Katherine Gilmore Richardson

Katherine, the youngest woman and African American woman ever elected to Philadelphia City Council in 2019, is committed to improving public safety, ensuring every child graduates college or career-ready, and addressing climate change and environmental justice through a whole-of-government approach. As a Councilmember, she passed legislation to increase transparency and accountability in city government, crack down on nuisance businesses, and integrate climate risk disclosure into the City's Pension Fund operations.

As the Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Councilmember Katherine updated landscaping requirements in the zoning code and created the Philadelphia Tree Fund, which collects fees from developers to expand and maintain the city's tree canopy. She also secured millions of dollars for environmental justice funding, including the creation of the Climate Resilience Grant Program. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson's achievements have been recognized with her appointment to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) in 2021.

Additionally, she created Philadelphia's first Apprenticeship Guidebook, which provides comprehensive information on over 20 apprenticeship programs in the city. Councilmember Richardson's commitment to government transparency, social justice, and environmental issues has had a positive impact on Philadelphia's residents.