How policing has and hasn’t changed this year | Morning Newsletter
And, political participation on the rise.
The Morning Newsletter
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Hello, dedicated readers of the Inquirer Morning Newsletter.
First: We’re bringing you a guide to how much policing in Philly and Pa. has really changed since the murder of George Floyd — and what hasn’t changed.
Then: As anti-Asian hate incidents spike, activists also expect a rise in political participation.
And: Did the Eagles get a good return for trading back in the first round? Here’s what the data say.
P.S. There are frost and freeze warnings in the Philly region for this morning, but temperatures could tick up to the high 80s next week.
P.S. I’m thrilled to introduce you to our new Newsletter Editor, Olayemi Falodun, who will be your lead writer here, starting this week.
It has been a pleasure starting each day with you for the last nine months and bringing you essential Inquirer journalism. But it’s not goodbye from me; I’ll still be here once a week, as well as supporting our other newsletters, which you can sign up for here. Feel free to e-mail me if you have thoughts on how we can keep making our newsletters more valuable to you.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman) and Olayemi (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The murder of George Floyd last May led to a historic racial justice movement that swept the world and prompted lawmakers across the country to reexamine policing.
Activists called for sweeping changes to law enforcement budgets, policies, and accountability. Some of those ideas informed new laws, while others became fodder for political culture wars. After a jury this week found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering Floyd, the reckoning over police brutality and systemic racism continues.
Reporters Sean Collins Walsh, Oona Goodin-Smith, and Andrew Seidman bring you this guide to what has changed — and what hasn’t — this year in Philadelphia and the state.
As anti-Asian hate incidents spike, Asian American leaders are predicting it will contribute to a rise in political involvement from the country’s fastest-growing demographic group.
AAPI politicians and analysts note that while political participation is growing, it’s not new. Neither is the racism or discrimination. But the advocates and officials with whom we spoke say that participation from both voters and candidates will reach new areas, thanks to population growth and a rising generation of Asian Americans.
Another factor? Several also pointed to the parallel influence of the country’s reckoning with systemic racism. Asian American officials note the communities they serve have long taken an interest in politics, particularly in Philadelphia, which has two Asian Americans on City Council and long-standing civic groups.
Read on for Jonathan Tamari’s story on how engagement is evolving for politicians and voters in the region.
If you’re vaccinated or not, here’s what the science says about whether masking outdoors is still important.
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
If you booked an appointment on your own or if you’ve already received the vaccine, you can take yourself off COVID-19 vaccine waitlists in Philly and the suburbs.
And seven experts ranked the risk of everyday activities once you’re fully vaccinated.
What you need to know today
More than 80% of people who work in Pa. prisons are not getting vaccinated or haven’t reported their status. Here’s why that’s so dangerous.
Fatal overdoses among Black Philadelphians have kept rising throughout the pandemic, new data show.
The Philadelphia School District plans to pour about $80 million in resources into classrooms this fall — from supports for special-education students to behavioral health counselors for schools hit hard by gun violence.
President Joe Biden’s climate plan that he announced yesterday is already drawing praise from environmentalists, and with it, wariness from Pa.’s natural gas industry.
A longtime Philadelphia detective was arrested this week after an Internal Affairs investigation into an off-duty incident.
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🏈 We collected performance data on 6,809 players since 1994 to bring you a deep look into NFL draft decisions. How did the Eagles make out? Let’s dive in.
🚗 Did you get a “courtesy tow” in Philly? OK. Here’s what to do.
👟 The Penn Relays are on this year for just one day at the Philadelphia Metropolitan Collegiate Invitational.
👗 The costumes for HBO’s Mare of Easttown were inspired at a familiar place.
⚖️ On flashback Friday, we’re bringing you the story of the guy who founded School of Rock, which taught students myriad lessons. He just graduated from Temple law at 48. Next stop: bar exam.
🎭 “The play’s the thing,” as Hamlet once said. This is the story of how Philly playwright James Ijames reimagined Hamlet as Fat Ham, a Black queer retelling of the Denmark prince with a strong case of SAD.
Opinions
“There are many things that can be rigged against accountability. When the text of the law itself is rigged, it is hard to see justice ever being delivered. The jury in Derek Chauvin’s case did the right thing. Jury instructions and archaic law might prevent a similar outcome in Pennsylvania,” — the Inquirer Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom, writes about the potential of the Chauvin verdict to influence accountability in Pennsylvania for the better.
“And so maybe one day the justness of the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin will cause me to rejoice. But for now, winning somehow feels like losing. It has cost so much to get here, and it will likely cost so much more to arrive at the place where everyone can breathe free,” writes pastor Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, on the continued fight for justice.
In view of the Chauvin verdict, columnist Will Bunch warns against underestimating the power of reactionary backlash, citing former President Barack Obama’s victory as an example.
Columnist Jenice Armstrong writes about why she wholeheartedly supports a plan by Philadelphia School District officials to remove Andrew Jackson’s name from an elementary school and replace it with The Inquirer’s late, legendary Acel Moore.
What we’re reading
Yes, you can hop aboard your own picnic boat on the Delaware this summer, Philly Mag reports.
NPR focuses on the significant impact of Darnella Frazier, the teen who pulled out her phone to film George Floyd’s murder.
A new Netflix show will contemplate Black culture’s core role in influencing America’s kitchen, Eater reports.
Eileen Duffey-Bernt has spent 26 years dedicated to looking out for the health of kids as school nurse. For some, she might be their primary medical provider. Now, she’s being named the Pennsylvania School Nurse of the Year. “For me professionally, I just have this sense of satisfaction,” Duffey-Bernt said of the job. “It’s a great profession, a great calling.”