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Honoring and recognizing Prudence Powell for her for her powerful advocacy, love for her community and her inspiring work to keep families in Philadelphia whole and to provide sanctuary and stability to all.
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WHEREAS, Prudence Powell was born in Jamaica and moved to New York City when she was 12 years old. She came in a airplane by herself to live with her aunt and to attend the public schools in New York City; and
WHEREAS, In high school, Prudence was first told that she was not a U.S citizen. The six month visitor’s visa that she had entered the country with had never been renewed, and her family had never applied for her citizenship; and
WHEREAS, With no hope of job prospects or financial aid for college, Prudence dropped out of high school. But at age 19, she moved to Philadelphia with her toddler son and found new
support in her Philadelphia community and found family; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, with the support of her Philadelphia community, Prudence decided she would earn her GED and apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. She soon completed her GED at Temple University in 2013 and was accepted into DACA in 2014. She also secured a work permit the same year; and
WHEREAS, After earning her GED, Prudence continued to volunteer her time to fight for immigrant rights in Philadelphia and connected with the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition, where her tireless advocacy and commitment to the PA immigrant community helped earn her a full-time job with PICC, allowing her to continue her passion into her professional life; and
WHEREAS, In 2017, Prudence began leading organizing efforts around PICC’s voter registration program and organized a team who helped new citizens register to vote. She also organized in the Shut Down Berks Coalition, a coalition of organizations, grassroots groups, churches, lawyers and activists fighting to end immigrant family detention at the Berks County Detention Center. The detention center, operated as a prison for immigrant families since 2014, disproportionately incarcerating Black and brown immigrant families seeking asylum; and
WHEREAS, Whether it is with PICC, the Caribbean Communities of Philadelphia, Shut Down Berks, UndocuBlack or another group, Prudence always stands up to fight for what is right and shares her experience as an undocumented person in order to help other people and build a better city; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, after years of working for social justice and raising her two children as a single mom, Prudence was diagnosed with brain cancer; and
WHEREAS, Since then, Prudence has had to fight cancer in a broken immigration system, a broken healthcare system, and a system that disenfranchises poor people. The stories ofPrudence’s medical discrimination and lack of affordable healthcare are endless. She was ignored when she was originally having symptoms which manifested into a brain tumor the size of a grapefruit; she was turned away because of insurance; she was moved around from hospital to hospital and even sent home without care. Because of the underfunding and understaffing of healthcare facilities like hers, she has often had to wait for hours to get the dignified care she needs in hospice. She has a newfound passion to make sure all Philadelphians have access to healthcare; and
WHEREAS, Despite everything, Prudence continues to be an activist from the hospital bed. She shared and helped turn out support for the Free Migration Project’s winning Medical Deportation campaign which is so important to her because of how it intersects issues in immigration and the healthcare system; and
WHEREAS, In 2023, after an eight year campaign, Prudence’s powerful organizing efforts to Shut Down Berks County Detention Center succeeded. All formerly incarcerated immigrants were returned to their communities and the Berks County Detention Center’s doors permanently closed; and
WHEREAS, Prudence is widely known as a loving and caring friend and member of her community. When people come to visit her in the hospital she prioritizes their wellbeing despite her terminal illness. She always checks in, asks about family, remembers birthdays, and cares and loves “her people” so strongly. Her GoFundMe is an example of the huge community Prudence has built for herself with over 200 donors and counting as they return the much needed support she has shown them over the years. She jokes that she’s “still broke,” but continues to laugh, hug, tell stories, and find peace in her situation; and
WHEREAS, Prudence is going through a really hard time, but is unwavering in her message for immigrant rights and healthcare for all; and
WHEREAS, Above all else, Prudence is a proud and devoted mother of two amazing children, a recent high school graduate, Bryanna, and a truck driver, Jaylen, who both have been supporting their mother with her cancer care. She believes in their power and in the power of her community to carry out her message.
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Honors and recognizes Prudence Powell for her for her powerful advocacy, love for her community and her inspiring work to keep families in Philadelphia whole and to provide sanctuary and stability to all; now, therefore, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Prudence Powell as an expression of the sincere respect and awe of this legislative body.
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