Layla A. Jones

Reporter

Layla A. Jones (she/her) is a general assignment reporter for Billy Penn whose work has helped underserved community organizations, earned free repairs for property owners who sustained damages in a police shootout, and brought increased attention to a particularly dangerous North Philadelphia corner. She focuses most on covering Black life, subculture, social politics and workforce issues.

Previously, she worked as a communications director for Councilwoman Cindy Bass, as a political reporter for the Philadelphia Tribune, and as an arts and entertainment web producer at The Inquirer.
Layla has a journalism degree from Temple University, with a specialization in magazine writing and a minor in political science.

Then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in March 2003

Gen. Colin Powell was the voice of Philly’s first talking pedestrian traffic signal

The country’s first African American secretary of state died Monday at 84.

Election 2021

Procrastinator’s Guide to the 2021 November election in Philadelphia

A cheat sheet for being informed when you vote.

Kelly Richards, former director of the Muskegon Area District Library, has been elected to lead the Free Library of Philadelphia

Free Library discrimination concerns

Free Library picks a new director: Kelly Richards, a Black career librarian from Michigan

He’ll assume leadership 15 months after the previous library director resigned over widespread allegations of discrimination.

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