Bridging Philly

We’ve seen a surge of people facing food insecurity since pandemic relief ended, and the numbers have not gone back down. It’s a particular issue in Philadelphia, where about 22% of people live in poverty - twice the national average. Share Food Program is the city’s leading hunger relief organization. Their executive director, George Matysik, and deputy chief program officer, Cat Bartoli, join host Racquel Williams to discuss the programs they offer - from pantries to delivery, school lunches to senior programs - and how widespread the issue of food insecurity is. Then, on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard visits Down North Pizza, where they hire formerly incarcerated people as employees. She joins the staff for a day to make a pizza and learn why their mission is so important. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is on tour! Their “Beloved Community” tour is stopping in towns across the state to host open discussions about civil rights issues in each community. Racquel Williams speaks with Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter to understand the purpose of this tour, the important work PHRC does, and how to reach out if you’re having an issue with any kind of prejudice or discrimination. Then, on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard visits the ABA Centers of Pennsylvania in Wayne, a play and therapy center for children with autism, complete with everything from a climbing wall to a bubble machine. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When COVID-19 hit, Dr. Ala Stanford stepped up to help Philadelphians get access to information, testing, care, and later, vaccines. She founded the Black Doctors Consortium, and after her work gained national media attention, President Biden appointed her Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Now, Dr. Stanford has written a book, “Take Care of Them Like My Own”, coming out August 6 with a launch event at the Kimmel Center. It’s about her personal journey, her work, and the importance of equity and representation in medicine. She talks about all of that with our host, Racquel Williams. And on Shara in the City, Lloyd Parks is the last living member of the famous Philly R&B group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - and he can still hit those high notes in songs like “I Miss You” and “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”. Shara Dae Howard takes a journey through time to hear Lloyd’s story. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While many schools have faced fights over book bans and how they teach about racism, Friends Select School in Philadelphia is taking an actively anti-racist approach to education. As a Quaker school, they follow the same philosophies that the Quakers who fought in the abolitionist movement did, and they’re able to incorporate social justice into their curriculum, staff training, and how they interact with the greater Philadelphia community. Racquel Williams speaks with educators and staff from Friends Select to find out how they put their mission into action. And on Shara in the City, as we get ready to kick off the 2024 Olympics, Shara Dae Howard remembers when Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee came through Philadelphia to inspire over 200 elementary students at Drexel University’s Vidas Field Day and give away copies of her children’s book, “Running for the Gold: Connecting Kids to Dreams.” – This episode of Shara in the City originally ran on Nov 4, 2023. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Focus on Fathers parenting education program shows new fathers how to have positive relationships with their kids. The “fathers to the fathers” try to fill in the gaps for men raised without a strong father figure in their lives, through child development education, job readiness, and mental health awareness, with remote and in-person classes. --This interview originally ran on Nov 19, 2023. Then, on Shara in the City, we explore a cave that’s said to be built by America’s first cult of mystics to predict the apocalypse, right in Wissahickon Park - the Cave of Kelpius. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Navigating the mental health care system is a challenge for the most experienced of patients, but what about people looking to see a therapist for the first time? Where do you start? Do you go to someone who matches your demographic? Is telehealth a good option? Host Racquel Williams asks these questions and more with our panel of therapists. Then on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard spends some time in nature and introduces us to the poets and musicians who are inspired by the historic Germantown Awbury Arboretum. This episode originally ran on May 13, 2023. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pennsylvania’s funding for after-school care ends when children turn 13, and many parents are concerned about where their teens can go after school and in the summer. Caring People Alliance runs a teen program and recently opened a new center at their South Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club where teens can go to get a meal, play basketball, make music and art, and have a safe space to talk and learn. We speak with Branon Gilmore, VP of CPA’s Boys & Girls Club Movement, Jewel Felder-James, Director of Teen Programming, and Alphonso Cobbs, a participant in the teen program. And on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard re-discovers the joy of play at the historic Smith Memorial Playground. