From May 27-July 2, 2026 ArtPhilly is hosting a citywide and multi-disciplinary art festival in conjunction with the nation’s 250 anniversary celebration called What Now. Vote that Jawn will be holding an event on June 3 focusing on amplifying youth voters through performances and workshops. One of the partners for this event will be the Artists and Musicians of Latin America at Esperanza. The organization is dedicated to music education for students through learning Latin

From May 27-July 2, 2026 ArtPhilly is hosting a citywide and multi-disciplinary art festival in conjunction with the nation’s 250 anniversary celebration called What Now. Vote that Jawn will be holding an event on June 3 focusing on amplifying youth voters through performances and workshops. One of the partners will be past and present City of Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate. Rashawn Dorsey, the current laureate,will perform one of his poems.

From May 27-July 2, 2026 ArtPhilly is hosting a citywide and multi-disciplinary art festival in conjunction with the nation’s 250 anniversary celebration called What Now. Vote that Jawn will be holding an event on June 3 focusing on amplifying youth voters through performances and workshops. One of the partners of this event will be the Philadelphia Young Playwrights, a nonprofit entering its 40th year that “brings playwriting and performance storytelling education into cl

Learn more about Cosmic Writer’s collaboration in Vote That Jawn’s June 3 event below.

This is how Philadelphia conveys a sense of belonging, not through Google Maps directions or catchphrases, but through accumulation: scents layered over sounds, languages layered over memories, with each block embodying multiple homelands simultaneously.

Most people remember what it felt like to be a first-time voter: that unique mix of pride, hope, excitement, and a touch of stress. For me, though, my third time voting was far more emotionally intense and subsequently memorable.

5:00 pm—somewhere. Defendant’s hands. strangled blue. blue— cornflowers pressed— thumb, forefinger—splintered. it’s always smelling cold on the train. wet denim smears. headlights drag themselves open. trees blur breathless out the window. & everything made of cornflower; will breathe one day.

Gentrification in South Philadelphia is not just about rising rent or new developments, it’s about the quiet erasure of culture and community. For generations, Black, Italian-American, Mexican, and Asian families built lives in South Philly, forming close bonds around schools, churches, and corner stores. But recent waves of investment, framed as “revitalization” or “green improvements,” have disrupted that fabric, often without community input.

Cool air desperately thrashes through the door Without a chance to escape Exasperated by my touch, the girl sees outside as a chore Attempting to battle my embrace with her drape

The sirens might not sound, the call might not go through. You could be in your worst moment and no one’s coming for you.

To all the kids out there know that it's okay Ya’ll got people like me to show you the better way All you can do is hope and pray for a toy on Christmas day Don’t worry it's alright I’m riding this poetry wave like a bike

I'm from Philly where they shoot in places that bring us joy Christmas mornings waking up to gunshots not no lil toy “I can’t believe Mommy; it’s Fourth of July already” “Don't worry baby. Hold ya lil sister nice and steady”

18-year-old Vismita Holavanahalli, a 2025 Summer Jawn intern, finds time in her Temple first-year schedule to visit her Central High alma mater. There, three PA Supreme court judges Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht, talk about their retention races.

This year, Philadelphia’s Elections Board is calling on young people to serve as substitute poll workers on November 4 to help keep lines moving and make sure every voter can cast their ballot smoothly.

Grandpa worked at a hair salon down the street. Today, his scissors flickered—quick metallic flashes through Aunt Tsai’s hair. She wore floral dresses and had cheeks like orange persimmons, swelling with fleshy, rotund laughter and the long heat of southern China. Locks of hair settled on the floor, and the scent of citrus shampoo followed me into sleep, my knees knocking together to the rhythm of snipping.

Young voters are, and have always had some of the lowest voting turnouts in elections. This year that number was only 47 percent of youth coming out to vote in the presidential election.

I am considering many things when I head to the polls for midterms; causes that I was not old enough to cast a ballot for come to the forefront. Marching for gun control and women’s rights were things I couldn’t do then.

I realized then, my hands covered in paint and my sleeves wet, that it was bigger than my family — this apathy cut across cultures, backgrounds and generations.

Penn Libraries Civic Engagement Curator Samantha Hill recently hosted young activists from the organization #VoteThatJawn at the Kislak Center, where they responded to historical materials through the lens of poetry.

This guide offers a lesson plan and resources for teaching Whitman's "Election Day: November, 1884."

Last summer, Vinny Varone attended a civic engagement panel at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. There were a few cops, a leader from WHYY, and some students. One young boy went up to ask this question: "So my brother got shot two weeks ago while he was playing basketball; how do we make this stop in my neighborhood?"

Each Saturday, during the hectic presidential election season, I walked up to hundreds of doors. Some were cracked open, vacant, others slammed in my face, yet some were home to listening ears. I was there to talk about voting, to remind people, to explain ballots, and to answer questions. But the truth is, I ended up learning more than I ever expected. Soon, I was collecting stories, immigrants, citizens, voters, and non-voters alike, all had one thing in common on the doors

In a constantly evolving world, and in our democracy where every voice matters, young voters stand at the forefront of change. To inspire this demographic to engage in the electoral process, it is passionate and talented activists like Sarah-Julia Marion who harness the power of visual storytelling, which acts as a catalyst for conversation and action amongst the youth. Going beyond traditional means to underscore the vital importance of voting, her work closes the gap betwee

“[Voting is] not something that's taught and it’s such an important process that impacts the rest of our lives. If you don't teach us now in high school… that's why we're not voting until we hit, maybe, 30… Then people are still more likely to just only vote for the president or vote for whoever they see on mainstream media. … That's why we try to [educate] because there's so much wrong with the systems that impact young people every day.”