As we count down the days to the New Year, I always enjoy taking a few minutes to look back on the year that is winding down. 2025 was a year for the record books. Personal and political ups and downs aside, the last 50 weeks have taken us for a wild ride. We’ve seen budget impasses, food insecurity, SEPTA disruptions, and significant shifts in immigration and public safety postures. We’ve broken ground on school improvements, fixed a few more roads, and celebrated our small businesses… and who could forget the SPS fire, where first responders from all over showed what it means to come together as one community. Read more
ERIE, Dec. 19 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus issued the following statement in response to updates in the case of the death of Marchello Woodard. Woodard was fatally shot in his Erie community on July 2 during an incident involving state parole agents. “After 170 days since the tragic killing of Marchello Woodard, we are heartened to finally have a charging decision from the Erie District Attorney’s office,” said state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, chair of the PLBC . “This move is the next step on a long journey toward justice, and we are comforted to reach this moment in the legal process.” Kevin Seelinger, a state parole agent from Edinboro, is facing charges including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and recklessly endangering another person. All alleged crimes were committed on the day Woodard died. Woodard was reportedly unarmed during the July 2 incident and just two weeks away from the end of his parole when he was shot three times in the chest. The Erie County coroner ruled Woodard’s death as a homicide after an autopsy was conducted. “The use of fatal force in this incident raises urgent questions about safety, accountability and the interactions between parole agents and the community members that they are helping to reintegrate into our communities,” said Nelson. “Our communities should not have to live in fear Read more
GLENSIDE, Dec. 18 – The Commonwealth Financing Authority has approved nearly $2 million in grant funding for projects in the 154th legislative district, announced state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery. “We will now see almost $2 million in grant funding coming to our district,” said Nelson. “Money will be going to support the firefighters who protect us every day and to fund renovations to keep our community spaces thriving. I will keep pushing to make sure our community gets the funding it needs, and I am proud to back these outstanding projects.” The projects in Nelson’s district that are supported by this funding include: $900,000 to support renovations to the La Mott Community Center in Cheltenham Township, including the installation of an ADA-compliant elevator. $850,000 to the La Mott Fire Company in Cheltenham Township to support a firehouse addition and renovation project for the nearly 70-year-old building. $100,000 to the Jenkintown Education Foundation to support stormwater protection improvements in Legacy Park. $63,070 to Cheltenham Township for the Greenway Master Plan in Parkview Park. $56,250 to the Cheltenham Township Community Development Corporation to complete a planning study to improve the Elkins Central commercial corridor. These grants come from the Local Share Account, which supports projects in the public interest that improve the Read more
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 17 – State Reps. Napoleon Nelson and Darisha Parker, chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, will take part in a No Hate in Our State Town Hall hosted by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. The town hall, set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18 at Penn Asian Senior Services, 6926 Old York Road , is a part of the No Hate in Our State initiative launched by the PHRC to combat bias and discrimination in Pennsylvania, build awareness and foster trust in the state’s communities. “There is absolutely no room for any kind of hate in our Commonwealth,” said Nelson, D-Montgomery . “Hate crimes and threats not only harm individuals but also strike fear in our most vulnerable communities, including Black and brown communities. I am proud to continue leading the fight against hate in Pennsylvania.” This town hall comes after Nelson, along with state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Allegheny, introduced a four-bill Anti-Hate Crimes Package that includes strengthening the state’s ethnic intimidation penalties, providing law enforcement training on ethnic intimidation, expanding existing reporting programs in educational settings and requiring community service or diversity classes for hate crime offenders. “A vital part of eroding hate and threats of violence is finding common ground,” said Parker, D-Phila. “We need to have Read more
During my time as an intern, I was thoroughly educated on the state legislative processes and overall bureaucratic functions of the government. I went into this experience completely blind: unaware of what to expect and, most importantly, not knowing the path that lay ahead, as I was more familiar with the operation of the federal level than with the state level. Read more
This week we are trying something new, so bear with us. In the coming weeks we plan on tailoring some of the emails to constituent needs. In our office we work a lot with PennDOT, from roads to the DMV, from speed limit questions, to how we can change the speed limits on this road. So, we decided to tailor this week's email to everything PennDOT. Below are some of the top questions we've received in the office. Read more
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. I have so many fond memories of whooping the Vikings in the annual Central-Northeast football game (yes, I captained the high school football team… Central mamba). I knew dinner was coming when my Grandmother and Aunt arrived at the house from DC, their car loaded with sides, deserts, and whatever crazy recipes my Aunt decided to experiment with that year. Add in some longtime family friends from Vermont and our Thanksgiving table was filled with love, energy, and great food. Read more
In last week’s newsletter, I shared some of the benefits and challenges within the state budget. One important success we secured is increased funding for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC). The PHRC is Pennsylvania’s civil rights enforcement agency, working to protect residents from discrimination. It’s important to note that the PHRC enforces protections under Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Act — which may differ from definitions used by the federal government today. This funding ensures the PHRC can continue its vital work of safeguarding fairness, equality, and dignity for all Pennsylvanians. Read more
I often speak about the heavy responsibility that comes with winning elections. It’s easy to picture that burden as having to craft solutions to society’s ailments or having to make limited resources stretch as far as possible to do as much good as possible. This week brought us another example of that heavy responsibility that elected leaders face that isn’t often discussed. Read more
