On this episode of “Iron Sharpens Iron,” Leon and De’Wayne sit down with South Philly block captain and civic enthusiast, Jen Devor. During their conversation, Jen shares what it’s like to be an active Philadelphian in what she calls an owner-operated city. From her work on the island of Point Breeze all the way to her citywide campaign for public office in 2019, Jen believes that being a good listener and making people feel heard are the secrets to building authentic relationships that stand the test of time… and neighborhood feuds.

Episode Transcript Here: https://pacdc.org/2017/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Episode-2_-Jen-Devor.pdf

Jen Devor is a South Philly block captain, committeeperson, public school advocate, voting enthusiast, and a published author on civic engagement. She recently co-founded the nonpartisan nonprofit Better Civics. Prior to launching Better Civics, Jen was a 2019 candidate for City Commissioner, the office that oversees election activity in Philadelphia. A Philly resident since 2002, she has held leadership positions at Campus Philly, Diversified Community Services, Neighbors Investing in Childs Elementary, and Committee of Seventy among others. Currently, Jen serves on the Community Advisory Boards of WHYY, DiSilvestro Recreation Center and Vote16USA, a national nonpartisan effort to lower the voting age. She lives in Point Breeze with her husband, Tivoni Devor and together they have a daughter who has been canvassing with her mom since she was a newborn.

Producer: Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations, Sound Editor: Andrew Heppard, Cover Art: Jennifer Selpa, Music: Needed You by Will Ellsworth