing in the basement. He stopped and told us to be quiet, and he said, Turn the radio up. And we were listening to WDAS-AM. And on 1480 WDAS-AM, this guy got on the air and started talking about dignity for black people. He was Martin Luther King. And at the time, Martin Luther King, Jr. was not welcomed here. He was considered a rabble-rouser, an outsider. And this guy, one of the coolest people I ever met in broadcasting, Georgie Woods, introduced him to our family. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 And I remember it because -- I remember it vividly because Dr. King wasn't talking about the Temptations or the Supremes, and we weren't finger-popping in the basement. Everybody was dead silent, and we listened to Martin Luther King, Jr. And he's talking about an opportunity, my father said later to us at dinner, about my sisters and I. So we took it in stride, and we saw Dr. King around Philadelphia. And from my own little collection at home, I brought this picture. Jerry, do you remember this?

Oh, yeah.

This is a picture of Dr. King on the Ben Franklin Parkway with one of his aides and the guy with the goods, Georgie Woods. Everybody can see this. I'm really proud of this particular picture. I don't know if you had this in your presentation earlier, but it's precious DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 to me, but I'll lend it to the Committee. I want to see if I can hand this to you. Can you hand this to the members. Because I want you to look at the face of Georgie Woods and Dr. King in his persons. And in their face, these men of great honor and unsung recognition looked real serious and concerned, because everywhere Dr. King went, as you all know now, there was a threat on his life. And Georgie Woods was right there every single time he came to Philadelphia. Leon Sullivan told me, the great Leon Sullivan, told me once that Georgie Woods introduced him to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Walter Lomax, the famed doctor and entrepreneur, treated Martin Luther King because of the association of Georgie Woods. Georgie Woods so impacted our community and this market to provide an opportunity for black people to have and enjoy this middle class that we see today DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 in the upper-income segment of our community. He did it by fighting with Cecil Moore. He did it by fighting with Leon Sullivan. He did it with C. Delores Tucker and many other Philadelphians, who understood their role, Edgar Campbell and others, understood their role as opening the door for people like you and me to make it. So 10, years later as a 12 young adult, I came to WDAS radio as a reporter, and the first person I met was Jocko and the next person was Georgie Woods, and both of them were incredibly inspirational to me. But there was nobody like Georgie Woods. Georgie Woods went to the old Civic Center and confronted Frank Rizzo and demanded dignity for black people in this city. He did it over and over and over again. He did it -- once he made me go with him to Upper Darby where somebody threw a brick through these folks' homes because they didn't want black folks in DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the neighborhood, and Georgie Woods stayed there. I don't know if you remember any of this. My colleague Gary Shepard and Jerry Wells are with me, and I know there's probably some other folks here. One of the pictures up there had an image of Bob Klein, who was one of the original general managers of WDAS. So I point all this out because I know a lot of people think of him as a disc jockey and a guy who was hip and cool, and he was, he was one of the hippest, coolest cats I ever met, but he was also committed to our community in ways that few people really know. He raised money. He sent bus loads of people down to Washington for the '63 March on Washington. He was an intricate part of really the evolution of the African American political infrastructure. All of you that are minority, including you, Councilman Oh, owe Georgie DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Woods a debt of gratitude. This symbolic gesture that you are debating this morning to recognize him at the Dell East goes so far, because it continues the legacy of Georgie Woods and the impact he's had. So I hope when you really get through all of this and you get to the actual vote, you remember all that Georgie Woods represented. Because he was one of the most powerful people, truly an unsung hero really. It's great that there's a mural, but in this body where you legislate, you recognize people in quite a different way, and he is, without a doubt, worth this particular recognition. And I so appreciate you all just thinking about it and doing this. It matters greatly to me and to millions of other people in this region. Thank you.

Thank you, E. I do want to take a moment to DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 recognize Councilmembers that have joined us, Councilman Henon and Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez. So I just wanted to recognize that they are now in attendance as well, for the record. And also we want to ask going forward -- thank you, E, for your testimony. We want to ask going forward that we may limit testimony to two minutes, if that's okay.

I could go on.

I know you could. But very good job. Going forward two minutes, if you can.

Thank you, Chair Lady and panel here. Like a lot of people in this room, I grew up here in Philadelphia listening to Georgie Woods as a youngster, as a teenager, and I remember the first time actually seeing him. He was engaged with Cecil B. Moore in the campaign to integrate Girard College. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 bicycle around there just to see. I wasn't really, I guess, fully cognizant of what was going on there and the history that was being made there, but I wanted to see Georgie Woods in person. And that was inspirational to me, to see him come into the community to take a hand in trying to improve things and better things at this institution that sat right in the middle of North Philadelphia that did not admit black people at that time as students or as teachers or as anything. And that, as you know, was a successful campaign. Girard College now has an African American woman as President. But that was my first exposure to actually seeing him. Of course, I went to the Uptown shows and I used to sit there with the radio by my ear with a little tiny transistor radio and trying to call TR8-9999 to get my name on the radio. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 larger-than-life figure in the Philadelphia community. And many years later when I started working at WDAS as a newsperson, I had the opportunity to work directly with Georgie Woods. I did newscasts on his program. And a lot of people may not know this, but every day when he got off the air, he would get in his car and go out and ride around the community. One day he'd go to Germantown, one day he'd go to South Philly, West Philly. And I had the opportunity to accompany him on this trip several times, and everywhere he went he drew a crowd. He was mobbed. Everybody loved him. Georgie Woods! Georgie Woods! And then they would also bring him their concerns about the community. Georgie, we need a stop sign at this corner. We need a stoplight. We have a problem with people breaking glass in the vacant lots. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Councilpeople, start calling people in state government to try to get these problems rectified. And he told me one time when we were out on this ride, we were in West Philadelphia, and he said -- Georgie was a profane philosopher, I called him. And I won't use the actual word he said, but he said, Forget those people that sign your checks. These people out here are the people that you work for. These are the people that make you. These are the people that can break you. Don't ever forget that. And that was some advice that I took to heart, because that's how he lived his life. He worked for his audience. The people at the station signed his checks, but he felt like his job was working for the people in the community. And that was a very important thing that stayed with me. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 advice to those of us who were just getting started in broadcasting. I had just popped out of Temple University and everything, and he was very generous with us. He gave us advice about how to become well known and popular. And he said to me one day, he said, Every day that you're on the air, make sure you do something or say something to make sure that they remember you being on the air. He said, You ever hear me say, "Ladies, get your girdles on," "ring the bell for Eileen," and all those kind of trademark sayings. Those are the kind of things that he did just to make his program memorable. But he was far more than just an entertainer. He was truly a citizen of Philadelphia who served the rest of the citizens of Philadelphia. So I think it's absolutely fitting that the Robin Hood Dell be renamed in his honor. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Uptown become the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center East.

Great idea.

But that's another day. At any rate, I would like to fully endorse this bill, and I certainly think that it's not only right, but it's long overdue. Thank you.

Thank you so much for your testimony. Are there any questions?

Yes. Just one question before you go, and I'll try to refrain from doing that. We have a lot of people wanting to give their stories about Georgie. What was the one thing, if you can recall -- two questions. One thing that made him move from just spinning records to start to talk about the issues? That's question number one. And then how many newscasters personalities did he make during his time behind the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 mike?

Well, you want to start with Ed Bradley?

Start early, Jim Clash.

Jim Clash. And Georgie was kind of the gadfly. He made sure that you talked about the things that were relevant to the community and what was going on that we could have gotten away with just standing there, as they say, rip and read, go to the UPI machine to tear off something and read it. But he wanted us to get involved. He wanted us to be out there, to be known in the community. And I think he was looking for someone to kind of pick up the mantle from him as far as being involved in the community and not just having the radio station be a jukebox. But what I mentioned before was the one thing that I took away, was when he said these are the people that you work for, not the people at the station. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 And so that to me has been the keynote of my whole radio career. The listeners, the community is what's important.

I just would add to that, Councilman, that Georgie occurred to me to be a person who understood the power of the microphone and understood that urban radio had a responsibility above -- because we had no -- I mean, we had the Philadelphia Tribune and Jet and Ebony, but there was nothing that was as personal and as consistent and as everyday as the radio. And he used the microphone certainly to make money and to have a great time, but increasingly he understood African American people because of segregation and discrimination, racism were in a tough situation and promoted the idea of advocacy in an environment -- I often think what would have happened in Philadelphia if there was no DAS in the '40s and the '50s, there was no negro spiritual hour and, from that, an DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 opportunity for our people to get on the air and talk about issues that matter and, from that, promote the idea of a political City Council, judges, mayor. My mother's 91. I visited her yesterday in the hospital, and I taped her and I said to her, Who influenced you more than anybody else over your years? And she said, Dr. Martin Luther King. And she said, Do you remember that time we heard him on the radio? It just resonates -- and Georgie Woods did that. I mean, no one called him from the front office and said put this guy on. Georgie understood how deep this struggle was for our freedom and for acceptance and for our dignity as a people. And that's why we're all here, I think, because we recognize he wasn't just an entertainment source. We loved Don Cornelius, we loved Jocko, but Georgie Woods, he was the guy with the goods, and he delivered every time he opened that mike. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

And also, Councilman Jones, the late great Mr. Georgie Woods, he was definitely for the grassroot community where I come from. We used to give flea markets and sidewalk sales, and Mr. Woods would come down and talk to the people in the community. And that is something, out of my 60-some years here, I will never forget how he would come to the community and sit with the people and converse about anything. So thank you so very much for allowing me to speak about the late great Mr. Georgie Woods.

Thank you so much. Thank you, Councilman Jones, for your questions. Councilman Johnson, you had questions?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to additionally put some of this in context DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 as the youngest Councilmember here and probably having an influence on the life of Georgie Woods as a young man. Separate from his political activism, he also was involved in economic rights, the development of wealth. And I remember as a young man attending Edward Bok High School and growing up in South Philadelphia where he partnered with one of my, quote/unquote, old heads, Mr. C.V. Wilson, to launch Georgie Woods Potato Chips right on the corner at 17th and Dickinson, the very corner where I used to hang out at in another lifetime. And for me, what that symbolized as a young man, that we can do anything. Because at that particular time, Herr's was like the potato chip, but here it is, there were a brand of potato chips created by an African American man and was operated by an individual who grew up in my neighborhood. So for me, it does give a DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 compelling story about his life overall and what it means, not just on the political level, but overall as you talk about economic development and building wealth. And so I just wanted to add that as well.

He was hugely supportive of the African American Chamber of Commerce and Black Businessmen's Association. He introduced me to Kenny Gamble, took me to his office when Kenny was writing for the O'Jays and for Michael Jackson, and all those people were there. And Georgie was one of the guys that was the first on promoting and supporting Kenny. And look at the industry Kenny has created and the legacy from that. So it's on so many levels, Representative Johnson, you're absolutely -- Councilman Johnson, you're absolutely right when you mention that. His work was in the economic area and certainly in the political area. He was DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 a media person way before his time and was just cool. He was just like the coolest cat, so...

Absolutely Mr. Collins is too modest to mention that he was Georgie Woods' producer for a good number of years while Georgie was doing his talk show, and during that time, Georgie was supportive of those who were trying to break the glass ceiling. Mr. Bowser was running for Mayor. Georgie frequently had him on his program. He was involved in booking Wilson Goode to be a guest on Georgie's program. And I think Georgie's program at that time had a good deal to do with Mr. Goode's becoming the first black Mayor of Philadelphia. So there was so many things, so many facets of him, and I'm sure you'll hear more, but he was one of the leading citizens, legendary, in Philadelphia.

I said I could go on and on. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Please.

One of the Councilmembers was one of the first born with his buddy, who is now in Congress, on the Georgie Woods show, as David Richardson, the late great Dave. So many of our -- really, when you look at it -- and I'm sorry to go on with this, but now that you mention it, I'm thinking about all those political people who were just juniors. We were just starting, all of us, and Georgie put us on, but he also encouraged us and then coached us through so that we could make it to the height that we enjoy today.

