The Misguided Focus on Project 2025: A Call to Action for Philadelphia’s Leaders
The Misguided Focus on Project 2025: A Call to Action for Philadelphia’s Leaders
© Ogbonna Hagins for Philly Word Magazine and Freedmen’s Journal 2.0
In Philadelphia, our elected officials, including Council President Kenyatta Johnson, seem focused on a plan that’s off-track from the very real and pressing needs of our city.
While the Project 2025 discussion continues to gain momentum among local lawmakers and the Heritage Fund, the real issue is not Project 2025 itself—it’s the ongoing violation of the 13th Amendment, and the continued disregard for the badges, vestiges, and incidents of slavery that persist in this city.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson hosted a meeting with various officials from local, state, and federal levels of government. On his Instagram, Johnson shared photographs of the meeting, capturing the excitement of the moment—there were smiles, handshakes, and even music. But there were no substantial details about what was actually discussed. What was the agenda? What concerns did the public raise, as claimed in the meeting? What are the so-called solutions that are being proposed?
We have every right to ask these questions. Taxpayer dollars fund these meetings, and as constituents, we deserve to know what was actually said. Especially when Philadelphia’s City Council, led by Johnson, has ignored the real structural racism embedded in the city, as highlighted by the Brookings Institute’s studies and the city’s own findings in the “Roadmap to Safer Communities” report. This is an issue that was raised earlier this year through a bill addressing structural racism—yet, these officials continue to ignore it.
The fact remains: Project 2025 is just another distraction. The focus should not be on defending or countering it based on political posturing. Instead, it should be on addressing the violations of the 13th Amendment and the ongoing structural racism in our communities.
When elected officials, like Councilmembers Jeffrey Young, Isaiah Thomas, and State Rep. Darisha Parker, focus on distractions like Project 2025, they completely overlook the truth that is plainly laid out in the Reconstruction Amendments.
The fact that Project 2025 discussions are happening while real, tangible issues are being swept under the rug is an embarrassing testament to the failure of leadership in Philadelphia. This isn’t just about one project; it’s about the broader refusal to recognize the deep-rooted injustices perpetuated by ongoing violations of the 13th Amendment. And in this moment, the leadership is either ignorant or complicit in ignoring this reality.
Councilmember Jeffrey Young, who has been vocal about his political capital, is a prime example. He understands the issues surrounding the 14th Amendment and equal protection, especially when it comes to the establishment of an Office of Freedmen Affairs.
But instead of pushing for tangible change, he focuses on political maneuvering, seeking personal gain. What kind of leadership is that? It’s one that works for upward mobility while leaving the constituents who need help behind.
So, let’s call this out for what it is: a failure to address the true needs of our communities. Are these officials concerned about the needs of their constituents? Or are they more focused on their own political ambitions and the promises of Project 2025? If they understood the law, if they understood the Reconstruction Amendments, they would be focused on real solutions.
It’s time for Philadelphia’s leaders to stop focusing on empty political gestures and start working for the people who need them most.
The 13th Amendment is not some abstract concept; it’s a vital protection for American Freedmen. And if these officials truly wanted to serve, they would start by acknowledging the wrongs that have been perpetuated for generations.
If they don’t start focusing on the real issues—on expanding the promises of the 13th Amendment to its rightful heirs—then they’ll remain nothing more than political players playing in a game that doesn’t serve the people it was supposed to protect.
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