Ocean City NJ's Black history | Representing the left-behind

Fourth-generation Ocean City, New Jersey resident Loretta Thompson Harris was inspired to write a book about the history of her African American community, as she has seen the numbers of Black homeowners slowly decline. The new book, “The West Side: Ocean City in True Color” is the product of years researching her growing family tree. Ms. Harris and members of her family share stories about growing up in their neighborhood that dates back to the 1880s.Then, Nina Ahmad will be the first South Asian woman elected to Philadelphia City Council if she wins in November. The Bangladesh-born candidate is one of the Democratic nominees for a prominent legislative seat, which would follow her leadership in the Obama, Nutter, and Kenney administrations, as well as President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization for Women.