Well, I just want to thank you for your testimony, and it's good to hear you, it's good to see you. You know, Mr. Wells, I remember listening to you on the radio for many, many years and, of course, E, and it's just good to hear your testimony. But thank you so much. We appreciate it. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Oh, I'm sorry. I also want to recognize that Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell has joined us and has some comments.

Thank you. It is certainly a pleasure to be here with all my colleagues and all of our friends, and I want to say to all of you, I go back to the days when Georgie Woods, when he used to come to Richard Allen, in those days, Projects to see Bernice. Anybody who has been around a long time knows we looked up to him as a movie star who came through, and we all admired and looked up to him even then. Georgie Woods was the man with the goods for a long, long, long time. And many of us who were young, we thought he was even older because we all kind of hero-worshiped him in those days. So when you say, Steven -- incidentally, I love your hair in the photo. He had this big-butch wig on. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 You him see him doing the walk --

I think we set a new record, by the way.

Yes. I saw it right in the front. He had a wig this big. But we do want to certainly commend my colleague for introducing this and all of you who are here to give homage and respect to a man who certainly earned it and deserved it. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you so much. So we're going to move on to the next panel. And I do want to make a note that after this panel, we're actually going to move into the testimony for a different resolution, which will be brief, but we're going to switch gears just a little bit. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

So if we DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 can have you begin. State your name for the record.

My name is Heshimu Jaramogi.

My name Joey T, Joey Temple.

Thank you so much for being here. You can begin your testimony.

Thank you. I have actually written testimony and also have some from Alexis Moore Burton, who was unable to be here today, also Cody Anderson, who was not feeling well, so he told me that he would not be able to be here, but he also had some written testimony that's, I believe, over on the table there. Good morning, Chairwoman Bass, other members of the Committee. My name is Heshimu Jaramogi. I'm the publisher of the Neighborhood Leader, a newspaper. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the name of the Dell to the Georgie Woods Music Center. I'm here today in support of Councilman Curtis Jones' Bill No. 5 120018. Recently, I spoke to Alexis Moore Burton, the daughter of the late Cecil B. Moore, about the bill. She couldn't be here today and presented written testimony in support of it. Let me quote briefly from some of that testimony. She said, My father, the late Councilman Cecil B. Moore, served as both an attorney and the President of the NAACP during the 1960s. Georgie Woods served as his vice-president and helped mobilize the entertainment community to support the protests, sit-ins, marches and court battles that opened doors of opportunity. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. " I unite with Alexis around this name change. I also unite with Cody Anderson, the former General Manager of WDAS, in supporting the name change. Anderson said, "I was with him," referring to Georgie Woods, "when he met Don King at the Philadelphia Airport, where he received a check and spent every dollar for turkeys for disadvantaged families. I walked the streets of Philadelphia with him" -- he alluded to this, and Jerry alluded to it -- "where he was stopped practically each step of the way. He never ignored a greeting, handshake or embrace. He was truly loved. " That's Cody Anderson. I listened to Georgie Woods as a youngster growing up in West Philly, actually right down the street from me. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 I never imagined that Georgie Woods would give me my first opportunity to do a live interview on the radio. He did that. I was in the WDAS-AM studio with Benny Swans of Crisis Intervention Network. Some of you might remember him. And Georgie left me there. Many people can tell this story about Georgie leaving them there in the studio. He left me there with Benny for about 45 minutes. I was sweating, but I managed to get through it. My involvement in this renaming is part of my adventure as a spiritual seeker. By the way, I'm a member of the Religious Society of Friends. I know a little bit about the Quakers and the belief of that of God in each individual. If it is God ordained, I know things can happen. With this faith, we can change the name of the Dell. With this faith, we can change the conditions in our communities. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 what appear to be gloomy and dark days are just a precursor to sunny tomorrows. I pray today for light unto the spirit of Georgie Woods. I pray that all of us learn to walk in the light so that we can become beacons of hope. Through this unity around the name change, I know we can find more unity to help build what Martin Luther King, Jr. called the beloved community. Georgie was that beacon for many. I thank you, members of City Council, for shining the light on him today and encourage you to vote favorably on this bill. Have a blessed day. Thank you.

Good morning. Giving God the glory, for nothing happens without God's permission. My name is Joseph Temple, Jr., a/k/a Joey T from regular station WURD 900-AM. I ring this cowbell in support of a modern-day renaissance man named Georgie Woods, a man who was born in DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Barnett, Georgia on May the 11th, 1927 and came to Philadelphia to do his first broadcast on January the 7th, 1953 on radio station WHAT and later to the station he put on the map, WDAS-AM. In 1960, Georgie became the first Vice-President of the Philadelphia NAACP and began working with President Cecil B. Moore and a young warrior leader, David Preston Richardson, Jr. Both turned out to be strong leaders and voices in our community. With the upcoming march that's presently taking place today in Stanton, Alabama, I am reminded that at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King, he was asked to attend the original march, along with the late Reverend Lawrence Henry and Donald "Ducky" Birts. In 1966, he became the first black communicator to go to Vietnam to communicate with the troops. In 1967 City elections, he ran for City Council at-large on the republican ticket. We DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 all went to sleep believing he won, only to wake up to find out due to a recounting the loss. In 1979, Andrew Carn took me out to WDAS and I met Cody Anderson and Maddie Humphrey, and I began to work under Maddie Humphrey. And then one day I was driving along and up came the man with the guy with the goods, Georgie Woods. The rest is history. I became Little Joey, or whatever he wanted to call me, became his adopted son, and for 30 years, I became his right-hand man. But back to 1979, two young men decided to challenge the powers-that-be and run for City Commissioner seat even though they was underage. One is present today, Councilman Curtis Jones, and the other one is Congressman Fattah. The one who opened the airwaves to them to let everyone know they were running was Georgie Woods. In 1980, as E was talking, his influence led to Wilson Goode becoming DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the first African American Mayor in Philadelphia. In 1988, along with Margo Davis and the late Ronald Hall, he co-founded the United Black Business Association, also known as UBBA. There is a lot more I could share with you about my mentor, but I will leave you with this: They said I wouldn't be here today, I wouldn't be nothing in life. I am who I am because Georgie Woods took me off the street from gang war and made me a strong black man. I want to thank Heshimu Jaramogi for keeping this alive in his newspaper, the Neighborhood Leader, and to you, Councilman Jones, for keeping your word on something I asked you to do as one of your first acts in becoming a City Councilman in the City of Philadelphia. To the rest of our Committee, thank you. To the rest of the Committee, I hope you pass this resolution out of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 this Committee and give Georgie Woods his long overdue justice by renaming the Dell East to the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center. I thank you all. (Applause.)

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions by the members of Council? Any questions? (No response.)

Thank you so much for your testimony. At this time, we're going to switch gears a little bit and hear some testimony on Resolution 120045. And will the Clerk now read the title of the resolution.

Calling on the Philadelphia City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to hold public hearings to determine and identify Parks and Recreation department resources, along with other City DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 departments' programming, cultural institutions, social and non-profit organizations focused on youth, which can be utilized to aid in the academic enrichment and supplement the academic needs of Philadelphia public school students. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you very much. I just want to add to that panel. We've had a change in the order, so we wanted to also invite Cheryl Ann Wadlington from Evouler House to also join this panel. (Witness approached witness table.)

Thank you so much. Can we have you introduce yourselves for the record, please.

Good morning. My name is Cheryl Ann Wadlington. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Good morning. Susan Slawson, Recreation DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Commissioner. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DIGNAM: Good morning. Leo Dignam, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Parks and Recreation.

Good morning. And if you want to go ahead and begin your testimony.

Good morning, Councilwoman Bass and members of the Committee. My name is Cheryl Ann Wadlington and I am the Founder and Executive Director of Evouler House. And first I'd like to start off to say I have a script here, but you said we have two minutes?

Yes.

Okay. So when I started Evouler House, it was because I got sick of what I was seeing in the streets. I was mentored by David P. Richardson, and I decided to be a part of the change that I wanted to see. So I went to -- well, I called upon DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and asked her, What are you doing for the girls in Philadelphia? They're out of control. I see the recreation centers, they have a lot to do for boys, but there's nothing in there for girls. So she introduced me to the Commissioner. At that time it was Victor Richards. So I met with him one week, and about, I think, a week later I was overseeing maybe personal development programs 13 for teen girls. 14 As the Executive Director of 15 Evouler House, so far we have graduated 700 girls from our program, and the mission in the beginning was to address some of the issues that I'm sure some of you have seen in the street, the teen violence, the STDs that are out of control. I decided to go after the girl who needed it the most, the one that no 24 one would pay attention to, the one that maybe would knock you in the head and DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 take your pocketbook. Last semester we had some of the girls from the flash mob. We had girls from CEP. We had a lot of the problem children that I think attributes to pretty much of what we constantly are hearing in the news. So when we talk about cutting funds from the Philadelphia school system and even if you put more money into the school system, if a child does not feel good about who they are on the inside, they will not be able to reach their full potential. So in closing, I'm just going to add a few more things. One thing I do know is that an investment in the empowerment of girls is an investment in the leadership of this nation. I cannot stress enough. And I think you are just seeing the beginning of some of the violence and other behaviors, terrible behaviors that you couldn't even imagine from our youth, because you're not DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 investing in them. But in closing, let me just add on. In a Newsweek article, General Colin Powell stated, The problem of troubled youth is the biggest threat to the future of the United States. The amazing thing about this problem is that we know what the solution is, a relationship with an adult, a teacher, a mentor, a coach, a parent. I pray that this city becomes a part of the change that we all would like to see in the world. Every single resident, from the oldest to the youngest, from the richest to the poorest, deserves to benefit from a solid foundation. Now that we have a chance to lay that foundation, the question is, the future, are we going to look at the future or are we going to look at its demise? It all rests in our hands, and my question to you is, what are you going to do today? And I thank you for your DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 time.

Thank you. (Applause.)

Ms. Slawson. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Good morning, Councilwoman Bass and members of the Committee. My name is Susan Slawson, First Deputy Commissioner of Recreation and Programs. I am joined here today with Leo Dignam, our Deputy Commissioner for Programs. It is a pleasure to be with you today. I appear before you to present testimony on Resolution No. 120045. With its hundreds of recreation facilities and over 10,000 acres of park land woven throughout the City of Philadelphia, the Department of Parks and Recreation is deeply connected to citizens and communities, serving preschool-aged and senior citizens in each and every neighborhood in our city. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 our budget due to the global recession, the Department continues to support a wide variety of programming and initiatives, including indoor and outdoor recreational activities for children, youth, teens and their families. We are deeply appreciative of our dedicated and committed Department staff and Advisory Council partners who, despite reduced resources, provide the highest quality programming and initiatives all over the City. This past fiscal year the Department of Parks and Recreation provided a total of 3,824 programs to Philadelphia residents. This represents an approximate 5 percent increase in the numbers of programs offered compared to the last fiscal year. 8 million people visited a Department facility, center or park last year. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Philadelphia. The Department operates, at little or no cost to parents, 96 programs during the school year, serving approximately 3,000 youth ages 5 to 12, Monday through Friday, from September through June. During the Department's eight-week summer pool season, well over one million people visited our pools. We provided 2,744 swim lessons, a 53 percent increase over the previous season. Also last summer, over 8,100 youth participated in summer neighborhood day camps at 129 recreation facilities located throughout Philadelphia. These camps operate a minimum of five days per week, six hours per day, for six weeks. In addition, the Parks and Recreation operates summer specialty camps at 40 locations throughout Philadelphia. They include visual and performing arts, athletics, environmental, teen, rowing and special needs camps. Last summer 1,500 youth participated in these camps. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 7 million meals to children and youth this summer alone, an increase of approximately 300,000 over 2010. The Department of Parks and Recreation continues to support a wide variety of programming and initiatives, including outdoor recreational activities for children, youth, teens and families. This year, for the first time, the Department hosted three youth triathlons and duathlons. These events were held in different sections of Fairmount Park and include swimming, biking and running. Over 120 youth participated, and the Department anticipates increasing the number of youth participation by 20 percent this year. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 promote equitability and positive environments in all our neighborhoods. For example, the Department has partnered with internal and external stakeholders to make significant investments in each City ice rink facility. Our lead partner is the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, which has made a four-year capital and programmatic commitment to each City ice rink. This capital commitment was leveraged with support from City Councilmembers Blackwell and Quinones-Sanchez, and the partnership implemented with legislative assistance from Councilman Kenney. The Department now runs a seven-day-a-week operation at all ice rinks to expand youth and public skating. This represents an additional full day of public and community skating at City ice rinks. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Youth Academy, which will start programming the summer of 2012.

