Natalie Hope McDonald
PhillyVoice
Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Past articles by Natalie:
Watch the music video for 'Mardi Gras in New Orleans' – a song that puts that city's deep-rooted culture and resiliency on display
While the parades and large crowds may have been canceled this year for Mardi Gras, the culture, decorations, king cakes and music are still alive and well in New Orleans. - I thought something like that as part of a description for the story/social media would work and gets some key words in there → Read More
Inside Camden County’s mega-vaccination clinic
Camden County’s mega-vaccination clinic in Blackwood has vaccinated more than 10,000 residents against COVID-19, however more vaccinations are needed in order to achieve the goal of herd immunity. The vaccination site is located at Camden County Community College. → Read More
Urban beekeeping has Philly rooftops and backyards buzzing
The honeybee populations sustained by urban beekeepers in Philly enhance the overall health of the city's ecosystem. In the summer Independence Blue Cross installed hives on the eighth floor roof of its Center City building that are home to 30,000 bees. Honeynees are responsible for pollinating a third of the world's food supply. → Read More
With Fulton v. Philadelphia, U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide a new LGBT rights issue
Legal arguments have taken place in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The case raises questions about whether the archdiocesan adoption agency, Catholic Social Services, in Philadelphia can legally be permitted to discriminate against potential adoptive and/or foster parents on the basis of their sexual orientation. As the first case to come before Justice Amy Coney… → Read More
What will happen to the Gayborhood mural honoring LGBT activist Gloria Casarez?
When it was announced that the site of the 12th Street Gym had been sold to a New York City developer, not only was the community shocked to see the 30-year-old Gayborhood gym close, a big question loomed about what would happen to the mural of LGBT icon Gloria Casarez painted on the building's facade. For nearly three years since the gym closed, that uncertainty lingered, but now for the first… → Read More
Economic questions linger as Philly gradually reopens amid coronavirus pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe effect on the Philadelphia economy. The retail, real estate, tourism, hospitality and entertainment industries are all hurting as Philly begins its reopening process. Consumers are saving instead of spending, business experts say. → Read More
Death of transgender woman Dominique Rem’mie Fells ruled a homicide; gruesome slaying shakes community
The body of Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells was pulled from the water near Bartram’s Garden Dock & Community Boathouse earlier this week and on Friday her death was ruled a homicide. Fells, a 27-year-old transgender woman, suffered trauma to her face and head, and her legs were severed mid-thigh, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. The gruesomeness of the crime has shaken the… → Read More
Remembering George Ross: Photographer, partner, brother and father
George Ross, a New Jersey native, was 60 years old when he died from COVID-19 last month. He had built a successful career as a commercial photographer and had the creative eye of a fine artist. He saw things differently, a friend said, whether he was shooting interiors for IKEA and House Beautiful or sleek new designs from big names like Bergdorf Goodman and Sakes Fifth Avenue. → Read More
The best apocalyptic books and movies to check out while observing social distancing because of COVID-19
During this unusual time of the coronavirus and COVID-19, you can go one of two ways with your entertainment choices. You can become an escapist, delving into the stuff that transports you out of this reality, or you can face your fears and go deep into the films and books inspired by end times, apocalypses and plagues. → Read More
Temple professor helps police sharpen the evidence in 30-year-old cold case arrest
Many cold cases are being solved thanks to advances in DNA technology. Earlier this year, the infamous Golden State Killer was arrested after terrorizing California for decades thanks to DNA matched to a genetic database – a first in crime-solving history. → Read More
16 awesome nature destinations in South Jersey
From the Delaware to the shore, Jersey offers dozens of ways to hike, bike, swim and boat along scenic rivers and barrier islands, not to mention educational adventures into nature preserves and dense wooden forests. → Read More
Ex-cadet sues Valley Forge Military Academy, alleging abuse
A former cadet at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College is suing the Wayne-based boarding school, alleging he was repeatedly abused and bullied as a teenager in 2016 and 2017. → Read More
The 6 Gayest Beaches at the Jersey Shore
Provincetown and Rehoboth may be among the most famous gay destinations on the East Coast, but did you know that the Jersey Shore is also home to several LGBT-friendly beach communities? Within just a few hours or less from downtown Philly are stunning stretches of sand that have become both official and unofficial havens for slathering on out and proudness “down the shore.” → Read More
Philadelphia deputy sheriff, LGBTQ liaison Dante Austin found dead in office Friday morning
A Philadelphia Sheriff's Deputy Dante Austin was found dead from an apparent suicide Friday morning inside his city office. Austin, 27, was the sheriff's office's LGBTQ liaison and a prominent figure in the Philadelphia gay community. Last year, he and his partner Robert "Tito" Valdez were the first Grand Marshall Couple for the pride parade. → Read More
New drag show rethinks gender and what it means to be femme
A troupe of non-binary and trans performers of color are setting the stage this week for a whole new drag experience during Pride Month in Philadelphia. → Read More
Second-ever LGBT State of the Union champions progress, considers new controversies
The LGBT community in Philadelphia on Monday night heard about new programs, lingering controversies and continuing efforts to protect their rights during the annual State of the Union presented by the city's Office of LGBT Affairs. → Read More
Everything you need to know about navigating the world of medical marijuana in Philly
With several dispensaries breaking new ground in both Philadelphia and South Jersey, and a dedicated university hospital program welcoming new patients, the medical marijuana experience here at home is finally shedding its stigma and getting the product to the people. Here's what you need to know. → Read More
Local outrage, fear over Trump Administration's transgender proposal
In what many are calling one of the most dramatic government efforts to roll back protections for transgender people in the United States, a memo first reported by The New York Times this weekend revealed that the Trump administration may be working to revise the legal definition of gender by essentially negating claims of gender identity in favor of biological determinations. → Read More
King Britt ushers in the next big thing in public art: augmented reality murals
Created in collaboration with students from Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Art Education program, world-known D.J. and Philly’s native son King Britt, along with artist Joshua Mays, teamed up to create a new sound and visual experience that challenges everything we may have thought we knew about public art. Called “Dreams, Diaspora and Destiny,” this futuristic multimedia experience is helping to… → Read More
A peek inside Gabe Kapler’s plush new Center City condo
When Lauren and Wendy Nolan-Seller began remodeling their Philadelphia area home in 2010, they had no idea that in less than two years they would be operating their own interior design and home staging company. → Read More