Rann Miller

There’s a saying that goes, better late than never. In some cases, this is true. An example is trying a renowned restaurant after folks have raved over it. Another example is learning a new piece of information well after it became available. But over time, I’ve learned that better than late is being on time–if not being early. 


In the saga of EMR’s lithium battery fires in Camden, councilman Arthur Barclay announced Monday evening that the city would be revoking EMR’s business license, as re...

When Camden tried to close three magnet schools amid a $91M deficit, students protested — and won. But the deeper fight over who controls Camden’s schools isn’t over.Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing column called Camden Front and Center, analyzing the city’s politics, development, and power structures. It reflects the author’s examination and perspective on how decisions by political, business, and civic leaders impact the city’s Black and Latino residents.

I’ve lived in New Jersey all my life, and yet I remain fascinated by the state’s cultural construction. North Jersey is influenced by New York City. South Jersey is influenced by Philadelphia. There’s no better explanation of how that works than in sports team fandom. North Jersey football fans, for example, root for the Giants and the Jets. South Jersey football fans root for the Eagles. Central Jersey isn’t influenced by anyone because…there is no Central Jersey. Only North and South,...

Every time I’ve heard those lyrics, it’s usually from the collective mouths of enthusiastic partygoers to let you know that the party is lit, as the young people say. That chant usually means the music is right, the drinks are flowing, and the crowd’s energy is incredible. In other words, everybody is having a great time. No one actually wants anything to burn, but under the right circumstances, if something did catch fire, the crowd likely wouldn’t stop it. Unless the crowd is made up of Camden City residents, and the fire is at an EMR recycling facility. Although “burn” could mean a good time, for Camden residents, it is a literal, toxic threat. The EMR fires have exhausted a community that both wants and needs water.

One thing policymakers and stakeholders tout in Camden is the Eds and Meds corridor in downtown Camden. Eds (universities) and Meds (hospitals and medical facilities) are part of the economic infrastructure of a city or metro area that, along with government and a few corporate institutions, serve as the primary employers and financial catalysts for many citywide initiatives. According to the Brookings Institution, these institutions bring new income to a metropolitan area, raise metropolita...

Camden operates the largest drone program in South Jersey with little regulation. But whose safety does it really serve?Years ago, I created and taught a high school course in Camden City, New Jersey. We discussed the city’s history and the factors that shaped its circumstances, including the events that led to the takeovers of its government, schools, and police. I gave equal time to discussing the takeover of each entity. What the students found most fascinating was the police department’s tak...

State-led “reforms” in Camden are threatening the survival of public education in the city—and stripping residents of democratic control over their schools.On October 28, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Education, Kevin Dehmer, announced the department’s undertaking to assess how resources should be allocated to city schools moving forward. The district, through the state (Camden’s school district is under state control), has retained the services of FLO Analytics, a national data analysis firm, to...

As a teenager, I had a few jobs—under-the-table jobs, stipend jobs, and regular jobs. But when I turned 16, I got my first real summer job. I participated in a career exploration program with Respond Inc. in Camden. Respond was a social service agency known for early childhood development, but they also worked with school-aged students. Their program placed Camden students at various businesses around the city—accounting firms, law firms, architects, restaurants—we were placed all over. As for my three other colleagues and me, we were assigned to what was considered the top work site: the Campbell Soup Company.

New Jersey is widely considered a solidly blue state, but there’s real fear of it becoming red. Since 1992, New Jersey has elected the Democratic candidate for president and, since 2002, elected three Democratic governors to one Republican. Both houses of the state legislature have been under Democratic control since 2004. Democrats have a firm hold of political power in the state, and yet, many people are worried that the Republican, Jack Ciattarelli, will win the gubernatorial election in November and begin New Jersey’s turn to a red state. It’s easy to blame Mikie Sherrill’s campaign for its milquetoast approach to this election season, which follows the playbook of Democrats...

Earlier this year, Malcolm Jamal Warner became an ancestor. While we’ll miss his brilliance and brightness, his art remains, particularly that of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show. 

One of my favorite episodes was when he had the Huxtable brownstone to himself for a weekend; he and his friends had the bright idea to host a colloquy of six individuals for the evening. That colloquy turned into a full-blown party. Theo made allowances for people to stop by, and it snowballed into folks all over the...