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Archive of Essays
 Frank Hoeber
October 2, 2009
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Frank Hoeber describes himself as a dedicated public servant. His long career as a government officer is deeply rooted in his family history and his own activism on issues of social justice. Hoeber is also an historian, who among other things, has translated from German, his grandfather's personal papers. At a time in which even the word government is charged with controversy, Hoeber talks with passion about its importance in his life.
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 Julie Odell
September 25, 2009
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As family lore has it, Julie Odell, was born with a book (a soft one) in her hands. Not really, but reading has always been an integral part of this writer's life; as solace, inspiration and life anchor. Odell is working on a second novel and her stories are regularly published in literary magazines. In this essay, she talks about how her passion for literature and language is most vividly evident in the classroom.
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 Bill Wedo
September 18, 2009
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Bill Wedo likes to describe himself as the all around journalist. In his three decades as a writer, he's covered crimes and trials, celebrity interviews and arts reviews. He's been an online reporter for Philly.com for about 10 years and is now the publicist for Studio Incamminatti arts school in Philadelphia. But he says none of that compares to mastering the infinitely complicated art of being a father. In this essay Bill Wedo follows what's closest to his heart.
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 John Timpane
September 11, 2009
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John Timpane moves easily from poetry to science, from writing editorials on education and politics to voicing radio essays on the meaning of Lent or the beauty of language. He's been an editor, columnist and reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer since 1997 and his books on reading and understanding poetry and architecture are still making the rounds on Amazon. In this essay, John Timpane shows once again how he's able to translate real experiences into metaphysical musings.
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 Art Caplan
September 4, 2009
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For the past two decades or so, Art Caplan has been the go-to person in all questions of bioethics: stem cell research, organ transplantation and trafficking, gene therapy, living wills... you name it. He's become known to many in TV and cable news programs for his straightforward approach to complicated issues. Caplan has authored and edited more than 29 books and heads the University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics. But in this essay, Caplan traces his passion for science and inquiry, and his sense of compassion and justice, to a childhood misfortune.
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 Sozi Tulante
July 17, 2009
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Sozi Tulante's story is as painfully familiar and individually unique as the journey of many political refugees. His childhood memories of the persecution that forced his family out of Africa have fueled his work as a lawyer and human rights activist. In this essay, Tulante pays respect to his father who worked as a taxi driver for 25 years, in order to send him and his siblings to college. Now as a new father himself, Tulante has another reason to tell his family's story of conquering hardship and settling in a welcoming city.
Caption: Sozi Tulante and his son Kiese
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 Wendy Warren
July 10, 2009
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You could assume that Wendy Warren thinks, talks, and dreams about news twenty four-seven. After all she has spent most of her professional life as a journalist first in South Carolina, then Allentown, and now in Philadelphia where she's the editor of Philly.com. But as a mother, a wife, and a citizen concerned about the city's future, Warren found inspiration for this essay in a poem she read a while back.
Read Rosalie Grayer's poem "Altar Smoke"
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 Nicholas Torres
July 3, 2009
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Nick Torres is a quintessential community leader; his success is based on finding a balance between being practical while remaining an idealist. As the president of the Congreso de Latinos Unidos, the Congress of United Latinos, he has expanded the scope of social services to the growing Hispanic community in the city. Access to education is at the core of his beliefs and he can track that commitment to his own upbringing.
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 Melissa Weiler-Gerber
June 26, 2009
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Melissa Weiler Gerber could talk for hours about the issues she's passionate about: human rights, homelessness, economic disparity (particularly among women), and social activism. She's been Executive Director of the advocacy and funding organization Women's Way since 1999, and she jokingly recalls that she has always aspired to "save the world." Being organized, focused and somewhat obsessive about how things work, Weiler-Gerber says, is a big help in her work and her life.
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 David St Clair
June 19, 2009
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As a businessman, David St Clair has done all the things that define a sucessful entrepreneur : risk taking, pioneering a service approach to a growing industry and a keen understanding of market dynamics and opportunities. At the root of it all, says St Clair, are lessons learned at sea. From navigation and self reliance, to trust, ingenuity and a bit of luck. As he tells it, smart parents and a sense of adventure didn't hurt either.
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 Lou Gambaccini
June 12, 2009
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There's something quite fascinating about a large computer map showing an intricate grid of subways and trains crisscrossing the city and region. Running a large transportation system is infinitely more complicated than that and for years Lou Gambaccini has been recognized as one of the most prominent transportation general managers throughout the North East. After overseeing the New York and New Jersey Port Authorities for 30 years and SEPTA for almost nine years, Lou Gambaccini likes to remember how his commitment to public service started at an early age.
