Anthony Phillips (politician)

Anthony Phillips was born in North Philadelphia, where he was raised by his mother, a civil servant at the Department of Human Services, and his grandmother, a maid and former sharecropper from South Carolina.{{cite web |title=Councilmember Anthony Phillips {{pipe}} District 9 |url=https://phlcouncil.com/AnthonyPhillips/ |website=Philadelphia City Council |date=18 November 2022 |access-date=31 July 2023}} When Phillips was eight, his family moved from Nicetown{{cite web |last1=Collins Walsh |first1=Sean |title=What you need to know about Anthony Phillips, the 33-year-old Ph.D. student in line for a City Council seat |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/city-council-anthony-phillips-cherelle-parker-middle-neighborhoods-20221027.html |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=27 October 2022 |access-date=31 July 2023}} to Mount Airy, a move he attributed to a search for safety and quality schools.

Phillips is a graduate of La Salle College High School. He credits his mother working a night job at Walmart for funding his and his sisters' tuition.

He double-majored in African American studies and philosophy at Bates College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2010.{{cite web |title=Mays Men attend Morehouse College inauguration |url=https://www.bates.edu/news/2008/03/04/mays-men-morehouse/ |website=News {{pipe}} Bates College |date=4 March 2008}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bates.edu/news/2024/04/04/what-it-took-love-led-anthony-phillips-10-to-ask-how-can-we-make-other-peoples-lives-better/ |title=What It Took: Love Led Anthony Phillips '10 to Ask, 'How Can We Make Other People's Lives Better?' |last= Stires |first=Deirdre |date=4 April 2024 |website=Bates College }} While earning his degree, he studied at Morehouse College as a visiting student. After graduating, he went on to earn a master's degree in Black religion from Yale University. As of 2023, he is a Ph.D. student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where he is researching the Black church in Philadelphia.{{cite web |title=Graduate Students |url=https://www.umass.edu/afroam/graduate-students |website=W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies {{pipe}} UMass Amherst}}

In 2003, Phillips attended a summit on Black youth leadership in Washington, D.C.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Raelyn |title=Take the lead: don't miss Youth 2 Leaders, coming to a city near you. (you're the boss). |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Take+the+lead%3A+don%27t+miss+Youth+2+Leaders%2C+coming+to+a+city+near+you....-a0102453256 |access-date=31 July 2023 |publisher=Black Enterprise |date=1 June 2003}} As part of this summit, 14-year-old Phillips and other Philadelphia students co-founded Youth Action, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit. Though the organization initially focused on addressing teenage pregnancy, its scope expanded to "youth empowerment" more broadly{{cite web |title=Our Story |url=https://youthactionteam.org/our-story/ |website=Youth Action |access-date=31 July 2023}} with the mission of "helping young people access affordable college education and livable-wage jobs" according to Phillips.{{cite web |title=Anthony Phillips |url=https://seventy.org/philadelphiaprimary-voter-guide/candidates-for-city-council/anthony-phillips |website=Committee of Seventy |access-date=31 July 2023}} As of 2023, Youth Action is still operating with Phillips serving as executive director. In 2021, the organization had $40,000 in contributions and $196,000 in net assets.{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Youth Action Inc - 2021 990EZ |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/830446293 |website=ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=31 July 2023}}

Throughout Phillips's two decade involvement in Philadelphia political and civic life, his relationship with Cherelle Parker has been a common theme. The two met when Phillips was in high school and Parker spoke at an event organized by Youth Action. While Parker was serving as a state representative, Phillips was an intern in her office. Later on in 2018, Phillips became a committeeperson in Philadelphia's 50th Ward after Parker, ward leader and city council member at the time, called him about an opening.

On September 7th, 2022, Cherelle Parker resigned from her 9th District City Council seat to run for mayor, leaving her seat open.{{cite web |last1=Orso |first1=Anna |last2=Collins Walsh |first2=Sean |title=Philly Councilmember Cherelle L. Parker has resigned and will run for mayor |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/cherelle-parker-resigns-run-for-mayor-20220907.html |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=7 September 2022 |access-date=31 July 2023}} Parker approached Phillips about running to replace her. Though initially responding to the idea with resistance, Phillips ultimately agreed and Parker began to work with ward leaders to advocate for him. With Parker's support, Phillips was chosen by the city's Democratic ward leaders and made the ballot for the November 8th special election.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Stephen |title=Democrats pick 2 to run for City Council on Nov. 8 |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/democrats-pick-2-to-run-for-city-council-on-nov-8/article_46241079-aff1-54ce-85ab-704b42419d4b.html |publisher=The Philadelphia Tribune |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=15 September 2022}} Phillips won the election with 88 percent of the vote{{cite web |title=Governor, Senator ... Who Won, Who Lost in the PA General Election |url=https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/governor-senator-who-won-who-lost-in-the-pa-general-election/ |website=The Philadelphia Citizen |date=14 November 2022 |access-date=31 July 2023}}{{cite web |title=Past Election Results: 2022 General |url=https://vote.phila.gov/files/raw-data/2022_general.xlsx |website=Philadelphia City Commissioners |access-date=31 July 2023}} and assumed office on November 28, 2022.{{cite web |last1=Duncan |first1=Jemille Q. |title=Who's New on Philadelphia City Council? |url=https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/whos-new-on-philadelphia-city-council/ |website=The Philadelphia Citizen|date=23 November 2022 }}{{cite web |last1=Orso |first1=Anna |title=After a series of resignations, Philly City Council is back to its normal size. For now. |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/philly-city-council-four-new-members-20221128.html |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=31 July 2023 |date=28 November 2022}} He then began to campaign for the 2023 primary election, seeking to be the Democratic nominee for the upcoming general election and keep his current seat. Phillips won the primary with 63 percent of the vote{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Votes Results |url=https://vote.phila.gov/results/ |publisher=Philadelphia City Commissioners |access-date=31 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230611012524/https://vote.phila.gov/results/ |archive-date=11 June 2023 |url-status=dead }} and went on to the general election uncontested.{{cite web |title=Philadelphia Votes Results |url=https://vote.phila.gov/results/ |publisher=Philadelphia City Commissioners |access-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231218154825mp_/https://vote.phila.gov/results/ |archive-date=18 December 2023}}

