On the Trail

On the trail this week my team and I ramped up the coffee klatches, meet & greets and fundraising! I’ve had the chance to speak with some great people, share my vision and gain supporters along the way. 

By meeting the constituents where they are we minimize barriers, thus increasing productivity of the conversations. At in-home coffee klatches and meet & greets, we, as neighbors, each share our perspectives and as a community organizer and leader, I have the opportunity to share my plans for our district. Topics of conversation continue to be focused around education, job opportunities, safe streets and resources for seniors. It is clear to me that the neighbors of the 192nd have the same concerns and hopes for our neighborhoods as I do. I look forward to continuing these needed conversations and working together to help move our communities forward. 

Fundraising is a critical part of a successful campaign. This week I made personal phone calls along with well known supporter and mentor, Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. I am thankful to have a great mentor who does not just lead by example but rolls up his sleeves too! I had the opportunity to share my platform with many people and secure funds to continue the campaign efforts of #TeamCephas2016. I ended the week with a Beef & Beer Fundraiser at Top Shelf Lounge in a room full of great supporters and great dialogue throughout the night. I am truly thankful for the support of the 192nd!

Policy #OntheIssue

An important part of the education system that is sometimes overlooked is the occurrence of standardized testing. Students in Philadelphia and across the State of Pennsylvania are subject to nearly 100 standardized tests over the course of their educational careers (prior to entering institutions of higher education). The purpose of these tests is questionable; it depends on with whom you’re talking. Across the state and across the country, they are used to compare teacher and school performance. Within schools, they are used to determine student and grade performance. Area parents are taking a stance and choosing to “opt-out” of standardized testing for their children.  How can we compare schools across the city, state and nation when the schools being compared do not have access to the same resources? How can we compare the “performance” of teachers in classrooms with 25 students to the “performance” of teachers in classrooms with nearly 40 students? With more and more parents “opting-out” the standardized tests serve even less of a purpose, skewing the results in one way or another. It is anticipated that even more families will opt-out this spring than did last year. 

If our children are going to be subject to these “standardized” tests, their learning environments, funding and access to resources should too be “standardized.” If our teachers are going to be evaluated, employed and paid based on these tests, then they should be given the resources and support necessary to help them provide the best learning experience possible for our students. Legislators across the state and country should be fighting for our students and teachers, who are putting in the work on the daily basis, to secure the funding and means needed to build and maintain quality education in our schools.  

Upcoming Events

Meet & Greets

We will be continuing our rounds of coffee klatches and meet & greets and we encourage you to attend. If you are interested in hosting a meet & greet for you and your neighbors please email us at [email protected] to submit your request. 

Fundraisers

• Cafe Breezes - Saturday, March 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 5131 Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131 
• Calabash Banquet & Restaurant w. Lady B & Mike Lane - TBD at 6208 Lancaster Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19151 

Volunteer TODAY!

2,034 doors down and many more to go! Join #TeamCephas2016 today to assist in our campaign efforts. There are opportunities for Election Day workers, phone bankers, door knockers, event volunteers and more. Sign-up to volunteer at www.morgancephas.com, give us a call at (267) 332-9183 or stop by the campaign office at 5889 Lancaster Avenue.