Philadelphia Community Podcast

August is Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month, and we devote this show to a recording of a Facebook Town Hall sponsored by Gift of Life focusing on the critical need for donors of color. We speak to Rick Hasz , Vice President, Clinical Services at Gift of Life Donor Program, Dawn Ortiz, donor mother, whose son, Rickey Colomy Jr. passed away and was a tissue donor and Joe Mansaray, heart transplan...

I speak with Brenda Mosley, Executive Director of My Faith Health and Healing. Mosley is an extraordinary woman who survived sexual abuse as a young child, spent 30 years using drugs to numb the trauma and experienced the grief of losing a daughter to cerebral palsy. We’ll let her tell her story of faith healing and resilience. You can see Brenda Mosley at My Faith Health and Healing at 2771 Ruth...

iHeartMedia Philadelphia hosted a Back-to-School Town Hall featuring some of the School District of Philadelphia’s top leaders. We share an excerpt from the town hall featuring Superintendent Dr. William Hite who talks about the critical nature of in person learning and the lessons gathered during the pandemic and Dr. Evelyn Nunez Chief of Schools who tells us what the District is doing to keep ki...

iHeartMedia Philadelphia hosted a Back-to-School Town Hall featuring some of the School District of Philadelphia’s top leaders. We share an excerpt from the town hall featuring Superintendent Dr. William Hite who talks about the critical nature of in person learning and the lessons gathered during the pandemic. Find out more about The School District of Philadelphia’s Back to School plans: https:/...

The first big major gathering to take place in Philadelphia at the PA Convention Center since the pandemic will be The Prince Hall Shriner’s International Convention. Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest recognized and continuously active organization founded by Americans of African descent. I speak to John T. Chapman, the 44th Imperial Potentate of the benevolent, charitable, and fraternal organ...

Are you at risk of losing your home or car because you’re behind in your payments? There’s help and its free. I talk with Joan Reading, President of the Credit Counseling Center, which offers a HUD certified Foreclosure Prevention Program and a host of other supports to help deal with credit and debt issues. Call 215-348-8003 or go to www.creditcounselingcenter.org . The Philadelphia Union is doin...

Are you at risk of losing your home or car because you’re behind in your payments? There’s help and its free. I talk with Joan Reading, President of the Credit Counseling Center, which offers a HUD certified Foreclosure Prevention Program and a host of other supports to help deal with credit and debt issues. Call 215-348-8003 or go to www.creditcounselingcenter.org . The Philadelphia Union is doin...

Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati hosts a once-a-month segment, VLS Journeys. She speaks to Justina Barrett, Interim head of Public Programming at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Raheem Manning Founder and CEO of The Weekender Experiences, who share info on the Museum’s upcoming House and Block Party August 14th. The Block Party takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the House Party form 6-10 p.m. For mor...

Most of my life – I hated running. Really hated it. I would do any kind of exercise except jogging. Hearing about the great work of the American Association for Cancer Research inspired me to sign up for my first race which benefited the AACR. Training for that 5k got me started and now I run two or three miles up to five times a week. AACR is a sponsor of this year’s Philadelphia Marathon which t...

Today we devote Insight to a special show I cohosted with iHeartMedia air personality Cosmic Kev on addressing mental health in the black community. We speak with therapists Tasnim Sulaiman and Wesley Harris of Black Men Heal as they address how they are getting men into therapy and how the women in their lives can help. With special guest Pamela D. McClenton, a licensed clinical social worker and...

Arts education is a critical part of a child’s education and yet – music and art classes are often the first to go when budgets are cut. I speak to Donna Cooper, Executive Director of Public Citizens and Children and Youth which just issued a report showing the critical value of arts in education. Cooper also discusses PCCY’s Picasso Project which gives arts education a boost in several schools in...

Today we’re going to devote a good portion of the show to legislation that could have a profound effect on the way the top tech companies operate. We’’ll be talking pro and con on the issue with Jake Ward, President Connected Commerce Council and Katie Paul, Executive Director of the Tech Transparency Project Tech Transparency Project. https://connectedcouncil.org/ https://www.techtransparencyproj...

