Where the heart is: 1209 Vine Street, Philadelphia

Today I sat in a teacher's room listening to children sort b's from g's, and pigs from bibs, all under the encouraging eye of a reading tutor.  I watched a multi-purpose room take on countless purposes and, shortly after noon, absorb the ninth graders of Philadelphia's KIPP DuBois Collegiate Academy.  I listened to Kyle Zimmer, president and co-founder of First Book, as she told stories about the revolution that book ownership yields; listened to the mayor of my city compare books to passports; listened as one sponsor after another made promises they plan to keep about literacy, education, and tomorrow.  And then I watched as Dangerous Neighbors made its way into the hands of those KIPP ninth graders, stewards of our future, all.  There were so many people who made today happen, and key among them is a young lawyer named Heather Steinmiler, who seems to do many things in many ways on behalf of the children of Philadelphia.

My dear friend Jan Suzanne Shaeffer was in the room today, and it is because of her that I have these photos to share.  I looked out, saw her sunny face, and took calm from it as I stepped up to the microphone.

Gratitudes.