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Philadelphia City Council finance committee hears testimony on economy for Black women
Summary
State and local officials, advocates and dozens of Black women entrepreneurs testified at a Finance Committee hearing on resolution 251034, urging targeted investment, procurement changes, childcare and transportation policy alignment and stronger enforcement of workplace protections to close racial and gender economic gaps.
The Philadelphia City Council Committee on Finance held a public hearing on resolution 251034 examining the state of the economy for Black women in Philadelphia, hearing testimony from state legislators, nonprofit leaders and dozens of local entrepreneurs.
State Representative Morgan Cephas, chair of the Philadelphia House delegation, told the committee, "Black women are not failing the economy. The economy is failing Black women," and urged policymakers to treat childcare, paid leave, maternal health and transportation as core economic infrastructure rather than optional programs. Cephas framed three next steps: align economic policy with care infrastructure, invest directly in Black women’s economic mobility (citing guaranteed income pilots and baby bonds), and embed accountability across systems.
The hearing mixed high-level policy proposals with personal testimony. Jasmine Sessoms, president of Center…
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