Title
Also naming Master Street between Broad Street and Carlisle Street as "Erika Alexander Way."
Body
WHEREAS, Erika Alexander was born on November 19, 1969 in Arizona to Robert and Sammie Alexander, and moved to East Mt. Airy in Northwest Philadelphia in 1983; and
WHEREAS, Alexander graduated from Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1987; and
WHEREAS, Alexander joined the New Freedom Theatre in North Philadelphia when she was 14, and was discovered by independent film company Merchant Ivory during the fifth week of a six-week summer acting class; and
WHEREAS, Alexander's first onscreen acting role was in a Merchant Ivory production, 1986's My Little Girl, a lead role she earned after twelve screen tests and four auditions; and
WHEREAS, Alexander graduated from Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1987 as a member of the 231st Class; and
WHEREAS, Alexander would go on to perform in plays at New York's Public Theater throughout the 1980s, touring the world with The Royal Shakespeare Company in Peter Brook's groundbreaking play The Mahabharata when she was 17 years old; and
WHEREAS, The Mahabharata reopened the famed Majestic Theater in Downtown Brooklyn, which is known to the world today as the BAM Harvey Theater; and
WHEREAS, Alexander would receive her big break in 1990 when she was cast as Pam Tucker in The Cosby Show, appearing on the highly acclaimed sitcom until the show's finale in 1992 that took her from Philadelphia to East New York, Brooklyn; and
WHEREAS, Alexander would receive her breakout role in 1993, being cast as high-powered attorney Maxine Shaw on FOX's Living Single, a role for which she would receive multiple NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series; and
WHEREAS, Alexander would portray Maxine Shaw for five years until 1998, her character serving as an inspiration for many black women attorneys and leaders such as Stacey Abrams, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Joy Reid, and more; and
WHEREAS, Color Farm Media discove...
Click here for full text