About 150 Billy Penn readers and fans gathered to celebrate all things Philly at WHYY on Wednesday night, as the hyperlocal news site hosted its Billies Awards, an annual celebration honoring notable community members and groups in the City of Brotherly Love.
Founded in 2014, BillyPenn’s local news coverage connects residents both to noteworthy events and issues in the community as well as each other. The outlet aims to be “more like a friend who happens to be really knowledgeable about Philadelphia, the greatest city in the world.”
Thomas Miles has been reading Billy Penn for years. The Philly sculptor says that he appreciates “the unique local aspect” the outlet provides. Another reader, Julian Plotnick, echoed this sentiment.
“I try to keep up with a lot of different local news,” Plotnick said. “I think Billy Penn in particular has a nice on-the-ground kind of spin to it.”
The team expanded this year, bringing on general assignment reporter Violent Comber-Wilen, as well as food and culture reporter Julia Binswanger, joining deputy editor Heather Chin, investigative reporter Meir Rinde, trending news reporter Nick Kariuki and editor Kevin Donahue.
Last year, the event was Billy Penn’s 10th anniversary, and looked back over the entire decade. This year’s Billies were focused squarely on 2025.
Wednesday night’s celebrations presented awards to:
- Chivonn Anderson, the founder of Marsha’s South Street
- Robert Malissa, a magician who combines history and comedy on his walking tours
- Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness, the first woman pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church
- Naw Day and the Karen Community Association of Philadelphia
- Tomomi and Kosuke Chujo, owners of a Philly-themed sports bar in Tokyo
- The No Arena Coalition, represented by Jenny Zhang of API PA, Cinytha Hioe of Asian Americans United, and Melissa McCleery
- “Philly ASMR” comedian Betsy Kenney
- Oronde McClain, director of Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting’s Survivor Connection, which provides both training and support to victims of gun violence
When she’s not at Marsha’s, Anderson works as a realtor. A job that requires driving from home to home across the city, she says WHYY radio is always on in the car and credited public media for shaping the person she is today.
“I grew up learning most of the things I know about myself from WHYY,” Anderson said. “[It’s] one of the coolest things in the world to be receiving an honor from organizations that helped raise me and are literally one of the reasons why Marsha’s exists.”
This year’s Billies included more than speeches. Robert Malissa gave the crowd a taste of his comedy magic walking tour, turning old, individual state currencies into U.S. dollars with the wave of a hand.
In a gag introduction to one of BP’s most popular social media moments of every year, Billy Penn’s DIY Halloween Costume video, WHYY’s Carmen Russell-Sluchansky portrayed the dad in the infamous “Phillies Karen” event this summer. When he walked on stage to collect a Billies award for being a good sport, he was thwarted by none other than the “Phillies Karen,” as played by Billy Penn’s Nick Kariuki.
The laid-back atmosphere of the award show coupled with highlighting serious achievements of Philly community members is emblematic of the outlet Billy Penn strives to be. Donahue says the team has a mission to appeal to “non-traditional news consumers.”
“We’re trying to be a news provider that thinks and speaks and reports to you in a way that is less formal, is more relatable, but always has integrity and intelligence,” Donahue said.
Some of the award recipients noted Billy Penn’s impact. Jenny Zhang and Cinythia Hioe said it was the first outlet to cover the No Arena Coalition’s efforts to protect Philly Chinatown. Cavaness remarked that profile writer Rashad Grove’s article made it all the way back to her family, popping up on their social feeds.
“I reflect upon a cousin who said, ‘Wow, my cousin has made it to Google today,’ ” Cavaness said. “It was because of a Billy Penn article.”
Not all the honorees were able to accept their awards in person. Kenney was booked for a show out of town and the Chujos are back home running their Philly-themed sports bar in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi neighborhood. The pair sent a video to Billy Penn to share at the event.
“It’s hard that we can’t attend in person,” Kosuke said. “But please know, we are celebrating with you from across the ocean.”
This story is a part of Every Voice, Every Vote, a collaborative project managed by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. The William Penn Foundation provides lead support for Every Voice, Every Vote in 2024 and 2025 with additional funding from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Comcast NBC Universal, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Judy and Peter Leone, Arctos Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, 25th Century Foundation, and Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation.
To learn more about the project and view a full list of supporters, visit www.everyvoice-everyvote.org. Editorial content is created independently of the project’s donors.
The post The Billies look back at a year full of notable Philadelphians appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.
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