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 James Harris
June 5, 2009
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Running a university in an urban setting takes a rare combination of skills ranging from the managerial to the visionary. Add to that a keen interest in student participation in all aspects of governance and community involvement, and you get a picture of Jim Harris, the president of Widener University. It wouldn't be too farfetched to say that Harris learned his skills as a tough strategist in the boxing ring and his commitment to public service at his grandmother's house.
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 Judy Wicks
May 29, 2009
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In Philadelphia, the White Dog Cafe is more than a restaurant, it's literally an institution centered not only on food but on a philosophy of food. It's housed in a whimsical space decorated with plenty of drawings and paintings of ... what else?... dogs. Since she founded the White Dog Cafe 26 years ago, Wicks has been at the forefront of the movement to use local foods to support a sustainable business model. It all started to come together in her mind, Wicks says after spending some time in a remote Alaskan village.
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 David Thornburgh
May 22, 2009
It's never easy to grow up in the shadow of a prominent father, but David Thornburgh has conquered most obstacles by finding a balance between admiration and respect for the former Pennsylvania governor, and his own distinct brand of leadership. His expertise in regional economic development, public policy and community entrepreneurship have culminated in his position as executive director of the University of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government. All this has led David Thornburgh to explore the difference between a job and a true calling.
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 Penelope Reed
May 15, 2009
In the history of theater there's always a story about an actor or director who, as a kid, spent time building sets and imagining scenarios with elaborate plots. It's no different for Penelope Reed, who heads the Hedgerow Theater. Tucked in a winding road outside Media, Hedgerow was once described as "The Mother of All Philadelphia Theaters". Today, Reed continues the tradition of this 83 year old cultural institution. In this essay she explores the roots of her own passion for seeing the world as a big stage.
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 Varsovia Fernandez
May 8, 2009
Varsovia Fernandez cut her teeth as a community activist by working in the corporate world. At one point she decided to dedicate her knowledge and experience to helping the Latino business community and she hasn't stopped. Fernandez moves easily from winning a dance competition to raise money for a cause to pitching new ventures to an international corporate board. As the head of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fernandez says all she does is rooted in her parents tradition of social activism.
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 Ed Tettemer
May 1, 2009
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Writer Ed Tettemer is a cultural and gastronomic explorer. He has crisscrossed Pennsylvania to map fun places and local eateries outside of the Turnpike corridor, and the restaurant chains. It's all in his book and blog The Shunpiker's Guide. Tettemer is also an advertising and marketing strategist, but today he tells the story of his unending love for food.
Ed's Beach Bean Soup recipe
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 Bishop David Evans
April 24, 2009
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Bishop David G. Evans became a baptist minister in the late seventies. Since then he has become a sort of religious super star by combining his spiritual calling with an acute understanding of the dynamics of leadership, entrepreneurship and media presence. His Bethany Baptist Church in Lindenwold, NJ has about 27.000 members and he counts more than a hundred churches as part of his international ministry. Today, Bishop Evans explores life as a balancing act.
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 Charisse Lillie
April 17, 2009
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Respect for the law has always been the driving principle behind everything Charisse Lillie has achieved as an attorney, educator and entrepreneur. She was born to a family of educators in a home where conversations about culture, music and equality were the norm. So it's no surprise that Lillie, who helped integrate her Catholic schools in Houston in the nineteen Sixties, sees the law as a powerful tool for social change at all levels: from workplace equity to election reform. Lillie is now an executive at Comcast and a VP for its philanthropic foundation.
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 Lorene Cary
April 10, 2009
Lorene Cary's presence in Philadelphia, in any city for that matters, has been likened to that of a cultural whirlwind. Not only is she a celebrated writer and educator, but as the founder of The Art Sanctuary she has made the city a point of convergence for African American culture and social activism. In her writing Cary brings together a combination of personal experience, historic relevance, compassion and her own brand of dry humor. Today she explores how all this comes together.
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 Liz Dow
April 3, 2009
Liz Dow has always been intrigued and amazed at what drives people to public service and social commitment. As she tells it, her quest took her to the White House where, thanks to a public policy fellowship, she served in the Carter Administration. Dow says the experience opened doors to explore "the art of the possible" and left her with an appetite for creating coalitions of people and causes.
