Besides contributing a multibillion-dollar economic impact to the city, a robust arts infrastructure fosters neighborhoods that possess more social cohesion and greater community engagement.

Solving the equity issues confronting the criminal justice system goes beyond matters of funding, writes Charles H. Ramsey. It will require progressive and adaptable police administrators.

In the past, Philadelphia had to fight for our share of a shrinking pot of funds. This time, the money is there for the asking, writes Harris M. Steinberg — but we need a plan.

Pursuing equity and sustainability together requires a dramatic shift in thinking, write Gwen Ottinger and Jennifer Britton.

There is a growing recognition that social justice is also environmental justice and health justice. Those goals can all be achieved in the redesign of physical spaces, writes Franco Montalto.

As small retailers close, the commercial corridors they occupy face the prospect of a downward spiral, writes Richardson Dilworth. And the impact is most likely to be greater in poorer communities.

The spread of COVID-19 illustrated yet again how systemic racism, in its many manifestations, profoundly shapes the health of Black people and people of color in our city, writes Ana V. Diez Roux.

While initiatives and related efforts to provide computers and connectivity to all can help, it’s not nearly enough — and it doesn’t get to the heart of the problem, writes Youngmoo Kim.

The pandemic set our racial economic equity gaps in stark relief. We asked our colleagues at Drexel to imagine a plan for economic recovery, racial equity, and sustained resilience for Philadelphia.