Philadelphia owes it to our people.
Philadelphia, like no other American city, has a special relationship to the Declaration and to 2026. We therefore shoulder great responsibility, recognize our opportunity, and embody hope for the country and the world. Our great city boasts amazing assets and recognizes the challenges ahead. A successful path forward can only be led by the people, for all people.
- We are a city of neighborhoods, and neighbors.
- We are a diverse city.
- We are 44.1 percent black, 35.8 percent white, 13.6 percent Latino and 7.2 percent Asian.
- We have more murals—all designed with community input—than any other city in the world.
- We struggle with a high poverty rate. It’s real and many people are working to alleviate it.
- We are a city of firsts with a high concentration of innovative higher educational institutions.
- We have a long and complex history that begins way before 1776. We acknowledge the atrocities, contradictions, and hypocrisies inflicted upon many.
- We are home to many American icons of freedom and equality, including the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the National Constitution Center.
- We have grit. We are resilient. We are built on revolutionary change.
