The mission of Philadelphia Stories is to cultivate a community of writers, artists, and readers in the Greater Philadelphia Area through publications, professional development, and promotion of area writers.
Philadelphia Stories is a 501c3 that has been serving the writing, reading, and art community of the Greater Delaware Valley since 2004. Co-founders Carla Spataro and Christine Weiser began Philadelphia Stories to build a Philadelphia-based community of writers, artists, and readers through the free magazine and affordable educational programs and events. Program highlights include:
Philadelphia Stories Magazine: The primary vehicle for this mission is the free print magazine, which publishes work by local writers and artists. Five thousand copies of the free print magazine are distributed each quarter to more than 200 locations throughout the Delaware Valley, including all 54 branches of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Stories Junior: PS Junior is an annual magazine published each Spring featuring local writers and artists aged 18 and younger. Read more here.
Professional Development: Philadelphia Stories hosts affordable writing workshops and conferences like Push to Publish and LitLife Poetry Festival.
Promotion of Local Writers & Artists: Philadelphia Stories promotes writing and art from the Greater Delaware Valley through events like a national fiction contest, a national poetry contest, readings, and more.
VOLUNTEER & INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Philadelphia Stories volunteers gain valuable insight into the world of publishing, expand your professional network, and add your experiences to your resume. Read more about the available volunteer positions here.
Read the Philadelphia Stories Strategic Plan here.
Philadelphia Stories Masthead
Executive Director
Yalonda Rice
Editorial Director
Trish Rodriguez
Fiction Editor
Teresa Sari FitzPatrick
Poetry Editor
Courtney Bambrick
Nonfiction Editor
Celeste Cosme
Art Editor
Pam McLean-Parker
Communications Team
Hannah Michael
Jacqueline Jewell
Production Manager
Derek Carnegie
Web Design
Loic Duros
Editorial Board
FICTION
Elizabeth Green
Jonathan Kemmerer-Scovner
Kate Blakinger
Lena Van
Nathan Long
Sharon White
Walt Maguire
POETRY
Peter Baroth
Kathryn Ionata
Vernita Hall
Linda Romanowski
Phoebe LaMont
Eileen Moeller
Maria James-Thiaw
Liz Dolan
Edythe Rodriguez
Mariah Ghant
David Kozinski
Pat Green
Donna Keegan
Liz Chang
Shira Moolten
Jamal Goodwin
Chad Frame
NONFICTION
Jenny Burkholder
Debbie Fox
Deborah Off
Jacqueline Massaro
Sarah Wecht
Watsuki Harrington
Board of Directors
Alex Husted, President
Daniel Johns, Vice President
Gary Zimmaro, Jr., Treasurer
Gia Cavalli
Jim Knipp
Carla Spataro
Angelina Sciolla
PS Junior/Teen
Program done in partnership with Mighty Writers.
Lead Editor
Malik Askia-Howell
Mighty Writers:
Student Editors
Evan Wang
Anthony Wallace
Grace Morrison-Wesley
Symphony Wallace
Mentoring Editors
Angel Stewart
Ginny Simon
Christina Rissell
Co-Founders
Christine Weiser and Carla Spataro