"North Philadelphia is where city industry began. The robber barons of the day realized they needed means to export the products that were created here. Time was, from Broad and Erie you could get to any place in the world -- London, Paris, Cairo, Hong Kong. And you could still walk to Center City."
-community matriarch

Our community is centrally located in the city and has good people and solid institutions. I say to our young people, come back and do something to revitalize the neighborhood."
-community leader

"We have lots of resources -- churches, businesses, a library, hospitals. It's a neighborhood where the houses should be so good that people would beg to move in."
-neighborhood youth

"Community development has to meet the needs of the people and the changes in society. People want more options. You have to understand where people are trying to go with their lives."
-neighborhood elder