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve seen tremendous progress in diagnosing and treating cancer, but not all people have benefited from that progress equally. The American Association for Cancer Research recently released their 2024 Cancer Disparities Progress Report, which highlights gaps in diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes for people in marginalized groups. What is being done to close those gaps? We talk with Mitch Stoller, Chief Philanthropic Officer and Vice President of Development for the AACR, and Dr. Camille Ragin, a professor and Associate Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Fox Chase Cancer Center and a member of the steering committee for the AACR’s report. And on Shara in the City, we get ready for the first year of Olympic breakdancing by visiting Philly’s longest-running hip-hop and breakdancing event, The Gathering at The Rotunda. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The experience of traveling to a different part of the world can be life-changing, but many people don’t get that opportunity because of the cost. A new initiative called Invest in Human Potential aims to take five young Black men from Philadelphia on a two-week trip to Sardinia, Italy, and empower them with the skills to become social justice warriors over the course of a year-long fellowship. Racquel Williams talks with the director, Amir Joshua Palmer, about what the fellowship will involve and what it will take to get it off the ground. Learn more about how you can support the fellowship at investinhumanpotential.com. And on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard discovers a hidden sanctuary in West Philly to learn about Black birding. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Philadelphia performing arts organization is celebrating Juneteenth with a twist on an old tradition: the house party. Running June 20 - 22, Intercultural Journeys’ “The Re-Emancipation of Social Dance” is an interactive party-performance through five “living rooms”, inviting you to reclaim the freedom of dance. We talk with the show’s curator and former Philadelphia Poet Laureate, Yolanda Wisher, and Intercultural Journeys' Executive Director, Carly Rapaport-Stein, about this performance and how Black Americans throughout history have built community through dance. Learn more, get tickets, and listen to their podcast on the history of social dance at reemancipatedance.org. And on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard hops on the El to try to catch a glimpse of all 50 murals in Steve Powers’ “A Love Letter For You” series in West Philly. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Women Against Abuse aims to help domestic violence victims of all genders by providing shelters, counseling, legal services, and safety planning. Executive Director Joanna Otero-Cruz joins us along with board member Jamie Colleen Miller, who shares her own story of escaping an abusive relationship with help from Women Against Abuse. If you are facing domestic violence and need help, call their hotline at 1-866-723-3014 or visit their website for more resources. And on Shara in the City, we kick off Pride Month at The Rose Garden exhibit by local artist John Jarboe at The Fabric Workshop and Museum - an immersive exploration of her gender journey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Susanne Munn of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, says her neurodivergent son had a hard time fitting in. She wrote a poem to help him celebrate himself, and 10 years later, she’s releasing that poem as a children’s book with the help of her friend and illustrator, Amy Towers. Susanne and Amy tell us about “The Great Shape Debate”. Plus Kim Wheeler Poitevien, MSW, LCSW, owner of Amel Counseling, joins us to expand on ways to help kids - and adults - stop comparing themselves to others and love who they are. And on Shara in the City, local musicians re-create the iconic “A Great Day in Harlem” photo, with a Philly twist. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tahirah Austin-Muhammad was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was six years old. Throughout her life, she has dealt with pain and organ failures - she’s currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, living on 7% kidney function. Despite that, she is raising a daughter and has helped found Crescent Foundation to provide education and resources to others living with sickle cell disease. She joins us along with her physician, Dr. Safiyya Shabazz. And on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard learns double dutch with Majestic Jumpers. Learn more about how to find and support Black physicians in the Philadelphia area from The Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many teens and tweens, social media is everything. It’s how they connect with friends and with the broader world - but there are a lot of dangers online. How can parents keep their kids safe from things like predators and bullying on the internet? PA State Representative Brian Munroe worked with three teenagers to write a bill that just passed the House, aiming to help protect kids online. He joins us along with Dr. Desmond Upton Patton, a University of Pennsylvania professor and the director of SAFELab, a research initiative focused on how youth of color navigate violence online. And on Shara in the City, we visit one of the oldest trees in Philadelphia - a treasure that some in the Germantown neighborhood are fighting to save. For more, read Dr. Patton’s Newsweek op-ed on the links between social media and gun violence. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The government must provide attorneys for defendants who can’t afford to hire one. Until last year, funding for those public defenders in Pennsylvania came entirely from the counties. Now, the state has set a $7.5 million budget to fund indigent defense, but public defenders’ offices are still underfunded and their staff is overworked. We speak with the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania’s Executive Director Sara E. Jacobson, Vice President Christopher Welsh, and Chief Defender Keisha Hudson about inequities in the legal system and how a lack of funding can impact trial outcomes. And on Shara in the City, we take a tour of the hidden artistic gems inside The Curtis building in Old City. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2024 KYW GameChanger Hillary Do created the non-profit BOLT (Build Our Lives Together) to support community grassroots organizations with tools, grants and knowledge to bring about change. She introduces us to Cleopatra Robinson of A Home from Shana Foundation, who is working to lower the rate of Black maternal mortality in Philadelphia, and Ron Toles of Ordinarie Heroes, who works with BIPOC youth in Hunting Park. Then, the hidden history behind the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Central Branch, which includes Charles Dickens’ stuffed pet bird, Grip - widely thought to have inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s poem, “The Raven.” The library also has the only handwritten copy of the poem, which is part of its rare book collection. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For fifty years, Gift of Life Donor Program has helped organ and tissue recipients off the transplant wait list with their growing donation network. Five years after North Philly rapper and hip-hop recording artist Freeway received a kidney, he's raising awareness about routine physicals and organ donation with his music and Freedom Thinkers Academy. Then, Shara Dae Howard takes a ride-along at Berks County's Maple Grove Raceway, which hosts national races, monster trucks, car shows and more. (Gift of Life Donor Program is the sponsor of Bridging Philly.) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Al Schmidt clears up myths and realities of voting, including automatic voter registration, mail-in voting, and protections for voters and election workers. Then, Barnes Foundation’s assistant curator Corrinne Chong leads a tour of the 20th-century artist who inspired commercial art at the exhibit “Alexey Brodovitch: Astonish Me.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As childcare wait lists grow, many busy families are opening their homes to a young person from another country as an affordable care alternative. Cultural Care Au Pair’s Natalie Jordan describes their multi-step screening process and cultural exchange benefits. Then, the number of people roller skating has increased since the pandemic, and Great On Skates’ co-founder India Bernadino discusses accessible and affordable “Dope Skate Classes In Philadelphia” at three locations for all skill levels. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can Pennsylvania public school students who live in a lower-income school district receive an equitable and adequate education like their affluent counterparts? Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes and education advocate Priyanka Reyes-Kaura discuss how state legislators must work with Governor Shapiro and his budget proposal to invest in our communities. Then, we hear why regulars and new guests at Germantown's home-grown, black-owned Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books come for the vibe, books, coffee, and stay for music and community. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former fashion editor Cheryl Ann Wadlington has been mentoring urban girls to rise above their circumstances to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty for 20 years at Evoluer House with workforce, professional and personal development programs. Then, engineer Patrice Banks leads a tour of her Girls Auto Clinic in Upper Darby – an auto repair service - that caters to women where she can get a manicure and car maintenance tips while waiting for her car. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marian Anderson Hall will soon be the home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. President and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Matias Tarnopolsky, explains how updating the Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall should reflect the diversity and demographics of Philadelphia. Then, a tour of the repair and restoration of the Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society with its CEO, Jillian Patricia Pirtle. She has been working to put the museum back together after a flood to keep Marian Anderson's music and contributions to the Civil Rights Movement alive. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PA Youth Votes’ Angelique Hinton, Kamryn Davis and a high school senior explain how they engage future leaders with education and events programming to connect the dots between the issues they care about, voting, and holding elected officials accountable. Then, artists and curators lead a tour of the collective public art initiative, “Legacy Reclaimed: A 7th Ward Tribute,” encompassing the blocks between 6th and 23rd Streets and Spruce and South Streets, whose residents once included Richard Allen, Octavius Catto and W.E.B. Du Bois. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