This partnership will utilize renovated fields and facilities at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR, Park and Marian Anderson Recreation Center to help inner-city youth reach their fullest potential on and off the field by providing quality instruction and training and educational assistance through a variety of year-round programs. Working towards the Mayor's goal of sending more Philadelphia residents to college, the Philadelphia Urban Youth Academy will also offer college placement assistance and career development through experiential learning opportunities. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 programming groups into larger schools, school gyms, to reduce the number of school gyms that are open. With leadership from Mayor Nutter and City Council, we will also provide support to the Philadelphia School District to keep programming through March 17th of 2012 at 48 School District facilities and gyms. This will help to preserve a wide variety of programming for over 12,000 children and families. While these most recent actions will preserve this winter season of programming, due to the School District's current financial condition, we have to explore and discuss alternatives with the School District, the Administration and City Council for future programming seasons. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 and youth. The state budget presents another potential fiscal challenge. Based on a preliminary review of Governor Corbett's Fiscal '12 through '13, the Human Services Development Fund, which we call HSDF, has been moved into a single block grant with a variety of human service programs, with funding proposed to be cut percent overall. The 12 Department traditionally received state 13 HSDF funding to support a variety of 14 programming for young children, teens and 15 families in our neighborhoods of most 16 need. This unfortunately marks the 17 second year of such uncertainty with 18 regards to needed state funding. We will 19 closely monitor the state budget process 20 as it continues to work to preserve this needed programming for our youth. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 to learn. The Department benefits from a working partnership with City Councilmembers and their staffs to help advance this important work. We also appreciate the continued support from City Councilmembers through the capital projects process to help provide needed support to keep all our Parks and Recreation centers and facilities safe, clean and ready to use for all Philadelphians. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important issue with you today and I look forward to your questions.

Thank you, Commissioner. Any additional testimony? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DIGNAM: No. 22

Okay. Thank you. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: I guess I did it all. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Okay. Councilman Jones.

If I understood the testimony correctly, Madam Chair, that we're faced with a two-pronged problem, that we are getting cut from the state level that has a direct impact on your budget at Recreation, but also the School Board's budget for after-school programs, particularly to the interest group that you represent. Is that close? COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: There's a potential. Right now we don't know yet. We're following it. There's a potential that this could be cut.

So has anyone done the analysis as to what that means at the end of the day to kids in neighborhoods on which programs are at risk and how we may be able to supplement? You guys, for the record, stepped up in a big way to work with the School Board to keep some of the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 after-school activities open for at least the next couple of months, and we face a looming deficit in the next fiscal year. Is that correct? DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DIGNAM: That is correct, Councilman. To answer your first question, the Human Services Development Fund is about $1.2 million of our budget, and that money is designated for the neediest parts of our Department, the places where there's high crime and low income. So it would affect us -- right now we serve about 2,500 children in those programs, mostly teens and school-age children. So if that budget were to be cut, that would affect those 2,500 children in those programs.

Madam Chair, if it would please the Chair, what might be helpful for members of this Committee is a matrix for you guys to get together and say, All right, we lost this much funding, here's what the uses of those funds and here's what is at risk, whether DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 it's option A to cut back on hours, whether it's option B to cut back on sites, whatever the potential impacts are, so we can make a clear decision as we go forth in the budget process. That will be crucial.

And find ways to support. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DIGNAM: If I could just answer the second part of your question, Councilman, regarding the School District. Again, we've been -- the Department of Recreation previously and now the Department of Parks and Recreation has provided evening and Saturday programming for about 18,000 children in school gyms throughout the City. This past year we used approximately 105 school gyms, and sometime in the end of January, we were told that because of the budget deficit that they had to cut this year for the School District, we weren't allowed to be in any of the gyms. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 We started negotiations immediately and we talked to a lot of the groups. We combined some programs to practice or perform or rehearse in the same place, splitting time, splitting courts, and we also shut down about 35 of the 100 gyms that we used until March 17th. So we're good for this year, but next year, depending on the budget of the School District and if they're going to allow us to be in those gyms as they have since the '60s, we may be in trouble with a lot of the sports and cultural programming that we do in schools.

For the record, we clearly understand what is at stake here. When we start talking about juvenile violence and flash mob this or flash mob that, we understand that there's a direct correlation to positive activities or the lack thereof for young people to be a part of. It is a scary proposition that DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 on the same year that we're losing all this funding, that we will have less summer jobs and less recreational outlets for young people. That's a dangerous formula for this City to be facing, and we will be paying keen attention to how those cuts impact you guys. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Any additional questions from Council? (No response.)

Okay.

Madam Chair?

Yes. Councilman Henon.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to take this opportunity to again echo a little bit on Councilman Jones' comment about fantastic job that you had negotiated with the School District on accommodating our youth and our children in the City under DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 some very strained fiscal cutbacks the remaining part of this fiscal year. So I believe his request for a matrix of information on trying to figure out the programs and the impact on the children and youth in the cultural programs moving forward and in the next fiscal year budget is extremely important and what departments -- where the funding is coming from to subsidize certain programs. Because we don't want to leave any children behind. And I know you do a wonderful job, and I just want to thank you publicly for the negotiations and the outcome of the issue you just resolved in the past few months. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Thank you. We will ensure that we get you the information that you've requested to the Chair and we'll get that in a timely fashion.

Thank you. And also, Cheryl, you had one other comment? DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Yes. I wanted to add something, and I also wanted to say when you go to allocate money, I hope that you also not look at the typical, because it's obviously not working. When you look at the numbers and when you look at what's going on -- and I'm speaking from what I know, not what I'm guessing -- I cannot stress enough the importance of addressing issues. When you talk about STDs, a lot of this behavior is because of low self-esteem of teen girls. Philadelphia is on the list of top ten cities with girls with the lowest self-esteem, and we know when girls have low self-esteem, they participate in violent behavior. I've done research on a lot of the teen and youth programs. A lot of them do see our youth as numbers. They're not going to deal with in this case, say, the teen girl, and in their words, they say they're too emotional to address the issues that she really needs. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 So when we look at education, I think we have to begin to think to meet teens where they are, and I just hope you take that into consideration, because, again, if you don't, I see it as money wasted.

Thank you. And, Councilman Johnson, you had a comment?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Leo and Susan, can you just briefly clarify the level of funding the Department of Parks and Recreation has been receiving at least over the past 15 to years? And the reason why I want 18 to point that out, just for the record, 19 because I remember during the 20 presentation in my office from the Department of Parks and Recreation as well as the Preservation Alliance, I was under the assumption that since we are striving to be the greenest city in the country and we received all these awards DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 and accolades, it didn't actually match up with the level of funding for Parks and Recreation. So can you just briefly touch upon that. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER DIGNAM: If you are speaking of the HSDF grant, as I mentioned before, the original HSDF grant was for $1.2 million, and this year we got 696,000, and then next year they're talking about cutting it another 12 percent starting July 1st. 13 But the overall budget of the 14 Department of Recreation per se that we 15 had until two years ago has been cut 16 since the year 2000. We have lost in the 17 Department itself at least 100 employees, 18 which is about 20 percent of our total 19 budget since the year 2000. It's a 20 little bit masked now because of the merger of the two departments. You won't see it that way, but in terms of recreation services, we've been cut about percent since 2000. 25

Thank you. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Any other questions from Council? (No response.)

Thank you very much for your testimony. If we could have the next panel come forward on this bill -- resolution, this resolution. For the next panel can we have Mr. Joseph Meade, Catherine Cahill and Mr. John Flynn. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you very much. Can you please state your names for the record.

Catherine Cahill, President of the Mann Center.

Rhoda Blount, the Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Mann Center.

And John Flynn, President of the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity.

Thank you. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 And you can begin your testimony.

Thank you and good morning, everyone. Thank you, Chairman Bass, for inviting the Mann Center. I'd like to acknowledge our District Councilman, Curtis Jones, who is not here at the moment, but I'd like to acknowledge him in any case, and say also good morning to our distinguished members of City Council. As I said, I'm Catherine Cahill. I'm President and CEO of the Mann Center, and Rhoda Blount is with us as well, our Director of Education and Community Engagement. On behalf of our Board of Directors, our staff, our donors, funders and loyal audience, it is a privilege and a pleasure to be here today to testify on the very critical importance of arts and education in our Philadelphia area. Arts education is a core tenet of the Mann mission. Our education program is one of the nation's premiere education programs. In fact, we have the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 largest free program in the country within the summer festival circuits, covering not only the summer but the fall, winter, spring as well. We've provided City Council with an outline, and I invite you to please take a look at it. I think it's quite extensive and hopefully tells our story a little bit more in-depth than the two minutes that we have today, which we respect. Before I turn the microphone really over to the woman in charge who really makes the magic that we do happen, Rhoda Blount, I would like to also acknowledge to everyone that the Mann is not dissimilar in today's current funding challenges as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. We too have experienced serious cuts, particularly at the state level, but we remain steadfast and committed to our arts and education and community engagement program for both the Philadelphia region and for our youth. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 And with that, I'd like to turn it over to Rhoda Blount, recognizing the time.

Thank you.

Good morning. It's a pleasure to be here this morning.

Good morning.

Over the past 11 years, I have been truly blessed to be a 12 part of a cultural institution that has 13 given me the freedom to create and 14 coordinate some amazing multicultural 15 educational programs that engage young people and embraces our community. Since 1997, the Mann Center has engaged more than a half a million young people throughout the tri-state region, giving them all the opportunity to be exposed, inspired and enlightened by multicultural performing arts on our main stage, in our City schools and in our Field Education Center, as well as the community. We want them to experience DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the sights, the sounds and rhythms that celebrate the magic and richness of live performances, often for the very first time, giving them all the opportunity to travel the world without leaving Philadelphia, fifty thousand smiling faces, 100,000 tapping feet, a lifetime of memories annually. If you'd like to turn to to 28, you can examine the geographic 12 impact of our educational programs. On 13 , you can examine, by Council 14 district, our partnership, vendors, 15 performing artists served by the Mann 16 Center. 17 Our Judith Gitlin Arts Teach at 18 the Mann consists of six amazing expanded 19 educational programs at the Mann Center, 20 and we provide these exceptional programs 21 free of charge to all our participants. 22 These exceptional educational programs 23 include Artist in School Residencies, Connecting Arts at the Center, Connecting Arts-N-Schools, the Greenfield DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Performance Treasures series, Tiny Tots Fascination series and the Meet the Artist Master Class series. Our Connecting Arts-N-Schools program is a series that was designed to bring professional and emerging performing artists directly into citywide schools in the Philadelphia area, offering live global performances that both enhance the in-school curriculum and introduce students to cultures they've never known. These participatory performance sessions help students to comprehend, retain and learn more effectively by utilizing music, theatre, dance to underscore lessons in other core subjects. These programs are provided to students in public, parochial and charter schools citywide, grades pre-K to 12. Since 2007, we have embraced more than 80,000 students. Our Artist in Residency is a six- or eight-week residency for students who are performing arts majors from DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 citywide public and parochial schools who have the opportunity to experience the performing arts through close interaction with national and internationally acclaimed artists, guiding students through fundamentals of dance, music and theatre. This is for grades 5 through 12. Our Tiny Tots Fascination series, these participatory workshops and performances are provided in music, creative dramatics, puppetry, storytelling, dance and movement, and are provided for children pre-K to 3rd grades. Isn't this fascinating?

