Delaware River – a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US the longest free-flowing river in the Eastern US. It flows for 282 miles along the boarders of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
I moved to Philadelphia from California summer of 2024. My non-negotiable request in finding a place to live was that it needed to be by a body of water. I was used to having access to oceans and backyard swimming pools. My relationship to water is very important. It grounds and calms me representing a foundation for my soul. This self-photo represents part of my daily ritual connecting to the Delaware River via my balcony. I love to sit there either in the morning when the sun is rising to energize my day or in the evening when I need to decompress and bury my daily challenges. From this perch I can see when the tide is high and low. Philadelphia experiences two high and two low tides daily due to the Earth’s rotation and the moon’s gravitational pull. My connection to water is also based on my ancestral relationship to the moon and her cycles. So living next to this body of water is my connection to the earth and her cycles.
Sonia BasSheva Mañjon • Ella • Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Sonia BasSheva Mañjon is Chief Academic Officer at The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Her unwavering commitment to promoting equity and social justice is evident in her extensive 30-year experience in higher education, nonprofit management, and government administration. Dr. Manjon is an artist, educator and community advocate.