South Philly’s Tyrique Glasgow shares his story about owning his South Philly neighborhood drug corner at 12 to founding the Young Chances Foundation, which provides a clothing bank, educational and feeding programs, and school supplies. Then, Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler describes how a $90,000 National Trust for Historic Preservation grant to help preserve Richard Allen’s Mother Bethel AME Church, a beacon of hope and inspiration for those resisting white supremacy. The church is still growing in 39 countries and five continents. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fine art should be experienced by all people, according to philanthropic Philadelphia art collector Albert C. Barnes. The Barnes Foundation's Martha Lucy leads a tour of modern art and African masks, demonstrating the founder's legacy of accessible and diverse arts education. Lucy has edited a new book, "The Barnes Then and Now: Dialogues on Education, Installation and Social Justice." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is everyone ready for love? A relationship coach and a social worker discuss the humility, inspiration and personal growth it takes to make heterosexual, same-sex, and non-traditional couples last. Then, taking and leaving banned books by Black authors at Visit Philly's 13 Little Free(dom) Libraries. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Philadelphia’s civil rights movement included the Cecil B. Moore Freedom Fighters, the "young militants" who protested and helped desegregate Girard College, which was a school intended for “poor, white male orphans.” We hear stories of police harassment and songs of freedom from the former teenagers who followed their leader and Philadelphia NAACP branch’s president’s words: “If you stand together, you can make a difference.” Then, Vashti DuBois shares good news about the future of The Colored Girl Museum, which has received a zoning variance to continue living in the Germantown house that is her home and museum. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tammy Murphy, First Lady of New and U.S. Senate candidate, describes the new state law that protects a mother’s right to a doula throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Then, creating a deeper bond between parents and young children through music with the Philadelphia Lullaby Project. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pa. Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton looks back on the successes and challenges of her first year as the first woman and the first person of color to hold the gavel. With a razor-thin majority, Speaker McClinton negotiated tax credits for working families’ daycare expenses, violence reduction programs, and a public defender fund. Then, Philly hosts the Youth America Grand Prix, an international student ballet competition that draws about 20,000 dancers whose finalists are selected to win cash prizes and scholarships at top schools and companies. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Co-founders Don Jackson and Hameen Diggins describe their community organization Urban Navigation as a GPS for urban youth that points the next generation of non-shooters towards gun education and technician training in the inner city and Philadelphia suburbs. Then, this year is the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and Global Citizen’s Founder and President Todd Bernstein describes the many opportunities in which to embrace MLK’s legacy of social justice at the 29th Annual Great Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service at Girard College. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dry January has become an annual international event inspiring all kinds of drinkers to leave the bottles on the shelf for 31 days. The market for mocktails, non-alcohol spirits, wines and beer is growing, and there are "safe spaces" for those who choose not to drink, but still want to be social. We learn about the benefits of temporary abstaining and the resources people can use to help them overcome their habit. Guests are Erin Goodhart, Executive Director of Core Programming, Pennsylvania at Caron Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centers: Fergie Carey, proprietor of several bars and restaurants in Philadelphia; and Drew Davis, co-founder of Pitman New Jersey’s no-alcohol bottle shop and pop-up bar, Gem Life + Bar. Then, an introduction to the only city-based multi-service goat program: Germantown’s Philly Goat Project, which has programs including education, community wellness, animal-assisted therapy, and teen job training with the help of trained goats. Shara in the City talks to Karen Krivit, Director, and Kelly Corrigan, Therapy and Wellness Director of The Philly Goat Project. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bridging Philly Host and Executive Producer Racquel Williams, "Shara in the City” Reporter Shara Dae Howard, and Producer Patty McMahon look back at their favorite guests and topics from 2023. Segments include Cambodian refugee-turned-Secret-Service officer Leth Oun, FarmerJawn's urban agriculture, and a road trip to Ocean City, N.J. to meet the families behind the book "The West Side: Ocean City in True Color." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly’s culinary history. Origins of the city’s food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef & Owner Adam Diltz share traditional New Year's traditions and explain why the cultural foods we eat connect us to the regions in which we live. Then, we take a holiday shopping tour of some of West Philly and Germantown’s Black-and Brown-owned businesses. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do the chronically ill access the proper nutrition to get better? The Philadelphia non-profit Manna prepares and delivers medically tailored meal plans to patients with everyday conditions like cancer, heart disease and more. CEO and dietician Sue Daugherty, Thomas Jefferson University's Dr. Kristin Rising, and a client who has thrived with their services describe the transformative health benefits of knowing how to eat for a particular ailment. Then, Philadelphia Inquirer fashion columnist Elizabeth Wellington reminds us of how Philly hip-hop pioneers shaped 50 years of the evolving culture. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Golden Years are not as bright as promised. Many seniors have reduced income, and health issues, are often full-time caretakers for their grandchildren, and increasingly experience social isolation and loneliness. For 40 years, the Philadelphia non-profit SOWN has helped older adults age together with peer support so that no one has to be alone. The Arden Theater Company stages a family-friendly adventure through Roald Dahl’s BFG (Big Friendly Giant), in which an eight-year-old girl learns about dreams and friendship. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are your table manners ready for holiday parties in friends’ homes or out in restaurants? From knowing who and what to tip to bringing a gift to a host, Founder and Director of the Delaware Valley School of Etiquette, Dorlisa Goodrich Young, and longtime hospitality worker and artist, Jere Edmonds, guide us through the skills to avoid social embarrassment - so you’ll be invited back next year. Then, an update on the future of Germantown’s The Colored Girls Museum with Founder and Executive Director Vashti DuBois, who is waiting on a zoning variance to continue her work in the community. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The holidays bring families together but often remind us of those missing at the table. How can we prepare for these difficult times? Naila Francis, a death doula and grief guide, recommends the bereaved give themselves a break. And Ravina Daphtary describes an art installation in Philly’s Rail Park where visitors can "call" a lost loved one on a disconnected rotary phone. Then, 100-year-old Willow Grove-born Benjamin Berry remembers being stationed in England in the U.S. Army at 19 - to prepare and be a part of the Battle of the Bulge. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Focus on Fathers parenting education program shows new fathers how to have positive relationships with their kids. The “fathers to the fathers” try to fill in the gaps of men raised without a strong male father figure with child development education, job readiness, and mental health awareness with remote and in-person classes. Then, the Broadway show Wicked is celebrating its 20th year with a national tour stop at the Kimmel Cultural Center. The musical is about The Wizard of Oz’s witches’ relationship before and after Dorothy drops down in the Land of Oz. PA & NJ-raised actors Celia Hottenstein and Olivia Valli share how playing the characters has helped them to be humble and more comfortable being themselves. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The new HBO documentary Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School explores the transformative power of music and how an arts education can be a source of hope and healing. Executive producer, Grammy award-winning musician John Legend - with executive producer Mike Jackson, and director Amy Schatz - worked with teenagers from Philly’s Hill-Freedman World Academy to learn how to write, compose, produce, and perform original songs. Then, why is it taking so much time for Pennsylvania to legalize adult-use marijuana? And will there be business opportunities for everyone? We talk to Cherron Perry-Thomas, co-founder of Diasporic Alliance of Cannabis Opportunities, about how the commonwealth is behind many states in canna business development. Finally, choreographer Marguerite Hemmings' Mural Arts public art initiative - Our Land Our Movement - helps kids connect their bodies to the outside through gardening and dancing. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Meet Steve the Legacy: a Philly-based inventor who develops STEM-inspired games to help kids develop their coordination and strategy skills that he creates in his living room factory. He shares how other amateur inventors can take an 'ah ha' moment to the next level by believing in themselves. Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee came through Philadelphia recently to inspire over 200 elementary students at Drexel University’s Vidas Field Day and give away copies of her children’s book, “Running for the Gold: Connecting Kids to Dreams.” To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author and sociologist Nikhil Goyal followed three students from El Centro de Estudiantes, an alternative, last-chance public high school in North Philly. The stories of their struggles with the juvenile justice system, poverty, and housing insecurity – and finally earning their high school diplomas in the face of great odds - are featured in the new book, “Live to See the Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty.” Then, what do voters from different neighborhoods want from their 100th mayor? To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mayoral candidates Democrat Cherelle Parker and Republican David Oh share their visions to improve public safety and raise Philadelphians’ quality of life. They both share stories of humble beginnings that inform their future policy decisions. Election Day to choose the city’s 100th mayor is November 7th. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We celebrate the power of Philadelphia sports fans united by their shared love for their teams despite varying views of politics, religion and race. KYW Newsradio sports reporter Dave Uram dispels the negative reputation of Eagles fans, and shares superfan anecdotes and common Game Day superstitions. Then, "The Power of Fun" with the original Phillie Phanatic Dave Raymond, who shares the mascot's origin story, and how he fights hopelessness by focusing on the positive things in his life. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Host Racquel Williams and four breast cancer survivors share their unique journeys from the terrifying first time they were told of their diagnosis, through the exhausting treatments, to mentoring new patients. A doctor, also a survivor, explains different types of cancers, dispels treatment myths, and urges securing the right medical team. The group describes their struggles juggling family and work commitments, fears of recurrence, and triumphs by helping others. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our first Bridging Philly Reporters’ Roundtable features the KYWNewsradio coverage of the charges dropped against Philadelphia Police Detective Mark Dial, who fatally shot Eddie Irizarry. Reporters Kristen Johansen, Tim Jimenez and Gina Pompilio describe what they saw and heard in the courtroom and the reaction from Irizarry’s family. Then, behind the Pollinator Power installation with artist Mindy Flexer and children ages 6-20 at the Woodmere Art Museum. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dogs have been part of law enforcement teams for decades, as we most recently saw with the capture of prison escapee Danelo Cavalcante. Man’s best friends are also becoming more commonly used with crisis counselors for comforting students in schools and victims of violence in the community. Members of the Penn Vet Working Dogs Center, Tri-State Canine Response Team, and Delmarva Search and Rescue Group describe how their dogs are translators between humans and the natural world. Then, the Philadelphia Ballet is celebrating 60 years with a world premiere of Carmen featuring choreography by Artistic Director Angel Corella. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Binge Eating Disorder is a condition often overlooked as self-medicating by over-eating. But it becomes a problem when the consumption becomes out of control as a way to cope with stress. We learn about behavior and medical solutions with Kelly Allison, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and one of her patients. Then, The Women’s Film Festival begins this week, and Programming Director Suzi Nash shares a preview of the events and over 100 screenings she has lined up. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Philadelphia’s first African-American female Police Commissioner, Danielle Outlaw, has announced she will be resigning later this month. Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey weighs in about how the city’s next top cop can reduce crime while building public trust. Anthony Erace, Interim Executive Director of the Citizen Police Oversight Commission, describes what the new city organization is doing to guide the “just, transparent, and efficient administration of criminal justice in Philadelphia through fair and timely investigation into the oversight of conduct, policies, and practices of the Philadelphia Police Department and its officers.” Then, Tyrell Brown, Executive Director of Galaei, shares a preview of this fall’s America’s first National Coming Out Day Parade as part of the OURfest, formerly known as Outfest. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can we future-proof our economy? Our guests believe that free or inexpensive community college can help strengthen and stabilize our workforce, but the idea of community college is often misunderstood. Dr. Donald Guy Generals, President of the Community College of Philadelphia, Dr. Lovel Pugh-Bassett, President of Camden County College, and Sara Goldrick-Rab, author of the book, “Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream,” discuss the varied programs, certificates and scholarships that can help pave a pathway to success. Then, recovering the forgotten 19th-century neighborhood and the stories of between 5,000 – 10,000 mostly Black residents who were displaced during the mid-20th century, urban renewal that created University City. We dig into West Philly’s past through The West Philly Community Archeology Project, a partnership between the Penn Museum and several community organizations, including HopePHL, the Black Bottom Tribe Association, and the Community Education Center (CEC). To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Things might not always be right, but you can make it right.” A recent work readiness assistance course teaches students how to create right angles and the value of nutrition and wellness. Myra Brown, CEO of NWON Opportunities, LLC, is designing programs that service the community and diminish the adverse childhood effects of unemployment, food deserts, and substance abuse. Two recent graduates describe their life-changing experiences with Brown and their union carpenter instructor. Then, Jeremy Noel grew up running around his Bucks County house pretending to be "The Lion King"'s Simba. Now he is understudying the famous character as part of Disney’s North American musical version of the animated movie at the Kimmel Center. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices