Helen Ubiñas

An Ode to Philadelphia Inquirer Columnist Helen Ubiñas: A Voice Philadelphia (Government) Couldn’t Ignore Shaping the conversation on gun violence and public accountability in Philadelphia.

There are truly no words of thanks adequate enough for the kind notes many of you have taken the time to send about my departure from the Philadelphia Inquirer. I was (barely) holding it together — and then one of you wrote me a letter. 🥹❤️🥹 caterinaroman.substack.com/p/an-ode-to-...

Thank you, Philadelphia. It’s been a privilege to tell your stories | Helen Ubiñas After 30 years in journalism, I'm dedicating some time to growing The Ñ Fund for Latinas in Journalism, among other projects.

Congratulations to @helenubinas.bsky.social on a great run @inquirer.com and the Philly Daily News, and moving on to a building a great, important foundation! www.inquirer.com/opinion/hele...

Thank you, Philadelphia. It’s been a privilege to tell your stories | Helen Ubiñas After 30 years in journalism, I'm dedicating some time to growing The Ñ Fund for Latinas in Journalism, among other projects.

Gutted and heartbroken that @helenubinas.bsky.social is leaving the @inquirer.com . But I will find her writing to read in whatever form or on whatever platform she does it. No exaggeration, she is one of the very best. www.inquirer.com/opinion/hele...

A newspaper columnist who cared about our city enough to keep battling to make it better. Thanks for speaking up when others wouldn’t, @helenubinas.bsky.social.

You were, and are, a force of your own. Thank you, Joel.

If any newspaper columnist in the post-newspaper age deserved the title "conscience of the city," it was @helenubinas.bsky.social. She deserves to move on and try to build something new and important, but she (and @willbunch.bsky.social) were the folks I measured myself against in Philly.

I've been really proud to subscribe to my local paper since I moved to Philadelphia 15 years ago, and @helenubinas.bsky.social's work has been a big reason why.

Thank you, Philadelphia. It’s been a privilege to tell your stories | Helen Ubiñas After 30 years in journalism, I'm dedicating some time to growing The Ñ Fund for Latinas in Journalism, among other projects.

This is a enormous loss for the Inquirer and Philadelphia. @helenubinas.bsky.social pushed the city — its elected leaders, its community groups, its journalists — to better serve residents who needed the most and asked for the least: gun violence survivors and homicide victims’ relatives.

Thank YOU, @helenubinas.bsky.social, for comforting Philly's afflicted, afflicting Philly's comfortable, and, always, speaking truth to power. This city we love is better for your writing about it.

I met Azir Harris after he was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018. Gunfire early Monday claimed his life. | Helen Ubiñas To learn he was one of four people killed early Monday, gunned down at a Grays Ferry block party, felt like a punch in the gut. This is the column I never wanted to write.

“We lost him,” he told me. “We lost our light.”

Heartbreaking column from @notesfromhel.bsky.social, who has written for years about Azir Harris, his family, and the long, endless toll of gun violence in Philadelphia:

Young father and paralyzed gun violence survivor among those killed in Grays Ferry shooting, family says Azir Harris was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018 and had spent years sharing his recovery journey with Inquirer columnist Helen Ubiñas. He was killed in South Philadelphia Monday morning.

A devastating account: "A young father who was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018, and who had become an advocate for survivors of gun violence, was among those killed early Monday after gunfire erupted," by @ellierushing.bsky.social and @notesfromhel.bsky.social : www.inquirer.com/crime/azir-h...

I met Azir Harris after he was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018. Gunfire early Monday claimed his life. | Helen Ubiñas To learn he was one of four people killed early Monday, gunned down at a Grays Ferry block party, felt like a punch in the gut. This is the column I never wanted to write.

A really tragic column from @notesfromhel.bsky.social on the gun violence that took the life of a young man who she had written about years earlier when he was paralyzed in another shooting . share.inquirer.com/ltWR0B

The trash strike threatened to turn into Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s kryptonite | Helen Ubiñas The mayor is unstoppable on the mic, unflappable in a debate, and almost always armed with a snappy slogan, but the 8-day strike proved to be her biggest adversary yet.

You really MUST read this new @notesfromhel.bsky.social column! (Bonus: other #superman references)

www.inquirer.com/opinion/mayo...