In his first years in office, Phillips has introduced or sponsored legislation including restrictions on street parking for semi-trucks and other large vehicles,{{cite act |type=bill |date=8 December 2022 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 220968 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11522145&GUID=7194D30F-8D40-40CD-AF59-2063B749EE11 |language=en}}{{cite act |type=bill |date=16 March 2023 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 230208 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11748816&GUID=4E9FE90E-80B0-4FF5-92C6-9B216A035CD4 |language=en}} affordable housing preservation,{{cite act |type=bill |date=15 December 2022 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 221017 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11923749&GUID=4467EC2F-FC91-4B9E-BFB0-98E2E056A5B0 |language=en}}{{cite act |type=bill |date=15 December 2022 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 221018 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11923393&GUID=DCE741E6-1A77-4DBD-AB9D-85F07AF031C3 |language=en}} traffic calming around schools,{{cite act |type=bill |date=16 February 2023 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 230103 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11659085&GUID=0D71BB31-243D-4115-B21F-A948FFBA71DE |language=en}} and a controversial{{cite web |last1=Caiola |first1=Sammy |title=Philly leaders want to ban ski masks to prevent gun violence; opponents say it's an intrusion on Black youth |url=https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-proposed-ski-mask-ban-national-conversation/ |website=WHYY |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=26 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Sone |first1=Sunny |title=The U.S.'s Far-Reaching, Dangerous History of Policing Fashion |url=https://www.thetrace.org/newsletter/ski-mask-ban-racism-policing-fashion/ |publisher=The Trace |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Ernest |title=Banning "Shiesty" Ski Masks on SEPTA Won't Reduce Crime |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2023/06/01/ski-masks-shiesty-septa/ |website=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=1 August 2023 |date=1 June 2023}} ski mask ban.{{cite act |type=bill |date=15 June 2023 |legislature=Philadelphia City Council |title=BILL NO. 230510 |url=https://phila.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12104226&GUID=2542BC96-0A16-413D-B08A-45A8C5FB3E20 |language=en}} Three of his bills were passed by the Philadelphia City Council including a ban on tractor trailer parking in residential areas, traffic calming measures to improve student pedestrian safety and the ski mask ban for which wearers can be fined $250 if worn in public places such as parks, schools, day-care centers, city-owned buildings, and public transit. The latter bill was passed in response to upticks in crime including fatal shootings on school property and SEPTA transit.{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/01/us/philadelphia-ski-mask-ban-city-counil/index.html |title=Philadelphia lawmakers vote to ban ski masks in some public places, a move praised by police but panned by rights advocates |last1=Elassar |first1=Alaa |last2=Campinoti |first2=Maria Sole |date=1 December 2023 |publisher=CNN }} While opposed by the ACLU, Phillips noted that recent shootings had been committed by people in ski masks making it more difficult to identify the perpetrators.{{cite news |url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/philly-ski-mask-ban-city-council-stop-frisk-20231129.html |title=Philadelphia is poised to pass a ski mask ban, drawing support from police and criticism from the ACLU |last=Orso |first=Anna |date=29 November 2023 |publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}

As of July 2023:{{cite web |title=Standing Committees |url=https://phlcouncil.com/standing-committees/ |website=Philadelphia City Council |date=4 January 2016 |access-date=25 July 2023}}

• Children and Youth (chair)
• Education
• Intergenerational Affairs and Aging
• Labor and Civil Service
• Law and Government
• Legislative Oversight
• Technology and Information Services
• Transportation and Public Utilities

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Category:Living people

Category:1980s births

Category:Bates College alumni

Category:Yale University alumni

Category:Pennsylvania Democrats

Category:Philadelphia City Council members

Category:21st-century African-American politicians

Category:African-American city council members in Pennsylvania