Before my mom passed – she insisted on staying in her home. That was challenging as she started to decline. what if there was a program that help our elders age safely at home? I speak with Roosevelt Hairston, CEO of the Hairston Foundation for Social Justice which is partnering with Hands from the Heart Home Healthcare Services in an innovative program that helps seniors in the Philadelphia regio...

I love my Soul Food but not the fat and salt that comes with it. So, I was delighted to speak with celebrity Chef Rene Johnson who has mastered the art of creating delicious, healthy Soul Food. https://www.blackberrysoul.net/

There’s grant money available for individuals and groups working to increase the peace - between 500 and 50K and you don’t have to be a registered nonprofit. But the deadline is coming fast. Erica Atwood, Senior Director, Office of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for Criminal Justice & Public Safety at City of Philadelphia gives us all the details. To get an application email ovpinfo@phila.gov ....

How would you like to get your Associates degree, have the tuition largely paid for and get the resources you need to successfully graduate? That’s the goal of Community College of Philadelphia’s Octavius Catto Scholarship. I speak with Dr. Aubria Nance, Associate Director for the Octavius Catto Scholarship and Idris Washington, Catto Scholar. https://www.ccp.edu/catto The tech space has far to go...

Angel Aviles worked with some of the great filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino and Roberto Rodriguez. Aviles suffered from depression, anxiety and panic attacks and she charts her journey of healing in the book "Too Happy to Be Sad Girl.' I speak to Aviles about her evolution from actress to life coach, motivational speaker and advocate for social justice. To hear an excerpt reading of the book...

The organization that produced Philly’s Pride Parade and Outfest shut down suddenly amid charges of transphobia and lack of diversity in its leadership. A new coalition has formed to create programming that is both diverse and inclusive. I speak with activist Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, from the Black and Brown about the issues leading up to Philly Pride Presents’ implosion and plans for a reimagined Out...

The organization that produced Philly’s Pride Parade and Outfest shut down suddenly amid charges of transphobia and lack of diversity in its leadership. A new coalition has formed to create programming that is both diverse and inclusive. I speak with activist Abdul-Aliy Muhammad, from the Black and Brown about the issues leading up to Philly Pride Presents’ implosion and plans for a reimagined Out...

Guest host Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati chats with author and gossip columnist Flo Anthony. Christopher Sample, Chief of Staff for City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is the guest for the feature "What is Philadelphia Reading?"

What a difference our sports teams make in the lives of fans in the greater Philadelphia area. Some of our greatest moments of joy and darkest moments of despair have been triggered by our love hate relationship with our teams. That’s why we’re devoting the entire show to one of the great sports storytellers, Ray Didinger, author of "Finished Business: My Fifty Years of Headlines, Heroes, and Hear...

On June 12th Sunday morning when a gunman opened fire at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Fifty people died in the incident, including the gunman, among them was Philadelphia high school basketball star 18 year old Akyra Monet Murray and another 58 were injured, 53 by gunfire and five by other causes. Some survivors were critically injured including Patience Carter, Akyra’s brother Alex Murray...

What a difference our sports teams make in the lives of fans in the greater Philadelphia area. Some of our greatest moments of joy and darkest moments of despair have been triggered by our love hate relationship with our teams. That’s why we’re devoting the entire show to one of the great sports storytellers, Ray Didinger, author of "Finished Business: My Fifty Years of Headlines, Heroes, and Hear...

Look Toward the Mountain is a podcast series that tells the stories of Japanese Americans who were interned at Heart Mountain during WWI demonstrating the innovation, creativity, and resilience that enabled the Japanese American community to endure this unjust ordeal. I speak to Philadelphia Japanese American Citizens League Board Chair and Japanese American filmmaker Rob Buscher, host and produce...

Despite traumas of the pandemic, violence and poverty, most Black men won’t admit they need #mentalhealth support. I along with DJCosmicKev, and the Black Barbers address how to erase the stigma that prevents men from getting help. With special guests Dr. H. Jean Wright II, PsyD, Director, Behavioral Health and Justice Division Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbili...