These photographs and accompanying text convey variations in health issues across the socioeconomic gradient, illuminating the interplay between forces that conspire to create or impede health. For example, in wide swaths of the city, there are no grocery stores. In low income neighborhoods, there is an abundance of corner stores, fast food restaurants and "Stop and Gos" — markets that sell low quality food and often alcohol, single cigarettes and sometimes drug paraphernalia. These establishments, a key feature of the urban landscape, set the stage for not only obesity, heart disease and diabetes but also drug and alcohol use and even violence.
The following photographs and text, chosen for their artistic strength, are emblematic of the struggle Philadelphia faces today. The quotations included were gathered from interviews with local community members. Together, the images and text communicate disparities in living conditions. Witnessing those disparities is the first step toward eliminating them, making the city a healthier home for all its residents.
The images depicted here symbolize the concerns described by Philadelphia residents but do not necessarily represent the exact locations noted in the text.
