WHEREAS, Isaiah Thomas, born on August 7, 1998, is an entrepreneur, activist, and community leader raised in North Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, As a young man, Isaiah spent time in juvenile detention on gun and drug charges. Refusing to let this experience define him, he relied on his family, loved ones, and faith to turn his life around; and
WHEREAS, Isaiah began his own clothing brand, HMBL, by selling hoodies and water, and within two years, went from selling clothes from his car to opening his four HMBL stores; and
WHEREAS, Alongside his entrepreneurial success, Isaiah has remained committed to tackling gun violence by engaging with the youth, attending protests, and speaking with community groups and schools; and
WHEREAS, In October 2025, Isaiah survived a serious car accident that required him to relearn how to walk; and
WHEREAS, Just four months later, Isaiah completed a seven-day peace walk to Richmond, Virginia. Through the walk he raised funds to take five children who had never left Philadelphia to Disney World; and
WHEREAS, Inspired by the results of his peace walk, Isaiah began his faith walk from Philadelphia to California to raise money to build a trade school for youth that may not have a chance to go to college by helping them develop skills for professional careers; and
WHEREAS, Isaiah’s walk served as inspiration to others as he weathered storms, spoke and prayed with individuals, and was welcomed by government officials; and
WHEREAS, On day 34, while walking in Richmond, Indiana with an escort vehicle, a car struck the escort vehicle, which then struck Isaiah. After being hospitalized for days, Isaiah continued the faith walk with the support of his followers, ultimately reaching California on the 124th day; and
WHEREAS, Isaiah’s journey has inspired people across the nation while shining a positive light on Philadelphia and raising nearly $200,000 to help high school students learn skilled trades and financial literacy; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby honors
and congratulates Isaiah Thomas, known as HMBL ZAYY on social media, for completing an over 3,000-mile faith walk and fundraiser from Philadelphia to California to build a trade school for Philadelphia youth.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Isaiah Thomas as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End