Absolutely.

Our Meet the Artist and Master Class series, this series offers career-bound students the opportunity to collaborate with professional artists. These intimate sessions allow specifically -- specially selected students to interact with DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 world-renowned artists and receive immediately feedback. Our artists have included for this series Maurice Hines, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Orchestra, Dr. Billy Taylor, the Silver Bells, who were the original chorus line for the Savoy Theatre and for the Cotton Club. These women came to us. The oldest was 97 years old. That was about five years ago. They're all deceased now. But the interaction that they had with our young dance majors was just tremendous. Branford Marsalis, the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra, Thelonious Monk, Jr., Odean Pope, Ron Carter and just last week the Dance Theatre of Harlem. These programs are provided for students grades from 5 to 12. Our 2012 will be our 14th annual Young People's Concert series. This is a five-concert series during summer months of July and August. On an average, we have 7,500 to 8,000 children DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 per concert. Most of our children come from the City of Philadelphia, Department of Recreation. The Mann Center will continue to open the hearts and the minds of our children and the magical doors to learning and embracing the arts, and we will continue with support from foundations, corporations, our donors and the City of Philadelphia. Thank you very much.

Thank you. John.

Councilwoman Bass and other distinguished members of the Council, I want to thank you for inviting me as the senior staff person of the Y to address you on issues of budget and related services of the School District and their impact on children and communities across Philadelphia. Our Y has served this community for 157 years. We share a commitment with you to positively impact the health DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 and well-being of our young people. We stand ready to assist in any way feasible in support of solutions to this dire issue. Of primary importance, from our perspective, outside of educational curricula, is the extended-day services that help keep children safe and families secure during the hours before and after school. These services are critical from a safety, nutritional and education perspective, as well as for exercise and recreation, which is absent from the daily schedules of our youth. The void anticipated from further budget cuts threatens progress in the momentum essential to help teach healthy living lifestyles that prevent diabetes, high blood pressure and other diseases prevalent today. One of the obstacles that will need to be addressed in order to provide a continuum of services is the long, slow process of licensing of facilities, which DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 is often hampered by a bureaucratic system that prevents access. The need for readily available inspectors and the high cost of custodians and security personnel from the School District is always also problematic. Once licensed, youth organizations can quickly accommodate programs and activities that would maintain and enhance available services for children and families. This process needs to be reviewed. Additionally, open recreation programs in schools and in Y's can and should be available. Two programs that we currently offer at the Y are the 7th Grade Membership Initiative, which provides a free membership to all enrolled 7th graders, and Splash Week. Splash Week, sponsored by Independence Blue Cross, offers free water safety lessons one week each spring to any child who registers. This program is critical, as African American boys between the ages of 7 and 10 are seven times more likely DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 to drown than their suburban Caucasian counterparts. With minimal additional funding, all youth services can be expanded and others added in both frequency and volume, and the Y stands ready to assist and participate. If desired, the Y could also manage and staff swimming pools in schools, provide wraparound childcare for half-day kindergarten programs, and partner on youth and family development initiatives. We are able to provide these services through the help of the 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant and other funding sources available through government and private foundation sources. We're also available to participate on various problem-solving committees, planning task force assignments where we and other youth service organizations might collaborate on resolutions to existing issues. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Thank you so much. Are there any questions from Council? Councilman Oh.

Thank you. You talked about the 21st Century Grant; is that right?

Yes.

And based on that, you're able to provide, free of charge to the School District or to the City, personnel to manage pools and centers. Is that what I heard?

Well, maybe partially. The School District is actually the grantee from the federal government and they distribute those funds to other youth service organizations, like the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs and many others, I'm sure. I was in Washington a few weeks ago talking about the budget with some members of Congress, and they're DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 contending that they're trying to maintain level funding for the 21st Century programs, which ought to provide opportunities to continue the efforts that we have. What otherwise I was talking about was the licensing of sites in schools so that we could run before- and after-school programs, and there is an initiative moving forward with the State's cooperation and the City's as well as the School District. But just as a for instance, we were notified of three schools that we would be allowed to operate programs in, I believe, last August. They've not yet been inspected and licensed. So at best, we can open them next September. So you got a 12-month gap there that somehow has to be addressed. These kids otherwise are not having programs that are licensed and funded, and somehow a collaborative effort needs to be put forth to even enhance further the already progressive DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 steps that these groups have made.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Councilman Johnson, you have a question?

It's more of a statement. I did have the first opportunity to participate in the Mann Music Center's partnership in the Clef Club in the mighty district of South Philadelphia, and I'd like to thank you for coming down here and participating regarding specifically our young people. I had no idea that you guys reached out so far throughout the City of Philadelphia as a whole, specifically with your partnership as well with GAMP. And so I'm definitely in support of your efforts, and I will be aggressively looking at how we maintain supporting the efforts moving forward, as DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 well as my good friend John Flynn. I'm a proud former Board member of the Historical Christian Street YMCA, and so I do thank you for taking time out of your schedules to be here. So you have my support as well.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Any other questions from Council?

Just a point of information, that we're glad that the Clef Club and the YMCA is in the great South Philadelphia councilmanic district, but the Mann Music Center happens to be in the 4th District, and we claim it.

She acknowledged.

I did acknowledge that, but you weren't in the room, but I did.

Thank you very much. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 I'm going to call the next panel forward, which would be Joe Meade, Shelly Yanoff. Is Tom Kaiden here? Tom. And what we're going to do at this point, because we are short on time and we don't want to lose our quorum, we're going to ask that you summarize your testimony instead of reading it. So if you can just summarize in a minute or less, we'd greatly appreciate it, so that we can get to hear from everyone. And we still have to go back to the other bill 14 for testimony. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Do you want to introduce yourselves, please, for the record.

The Art Museum has yielded to children of the City, and I'm glad. I'm Shelly Yanoff. I'm Executive Director of PCCY. We are the region's major child advocacy group. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Thanks for holding the hearing and for drawing attention to the crisis that we're in. In the mid '90s --

Shelly, excuse me, before you begin, can we just have introductions for the record.

I'm Tom Kaiden, President of the Cultural Alliance.

Thank you.

Joe Meade, the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Thank you. Shelly, you want to begin your testimony.

Sure. In the mid '90s with the support of many in City government, we were able, PCCY, was able to focus on the problem of kids out of school with nothing to do and nowhere to go with anybody who cared. And with a lot of work from the City and the State, federal government, private providers, we really started a campaign to do something DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 about after-school time, and we were able to actually -- the City was able to really put a lot of energy and really did develop a lot of after-school programs. There is a network now supported by federal, state, local governments, foundations, et cetera, lots of corporations, PALs, everybody that really is providing for tens of thousands of kids after-school time. According to national estimates, however, about a third of the kids in kindergarten through 12th grade do not benefit from any of them. They don't have enough -- we don't have enough. That's about 70,000 youth, at best, who have nothing to do and nowhere to go after school. We know that's a dangerous time for kids to be alone and unsupervised. It's dangerous for them. It's wasted for them, and it's dangerous for the community. We can do much better. In the last years, while the City has recognized the need in some DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 areas, it has been the expense of others. We have a strong array of recreation centers and, as you heard the Commissioner testify, we are starved. There are not near enough staff. In the last -- from the last several years, we've lost 30 percent, 30 percent of the resources to the recreation centers. We can't ask them to do more. But we can, if we're willing to put some money where our request is, and we've got to do it. It's going to be much more expensive if we don't really provide much more. Like our libraries, the recreation centers can be ports in the storm of adolescents. I know you believe in them. In your neighborhood, you have always supported them, and you will continue to do so, but they cannot do the job. Regardless of the City's problem with the School District's funding, they can't do a job currently, let alone next year when they've got one staff person and not even computers in many, many of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 these recreation centers. We can do better. City and Department of Recreation leadership have courted business leadership in this city in the past to open pools, support ice skating, reclaim parks, et cetera, and they in turn have courted you to support their needs. We ask you now, first, to urge the business community this time by having them step up to the plate and use their collective weight to urge state leadership to reject this state budget that harms our children, our families and our community. That will mean asking all City Councilpeople to urge and ask the Chamber of Commerce of this region to put its weight behind increasing support for our schools, our communities in the City and State. We will have no future if we don't invest in being accountable, and we'll have no future if we end up DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 supporting jails and not education and not community. (Applause.)

We know you will soon get the City budget to deliberate about. We urge you to increase support for schools and increase support for recreation centers. It will not help us to become the city we want to be if we are starving those things that we know are necessary. Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. We're really going to have to move along so that we don't lose a quorum. So if we could get you to summarize your testimony briefly, I'd really appreciate it.

Certainly. Good morning, Chairwoman Cindy Bass, Chair and members of the City Council Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Government and External Affairs for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In short and to summarize my testimony, we have been able to provide you with packets that speak in detail to all of the programs, community partnerships that we make on behalf of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Museum produces an ambitious roster of exhibitions and educational programs to serve as broad a public as possible, including individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, ages and interests. To highlight, last academic year we were able to showcase the work of 240 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders from six Philadelphia schools for all to see at the Welcoming Center, as it displayed until the fall of 2011. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 opportunity to take a major creative leap. The program has evolved under the auspices of the Museum and the Delphi Art Foundation and is just one of the countless projects in which the Museum partners to make a difference in the life of our community. So just as the Museum is bustling with activity, the Museum is also bustling in regards to our service and work throughout the community. Another program that I would like to highlight quickly -- well, I'll speak in more, excuse me, in more detail about the program, but approximately 200,000 individuals, preschool and school-age children, college students and people with disabilities, adults and seniors, take part in educational programs both at the Museum and at many sites in various communities throughout the City. Some 75,000 of these K through 12 school children whose interactive Museum visits were coordinated with what they are learning in their classrooms. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Thanks to generous grants provided by many private foundations, admission to the Museum and all programs for school groups from Philadelphia public schools is free of charge. And our newly and widely admired Art Speaks Program, which offers a museum trip for every 4th grade classroom in the City, also offers free transportation. During the critical after-school hours and on the weekends, we offer programs for older students through our Teen Sketch Club and Teen Docents throughout the year, and we welcome teen volunteers in our Museum. Six City public middle schools send students to the Museum for weekly after-school art club. This is also founded by private and foundation grants to the Museum. I just would summarize by saying -- and excuse me. Mr. Kaiden, once he gets to his testimony, will also speak to this as well, too. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 key things that we're working on now with the cuts that have been proposed to education is that the Museum really is going to step up to the plate to figure out -- or excuse me, to work with the School District to how we can accelerate our students as far as art and cultural education is concerned. We realize the value. We also realize that once students are made aware of these programs, the attentiveness and their attendance is really critical moving forward. And I should say another issue, as you are concerned about the state budget, you should also be worried about the No Child Left Behind reauthorization which is forthcoming, and trying to figure out and be supportive of infusing public dollars that can go to art institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art so that we continue to be good stewards of those dollars and help continue to serve our community. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Thank you.

Thank you.

