PRHWRITERSBLOCK
meet the
PRH TEAM
Joei DeCarlo Writer
When did you start writing for Philadelhpia RowHome Magazine? 2016 How did you discover RowHome? I went to the same school as Dorette’s and Dawn’s sons (GAMP) and they knew I loved to write. Dorette reached out to me during my sophomore year of college and I’ve been writing for RowHome ever since. Name a story you’ve written for RowHome that makes you proud. My story about Covenant House Pennsylvania (CHPA) in 2017. They work tirelessly to help homeless, runaway and trafficked youth. It was an honor to write about all they are doing for children in PA. They host sleep-outs where people fundraise and sleep outside as an act of solidarity for homeless youth. They’re a wonderful organization! Did you grow up in Philly or live here at some point? What neighborhood? Born and raised in South Philly, around 17th & Wolf. I still live in South Philly and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Who was your best friend growing up? Why? My grandmom, “Moey.” We spent a lot of time together while my mom worked as an ER nurse. She’d take me everywhere with her, we’d do puzzles and play board games together. As I got older, I loved to help her cook dinner after school. What’s your favorite quote? “You’re not the only one who’s made mistakes, but they’re the only things that
you can truly call your own.” - Billy Joel from “You’re Only Human (Second Wind).” What’s your favorite row home memory? I grew up in one and had no idea what a row house was until I visited family in Jersey and noticed that their houses weren’t connected to other houses! They had grass instead. To me, row houses are the quintessential place to live. You have awesome neighbors, tend to foster tight-knit communities, awesome family dinners. What got you into writing? I’ve always loved ELA classes in elementary school and I continued that love in high school when I took AP literature. Once I got to college, I knew I had to study something that would allow me to write every day. Today, I work as a department administrator at Temple University, where communication is a crucial part of my role. What other sites/magazines/ papers do you/did you write for? I’ve written for Temple University’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)’s online blog and printed newsletter, and Temple’s studentrun PR firm, PRowl’s online blog. Favorite memory with RowHome Magazine? Attending Taco Fest in 2017 at SugarHouse Casino OR Margarita Rumble in 2018 at The Piazza at Schmidt’s in Northern Liberties. Both were an awesome excuse to enjoy authentic tacos/margaritas and take photos of them. Are you on Instagram? What’s your handle? Follow me! @joei_decarlo
2654 S 10th St. (10th & Oregon) Philadelphia, PA 19148
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October / November / December 2019
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