In the heart of Germantown, a new public art initiative is using the power of poetry to help neighbors heal the psychological wounds of gun violence.
The Healing Verse Germantown: The Streets Are Talking program aims to spark conversation and provide a sense of collective healing in one of Philadelphia’s most historic, yet hardest-hit neighborhoods.
With a population of 41,555, Germantown has been disproportionately impacted by gun violence with 204 shootings resulting in 42 fatalities between 2020-2023, and this year alone there have been 19 fatal shootings in the 8th Council District.
Grounded in the healing practices of storytelling and sharing, Healing Verse Germantown is designed to meet neighbors where they are and help them heal.
“Poetry is for the people, and poetry is public art,” said Yolanda Wisher, artist and co-curator of Healing Verse Germantown. “This program will offer poetry as a tool for collective healing.”
In addition, a Healing Verse Poetry Line will feature 52 poems selected both from community poetry workshops and an open call for poetry by Germantown residents between November 2024 and November 2025. The public can call a 24-hour hotline (1-855-POEMRX2) to hear new poems weekly that are written/recited by community members impacted by gun violence, as well as access mental health resources.
Healing Verse Germantown will also support a series of free cultural events by Germantown based organizations that will showcase the project, including film screenings, musical and dance performances, poetry readings, and public art engagements. The project will conclude in the Spring of 2026 with the debut of 20 temporary public art installations, featuring poems selected from the community workshops, and displayed in locations that are either marked by gun violence or have been nominated by the community.
“The Healing Verse Germantown initiative is one example of how arts-based interventions can create safe gathering spaces, beautify our neighborhoods, and unite Philadelphians around shared cultural expression that will provide an opportunity for Germantown residents to heal collectively,” said Mayor Cherelle Parker.
The program has been made possible thanks to a $1 million grant from the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. Philadelphia was one of eight cities selected from among 40 cities that applied to receive the grant.
“Art beautifies and changes communities for the better,” said Kareem Brown of Healing Verse Germantown. “This program bridges the gap between community-based violence and necessary recovery resources. Through art workshops and opportunities that provide a space for healing, along with accessibility to licensed social workers, this community can begin to heal.”