So, Councilwoman Bass, members of City Council, thank you very much for having me. I'm Tom Kaiden. I'm the President of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance. We represent a little over 400 cultural organizations in the region, and 300 of them are right here in the City of Philadelphia. We've worked together with Council over the years. We have a long sort of history of partnership on critical civic issues, economic development, supporting public education, tackling Philadelphia's most pressing social challenges, including blight, violence, recidivism, neighborhood safety. But the issue today is education, and so that's really what we want to talk to you about today. I've obviously provided copies of testimony, which will document multiple cases, but I think the key DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 numbers we need to focus on today are that there are about 1.7 million visits by school children to our member organizations, those 300 organizations we were talking about. Our museums, our theatres, our libraries, our community centers are now the region's cultural classroom. We have about 30,000 visits that are being made by school groups to cultural institutions. That's not 30,000 kids. That's 30,000 groups of kids that are visiting our cultural institutions. There's another 2,700 visits that are happening to the classroom, where cultural institutions are actually walking into the classroom themselves. So the most important thing I can tell you is that we are really committed to access. We have about 65 organizations that are running educational programs, another 37 that are focused on child development and 30 that are addressing issues around truancy. So DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 what we're really focused on here is making sure that there is access to culture, affordable access for all kids in Philadelphia. It turns out that about half of all visits to cultural organizations in this community are free, and where there is a charge, it's around $15, which is about a third the actual cost to production. So in the stories that we've told you this morning and in the stories that are in the testimony, we want you to know that the cultural sector is really committed to providing affordable access for our kids and making sure that the creativity they need to advance and be great citizens for the 21st century is actually happening. And with your support, your continued partnership, we can make that happen. Thanks.

Thank you. Any questions from Council?

I really DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 don't want to belabor the questions, Madam Chair, but is there a roundtable work group that's actually working on where the gaps are, School Board, Cultural Affairs, Art Museum, and saying if they're cutting art in this school, that school, we're going to pick up the slack? What is that body called?

There's an organization that we are working very closely with called Arts Rising, and another group within City government, Philly Rising. So we are working in partnership with them to try and take a look at the programs that are available to kids to make sure that there is a broader array of offering and that our efforts are more coordinated, and I think that's been a positive development in our work together over the last couple years, and we're obviously looking forward to driving that work forward.

So the School Board and the Recreation DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Department are working together with you guys?

Arts Rising, I'm a partner in Arts Rising, and we work extensively to increase the arts in schools and in after school, but in spite of all that work, in spite of all that advocacy, we've lost in the last year because of the budget crunch, and we will lose more, more arts teachers in the schools and fewer outside artists coming into the schools. So unfortunately we've got lots of ideas and lots of partnerships, but we really need much more support from government entities and from the private sector.

Councilman, simply as it relates to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, we're fortunate to have an Education Committee that is aligned to our Board of Trustees, and we have two members on that Education Committee that are assigned from the School District of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Philadelphia, and which is resourceful for us, which it allows us so that we do know where there are constraints, and if there is a gray area, where we potentially could be helpful that allows us to have that direct communication with the School District so we can try to be helpful in those certain areas where there might be a shortfall.

So the answer is yes or no that there's a committee representative of the School Board, the Art Museum, the Recreation Department and Cultural Alliance and others to look at where we're being cut and to try to fill those gaps with other resources?

There's not a committee established yet. I think what essentially we're trying to do is obviously in a really challenged funding environment, the cultural organizations I think are trying to work with some other non-profit organizations to fill the gap, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 but we cannot fill the gap entirely. And certainly we try and work closely with the District, but there is not an established committee that you're describing.

This is important for when we do budget hearings to figure out what we can do to construct that, along with doing our part by putting up some money. I get that part, what you're here to testify about, but also we have to see what that money -- where the gaps are. And I know individually you're doing your part. Collectively we have to think smarter today because we have less resources. So we got to figure out where the holes are; that's all.

And the idea behind this resolution that was introduced is that that's exactly what we're going to do. The information that's provided today will go into a study and we'll look at the data in terms DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 of exactly where we're having the losses, where the cuts are going to hit us the hardest and how can we supplement what we're going to be losing with what is existing through programs such as theirs.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Absolutely. Thank you so much for your testimony. So we're going to call the next panel. Lieutenant Bryan Anthony, Supreme Dow, Craig Santoro, and also if we could add Helen Eaton. And this will be the final panel for this resolution. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you so much. Can you state your name for the record. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Charlotte Council, Deputy Commissioner, Philadelphia Police Department, with Lieutenant Anthony. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Craig Santoro, Director of Media Instruction at WHYY.

Supreme Dow, Executive Director of the Black Writers Museum.

Helen Eaton, Executive Director, Settlement Music School.

So what we're going to do here is summarize our testimony in one minute or less. We really need to, Supreme, we need to move along as quickly as possible, because we need to maintain a quorum and we're going to have -- unfortunately we're going to lose a member in just another moment or two. So if you could be brief. And what we will do is, if you have written testimony, we'll enter it into the record and actually review that testimony and figure out what we can do to help supplement the losses that we'll have in the School District. Whoever wants to begin their DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 testimony. Thank you. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Just very briefly to talk about our Police Athletic Program, which is our premiere youth program with the Philadelphia Police Department. Just to let you know, we did submit a packet. We have maps, charts and everything for you. But just let you know that since its beginning in 1947, we've expanded to 12 centers throughout the City, and most of 13 them or all of them are designated in 14 areas that are considered high risk for 15 our youth. 16 While the name says 17 "athletics," we have expanded. We're not 18 only dealing with athletics; we're also 19 dealing with cultural events, projects 20 and educational programming for our young 21 people. Out of our 26 centers, we have 22 over 24,000 registered young people, and 23 everything is free to our youngsters from 24 the age of 6 to 18. And I have to say 25 that again, free. So there is no cost to DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the youth. There's no cost to the City, because most of our program is funded by private sponsors and fundraising. So that is pretty unique to us. So just to let you know, that because age is 6 to 18, we run our programs during the school year in schools. Currently we're in eight schools out of the from the hours of 11 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and during the 12 summer we run the program from 9:00 to 13 5:00, in which we do a lot of field 14 activities and events. 15 Just to give you a quick 16 breakdown, eight are in public and 17 charter schools, three in recreation 18 centers, two in PAL-owned buildings, two 19 in City buildings, one foundation 20 building and church-owned buildings. 21 So just to give you 22 information, further information, you can 23 refer to our packet about what 24 information is available for our young 25 people throughout the City of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Philadelphia. And our PAL centers are actually manned by on-duty police officers, because we want to keep that motto, Cops Helping Kids, and fun, safe and free. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thanks for hearing my testimony today. I'll be very brief. So as the Director of Media Instruction at WHYY, my job is to oversee programs that teach people to produce their own media. We have after-school programs for teenagers, summer camps, field trips, teacher trainings and adult learning courses. Our after-school program has been in operation since 2003. We currently reach about 120 youth a year. We bring them to WHYY. They learn documentary production, radio production, studio production. It's free of charge. They get tokens to get there, a little snack. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 The summer camps reach about 50 kids. There's a journalism camp and a film camp. They're not free, but we provide about ten scholarships each summer, so about percent of the kids 7 do come for free. 8 We are also not alone in the 9 work that we do. We're a member of the 10 Philadelphia Youth Media Collaborative, 11 whose mission is to re-strengthen, 12 connect and promote organizations that 13 engage youth in the creation, analysis 14 and distribution of media. There are 15 about 11 or 12 regular members of the 16 Collaborative working together to see how 17 we can best serve the youth of 18 Philadelphia through youth media 19 programs. 20

Thank you very much.

Good morning.

Good morning.

com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 applaud the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Chairwoman and Committee for being proactive and seeing what's coming down the pike relative to severe cuts that will have a negative impact on the children and youth of Philadelphia. My name is Supreme Dow. I'm the Executive Director of the Black Writers Museum. The Black Writers Museum is an institution that provides a historical and arts and cultural perspective on education. We're not only a museum that features exhibits of classic and contemporary black literature and its authors; what makes our museum unique is that we use those exhibits to teach youth literary skills and to teach across the academic curriculum. We just were founded in 2010, so we're going on our second-year anniversary. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 our students deserve the most effective, well-balanced and culturally competent academic and social development that this nation has to offer. I have over years of 7 experience in community engagement and 8 youth development, and I also been 9 writing poetry since I was 9. I was 10 raised up on Langston Hughes and Paul 11 Laurence Dunbar and Willard and Brooks. 12 So what I did was, I combined those two 13 interests, interest in working with youth 14 and my interest in writing, and developed 15 the Black Writers Museum. 16 I'd like to say that this is 17 the only museum of its kind in the 18 country that celebrates specifically the 19 impact that black literature has had on 20 the development of American culture. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 in general. We have a toddler program where we have story time where we read to children every Saturday. We have storytellers come in and read to children and discuss with them what it is -- read stories about what it is growing up and what kind of life you have growing up, and then how to incorporate some positive activities and positive behaviors in your life. We also have a summer camp, which goes every year for six weeks in June and July, where we focus on literary skills for middle-school students. And we use artists like Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Sonia Sanchez to impart literary basics. Our middle-school students are faced with a critical task, and, that is, to enter high school, which is a whole new world for them, and many of them now are becoming unprepared academically to maneuver. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 High School, school in your district, over 49 percent of the students that enter 9th grade do not graduate. That's totally unacceptable. So what we provide is literary skills and literary supplements for the School District. And our workshops and programming is directly aligned with the School District curriculum. And we also couple and partner with local schools in providing these workshops and the summer activity. We also have an activity, a really good activity, which is to start in June 2012, which is our English enrichment course. Many students that leave high school and enter college have to take prerequisite courses because they are not prepared with the literary skills. They're not prepared with the proper English skills to go directly into, matriculate directly into a college English course, which is English 101. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 to their college degree. What we will provide, starting in June, two summer semesters taught by a college professor that will provide English enrichment courses to give them the 098, English 098, or the prerequisite, so when they enter college in September, they will be prepared. This will help many students along the academic careers.

So also in 2012, we'll open a Library Resource Center and Computer Lab, and this will be available to all the general public and will provide books, literature, exhibits, and rare books and documents that actually focus on the literary impact that African Americans have had in the progression of American culture. So students can come and do research papers at the Black Writers Museum, and this will be a museum that will supplement the hours of the library and the School District. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 have been major institutions in the urban communities and where we do after-school programs and we go for basketball, we go for recreation and academics, but with the severe fiscal cuts coming, what we've done at the Black Writers Museum is open our museum to the general public for a lot of these programs. There are many more other programs that we provide there, but specifically -- what they do is, they correlate with the School District of Philadelphia, their curriculum, and we use the theme of black literature such as Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar and the like to impart literary skills. )

Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Helen Eaton, Executive Director of Settlement Music School.

Good morning.

com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Councilwoman Bass for convening these hearings to discuss how organizations like mine can join with Parks and Recreation and other City programs to aid in the academic enrichment of public school students during this time of great financial concern for the Philadelphia School District. First, I'd like to take one moment just to tell you about Settlement. Since its founding over 100 years ago, the school has grown to become a leader in the neighborhoods it serves, in the City of Philadelphia and in the national community music school movement. Measured by budget size, enrollment and number of branches, Settlement is the largest community school of arts in America. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 ability to pay. We have six branches across six communities in the Philadelphia region, including South, Northeast, West Philadelphia, Germantown, Willow Grove and Camden. Each week, Settlement offers more than 10,000 services and programs to students of all ages throughout the region. Programs include individual instrument, voice and music theory lessons; group music and dance classes; a nationally recognized arts-based, full-time, tuition-free preschool for Head Start-eligible children; programming for older adults; therapeutic music programs; and collaborative programs with area schools and community organizations. For example, we have many middle-school children who come to a branch after school to take individual music lessons or classes. We have senior citizens who come to play in music ensembles and socialize with old and new friends. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 students with physical, physiological and emotional disabilities. And we have an arts-based preschool program at two Philadelphia locations. At Settlement, no child is turned away because of cost. This year we expect to distribute over $2 million in financial aid to students who demonstrate need. We have always been a resource and have always provided financial aid to students in need, and yet in the last five years, we have seen dramatic increases in the amounts of financial aid that working families have qualified for. 3 million, a percent increase over 18 awards from just five years ago. 19 Families are in need, and yet they 20 understand the importance of providing a 21 rich arts experience for their children. We have also been there when schools have had to cut back on their arts budgets. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 they have not been able to provide these service to their children, asking whether we can play a role in providing some of those services. And our enrollment is up at our Philadelphia branches, with South Philadelphia branch higher than it has been for the last ten years. We can safely assume that some of this is attributable to families realizing that their home schools aren't providing music education in ways that they have before. Finally, this week we'll be hosting a press conference with Mayor Nutter as our guest, announcing an exciting project that will make it impossible for promising children from low-income families to study music seriously, participate in ensembles, get leadership training and even go on tour with an ensemble of their peers. This is a clear way that Settlement will be filling a need for children to have academic enrichment. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 music education organizations to join together to examine this challenge that Councilwoman Bass has put together. Thank you, Councilwoman, for the opportunity to present on Settlement and what we can offer Philadelphia's children. On behalf of the school, its faculty and Board of Directors, we are honored to be considered as an option for deeper academic enrichment for students in Philadelphia.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Are there any questions from Council? Councilman Jones.