Honoring Our Veterans, a Community in Action, Plus Navigating the Shutdown Read more
November 1, 2025 - An open letter to Governor Josh Shapiro The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) was recently made aware of the Trump Administration’s Interim Final Rule (IFR) directing state transportation departments to discontinue their current Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) procurement programs effective October 3rd. The Trump Administration contends that gender and race should not be factors considered in the determination of disadvantage. This is a familiar argument from them as it has been the basis of almost every strong-handed, overreaching tactic by this Federal Government to backtrack on the injustices of the nation’s past and the tendency toward systemic discrimination without transparency and intentionality. The Trump administration is trying to justify this latest attempt to dismantle a critical lifeline for opportunity for minority, veteran, and women-owned businesses on a court case, Mid-America Milling vs the US Department of Transportation. This justification for administrative precedent is at best premature seeing as the case has not yet been decided in our court system. The PLBC applauds the City of Pittsburgh in filing their amicus brief supporting the DBE system as structured and the efforts of the city to advocate for all of their constituents. The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus is calling on you, Governor Shapiro, to offer public comment on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania before the public Read more
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Our team got into the Halloween spirit this week! Leah went full mystery mode as Scooby-Doo, Shannon brought some civic flair as “I’m Just a Bill” from Schoolhouse Rock, and Cheyanne kept the streets safe as Batman. Not pictured is Rashid, who we’re seen teaching how to take a proper photo. Read more
We'd like to share some updates with you regarding important upcoming election information, details about SNAP, and what's going on about LIHEAP. We have posted information on our social media and are also sharing the information in the graphics below. Read more
I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's an election coming up in a few weeks (three to be exact). Some argue that down-ballot races are even more important than presidential elections. Some of you may have already received your mail-in ballots. For those of you who have not sent in your ballots, please remember to flip them over. This year is a double-sided ballot year where we are voting on the retention of judges. Read more
HARRISBURG, Oct. 17 - The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, chaired by state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, released the following statement on the University of Pennsylvania’s rejection of President Donald Trump’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” “The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus commends University of Pennsylvania President Larry Jameson on his formal rejection of the Trump administration’s ‘Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.’ This compact was not about academic excellence. It was a bribe. It was an opportunity for America’s colleges and universities to sell their soul, their mission, the wellness of their student body, and their academic freedoms to the president in exchange for ‘preferential funding.’ “The compact, already rejected by MIT and Brown University, is a dangerous expansion of federal overreach from an administration that has already pledged themselves to shutter the Department of Education, and, even in its rejection, should be remembered for the audacity of its premise. “President Jameson, we thank you for heeding the voices of students and faculty on campus as well as the state and city lawmakers who called on you to reject this compact and resist the president’s Faustian bargain. The challenges faced recently are not over. We look forward to more productive and proactive Read more
The Eagles again. The Flyers lost. The Phillies season is over. There’s no State budget. There’s no Federal budget. The deer keep eating the fava plants I seeded to add nitrogen to my garden. I’m a bit grumpy at the moment! This is exactly why I love having a High Note section of the newsletter. I want to double up on that today. Read more
Hi, my name is Cheyanne Fleming, and not only am I an Arcadia University student, but I’m also interning at Rep. Nelson’s office. He has asked me to provide updates on the awesome news happening on campus. We have many interesting events scheduled for this Fall semester. Once again, Arcadia University is absolutely crushing it! Known for its renowned study abroad programs, this year, Arcadia University has ranked number one in Pennsylvania for study abroad programs for the ninth year in a row. Read more
Nelson Weekly Email for Sept. 26: Budget & SPS Updates Read more
We’re on the back half of September and we still do not have a state budget. It was due to be signed at the end of June. I am still relatively new to legislative bodies, but I believe that we can all appreciate the impact that leverage plays during a negotiation. The SEPTA service reductions created one of those critical leverage points where lawmakers who are in the service area, a heavily Democratic region, might be willing to accept a deal that offers Mass Transit funding in exchange for accepting Republican priorities or, at least, sacrificing other Democratic priorities. Read more
HARRISBURG, Sept. 16 – The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, chaired by state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, D-Montgomery, released the following statement on the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the lowering of American flags in his honor. “The rise in violence against public figures across this nation is deeply concerning. The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus affirms our commitment to building a society where political debate leads to deeper understanding and non-violent solutions. We extend our condolences to the family of Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was murdered on Sept. 10 in Utah. “At the same time, we must express our disgust regarding the decision by the president to direct American flags to be lowered in his honor. The lowering of our national flag, a sacred symbol of unity, mourning and honor, should be reserved for those whose lives and legacies universally embody the values of justice, equity and service to all people. “When this honor is extended to individuals whose public platforms have sown division, marginalized communities of color, or amplified rhetoric harmful to the pursuit of justice as Kirk’s has, it sends a painful message to many. It suggests that the very government that we look to for protection, representation and inclusion has instead chosen to cast us out. The decision by the president is offensive on its face, and when taken in context of the rest Read more
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