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 Leslie Ann Miller
March 20, 2009
Perhaps the best way of describing Leslie Ann Miller is as a one person hub where the law, civil rights, cultural advancement and activism for equality, intersect. One of her many awards recognizes her as a "woman making history" and there's not much you can add to that, to encompass her many achievements. In this essay, Miller explores a more personal passion for the welfare of "all creatures great and small."
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 Joe Banner
March 20, 2009
The most immediate expectation of an essay by Joe Banner is that he will be sharing some of his thoughts on sports management, team dynamics, the state of the NFL and so on. As the president of the Philadelphia Eagles he has plenty to say about that, but Banner has also made a career of being unpredictable and versatile. In the past he's gone from being a sports broadcaster and a businessman to heading City Year, a national organization that promotes volunteerism and community service for youth. It's in that spirit, that Joe Banner reveals a more metaphysical side.
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 Frederica Massiah Jackson
March 13, 2009
Frederica Massiah-Jackson has always been described as a quick learner and she has earned that title. She graduated high school at age 16 and received her law degree at the University of Pennsylvania at 23. Since then she has gone from clerking for Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Robert N.C. Nix to being nominated as a U.S. district judge by President Clinton. Today, Court of Common Pleas judge Massiah-Jackson explores how her belief in the jury system has shaped her personal views and opinions.
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 Nancy Kolb
March 6, 2009
Nancy Kolb doesn't need statistics or long studies to convince her of the importance of recess at school or of playing freely at home, on the streets and in parks. As president and CEO of The Please Touch Museum, Kolb is recognized as a relentless advocate for everyone's rights adult and child alike to explore, create and play. Here she talks about her childhood and the games that shaped her life.
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 Bernard Dagenais
February 27, 2009
As a journalist, Bernard Dagenais has covered everything from agriculture and farming in his native Vermont to criminal court cases, state house debates and the economy. He likes to credit his work ethic and values to growing up on a farm with hard working parents and siblings. Those experiences, plus the investigative spirit most journalists cherish, have taken him from a Washington DC newspaper to Philadelphia where he is the editor of the weekly Philadelphia Business Journal. Dagenais also believes in the time honored tradition of being at the right place at the right time.
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 Lynn Yeakel
February 20, 2009
It would take some time to go over Lynn Yeakel's list of professional and personal achievements, but perhaps one one way of describing her is as a restless activist for women's rights. As she tells it, Yeakel grew up in a household where politics was the main course at the dinner table, with heated discussions the soundtrack and commitment to social causes the expected course of action. She explores those roots in her essay.
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 Mary Seton Corboy
February 13, 2009
Mary Seton Corboy founded the Greensgrow Farm in 1998. She and her team of gardeners have become a national model of perseverance and commitment to urban farming. Corboy transformed a superfund site into a thriving garden that is still in full swing. In her essay she explores her belief in the power of physical labor.
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 Brett Mandel
February 6, 2009
Today on WHYY's This I Believe Brett Mandel founder and Executive Director of Philadelphia Forward speaks of his sense of place. He's best know as a citizen's advocate for sound governance and fiscal accountability. He focuses mainly on city finances and tax reform. Mandel is also an avid sportsman who has written two books about baseball.
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 Jane Golden
January 30, 2009
For the past 20 years the presence of large scale murals has changed the city's urban landscape. One artist and community organizer is behind the effort of transforming more that 2,700 walls into murals and that's Jane Golden. This is her story for WHYY's This I Believe series.
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 Allyson Schwartz
January 23, 2009
Today on WHYY's This I Believe, PA Thirteenth District Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz pays homage to her mother's legacy of strength, honesty and resilience.
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 Abbe Fletman
January 16, 2009
In her career as a trial lawyer Abbe Fletman has taken on and represented big corporations. She's helped protect voting rights and made her name as a tough litigator. She has defended cases that range from securities fraud to faulty pesticide labels. Fletman is a Philadelphia trial lawyer and litigation attorney at the Flaster/Greenberg law firm. Professional awards and accolades follow her where she goes. But for this essay Fletman chose to talk about a more personal achievement. Next week on WHYY's This I Believe, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz looks at her mother as a source of inspiration and resilience.
Caption: Ted Fletman, Jane Hinkle, Abbe Fletman and Elizabeth Fletman
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 Mayor Michael Nutter
January 9, 2009
Today on WHYY's This I Believe Mayor Michael Nutter talks about the childhood experiences that shaped his character.
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