I met Azir Harris after he was paralyzed in a shooting in 2018. Gunfire early Monday claimed his life. | Helen Ubiñas To learn he was one of four people killed early Monday, gunned down at a Grays Ferry block party, felt like a punch in the gut. This is the column I never wanted to write.

A really affecting column by @notesfromhel.bsky.social: "To learn [Azir Harris] was one of four people killed early Monday, gunned down at a Grays Ferry block party, felt like a punch in the gut. This is the column I never wanted to write."

www.inquirer.com/opinion/azir...

Faith, fabric, and fairness: From Philly lifeguard to accidental activist | Helen Ubiñas City policies must be clear, consistently enforced, and fairly applied. Otherwise, they create confusion, resentment, and a sense of exclusion.

She showed up to her lifeguard job prepared & excited. Then she was told not to wear the swim cover-up in keeping with her Muslim faith. "The 16-year-old didn’t expect to be thrust into the role of accidental activist," columnist @notesfromhel.bsky.social writes.

www.inquirer.com/opinion/musl...

a woman in a green shirt says yikes ALT: a woman in a green shirt says yikes

My lawd, the defensiveness emanating from this city press conference on the potential work stoppage.

✊🏼

Boricua history with a Bad Bunny twist | Helen Ubiñas In a crossover between academia and pop culture, the Puerto Rican megastar has blessed the book "Puerto Rico: A National History" by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo — essential reading in Philly and beyond.

Have you heard? Bad Bunny & I are in the same book club😉 www.inquirer.com/opinion/puer...

Boricua history with a Bad Bunny twist | Helen Ubiñas In a crossover between academia and pop culture, the Puerto Rican megastar has blessed the book "Puerto Rico: A National History" by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo — essential reading in Philly and beyond.

"Citizenship doesn’t guarantee equality,” Meléndez-Badillo told @notesfromhel.bsky.social . “We’re still marginalized in political spaces and circles of power — even though we have the numbers."
www.inquirer.com/opinion/puer...

Former Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney: Sanctuary cities are ‘common sense’ Kenney has not commented on Parker’s handling of the situation, but his op-ed compelled Democratic leaders to uphold "welcoming values."

Oof, when the ghost of administration’s past speaks out more forcefully on pressing immigration issues than the present administration…https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/kenney-philadelphia-sanctuary-cities-trump-20250610.html

It’s a rolling shit storm of awfulness…

Imagine if all these politicians live tweeting or blueskying their shock, disgust and anger over Felon 47’s fascist power grab actually used their power and DID SOMETHING about it!!??

2018: The cruelty is the point.
2025: The hypocrisy is the point.

On second thought, I think 🤔The Don of Decorum 🤗has a nicer ring to it. As you were…

oprah winfrey says you get a chill pill you get a chill pill everybody get a chill pill ALT: oprah winfrey says you get a chill pill you get a chill pill everybody get a chill pill

This story seriously made me LOL. Reply-all is the devil. Council President Kenyatta Johnson shall henceforth be known as the Director of Decorum. And
Jamie Gauthier should probably be nominated for a (digital) Nobel Peace Prize. www.inquirer.com/politics/phi...

These people were following the law and went to check in with immigration like they are supposed to.

This woman's immigration case was dismissed, which made her immediately undocumented.

So ICE took her into custody.

The air conditioning was off in the back of the truck.

"I can't breathe."

Philly doesn't have to call itself a sanctuary city to protect immigrants | Helen Ubiñas Mayor Cherelle L. Parker should meet with immigrant groups — in person — to discuss a concrete plan to protect our friends and neighbors.

Trump just put Philly on a hit list for supporting and protecing immigrants: www.inquirer.com/opinion/comm...

Our Letters to the Editor program empowers our members to speak out, create awareness, and demand accountability. Check out this latest Letter in today’s @inquirer.com 🧵

Eddie Irizarry's fatal shooting is a turning point for Puerto Ricans | Helen Ubiñas This city is full of our Puerto Rican community's labor, our stories and our influence. But where is our recognition, our acknowledgement, and our respect?

Mi gente, read this column by @notesfromhel.bsky.social right now!
www.inquirer.com/opinion/eddi...

Great Bunch column. But let us never forget, and point out, what utter bullshit many newsroom reckonings *also turned out to be. What went wrong, from colleges to corporations, is that those who co-signed/created environments that needed to be reformed then went on to lead these “reckonings.”