You see immigrant communities having a hard time but, at the same time, thriving. Touting her own boss, Rodriguez says DHS is making strong progress in terms of accessibility. With leaders like Alba, the city is definitely going to be ready. They bring a level of awareness and depth that Philadelphia needs. Still, because Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods, local government shouldn't come in to immigrant communities with a cookie-cutter approach, Rodriguez says.
Government has to partner with community agencies, which are already addressing many of the issues.
Increasingly, the Philadelphia School District does much more than teach reading, writing and arithmetic. Public schools serve students breakfast and lunch. Provide after-school enrichment programs. Hire psychologists to help with depression and anxiety. About 10 percent of the district's population has been identified as students whose first language is not English.