10k Independents asked Philly mayoral candidates about their plans for the biz community

Though the pool of candidates for the upcoming mayoral election in Philadelphia has narrowed in recent weeks, the choice of who to vote for can be difficult, with 12 people currently vying for the spot.

It’s why 10k Independents, a project focused on building a resilient economy “for and by Philadelphians,” is hosting a “State of the Race” virtual check-in on Wednesday, April 5. Director of Policy and Advocacy Anne Gemmell will share some analysis of the upcoming race, the status of the active candidates, and specific strategies for how residents can get involved in supporting candidates.

In addition to the Wednesday event, 10k Independents will be releasing videos solicited from mayoral candidates. Alex Hillman, cofounder and director of strategy for the project, told Technical.ly he and Gemmell realized that getting on a candidates’ calendars would be a challenge with so much demand leading up to the primary election on May 16. So, they asked for brief video messages instead, a nod to the increasing popularity of asynchronous work.

Instead of prompting the candidates with a specific question, they asked them to introduce themselves and talk about Philly’s small business community. Gemmell and Hillman then added their own context — further explanation of programs or ideas mentioned by the candidates — in a reaction-style format. What resulted was seven videos that they’ll be releasing starting with tomorrow’s event, and for days after.

Check out an example, their video with candidate Cherelle Parker, here.

“The result are videos that are even more informative, adding color and context to what the candidates say,” Hillman said. “Every person we’ve shown the reaction videos to agree that they probably wouldn’t have watched the original all the way through, but knowing that we were going to cut in and add our thoughts made them want to keep watching.”

Wednesday’s online event is free to attend and virtual, but you must RSVP. Those who attend will hear context and updates since 10k’s last “State of the Race” update in February. They’ll also hear some guidance on how to analyze the candidates and how a voter might narrow down to a few preferred candidates. Folks will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the election process and learn how to get involved.