No. 19

No 20 questions? Okay. Thank you so much for your testimony. At this time, what we're going to do is go back to the previous hearing, and can we have the Clerk reread the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 title of the bill.

Naming and designating the "Robin Hood Dell East" located at Ridge Avenue and Huntingdon Drive as the "Georgie Woods Entertainment Center."

Thank you. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you very much for being here and your patience. Can you state your name for the record, please.

Valerie Keppley-Hood.

Thank you. Commissioner. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Susan Slawson. RYAN HOOD: Ryan Hood.

Thank you. You can begin your testimony, Ms. Hood.

com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 morning. My name is Valerie Keppley-Hood, and this is my son Ryan Hood. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to talk to you about an issue that is important not only to the Hood family but to all citizens of Philadelphia. Who are the Hoods? Why Robin Hood Dell? Everyone here has a family story. Some of us came to the United States of America recently seeking a better life for our loved ones. Others came to escape religious persecution, seeking opportunity or against their free will. Our stories may be different, but we are all neighbors who share a responsibility to one another as citizens of this great nation. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 helped form Pennsylvania government and supported the freedom of this great nation by taking a stand in support of the troops in 1777 with the placement of artillery on their land. This is our story: John and Ann Hood were Quakers living in England. In 1679, John attended a meeting of friends, which was broken up by authorities and all in attendance were arrested. In 1684, the Hood family immigrated to Pennsylvania to escape religious persecution. John Hood held a number of political jobs, including Constable 1697, Viewer of Fences 1698, Overseer of the Poor 1720, and was elected to Provincial Assembly of Pennsylvania in 1700, 1704, 1706, 1707, 1708 and 1709. John Hood owned land throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, including the land around the Dell and the Schuylkill River. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 in Philadelphia around the Schuylkill River area. The Hoods and the Shutes celebrated with two weddings in 1694, bringing these two families together with different parcels of land being passed on to the children of each family. Portions of this land are now part of Fairmount Park. We are not sure how this land became Fairmount Park, but it is my understanding that the Quakers in Philadelphia were instrumental in getting land donated and purchased along both sides of the Schuylkill River to preserve the natural area from industrialization. Thomas Hood owned and operated the Robin Hood Tavern on Wissahickon Road, now Ridge Avenue. The tavern was well known at this time. A lane crossed Hood property that led to a ford over the Schuylkill River, known as Robin Hood Ford, which connected in the west side, with Ford Road bringing much trade to the tavern. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Ridge Avenue. Ford Road is considered the oldest road in Pennsylvania. Eventually the tavern was sold and other portions of his land were passed to his wife and children. This land and the Hood family played a role in the Revolutionary War when the soldiers asked permission to cross the Ford, which the Hood family granted. This caused concern from other Quakers due to the belief in pacifism. At the meeting of Supreme Executive Council on September 11th, 1777, it was ordered that the officers commanding the militia of the County of Bucks, now at the barracks, do immediately send a guard of four men to Robin Hood Ford and four man to each of three other sites to take care of the artillery placed at those places. L. Hood, was an artist, who was recently showcased at the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 with their children, were active in efforts for social justice and civil rights. The Hood family was in attendance for Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and they supported desegregation of Girard College. This is where the lives of the Hood family crossed with Georgie Woods. It is my understanding that Georgie Woods personified many of the beliefs and values that Quakers hold dear. Today we continue to instill these values of simplicity, peace, respect and social activism in our son Ryan, who attended his first organized protest when he was nine months old, and he has continued to participate in events that promote peace and social justice.

I am also here today to support the naming of the Dell East to the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center at the Robin Hood Dell. )

The family DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 feels it is very important to maintain the area known as the Robin Hood Dell in Fairmount Park due to the historical value to Pennsylvania and this nation. I will be pursuing a historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical Society with hopes it will placed on Ford Road, and I also would like to see a mural on the building at the Dell East to commemorate the historical timeline of Quaker activism leading up to and including the activism of many Philadelphians such as Georgie Woods. The Hood family has heard that there has been consideration to sell the naming rights to a corporate sponsor. This is not acceptable, as it disrespects the history of the land and the family who settled here and helped shape this state and this country. The citizens of Philadelphia, especially the youth, do not need to see yet another advertisement for some good or service which sends only a materialistic message. What the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 citizens of Philadelphia need is inspiration and hope. Future generations need to understand the past and how when people work together, positive change can occur that benefits all the citizens of Philadelphia and beyond, such as the actions of the Hood family and Georgie Woods. The Robin Hood Dell East was built in 1931 and according to an official Fairmount Park Commission report in 1974, Robin Hood Dell's name was derived from the Robin Hood Ford, where Robin Hood Tavern flourished in 1735. Fairmount Park Commission got it right the first time in naming this area, and now it's time to preserve this name in Fairmount Park and to include Georgie Woods as a fellow activist, showing that people from different cultures and religions have and can continue to work together for a greater good. Thank you. (Applause.) DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045

Thank you. Commissioner. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Good morning again, Councilwoman Bass and members of the Committee. My name again, Susan Slawson, First Deputy Commissioner of Recreation and Programs, and it is my pleasure to be here today. I appear before you today to present testimony on Bill No. 120018, which was introduced by Councilman Jones on January 26th, 2012. This bill 14 authorizes the renaming of the "Robin Hood Dell East" located at Ridge Avenue and Huntingdon Drive as the "Georgie Woods Entertainment Center." We support the intent of the bill, which is to recognize the numerous contributions made by Mr. Georgie Woods to promote equity and equality, especially in the Philadelphia community. The Dell Music Center, or "The Dell," is the fourth largest performance venue in Philadelphia. The amphitheater DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 has approximately 5,300 reserved seats and an additional 600 seats for the lawn area. With such, the renaming of such a major facility as the Dell requires significant thought and resources to help ensure the venue's long-term sustainability. While we agree that Mr. Woods should be honored, the Department of Parks and Recreation has a longstanding policy for the naming of facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department. This policy stipulates that a minimum of ten years needs to pass following a person's death before a facility within the Parks and Recreation system can be renamed in their honor. Given Mr. Woods' numerous contributions to Philadelphia's music, civic and social justice arenas, we want to honor such contributions. However, we feel it is necessary to proceed with caution and thoughtfulness. Such caution is warranted, because we wish to retain DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the Dell's successful marketing and community familiarity. With the recent reopening of the Dell Music Center, the Department has devoted significant resources to a marketing and branding campaign for the facility. It is difficult to quantify the cost or the value of the Dell brand, which would be lost should the name of the facility be changed at this time. And I also want to state that up until this moment, I haven't heard any kind of conversation about the branding or the name being sold -- (Someone in audience yelling.)

Wait a minute.

One moment. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: I haven't heard --

One moment, sir. COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: Just to give some comfort to the Hood family, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 this is the first time I'm ever hearing anything about a corporate sponsor coming in and taking and placing its name on the Dell. That has never been a conversation that I've had or entertained. We have been working with Councilman Jones on a resolution and, as such, we are in agreement with the proposed amendment which we understand will be introduced today. This proposed amendment states that this bill would take effect in 2015. Our agreement is that the renaming of the Dell would be contingent upon a fundraising campaign to raise a significant amount of funding to complete and install a covering roof structure for the Dell's outdoor seating area. The approximate costs of this roof structure in today's dollars are estimated to be $10 million. The Dell name would be retained, but Mr. Woods' name would be added to the venue's full name. Recognizing this, Mr. Woods was DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 also a part of my history. I remember in West Philadelphia getting up in the morning and hearing every morning, It's a beautiful morning, you know. So I understand and I agree with the fact that we should remember all the contributions that he's done throughout the City of Philadelphia, and I'd like to thank Councilman Jones for agreeing to kick off this fundraising effort, as it is our understanding that he will commit at least $100,000 to start this campaign and has agreed to commit additional funds for the next three years towards this effort. We hope that this initial support and leadership will encourage other City Councilmembers to support this effort to greatly improve the Dell Music Center. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important issue with you today and I look forward to any of your questions.

Thank you. Councilman Jones, have a DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 question?

Yes. First of all, let me just say in the pecking order of people who care about this Dell, I would go with the Friends of the Robin Hood Dell, I would go with the Hood family who did it in a historic fashion and consistent through the years, and then I'd put this lady up as a friend of this Dell, who has come along and supported it. Let me clarify my statements that we have been talking about. I agree that there is a policy that says ten years should go by for a renaming of a project. So, therefore, the amendment will read that the official naming will happen on the tenth year anniversary of his death. So that will be 2015 when we actually change it. The other piece -- it will be authorized, God willing we get nine votes, through this body this year. The other point that I want to DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 make is, she's absolutely right about one thing. It's nice to rename something, but if we don't have a financial commitment to maintain the Grand Old Lady of the Park, what's the point? So I am committing out of capital dollars as they present themselves through the City budget not just $100,000, but $400,000 over the next four years to maintaining the Dell, and I will spearhead a fundraising effort to get things like the roof repaired and things to keep the Dell open and viable as an entertainment center. The last thing I want to do is rename something that we wouldn't be proud of to open the doors of, and we're going to step up to the plate and do that. Finally, I think it's important that the history of the Robin Hood Dell be also maintained. So the amendment will read, The Georgie Woods Entertainment Center at the Robin Hood Dell, and we want to make that amendment DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 today, Madam Chair, thus preserving its rich history but also keeping an update to the memory of a pioneer in the communications business, Georgie Woods. So I commit to the $100,000 this year but also for the next four years, as the budget permits. As we get capital dollars, I will put it in to the Grand Old Lady of the Park, and I'm going to encourage all my colleagues that also take part in that wonderful venue to do the same so that we can raise significant money for the capital upkeep of that facility, Madam Chair.

Thank you very much. Councilman Johnson, do you have a comment?

Just in supporting your efforts, Councilman, and although I'm a newly elected veteran/freshman Councilmember, I don't have as much influence and sway as you have, but I'll take 25,000 out of my DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 capital fund and I'll give it to you towards your efforts towards what you're doing in your district regarding the Georgie Woods Music Center. And I'd like to also thank the Hood family for your approach, recognizing who Georgie Woods is, as well as preserving the legacy of your family. And I kind of watched how this played out in the media. The media kind of wanted to play two sides to the middle. And so I didn't know what to expect today, to be quite frank with you, but I just want to sincerely say thank you and I definitely appreciate your approach. And, Councilman, I will make that donation, and let me know how we need to make it work.

I'm going to individually talk to my other members. I'm not going to put them on the spot today, but I intend to -- as we did in the past, we raised significant dollars to help re-establish it before. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 COMMISSIONER SLAWSON: $1.25 million.

1.25 million by members that are still here and some that have gone on to retirement. But we will continue that, because that facility, just like the Mann, is a regional entertainment center. It's not the 4th District; it is the City of Philadelphia and beyond Philadelphia's borders. People come from all over, all over to sit in the park and be a part of it, and we want to continue with that.

