Philadelphia Community Podcast

To mark the 2023 PA Conference for Women we are highlighting inspiring women leaders. I speak to Carol Lee Mitchell the head of small business, specialty, and consumer vehicle lending strategy at Bank of America. https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/ https://www.paconferenceforwomen.org/ It’s never too soon to get our babies primed for reading. We'll talk with Kimberly Garrison, Project Coo...

We bring you a special segment from our online feature CEO's You Should know featuring Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President and CEO of the Urban Affairs Coalition. Sharmain Matlock Turner CEOs You Should Know https://uac.org/

"Feria del Barrio returns to El Centro de Oro — The "Golden Block" between 5th and Lehigh on Sunday, September 10th from 1 p.m. I speak with Nasheli Ortiz González, Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueño, one of the sponsoring organizations, about the event. For more information visit www.feriadelbarrio.org . We’ll talk about the controversy over the proposed Sixer's arena near Chinatown. I s...

"Feria del Barrio returns to El Centro de Oro — The "Golden Block" between 5th and Lehigh on Sunday, September 10th from 1 p.m. I speak with Nasheli Ortiz González, Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueño, one of the sponsoring organizations, about the event. For more information visit www.feriadelbarrio.org . You never graduated and you want to obtain your high school diploma for free? We'll...

Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks to Christine Schonhart, Director of the Central Library at Brooklyn Public Library about the "The Book of HOV," an installation created by Roc Nation to celebrate the life and work of Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. https://www.bklynlibrary.org/exhibitions/book-hov For the feature "What is Philadelphia Reading?" Vanesse speaks to Dr. Nyshawana Francis-Thompson Chief...

When we look at substance use disorder and mental health issues we must look deeply into their connection with trauma. – That’s the goal of trauma informed training provided to health care professionals, counselors and caregivers by Lakeside Educational Network. I speak with President of Lakeside Gerald Vassar. Website and social media handles and tags: www. Lakeside.net, https://www.facebook.com/...

Good street lighting plays a vital role in creating safe, accessible, and inviting public spaces that benefit the well-being, safety, and overall quality of life for residents and visitors alike The Philadelphia Streetlight Improvement Project (PSIP) will convert 130,000 high pressure sodium streetlights into a network of more efficient, longer-lasting LED lights. I speak to Katie Bartolotta, Vice...

Stigmas and other barriers often prevent people of African descent from seeking treatment for their mental illness. One of the primary barriers is a lack of Black mental health professionals. This fact has spurred the 988 Diaspora Campaign to develop a listing of local culturally competent mental healthcare providers in addition to promoting use of the 988 Lifeline to the African. Initiated by Fun...

As we do once a month every month - we check in with Angela Giampolo, of Giampolo Law Group and Philly Gay Lawyer for a segment we call speak Out about the LGBTQIA community and ways issues impacting it affect us all. Today we address anti-LGBTIA+ violence. https://www.phillygaylawyer.com/ https://giampololaw.com/ First, Penn Museum along with a host of community and civic partners are working tog...

A committed group of advocates are examining at how media has been shaped by anti-Black racism and the damage this has caused. The vision of an initiative called Media 2070 is to radically transform media by building equitable newsrooms by 2070 with reparative policies and interventions. I speak to Collette Watson, Project Director of Media 2070. https://mediareparations.org/ We hosted students th...

Sister Mary Scullion, Executive Director and C0-Founder of Project HOME recently announced her plans to retire. We re-air an interview with one of the nation's true heroes for the unhoused. https://www.projecthome.org/

Recently I aired an interview about the FACT Program - Father's and Children Together - a highly effective program at SCI Phoenix that brings incarcerated men together with their kids in a program designed to strengthen their bond. I spoke to some of the Moms and youth who participated. For this segment, I speak to a former lifer who was present at the graduation. We talked about his experience bu...

Funtimes Magazine recognizes the importance of getting the word out about mental health resources. I speak to Sandra Lawrence, FunTimes Magazine Advisory Board Member about their mental wellness campaign. www.funtimesmagazine.com https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/categories/health-wellness I'm excited to share my interview with two powerful women. In fact, Power is in the name Nikki Powerhouse - a...

Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia has launched Okaeri (Welcome Home): The Nisei Legacy at Shofuso, a site-based multimedia exhibit telling the story of the Nisei (second-generation), American-born persons of Japanese descent, and their unique connection and contributions to Shofuso. I speak to Rob Buscher Exhibit Curator. JapanPhillyObon rbuscher@japanphilly.org

Library of Congress Veterans History Project’s mission to collect, preserve and make accessible the first-person remembrances of United States military veterans for future generations. VHP is actively seeking Korean War veterans ’recorded oral history interviews, original photographs, letters and other correspondence to be archived and made accessible for future generations. I speak to Monica Mohi...

We devote the show to National Minority Donor Awareness Month which is designed to increase organ donor registrations among communities of color, which make up more than half of the people on the transplant waitlist. I speak to Rick Hasz President & CEO, Gift of Life Donor Program, Niels Martin, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery Vice Chair, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Chief, Section of...

Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks to Valerie Gay, Barnes Foundation Deputy Director For Audience Engagement And Chief Experience Officer. Gay talks about the current exhibit of the Black sculptor William Edmondson and free first Friday events at the museum. This month’s “What is Philadelphia Reading” guest is Trenton M. Smiley, Communications & Engagement Director at Free Library of Phi...

There is nothing harder to quit, no habit so radically hazardous to one’s health yet difficult to break, than tobacco use. A great resource is Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Smoke Free Philly initiative and the PA Free Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) - a telephone-based counseling service for Pennsylvanians that offers free, confidential coaching and lifestyle tips toward the cessation of sm...

There is nothing harder to quit, no habit so radically hazardous to one’s health yet difficult to break, than tobacco use. A great resource is Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Smoke Free Philly initiative and the PA Free Quitline (1-800-QUIT-NOW) - a telephone-based counseling service for Pennsylvanians that offers free, confidential coaching and lifestyle tips toward the cessation of sm...

Are you one of the millions who are caring for an elder? I speak with Joanne Grossi, AARP PA's President Emeritus about why family caregivers need more support and AARP resources to help navigate the challenges. AARP Family Caregiving Website, aarp.org/caregiving AARP State Caregiver Resource Guide, aarp.org/caregiving/local/info-2021/state-caregiver-resources.html First, I chat with Allen "Duffy"...

On July 30th it's Christmas in July thanks to Philadelphia Centurions Motorcycle Club which is holding its 27th Annual Christmas in July Motorcycle Toy Run donating money and thousands of toys for patients at Shriner's Children's. I speak to Philadelphia Centurion’s Jo Mason and Stephanie Byrwa from Shriner's Children. https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/fundraiser/4388996 https://www.shrinerschild...

I speak to Shari Williams, the Goddess of Drones. She’s one of the first Black female commercial drone pilots in the United State. Williams talks about her program that offers prep classes, courses and ground flight training and which can earn students a drone pilot's license. Home (shariwilliamsenterprises.com) Philadelphia is the nation's big city with the highest poverty rate. Achievability’s a...

On July 30th it's Christmas in July thanks to Philadelphia Centurions Motorcycle Club which is holding its 27th Annual Christmas in July Motorcycle Toy Run donating money and thousands of toys for patients at Shriner's Children. I speak to Philadelphia Centurion’s Jo Mason and Stephanie Byrwa from Shriner's Children's. https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/fundraiser/4388996 https://www.shrinerschild...

The Philadelphia Children’s Alliance is dedicated to ensuring that all children in Philadelphia are safe from abuse. PCA’s mission is to lead a coordinated response to achieve safety, healing, justice, and prevention for children and families impacted by the adverse childhood experiences of sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence. I speak to Benita Williams, Executive Director of the Philadelphia...

The F.A.C.T Program (Father’s and Children Together) is a highly effective training that brings together men behind the walls of SCI Phoenix and their children for a six-week course that strengthens their bond and is designed to mitigate the issues of intergenerational imprisonment and to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline. Created by activists inside SCI Phoenix, I spoke to youth who complet...