Christine Woyshner

When I won a Philadelphia Public School Black History oration contest at the age of 17, it opened a door to possibilities I did not know existed — and thanks to an internship with Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, my career in public service was launched.    That profound impact was something I wanted to pass on to the young people of this City when I envisioned our annual One Philly Black History Oratorical Showcase — where we celebrated civic engagement, student excellence, and uplift the voices of our young people, giving them a platform to empower and express themselves. To all the participants — I am beyond proud of you. You showed courage, discipline and confidence to step forward, to prepare, and to use your voice. We’re #ONEPHILLY, and that means opening doors and creating opportunities for all to have. We see you. We believe in you. And we support you!   Thank you to the @PHLschools, our participating charter schools, — the team at the @EducationPHL and everyone behind the scenes — for turning this vision into reality.

Today we celebrate the return of our history at this important site. We are thankful for all the supporters across the city to get us to this point. We know that this is not the end of the legal road. We will handle all legal challenges that arise with the same rigor and gravity as we have done thus far. #OnePhilly #PresidentsHouse