Thank you, Councilman. And also I will match what Councilman Johnson has offered. As the only member of Council on this panel right now who is originally from North Philadelphia, it is an honor to support something that's from my neighborhood. So I really appreciate all that you're doing, and I want to be supportive as well. So we will provide a significant contribution matching what Councilman DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Johnson also offered. So thank you very much. Thank you for your testimony. Okay. Could we have the next panel approach. On the next panel is Mr. Tyrone Reed, Mr. Ducky Birts and Mr. Gary Shepard. And since we may have missed a couple of those folks, also is Mr. Robert Woodward available? Is he here?

Yes.

Mannwell Glenn.

Right here. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you for joining us, gentlemen. Can you please state your names for the record.

Good morning, everybody.

Good morning.

My name Donald DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 "Ducky" Birts.

Mannwell Glenn, political consultant, media personality.

Robert Woodward. I am the owner and proprietor of Woody's Barber Shop there at Bryn Mawr and Lebanon Avenue for quite some years and also the founder of the Barber Shop Talk Human Family Day Foundation.

Thank you. And you can begin your testimony.

Good morning again. I want to make it quick, because everybody that spoke prior to me, I don't want to be redundant and say the same thing. Because whatever Steve Collins and WDAS did and Jerry Temple did, I concur with everything. So I'm going to take another spin on Mr. Georgie Woods. Georgie -- in fact, I'm the only left around, I guess, that was involved with him from the beginning to the end, since 1964. I was in Camden and I came over there with Reverend Sullivan, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 and Georgie was a part of starting all that with Reverend Sullivan, and that's going way, way back. And by me being the President of the Camden Youth NAACP with Dr. Wiggins and Roy Wilkins, I just come over with Cecil Moore and Georgie in Philadelphia, which is Girard College march. Georgie did a lot of things behind the scene that people don't even know. In fact, Georgie -- when I opened my store in 1964 at Haddon Avenue, Georgie was the first one that came over to Camden and also promoted my store free and have every Monday. Young black man, came out of a family of ten, mother on welfare, had no money, and Georgie came over Camden and supported me. And from that beginning, I came over to Philadelphia with Reverend Sullivan. In 1968, we started Progress Plaza with Dr. Sullivan. Georgie was a part of that. And also Georgie was a part of Dr. King raising money at the Uptown and DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 also raising money -- him and Mary Mason raised money for the King movement. The King movement didn't -- SCRC didn't have memberships. People don't know that. The only one that had membership was the NAACP, and that was the base of -- that took all the lawyer stuff for us to do things. But when Dr. King died, Georgie and myself and Delores Tucker and Lawrence Henry took a flight together to go town to Atlanta to the funeral and we was appointed -- as we hit the ground, we was appointed as marshals for Dr. King's funeral. But to add all the things he have done, there's no doubt in my mind the legacy he left here in Philadelphia, that we should recognize the bill that you have, young people that's coming in and Brother Jones. I concur that it's the right thing to do. I don't think you have too much people against you for doing it in this community. I mean, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 economical and also all races, not just blacks; whites, Jews, Asians, all -- Georgie had all of that. He never got that publicity on that end. I was with him a lot working with him, and in the backbone of everything we moved, even the political arena and the social arena, he was there. So I don't want to go over all that stuff you guys heard already. I concur with it, and I thank you very much for doing it. And I appreciate the young Councilman coming in, picking up the -- of course, it's a lot of work. People don't realize the work you do or realize the work I do. I don't complain about it. I'm lucky to still be here, one of the ones left at my age still here and I'm still moving. And Cody Anderson and Georgie Woods did back for the scholarship fund for Cheyney University, where Jannie Blackwell -- she's not here now. Raised a lot of money for Cheyney University back when it wasn't popular. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 He did a lot of work back then. That created the way Wilson -- Wilson came out of Ducky Birts time, which I'm doing now. So I appreciate things he did then. So that's my testimony.

Thank you.

Well, first of all, I want to thank all of you guys up there, because I'm very proud when I look at my City Councilmembers and particularly the youngest one sitting there. You know, South Philadelphia, I have to put a shout out to him for sure. Councilman Jones, I definitely appreciate everything you've done steering toward this direction as it relates to our guy with the goods, Georgie Woods. And I would recommend that our Chair Lady make sure that she understands as well to drive to stay alive, because the life she saves could possibly be someone close to the guy with the goods. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 that, and I used to talk about that each week on my program, to drive to stay alive, because the life you save may be someone close to the guy with the goods. So much so that today he would never know that texting now, people doing that in cars and on the cellphones, how dangerous it really is out there driving. He was talking way back then about the future of what was to come today to drive to stay alive. But anyway, in the barber shop -- I brought a lot of information here. Of course, the barber's pole represents health and healing. Originally doctors and surgeons were barbers, and a lot of people don't know that. So I always make sure people go online and look up the word "barber's poles," extremely important. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 downs, his ins and outs. A lot of the things that he would normally not talk to regular people about, he spoke to me behind that barber's chair, one of which 1998 when I think about the issue of racism and I think about James Byrd, Jasper, Texas. I did a film dedicating it to that issue. However, me and Georgie used to go back and forth with this issue of racist or racism or race, and I always told George, I said, You know, it wasn't racism, because we'd have to be two races, one against the other. So any time we use that word "race" as a plural, we're kind of out of context with it, and I think that's what is sticking in the minds of a lot of our children and adults all over, is that we have to start learning what "race" means. So George was saying, No, man. I said, No. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 that word means a plural. We are in fact the human race. One of the reasons why we put together our Barber Shop Talk Human Family Day is because of that reason, that people should recognize race as a singular, never as a plural. But as I stated to you before, George actually already knew that, but it's just a way we use words today that kind of clog things up. I had Charlie Bowser, Georgie Woods, Charles Barkley, Moses Malone all in the shop at the same time and we were discussing this issue as it relates to race. I can only tell you that Georgie Woods was a pioneer that I will never, ever forget, and I can tell you for sure that this issue of race will continue to go on if we don't try to make our kids a little bit more aware. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 some of this information, because I didn't know the Y had all of these things going on and all these other organizations. I would love to see it. So I'm kind of tipping my hat to the Council here to possibly put together a program so we can get it into the neighborhoods, because the problem is, kids do not understand or know where these places are. When they are organizing these forms and fashions, a lot of the everyday kids will not find out what's going on and they won't benefit from some of these things. So I look forward to talking with Council on that issue. Last, but not least, I will say we have our Barber Shop Talk Human Family Day coming up at 1301 Columbus Boulevard. I look forward to seeing you guys there and hopefully being able to help us out a little bit, because, you know, the barber shop has always been an after-school program that hasn't been paid for. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES.

120045 it every day, and we continue to go on all the time, sharing and spreading that information of health. And as we state, what you take into our body affects how you feel. What you feel affects how you think. And ultimately what you think always affects the outcome of what you do. So I look forward to continuing to move Georgie Woods in the direction in which is forward, and I thank all of you, particularly City Council, for coming up with this idea and Curtis sticking with it. Keep it going, buddy. Thanks.

Thank you. Mr. Glenn.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Chairman Bass, Councilman Johnson, Councilwoman Sanchez, Councilman Jones, I can't tell you how proud I am to be sitting here in front of DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 you four in particular and to sit in this room. I can't see how anyone could frown coming to a room like this, and this is your workplace every day. Congratulations on all four of you. It was the late romantic French writer Victor Hugo who said...(speaking in French).

Ouie, ouie.

One resists the invasion of armies. One does not resist the invasion of ideas. One cannot resist an idea whose time has come. An idea, something such as a thought or conception that potentially or actually exists in the mind as a product of mental activity; an opinion, conviction or principle; a plan, scheme or method; a gist of a specific situation, significance, a notion, a fancy. In music it's known as a theme or a motif. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 realities and imperfect replica. In the philosophy of Kant, a concept of reason that is transcended, but not non-empirical. In the philosophy of Hegel, absolute truth, the complete and ultimate product of reason, a mental physical image of something remembered. Today, in a world of branding, an idea is now coined as intellectual property. Well, I've been told that more than once that we all and I should stop giving away my intellectual property for free. But this idea today I have no 15 problem sharing with for free, because it is indeed an idea whose time has come. You know, when you throw a stone or pebble in the water, it makes ripples, and no two ripples are the same. Ripples are small waves that cause a change in the atmosphere they're in and all in the water above. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 the ocean, but the shores they reach. Larger waves are called tsunamis, and we know the effect that they can have. Councilmembers, I would say that the life of Georgie Woods had that type of effect. When we are born, our lives affect the very fabric of time and space, and just like one ripple of wave is like no other, neither are our lives. Well, the life of Georgie Woods was like a tsunami. He affected us all. We are taught to live a life worth living and, as such, make the world a better place because we were in it. Georgie Woods did just that. His life touched so many others in greater profound ways, and if you doubt it, just look at the men and women that have gathered here today to testify and how his life has touched theirs. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 that their lives themselves were touched by and that they are better people because they were inspired, mentored and helped by the life of Georgie Woods. Georgie used his life to make a difference. When others would use celebrity, fame and fortune for selfish reasons, he wanted to change things for the lives of others, raising awareness, raising money, drawing attention and at times doing so at his own peril. It didn't matter if it made him look bad, risked his career or even his life. He did it because it was the right thing to do. I am reminded of one of the many times I was in his presence. It was indeed at Woody's Human Family Day. We were giving him a tribute. It was on Rittenhouse Square. And there was a photo of Georgie Woods with Dr. , and he was giving his speech and standing on the stage. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 that day was, the people there came not so much to hear Dr. King, arguably one of the most important Americans we've ever produced; no, these people were there because of Georgie Woods. He once told me that I was blessed with a great voice and a great gift, that I could go anywhere in the world with it and become whatever I wanted, but the most important thing to do with my gift was to use it to make a difference and save lives. So I'll end this as I began, simply saying again that there's nothing stronger than an idea whose time has come, and at the end of the day, after all is said and done, there's nothing left to say and do. Let's get it done. Do this today because it's the right thing to do. Let's rename the Dell and get it done. com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 are driving, drive to stay alive, because the life you save may indeed be that of someone close, everybody, to the guy with the goods. Thank you very much. )

Thank you. Are there any questions by Council? Councilwoman Sanchez.

Thank you. I want to thank Councilman Jones for introducing this ordinance, and really thank the folks who came. As we in Council attempt to refurbish and reclaim some of our landmarks, it is important to pay tribute to folks who are representative of those landmarks. And I want us not to just do the renaming and not ensure that what we do at the Georgie Woods Concert Hall, or whatever we end up calling it at the end of the day, that we really figure out, all of us who are here today, how we give DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 him annual tribute. The name is one thing; ensuring that the young people who enter that hall understand. If you look at some of the work that the Robin Hood Dell East does in bringing young people, let's make sure that we pay good tribute by ensuring that every young person and every person that walks into that hall has an opportunity to meet Georgie Woods, the Georgie Woods that all of us know. So I want to challenge ourselves to look at that. Creating landmarks in the community are extremely important. I'm refurbishing some parks and we're having discussions around renaming, and I couldn't think of someone better than Mr. Georgie Woods to pay tribute to. So thank you all for coming, and thank you, Councilman Jones. (Applause.)

Thank you. Any others comments from DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Council? Councilman Jones.

