Reasons to be Proud

I’m truly proud of the reporting and community engagement that I’ve been able to do while attending an even larger range of community events throughout the progression of 2025, further reinforcing my bond with all corners of Germantown and its organizers.

Whether it’s an arts and entertainment festival, a tour through Germantown historic sites, or a town hall where elected officials address neighborhood concerns, I’ve grown closer to all of the local happenings in the area and have built trust with even more community members to tell their stories.

Also, a personal leap that I’m proud of is the more extensive reporting and source gathering that I’ve been able to do this year, as I’ve been challenging myself with more in-depth, solutions-based stories that can connect with neighbors with the services and organizations that are making a difference.

Multimedia Story Creation and telling stories through video reels on social media has been something I’ve continued, but on a bigger scale; whether it’s touring the inside of the upcoming Grand Hank Youth STEM Center in Germantown or capturing the week-long Sign Language Summer Camp from Germantown Deaf Ministries, I’ve gotten accustomed to presenting a visual of a specific topic, and is something I expect to take to an even higher level and quality.

Last but not least, I’m most proud of the entire GIH team of Rasheed, Maleka, and me, and the way we have continued to grow our platform, our digital presence, and our connection with the community that continues to make this growth possible.

Top Three Stories

These stories are all special in their own ways, but have similar themes of community unity and resilience that exist in all of them, showing how even in times of limitations and uncertainty for a lot of people, there will always be ones that will strive to uplift the legacies and well-being of the people, institutions, and organizations that have had an ever-lasting effect on them.

• Germantown High School Community Day Brings a Wave of Nostalgia and Joy
• Philly’s Oldest Living Resident Turned 112 This Past Sunday
• In the midst of SNAP Uncertainties, local organizations are pivoting to meet community needs

Top Three Engagements

Engaging in community engagement at different events is something I’ve grown even more accustomed to in 2025, as I often feel at home no matter where I am in Germantown, especially if I’m around community faces that I’ve built a connection with during my time with GIH.

Whether it was our Germantown Quizzo that brought folks together for a night of neighborhood trivia, or facilitating discussions at the ‘Then and Now: What Can Philly Learn from Past School Closures in Germantown’ event that we collaborated with Chalkbeat on, or our Open Office Hours where I can present the work of GIH, it’s been wonderful to connect with more and more community members to build a bond that’s deeper than just reporting purposes.

Top Three Neighborhood Themes

Events with Initiative

Whether it was town halls from Power Interfaith or elected officials that were held at at local churches and Recreation Centers, discussing topics such as community safety, housing, or education, or workshops from the Germantown United CDC that connected residents to city services, there were many events that gatherings and clinics that either brought attendees up to date with a specific cause from grassroots organization, or specific legal services that many locals need.

The Land of Giving

Giveaways, donations, you name it; There’ve been many organizations that have stepped up to lend a hand to the residents in need of food and clothing assistance. Local orgs such as Face to Face, Germantown Community Fridge, and different churches that hosted many community dinners and food drives, made food access a prominent theme of this year, while Perfectly Flawless and the Crossroads Women’s Center are some examples of places that made clothing much more accessible.

Community Resilience

Like I mentioned when speaking about my top three stories, the Germantown community resilience that was shown at times when community members faced hardship was a constant throughout 2025.

As themes of immigration and ICE, transportation, housing and development, food access, and much more raised many concerns over the year, Germantown organizers showed a tendency to never quit on whatever cause they highly value, while carrying the belief that with strength, unity, and the correct information given to locals, a more equitable tomorrow is very possible to obtain.

Enjoyed our content or presence this year? From now through Dec. 31, Germantown Info Hub is raising $14,500, alongside Resolve Philly — and every gift is matched dollar-for-dollar through NewsMatch. Your support helps us keep reporting with our neighbors, not just about them. Give here.