Iconic Places of Migration

Part of the 2026 Fall Speaker Series

Migration to Philadelphia has produced iconic neighborhoods, commercial corridors, and monuments in various parts of our city and region, at different points in history. This talk will explore the formation, evolution, and preservation of places from Center City to South, Southwest, and other parts of Philadelphia, tracing the impacts of migrant communities on the city and its built environment. We will examine the politics of inter-group relations, urban redevelopment and gentrification, cultural reproduction, from 9/11/2001 and multiple generations of Save Chinatown movements to the 9th Street Market, Washington Avenue, and Africatown. 

Domenic Vitiello is Professor of City Planning and Urban Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He has a past life in historic preservation but for over two decades has mostly worked with migrant community organizations in Philadelphia, Mexico, and Italy. He is former board chair of Juntos, board member of the African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA), and member of the Save Chinatown Coalition. 

Q&A and refreshments to follow. 

Book Recommendations:

Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia essays on migration and immigration, Penn Press 2025 

Domenic Vitiello, The Sanctuary City: Immigrant, Refugee, and Receiving Communities in Greater Philadelphia (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2022) - free ebook.