Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements

In this episode of Neglected Stories, host Pedro Rodriguez is joined by acclaimed historian Peter Cole for a look into the extraordinary but overlooked life of Ben Fletcher — one of the most dynamic labor leaders in Philadelphia’s history. Fletcher, a Black union organizer and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (the Wobblies), led a 1913 strike of over 4,000 multiracial dock workers in...

On this episode of  Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements , host Pedro Rodriguez sits down with Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, former Philadelphia Health Commissioner, to talk about her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. From vaccine equity to navigating political pressure and public fear, this conversation explores the difficult decisions made behind the scenes—and how a team of dedicated pu...

A Conversation with Author Mark Torres about his latest book: Long Island and the Legacy of Eugenics: Station of Intolerance. Join us for a powerful and eye-opening conversation with acclaimed author Mark Torres, whose new book uncovers the hidden history of eugenics in the United States — a chapter too often omitted from our national memory. We explore: What eugenics was and how it shaped public...

In this episode, Pedro sits down with veteran labor reporter  Tim Wheeler , whose decades of experience covering labor, civil rights, and grassroots movements make him a living archive of American people’s history. The episode focuses on the  history of May Day  — its origins as an international day of workers' resistance, and how it has been remembered (and often erased) in the U.S. Tim also...

Join host Pedro Rodriguez for a powerful conversation with Judith Bernstein-Baker, M.S.W., Esq. , former Executive Director of HIAS Pennsylvania and a veteran in the field of immigration law and advocacy. Together, they trace the legal foundations of immigrant and refugee due process protections , explore how those have evolved, and examine the ongoing impact of Trump-era policies that continue to...

This week, we sit down with Peggy Mastroianni, former Legal Counsel at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) , for a powerful conversation on the history, impact, and effectiveness of the Commission in addressing workplace discrimination. Ms. Mastroianni reflects on the hard-won gains secured through the Civil Rights Act of 1964—and sounds the alarm on the current Trump Administration...

Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements , a production of Germantown Community Radio, welcomes writer and urban historian Nathaniel Popkin for a powerful conversation about Philadelphia’s layered history and its resilient communities. Popkin, known for his deep explorations of the city’s cultural and political landscapes, discusses his acclaimed work  The Possible City  and other projects th...

J oin us for a deep dive into the history and impact of tariffs on the latest episode of Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements, hosted by Pedro Rodriguez. Our guest, Ed Gribbin, a trade policy advocate and native Philadelphian, breaks down how tariffs work, their historical role, and what proposed changes could mean for U.S. consumers, businesses, the nation, and the global economy. As tra...

This is a compelling discussion with Rev. Renaldo McKenzie, a scholar who has spent the past 15 years studying the devastating effects of neoliberal policies in both the Global South and the United States. In this episode, host Pedro Rodriguez and Rev. McKenzie explore the themes of his book, Neoliberalism, Globalization, Income Inequality, Poverty, and Resistance. The conversation dives into the...

Guest Jimmy Duran , Executive Director of Vincent Homes and a banker serving minority, women, and small businesses in Philadelphia, joins us to discuss the history, impact, and future of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Since its enactment in 1977, the CRA has driven nearly $2 trillion in investments into underserved communities. Now, with the Trump administration systematically dismantling i...

Women's rights and community activist Pat Albright talks about the work her organization has been doing to get the work done by women at home recognized as part of the gross national product while challenging the judicial system's attack on poor women raising children.

Linguist Rafael Nunez Cedeno joins host Pedro Rodriguez for a thought-provoking conversation about the controversial use of the letter X to identify Latinos and Latinas in the United States.

Sanctuary Cities under assault by the White House . Our guest,  Israel "Izzy" Colón , a longtime Philadelphia community activist and veteran of the public and nonprofit sectors, will break down the origins of sanctuary policies, their impact on immigrant communities, and what the future holds amid federal pushback. As cities across the country fight to protect their residents, what are t...

Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements  is proud to welcome veteran journalist  Terry Johnson  as the featured guest for its upcoming Black History Month episode. The episode will aired first on  Saturday, February 1, from 10-11 AM  on  92.9 FM Germantown Community Radio  and will be available for streaming online at  www. GtownRadio.com . With a career spanning decades across some of the n...

Ever wonder how medical doctors have a virtual monopoly on all things medicine? And why do some people do architectural work without being architects? Explore the Rise of Professionalism with an in-depth conversation with noted sociologist Magali Sarfatti Larson as she joins Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements - a production of Germantown Community Radio

President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty in 1979 returning the canal to the control of the Panamanian people, which took effect in 1999. Now, inm 2025, the current President of the US wants to retake it. Learn how people in the United States supported the demand for the return of the Canal to Panama. Hear from Mary Day Kent, a Philadelphia resident who was deeply involved in the solidarity campaign...

Acclaimed author Karen Bojar traces the evolution of feminism from Eleanor Marx to today's AOC in the US.

Learn the history of how the popular pub trivia game started in the United States and how it has endured over three decades. Interview with quiz masters Patrick Hine and Jonathan Quinet from Ireland and Philadelphia, PA.

Author Mark A. Torres discusses his book on the history of Long Island, NY's migrant labor camps, which initially recruited Black farm workers from Jamaica and later from the Deep South of the United States. These workers endured conditions akin to semi-slavery, marked by severe exploitation and mistreatment. This compelling and often overlooked chapter of American history sheds light on systemic...

The guest will be Leroy Clemons: Champion of Community, Justice, and Racial Healing. Leroy Clemons, Civil Rights leader (MS) talks about the struggle for justice in the assasinations of three civil rights workers in 1964. 40 years later justice came

Angel Luis Ortiz, a champion for the working class, marginalized communities, and the rights of women and LGBTQ individuals, served on the Philadelphia City Council for 19 years. In the next episode of Neglected Stories, Ortiz shares his journey—from arriving in Philadelphia in the mid-1970s to working as a public interest lawyer and beyond.

The debut of Neglected Stories: People, History, Movements with host Pedro Rodriguez. This week, we dive into the art of storytelling with Martin Kaiser from the Gustav Streseman Institute in northern Germany, and Marwan Kreidie, founder and director of the Philadelphia-based Arab American Community Development Corporation.