Think Globally, Act Locally

When it became certain that the Philadelphia Eagles would win Super Bowl LIX on Sunday night, many Swarthmore community members celebrated with a rush to Broad Street, a cheer in staff living rooms or student dorms, or a plan for merch to wear the next day. It was a pleasant reminder that Swarthmore is a rare institution: a self-contained, immersive campus within an important, dense, and passionate region. We were also reminded of this last fall, though in a slightly different way, when the Philadelphia region arguably became the center of the American political universe with Donald Trump and Kamala Harris desperately fighting for Pennsylvania’s nineteen swinging electoral votes. 

Trump’s victory and recent inauguration have thrown the national political scene into chaos. Within his short time in office, Trump’s flurry of controversial cabinet picks, executive orders, and legislative priorities have horrified many in our community due to their impact on immigrants and vulnerable minorities, and potential threats to activism, science, higher education, and more. Around campus, Swatties are constantly refreshing the news throughout classes. It’s safe to say that many are confused or unsure about what their role is in a political moment that challenges much of what social-justice minded communities like Swarthmore sometimes take for granted.

In moments like these, staying engaged with politics, through awareness and activism, is as important as ever. However, the grey clouds of chaos that seem to cover national hot topics might give way to clear opportunities for engagement with our local communities and conversations.

Beyond the exciting Eagles win, Philadelphia continues to be at the center of many important developments that carry serious weight for its 6.2 million residents. Earlier this year, the shocking news that the 76ers were abandoning their plans to build a new arena complex in Chinatown was a victory for many activists (including some from the Tri-Co). This decision will likely protect the neighborhood from imminent threats of gentrification, but raises renewed questions about the power that companies like Comcast wield over the city’s decisions. Mayor Cherelle Parker’s tough-on-crime approach will continue to clash with reform-minded District Attorney Larry Krasner. Even as crime rates continue a many-year downward trend, their conflict will undeniably change the city’s urban dynamics. The region’s public transportation agency, SEPTA, is relying on state leaders to find a longer-term solution in this year’s budget negotiations. Just eight minutes away from us, residents in Chester City are trying to stay resilient in the face of challenges like the Covanta incinerator, and cycles of poverty and neglect.

Of course, we can’t view local progress as the checking of something off a list of problems, nor as a game of whack-a-mole where issues arise in a vacuum. Rather, progress depends upon a network across levels of government, advocacy, public opinion, economic trends, and more. This being said, the overwhelming sense of dread that stands in the way of our national political ideals  might seem more manageable if we begin in our own backyards.

Indeed, literally in Swarthmore’s backyard. How will the college react to forces near and far that are pushing for the sterilization and financialization of higher education? How will it fulfill its mission as a social-justice minded institution in a political era rife with new rules and conventions? How will it protect its students and faculty from threats that come from a global right-wing movement that is hostile to the liberal arts, to activism, and to minorities? Val Smith’s email hints at a stronger response from the college but it remains to be seen how the school will react when the pressure mounts. 

The age of private equity, pandemics, and shifting  business models that come with digitalization has not been friendly to local news. More and more communities of all sizes are left with shut-down papers or hollowed-out newsrooms that allow changes to get enacted in the dark. In ‘news deserts,’ the only stories accessible to the public become the increasingly binary narratives from national networks that often provoke fear and hatred about events far away instead of offering conversations to join close to home.

That’s where The Phoenix comes in. While we don’t have the resources of a strong local paper, we commit to covering our changing world through the lens of our local community. We hope that you’ll join us in this effort: write for us, send us tips or suggestions, and comment on our articles or forward them to your friends. Next time you frantically reload The New York Times or The Washington Post, maybe add The Philadelphia Inquirer to your list, or, dare we say, The Swarthmore Phoenix.