Dancer and choreographer Anssumane Sillá was born and raised in Guinea Bissau and moved to Philadelphia in 2008.

A distinguished African-born dancer, drummer and choreographer, Anssumane Sillá, will offer a West African dance workshop this Saturday (March 25) at The Children’s Community School (1212 S. 47th St).

Sillá, a Guinea Bissau native, began performing at the age of 11 and danced professionally with the National Ballet of Guinea Bissau for almost 20 years. He moved to Philadelphia in 2008 and since then has toured the U.S. with the Voices of Africa Drum Ensemble, choreographed for the Kùlú Mèlé African Dance Ensemble, and taught numerous workshops and classes on both traditional West African and contemporary dance styles.  Continue Reading

Do you want to support early childhood education and have a fun evening while you’re at it? Would you vie for a luxurious dinner & night at a Society Hill hotel? How about a party package to University Family Fun Center or action packed sessions for you or your kids at HFS Parkour? These are just a few of the exciting auction items featured at the 13th annual Saint Mary’s Nursery School (SMNS) annual fundraiser:

Spring For Our School Silent Auction & Party
Saturday, April 22 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Harnwell College House Rooftop Lounge
3820 Locust Walk
Tickets $45 (adults only) at: www.stmarysnursery.org

Special Attractions

Shakespeare in Clark Park’s Kittson O’Neill will host the event. DJ Duiji 13 will not only provide ambience, but a dance party after the auction. Philly Homebrew West will offer beer tasting with a backdrop of breathtaking panoramic views from this rooftop lounge. Chef’s Table catering will leave you satisfied.  Continue Reading

The University City Arts League will host a special event on Sunday, March 5 to raise money for the Nationalities Service Center, a local immigrant and refugee service organization. Neighbors of all ages are invited to participate in an art project to make welcome cards and signs for refugees. Participants will choose a card to learn a new word in Arabic that they can decorate and take home.

Al Bustan Seeds of Culture, the West Philly based Arab arts and culture organization, will facilitate an Arabic poetry activity – Nasij: Weaving our Cultures into a Collective Poem. Participants will make a sentence about their relationship with the city using Arabic words they have learnt. The words will be put into a collective poem that will be presented in English and in Arabic.  Continue Reading

West Philly’s architectural gem, St. Francis de Sales church, has been going on some extensive restoration in the past several years. Next week, there is a chance to contribute to the church restoration fund in a fun and delicious way. The annual neighborhood social, “Some Enchanted Evening,” will take place at the parish (4625 Springfield Ave.) on Saturday, March 4, and will feature a live, 10-piece band, dinner catered by the Gold Standard Cafe, and open bar on wine and beer. The St. Francis de Sales hall will be transformed into a magical space for the evening.

Tickets are $45 and include dinner and unlimited wine and beer (bring an extra $5 for the liquor bar).

Please note that this is a non-religious event, and everyone is welcome. Doors open at 7 p.m.

For more information and to purchase tickets, go here.

Paige Whiting and “Amina” embrace on the porch of Whiting’s home on the 5300 block of Pine St. (Photo by West Philly Local).

Editor’s note: The woman who is the subject of this story asked that we not use her name or show her face in a photo. We honored that request and so we have used the pseudonym “Amina” throughout the story.

Paige Whiting was at Malcolm X. Park a couple of blocks from her home on the 5300 block of Pine Street last fall when she first met Amina, who was at the park with her three children. Their friendship grew to include meetings at one of the many mom groups in the neighborhood. Amina made friends quickly and worked on her English. A refugee from Afghanistan, she and her family had only been in the United States since September.

“I’m so lucky to find these friends,” Amina said, sitting on a couch on the second floor of Paige’s home.  Continue Reading

A West Philadelphia Community Rally and Strike took place this afternoon in solidarity with the nationwide general strike. West Philly residents, adults and children alike, and many business owners gathered at noon in Clark Park to protest the current administration and to celebrate the diversity in the city.

Some photos from the rally and from around the neighborhood are below, courtesy of Hanbit’s Contemplative Imaging. For more photos, go to Hanbit’s Facebook page.

Continue Reading