by Van Stone vspfoundation@yahoo.com (610) 931-8810
Above: Sharif Street engaged in women's
rights focus at a women's prison a few years ago.
We can learn much about Sharif Street, son of former Phila. Mayor John Street, by observing his adult public career as a community activist who organized town watch groups while in law school. When Sharif was barely 4 or 5 years old he participated with his dad in many actions that worked to help transform the way the city of Philadelphia perceived women suffrage. Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote on the same terms as men. He also saw a few things at an early age about how getting into media ownership could be a real struggle depending who you were. Media seemed to grow only for the benefit of a particular political party and/or group of people way back then.
Just a few years ago, Sharif attended a nonpartisan forum, held at a women's prison, that was organized by various agencies, including the Human Rights Coalition of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia NAACP, to present a "fair and impartial exchange" between candidates and incarcerated women, and to stimulate their interest in voting. Street, who was running for an at-large seat on Council, made it clear that his concerns were about making sure the women voices were heard. Incarceration did not prevent all from voting.
Nevertheless, Sharif Street progressed with women’s rights, property rights and cable rights in mind having been elected in 1998 as a Philadelphia County Democratic committeeperson and was appointed to the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee.
Later he worked in the Pennsylvania Senate, serving as chief legislative advisor to the Democratic chair of the Housing and Urban Development Committee and had the primary responsibility for overseeing legislative, housing, environmental and economic development initiatives. During his work for the Senate, Street facilitated the creation of Philadelphia Green Communities – which was considered to be the first environmental education program of its kind implemented in a major U.S. city.
Street is known for encouraging younger voters to become involved in the political process. He has served as executive vice president of the Philadelphia Young Democrats, on its executive board of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats and as general counsel to the organization. He also co-founded and served as chairman of Next Generation, a political action committee that supports a progressive agenda for political change.
Sharif Street, a lawyer with the law firm of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen LLP, where he works in the government assisted/affordable housing practice, attended Morehouse College. He finished college better understanding the media’s economic strengths.
Sharif has pushed for the media’s economic strengths advocating that minority cable ownership would be good both for business and social concerns improving Philly. Sharif has included advertising, marketing, propaganda, public relations, and political communication during his advocacy project interest in the cable industry in Philadelphia As a leader behind trying to help improve fairness in Philly business practices Sharif Street advocates often for the state of PA to support municipalities needing more funds.
In other news: Warren Bloom has been discussing needed mass funding for particular areas of his West Philly neighborhood since the announcement of federal funding coming to Philadelphia. Bloom, a sympathizer for poor families, wants more for the low-income families who are participating in the Welfare To Workforce KRA EARN Center company partnership program.
Bloom says that Child Services Programs and companies that assist working parents who need partial payment help toward their daycare provider fee are suffering especially in West and North Philly. He hopes more money will become available quick for local companies contracted with the state. This money would provide job development for low-income and middle class people who use welfare benefits such as food stamps or cash to improve employment opportunities and training.
