Philadelphia Community Podcast

Human trafficking is a multibillion-dollar business. Did you know some major companies are complicit? We talk to award-winning lawyer and author Mike Papantonio about this shocking fact. As society strives to rebound and adjust to a new normal, how do we seek opportunities that are more meaningful and satisfying? I speak with life coach, pastor and motivational speaker Joy Morgan. https://www.joym...

Have you ever thought about going vegan? It’s so much more than just cutting meat out of your diet. I speak with Orisha Oshun co-founder of the Surviving Vegan Academy. www.iamsurvivingvegan.com Todd Inman is the founder of Award-Winning Film and TV Production company TinmanCreative Productions. We talk about a workshop program for youth ages 7-17 called “Act Successful” which uses the art of film...

Guest Host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati talks with Heseung Song, CEO of Mighty Engine about a unique partnership with SEPTA that encourages that encourages adults to create mini stories with the kids for publication through a SEPTA short story dispenser this spring. https://www.readingpromise.org/your-story Vanesse also chats with social media coordinator LaToi Storr who has a mental Wellness and Self C...

Managing your energy bill can be a challenge – especially during this pandemic. The good news is that there are programs to help. I speak to Patricia King PECO Manager, Community Engagement who fills us in on assistance programs that can help meet every customer’s circumstances. www.peco.com/help The 30th Annual African American Children’s Book Fair takes place February 26th from 1-4 pm at the Pen...

Managing your energy bill can be a challenge – especially during this pandemic. The good news is that there are programs to help. I speak to Patricia King PECO Manager, Community Engagement who fills us in on assistance programs that can help meet every customer’s circumstances. www.peco.com/help The 30th Annual African American Children’s Book Fair takes place February 26th from 1-4 pm at the Pen...

We are all familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. I would guess few know that an incident in New Jersey when King was just 21 years old would be a defining moment that set the future leader on his path. I speak to Pastor Amir Khan, who is spearheading an effort to mark a home where King stayed during that pivotal time as an historic landmark. https://ml...

Lets face it. – Whether you’re a senior who needs assistance or a person recovering from illness or injury – home is often where we wish to be. That’s where home healthcare services come into play. Alexis Ortiz from Hands from the Heart Home Healthcare Services a minority owned female run organization tells us what we need to know about short and longterm home health care. Website and social media...

Let’s face it. – Whether you’re a senior who needs assistance or a person recovering from illness or injury – home is often where we wish to be. That’s where home healthcare services come into play. Alexis Ortiz from Hands from the Heart Home Healthcare Services, a minority owned female run organization, tells us what we need to know about short and long term home health care. https://www.handsfro...

No doubt you've heard about "Catfishing" - when someone sets up a fake online profile to trick people who are looking for love, usually to get money out of them. For those looking in from the outside – you figure – how can anyone be so dumb as to fall for these romance scams. I know at least two – very smart professional women who were victimized. What are the signs you’re being catfished. I speak...

“Serendipity is the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” At least that’s the dictionary definition. It also perfectly describes the story of author Lu Ann Cahn, and Emma Borgstrom. LuAnn wrote a book that Emma says literally saved her life. By happy circumstance - they happened to meet. This interview tells us what happened next. https://luanncahn.com/ http...

The African American Children’s Book Fair Celebrates 30 years of bringing Childrens and Young Adult Literature’s most celebrated authors and illustrators to Philadelphia. The event takes place February 26th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. I speak Paralee Knight, Vice President of Social Impact for Wells Fargo, a major sponsor, about the critical importance of representation in children’s li...

Guest Host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks with authors who’ll be featured at the 30th Annual African American Children’s Book Fair February 26th at the PA Convention Center. Schele Williams is an acclaimed theatrical director and author of the book “Your Legacy, A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History.” Kaija Langley is the award-winning author of “When Langston Dances.” For her monthly feature “...

I'll be talking about heart health with American Heart Association volunteer Scott Allen, who is defying his genetic risk for heart attack with diet and exercise. https://www.heart.org/en/affiliates/pennsylvania/philadelphia https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/ Heading up the School District of Philadelphia may be one of the hardest jobs in the city. Now that Dr. William Hite is leaving his position...

Heading: up the School District of Philadelphia may be one of the hardest jobs in the city. Now that Dr. William Hite is leaving his position as Superintendent – Philadelphia has the opportunity to find new leadership. We’ll talk with Leticia Egea Hinton, Vice President of the School District of Philadelphia Board of Education –about the progress on finding a new superintendent and how we as citiz...

Hope you’re staying warm and cozy through this wintery weather. You know February is heart month and in honor of it I’ve stepped up my exercise habits. I’d been working out twice a week – some cardio and weights but I’m still working off that holiday weight gain, so I’ve decided to get in exercise every day of the week. So far, I’ve driven up to Kelly drive, parked and got my 10 thousand steps bef...

There are many books about relationships, but I was impressed by Dr. Diana Kirschner’s book “Sealing the Deal: the Love Mentors Guide to Lasting Love.” For those looking for love I think you’ll find her helpful – plus she’s a hoot. https://lovein90days.com/diana-kirschner/ There’s a growing number of people who’ve decided not to have kids. I speak to John Seager President of the Population Connect...

We love spreading positivity and that’s why I’m sharing this interview with members of a group called Children of Adam, a 14-member New World Music band performing its own original PMB Music: Positive Message Bearing Music. https://childrenofadamband.com/ First from the archives an interview with Dr. Yaba Blay Author of “One Drop - Shifting the Lens on Race.” https://www.yabablay.com/

From the archives an interview with Donald Bogle, author of “Hollywood Black - The Stars, the Films, the Filmmakers.”

I’m devoting the show to an interview with someone I’ve known for many years and consider to be a very special human being. He’s a husband, a devoted father, an activist and eloquent and outspoken speaker on the subject of “death by incarceration”. He also just happens to be a returning citizen. Kempis “Ghani” Songster was a juvenile lifer, sentence to spend the rest of his life behind the walls o...

I’m devoting the show to an interview with someone I’ve known for many years and consider to be a very special human being. He’s a husband, a devoted father, an activist and eloquent and outspoken speaker on the subject of “death by incarceration”. He also just happens to be a returning citizen. Kempis “Ghani” Songster was a juvenile lifer, sentence to spend the rest of his life behind the walls o...

So many events happenings around the greater Philadelphia area but let me shout out the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. Monday they’re doing a virtual jobs fair with real jobs and on site at Girard College there will be free COVID Vaccinations and screening along with flu shots from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm 2101 S. College Ave. For more info go to www.mlkdayofservice.org The...

Despite intense peer pressure from my close friends who in previous years have jumped into the Atlantic for the Polar Plunge - I've managed to avoid joining in because I'm just not a big fan of freezing cold water. But this year - I am moved to set aside my fears and participate in the 2022 Philly Polar Plunge to benefit a dear cause - Special Olympics PA. I speak to Jon Blitzer, Events Director E...

Monday January 17th marks the 27th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service - the largest service event marking the King Holiday in the Nation. I speak with its founder and the Executive Director of Global Citizen, Todd Bernstein. Bernstein fills us in on the events of the day including thousands of service projects, a virtual job fair with real jobs and a COVID 19 Vaccine...

Despite intense peer pressure from my close friends who in previous years have jumped into the Atlantic for the Polar Plunge - I've managed to avoid joining in because I'm just not a big fan of freezing cold water. But this year - I am moved to set aside my fears and participate in the 2022 Philly Polar Plunge to benefit a dear cause - Special Olympics PA. I speak to Jon Blitzer, Events Director E...

Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speak with best selling young adult author Torrey Maldonado about an upcoming celebration of the late Children's book author Floyd Cooper January 7th https://www.facebook.com/HighlightsFound/photos/a.4970743582942998/5332339080116778 Vanesse also speaks with Ivan Henderson, Vice President of Programming for the African American Museum in Philadelphia about the man...