Yes. I just want to -- I'd like to clarify the amendment so that everyone is clear. That the land shall be still the Robin Hood Dell. The facility, the structure over it, we hope to rename, with the passage, the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center. It's important to maintain the history of the Dell area, which is a location, and the structure, which is the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center. Other commitments that we are going to do -- and Councilwoman Sanchez is right, I will not walk into a dump named the Georgie Woods Entertainment Center. This Commissioner has a capital plan that includes new roof, new sound systems, so that when we walk in there with guests from around the world, we'll be proud to say this was named after Georgie Woods. So we are committed. My DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 colleagues have stated on the record that they are committed to helping the friends of the Dell, who had to carry this on their shoulders many years when it wasn't easy to do, to move this project capital-wise forward. Because just naming it something is one thing; having it represent our history is quite another. So a part of this -- and I think that was the spirit of the Commissioner's comments, that don't waste an opportunity to keep a treasure valued in our community. And we intend to honor that, Commissioner, and we intend to be a partnership to do that. The other thing is that it is tradition that it takes ten years to rename something, and that we've already lived through seven of those years. So on the 15th of June -- June 18th, there will be a celebration where we rename it officially for the public. It will be renamed once the ordinance is passed out DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 of Committee and by the general body, but it will give us enough time, enough time to raise some money too to make it the kind of palace that Georgie Woods deserves. So with that, that's what I have to say. I'm proud of people who came out and testified, and I see some people who just was in deep thought out there, and I know them and their spirit as well. So I thank you all for coming out to support this worthwhile renaming.

One thing I'd like to say, if you can, as it relates to education, I think that's a great idea. Sonny Hopson, the Mighty Burner, has just written a book. It went five star. It's all on the Internet. It's doing well, and Georgie Woods actually helped make sure that happened. He writes about it in his book. So getting that information out there. This DVD has a lot of information historically that I think should tie in in the opening of every DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 show at the Dell.

Well, one of the things, Madam Chair -- and this is something the Commissioner brought up as well and the Hood family -- that we are going to designate an area, a plaza, to those individuals with plaques that have contributed to the Dell and may also do the mural that talks about -- because there are other people who have played a role. It's almost like a relay and people passing the baton. We hope to, as stewards of public resources, pass it on to the next generation. And I'd like for people to remember who these great people are, and many of them are still alive and among us. But understand that our history, if we don't memorialize it, who will? And I don't want to ever, ever, ever again have interns walk by a mural of Georgie Woods and look up and say, Who is that guy? Never again. (Applause.)

I want to give you DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 kudos and your staff, because I wouldn't have been here if your staff hadn't called me. Mr. Spivey called me. I got a thousand things to do, working, bobbing, but your staff did a terrific job. The community is aware of it. Don't think the community is not aware of it. The community is aware of it. So we thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. We're going to have the next panel come up. Mr. Ronald Armour, Mr. David Williams and Mr. Jerry Lee Barrett. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Good afternoon, Madam President, members of Council. Indeed it is an honor to certainly be here this morning.

Thank you for being here. Can we have you introduce yourself. And we'll ask DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 everyone to introduce themselves for the record and then we'll take your testimony.

Yes, ma'am. My name is Ronald Armour, A-R-M-O-U-R. I'm a retired City worker and a community activist. I'm glad to be able to give something back to the City.

Thank you.

Hi. I'm Jerry Lee Barrett. I have my own production company. I'm currently producing a film that I've written called The Iron Thorn, and we're negotiating with MGM and Bob Engelman. And I produced the Georgie Woods Show in the '80s.

Good morning, good people, Chairman. I'm a comedian, Dave the Rave. I'm a retired police officer years in the City of 22 Philadelphia, and I'm wearing this red 23 suit because Georgie Woods was the first 24 man I seen at the Uptown in a red suit. 25 And I ain't never seen nobody in a red DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 suit in my life. (Applause.)

And he was the only man I ever seen to wear a red suit that looked good in it. And I wore this suit as Georgie Woods' -- I was one of his pallbearers. I spoke to him the day he died. He was my pinochle partner for years in a row, and we loved getting 11 head rubs. And I couldn't have found a 12 better man. 13 I spoke to him the day he died. 14 He called me up in the morning and he 15 said, What you doing, Dave? I said, I'm just cooking breakfast, man. He said, I'll call you right back. I said, No, you can talk to me. But I never got to talk to him, because he died that day. So Georgie Woods is one of the best friends I think in my lifetime. Well, I'm just introducing DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 myself right now. I'm sorry about that. I got carried away. I got carried away. Yes. I got carried away. I'll get back to that. I'm sorry about that.

I just wanted to say that my name is Sabir Muhammad and I'm the founder -- I was the founder of the Georgie Woods Potato Chips. Many of us remember the Georgie Woods Potato Chips. The only thing I just wanted to say was, real quickly, that when I went to Georgie Woods and just asked Georgie Woods, Look, George, I'd like to put a potato chip in your name, Georgie, knowing his character, knowing his personality, George said, Yeah, okay, right, sure. You could do it if you want, and just walked on away. I came back to Georgie Woods in about 30 days with a picture of him on the potato chip bag. It was the first time in the history of Philadelphia that a person of color was ever put on a potato chip bag. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 (Applause.)

Georgie Woods had the courage and the strength. When people was saying a potato chip bag with a picture of a black man on it will never sell, that you had to have a picture of a farm, a generic bag, Georgie Woods said, Sabir, go with it. That's the type of courage and strength that he had. And we went with it, and it wasn't a person during the time of that history who did not eat and like those Georgie Woods Potato Chips. (Applause.)

Thank you.

Madam President, I want to start off by saying that, quoting from the words of Martin Luther King, Dr. King said that truth forevermore on the scaffold. Even though that scaffold sways, truth will endure the earth forever. I want to talk about Georgie Woods and the Band Kept Playing. As the DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 band kept playing, Georgie Woods kept on doing work as a public servant. The band kept playing, he kept on taking on issues that affect people lives back then. The same type of issues that people are faced with today, Georgie Woods tackled those issues back then. This is why it's very important that this Council and Administration makes sure that every Councilman is on board with this initiative. The reason why that they want to be on board with this, there are givers and there are great givers in life. And in this life, it is a wonderful thing to be elected officer and to serve. It is a wonderful thing to be a public servant and serve. You serve. You see the results of it. You see how people loved him around this City, many, many others. Georgie was a true ambassador to the world. Blessed are the givers. Blessed are this giver that have given so much to Philadelphia. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 But I made this statement a little earlier saying that there are some things money cannot buy. No. He's already in the land book of life, but into the book of life of giving of wonderful service. His legacy will read for years to come, whether you name the building. Wherever you walk in Philadelphia, Broad Street, when they come up there, they're going to have to talk about this is the Uptown where Georgie Woods lived. This is the City where Georgie Woods lived. Don Cornelius, Don Cornelius, before they went to see Don Cornelius, they got on the train at 30th Street going to California, but they got their ticket here in Philadelphia. Rightfully so, I say to this Council, you have an opportunity making history in the year 2012. See, this Council have been on record to do everything that they can do to make sure that this man and the resources, there DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 are some things money can't buy. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Okay. All right.

Thank you very much for that. Truthfully, Council, in all sincerity, when I was a young man, I moved to Philadelphia in 1951 and I went to the Uptown Theatre when I was 9 years old. I went to the Uptown Theatre and I seen a man named Georgie Woods, and I stayed in all these shows for 50 cent. I stayed and I seen all of these entertainers, from Myles Maybilly (ph) to anybody that came up to the Uptown. I seen them all. Never in my lifetime, in my wildest dream that I thought when I grew up of seeing a person that I admired so much would wind up being my best friend in life. For the last 25 years, me and DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 Georgie Woods, we did everything together. We played cards every Sunday for years in a row. He was my 5 pinochle partner. Georgie Woods told me 6 everything that has to be told under the 7 sun about his life and all that he was. 8 So I think it would be a great 9 honor for Philadelphia to not only -- I 10 wanted the Uptown to be named after 11 Georgie Woods, because I thought that 12 would be the proper place for it to be, 13 but since y'all said the Robin Hood Dell 14 East, and I used -- matter of fact, Georgie Woods let me do one of his last shows when I was at the Uptown Wave. He let me go out and bring on the Dells and I brought on Evelyn "Champagne" King. And the Dells looked at me and said, Who is this guy Dave the Rave? He don't know me. Georgie Woods said, Go out there, man, and bring them on. I mean, this is the kind of guy that -- he was one of the best DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 down-to-earth persons I ever met in my life. I would walk down 52nd Street, he had a better reputation than the President. I mean, the people, from all little kids, would come up -- I was totally amazed one day. We walked down 52nd Street. And these are the people of the community. Little kids was coming up, they said, Mr. Woods, how you doing? He would say, How you doing? Everybody knew Georgie Woods. And I just -- I said, Georgie Woods, you know one thing? You got more prestige than the President got. I mean, this is a guy anywhere you go in Philadelphia, we go to Mount Airy, South Philly. I went down Jersey. We traveled down Jersey. Anywhere you go, people knew Georgie Woods, over Lawnside. I mean, he's an icon beyond an icon. This would be, I think, one of the best -- you talking about a person that represent Philadelphia? You DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 couldn't find a better person nowhere in this city than Georgie Woods. Put a name up there for Georgie Woods. Georgie Woods would be looking down right now and he ain't -- I know Georgie Woods. Georgie Woods, he's a quiet guy. He ain't going to talk too much about himself. He's the guy that -- he just -- people loved this man. Like I said, everyone here. This man was loved. He didn't have too many enemies. And I'll tell you in leaving, you know what hurt Georgie Woods' heart, broke his heart? He told me what broke his heart. He said they took the last little thing was the Dell Center, and he said that's what broke his heart. Took the only thing. He was an entertainer, and they snatched that contract, the only thing he had left, that oldie but goody shows, and he loved them shows. He only came to Philadelphia one time, and he said, I will come back just to do the shows for the people of Philadelphia. DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 And when they took that last show from him, that's what Georgie Woods died from. He died from a broken heart, that the people in Philadelphia, that he said all the things that he did for this city, helped everybody, that he would get stabbed in the back in his later part of his life. So...

Okay.

That's my dear friend. I know he's smiling on me now. I came from Delaware.

Okay. Thank you for your testimony.

Thank you very much. I would hope you do the best you can. If I got to chip in, you say it cost a million dollars, or what? I mean, it ain't funny. I mean, what you said, $15 million?

No; 10.

Ten.

Well, I think that's easy to get, for three years. I DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 think I would be one to spearhead that campaign to make sure -- I think we can get $10 million for Georgie Woods. I'm quite sure.

Before you leave, if you want to hang around, and the other gentlemen as well, if anybody has questions from the panel.

I don't think that's a great amount of money to get for a man like that.

Okay. Yes, sir.

Chairwoman Cindy Bass and distinguished panel, once again I'm Jerry Lee Barrett. I produced the Georgie Woods' Show in the '80s and I was with Georgie Woods when Wilson Goode, Sr. was elected, and we all know where we were on that day, I am sure. But I was with Georgie Woods, and we went all around town on that day. We were with Wilson Goode briefly in his hotel room 25 when he was elected. I think we all DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 remember where we were on that important day. And I do remember that above many things that Georgie and I went through. But, again, I've written a screenplay that I am producing and we're discussing it with MGM and Bob Engelman. Bob Engelman produced Blade and other many films. And I intend to dedicate the film to my father, Leonard Barrett, and to Georgie Woods when it is produced, and it's a very exciting time. So I just want to -- I'll remind everybody once again about the entertainment that Georgie Woods brought to not just Philadelphia, but the world. Rhythm and blues as we take it -- we apparently take it for granted here in Philadelphia because we're all so super soulful, but rhythm and blues took over the world as a result of people like Georgie Woods, the world, and it is the most imitated music to date. So Georgie Woods was certainly a world leader. There will be no Dick Clark, DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 none of that, without Georgie Woods. So I want to thank you. All the testimony was fantastic. And thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Councilman Jones, you have a statement?

No. Let's move.

Okay. Is there anyone else who would like to make a statement, testify? Yes, sir. (Witnesses approached witness table.)

Thank you for your patience. If you could be brief, we'll be voting soon. Thank you.

I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity, Madam Councilwoman and rest of the Council. I had the pleasure of meeting Georgie with DiscoveryWorks Global 888.557.8650 www.dw-global.com 3/5/12 - PARKS - BILL 120018/RES. 120045 my mouth.