About

A Philadelphian’s Story: From the Streets to the Stage

By Ernie Coney | October 28, 2025

Finding My Voice at Freedom Theatre

"The hallways echoed with the high-pitched chants of children shouting, 'I Respect Myself!' as they poured through the double doors of Freedom Theatre in North Philadelphia. My friends and I were next. Ahead of us stood a towering figure — a grizzled old man with a cane and a voice that would shake your bones with each syllable he uttered. “PASSWORD,” he’d bark,
standing tall, I’d reply with conviction, “I RESPECT MYSELF!”
This phrase was like a ritual for us — one that instilled pride, confidence, and discipline in students. Freedom Theatre, located at Broad and Master, wasn’t just a performing arts space. To outsiders, it might have seemed strange to see such an extravagant and "artsy" kids with huge personalities and weird gifts, but to us, it was a haven — a sanctuary where young artists could escape the chaos of the city and find their voice!"

I grew up in West Philadelphia, near 52nd and Market Street — a neighborhood full of life, music, and contradictions. In the early 2000s, the sounds of Hip-Hop and R&B floated through the air as vendors sold everything from incense to body oils.

The “Ockys” - men often in a mixture of traditional Muslim attire and street clothes — would line the sidewalks, hustling “smell goods” with charm and persistence. Murals of heroes like Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey painted the walls, a reminder of pride and resilience. But around the corner, other murals told a darker story — faces of friends and neighbors lost to gun violence.

Life in Philly had two sides. One day, the neighborhood could be barbecuing enjoying each others company, but the next those same people could be shooting at each other. Growing up here meant learning to adapt — to survive.

Growing Up in West Philly

The Ockies

West Philly
Sth 52nd Street

Before tragedy struck, I was known as the “Michael Jackson kid.” I lived to perform — reenacting the King of Pop’s moves anywhere I could. But when my great-uncle, Allen Wesley Brooks (“Uncle Brooksy”), passed away from cancer, everything changed.

He was the anchor of my family — an Air Force vet, a scholar, and my tutor. Losing him dimmed my light. My passion for performing disappeared, replaced by grief and anger. Friends began falling to violence or prison. I started believing that dreams couldn’t survive in Philly.

Eventually, I moved to North Carolina to live with my father. Life there was quieter, slower. My grades improved, and I began to heal. But deep down, I missed the energy and creativity of home. Philly had built me, and I needed to return.

The Loss That Changed

Everything

Uncle Brooksy

Uncle Brooksy & A Young Ernie

When I came back to Philadelphia, I had a new perspective. I wanted to chase my dreams again — but didn’t know how. After behavioral issues slowly started to creep back into my world and the persistent weight of my environment began to encroach on my life again in high school (West Philadelphia High School), my great uncle (and younger brother of Uncle Brooksy), David Brooks (Aka Mr. Brooks), enrolled me in homeschooling for a few months at his law firm. In a short time, Mr Brooks became more than a Great Uncle to me; he became a father. It was as if his presence in my life had healed a part of me that had seemingly broken and had long been forgotten following the death of my Uncle Brooksy. Mr. Brooks would eventually transfer me to Wyncote Academy, a private college-prep school in the Philadelphia suburbs. Wyncote was a revelation — small classes, supportive teachers, and an atmosphere built for growth. But the fundamental transformation came when my uncle enrolled me in Freedom Theatre’s summer program.

Returning Home and Finding Freedom

There, I rediscovered who I was. Surrounded by other passionate young artists, I learned discipline, storytelling, and the power of expression. My focus shifted from survival to art. The stage became my therapy. The theatre became my safe space. Inside Freedom Theatre, I found my purpose — and my peace.

Teenage Ernie Performing @ Freedom Theatre

From Survival to Success

Today, I am studying Media Studies and Production at Temple University — just a few blocks from the same theatre that changed my life. I’ve faced more challenges since then, including a life-threatening lung condition, but my Philadelphian grit keeps me pushing forward.

This city — its toughness, its soul, its rhythm — built me. It taught me how to endure, how to dream, and how to create.

I am the rose that grew through the cracks of concrete.
I am a Philadelphian. And I am proud of it.