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File #: 250727    Version: 0 Name:
Type: Resolution Status: ADOPTED
File created: 9/11/2025 In control: CITY COUNCIL
On agenda: Final action: 9/11/2025
Title: Honoring and recognizing the work of It Takes Philly: Encouraging and Empowering Our Children to Aim High for Inspiring Philadelphia's Youth to Pursue Their Full Potential.
Sponsors: Councilmember Phillips, Council President Johnson, Councilmember Gilmore Richardson, Councilmember Thomas, Councilmember Young, Councilmember Brooks, Councilmember Harrity, Councilmember O'Rourke, Councilmember Driscoll, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Ahmad
Attachments: 1. Signature25072700
Title
Honoring and recognizing the work of It Takes Philly: Encouraging and Empowering Our Children to Aim High for Inspiring Philadelphia's Youth to Pursue Their Full Potential.

Body
WHEREAS, The founding purpose of It Takes Philly: Encouraging and Empowering Our Children to Aim High was to provide exposure to middle school students from Philadelphia and Montgomery County-recognizing that early inspiration fosters dreams, and dreams foster drive-showing children that money is not the sole determinant of success, but that intellect, vision, perseverance, and opportunity can empower them to achieve greatness and impact lives; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ala Stanford and like-minded professionals, Mr. Kamau Stanford, Mrs. Shannon Kimmel, Esq. Ms. Leslie Wood and Pastor Marshall Mitchell, committed themselves to serving as living examples of possibility, ensuring that children could not only imagine but also witness pathways to success; and

WHEREAS, Beginning with 7th and 8th grade students from the lowest-performing schools, It Takes Philly provided transformative experiences from the courthouse to the White House not simply as field trips, but as intentional pathways to professions showing students that individuals not dissimilar from themselves could achieve these goals; and

WHEREAS, Through these efforts and partnerships with the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia School District, Comcast, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, Abington Memorial Hospital, EisnerAmper, and others, It Takes Philly has inspired students to pursue higher education, meaningful careers, and lives as productive members of society; and

WHEREAS, Volunteers both clinical and non-clinical selflessly stepped forward to advance the mission of the Consortium. Mr. Byron Drayton, Ms. Cynthia Taylor, Mr. Gibran Gadsden, Esq., Ms. Carolyn Chester Stanford, Ms. Doris Cush, R.N., Ms. Shelah McMillian, R.N., Dr. Janet Nwaukoni, Kendall Roseboro, Dr. Reg Roy, and many more contributed to th...

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