Philadelphia Community Podcast

I love a good love story and it doesn’t get much better than Lynette and Daniel Trawick. Their relationship is a testimony to their strength in the face of challenges that might break other couples but only made them stronger.

The show kicks off with our monthly segment with Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati’s VLS Journeys Vanesse interviews Wade and Cher7yl Hudson who are New York Times Best selling authors of The Talk and owner of Just Us Books – one of the few African American Children’s book publishers. Ric Harris, President and General Manager of NBC10/Telemundo62/COZiTV/TeleXiotos/NBCLX shares his thoughts during the monthly...

Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks to teacher and best selling author of best selling books for young adults who shares information on the virtual Floyd Cooper Celebration January 7th. Cooper was an award-winning illustrator and author/illustrator of nearly 100 books for children. His real and beautiful depiction of the Black experience, his signature “subtractive process,” and his genuine spirit of ki...

How about some cool virtual entertainment? The Philadelphia Orchestra offers Our City, Your Orchestra, a series of FREE online concerts performed by small ensembles, recorded without audiences at Black-owned businesses and iconic cultural locations throughout the region. I speak with President and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra Matias Tarnopolsky. https://www.philorch.org/performances/special-p...

How about some cool virtual entertainment? The Philadelphia Orchestra offers Our City, Your Orchestra, a series of FREE online concerts performed by small ensembles, recorded without audiences at Black-owned businesses and iconic cultural locations throughout the region. I speak with President and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra Matias Tarnopolsky. https://www.philorch.org/performances/special-p...

Women are key family breadwinners and face tremendous pressures during the COVID 19 pandemic given existing wealth and wage disparities. The National Coalition of 100 Black Women -Delaware Chapter(NCBW-DE) has been awarded a CARES Health Equity Grant . This grant has developed programs and resources that address the impact of COVID-19 on African American women. I spoke to Raye Jones Avery, Preside...

I lost my mother in 2013 after years of decline that finally landed her at Jefferson University Hospital. As her only child with no other family in the area – those last months were difficult beyond my ability to describe. What eased my heart was the incredible care she received - in particular from a doctor who took time to get to know her story – her history. I later discovered he talked about h...

This is the season for giving and a delightful way to give is a present of fine wine and spirits. We’ll be talking with Andrew Hart, Wine Specialist for PA Fine Wine and Good Spirits who has some excellent gift ideas and the latest on shopping safely at his stores. https://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com/ Raising awareness about colon cancer is very personal for me. My husband was diagnosed with it...

We begin the program by talking about a Philadelphia tradition at the Kimmel Cultural Campus - A Soulful Christmas, the annual evening of Gospel music featuring more than 800 choristers from more than 20 local churches. We won’t be able to experience it in person this year but we will have the chance to hear replay of last year’s magnificent performance. You can listen free on WDAS FM 105.3 and on...

January is the month where we make our new year’s resolutions. Lose weight, exercise more, you know the drill. And how did that go this year? I’ll be talking with LuAnn Cahn who just might have a terrific way for you to jump start 2021. It’s “Big Wild Dare Workshop: Into the Light 2020 on January 10th https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-wild-dare-workshop-into-the-light-2021-tickets-130569716537?aff=...

January is the month where we make our new year’s resolutions. Lose weight, exercise more, you know the drill. And how did that go this year? I’ll be talking with LuAnn Cahn who just might have a terrific way for you to jump start 2021. It’s “Big Wild Dare Workshop: Into the Light 2020 on January 10th https://www.eventbrite.com/e/big-wild-dare-workshop-into-the-light-2021-tickets-130569716537?aff=...

The death of George Floyd has triggered a reckoning in this country and the world around the deeply ingrained systemic racism that is woven into the very fabric of America. I’m always inspired by the scholar and intellectual activist Michael Eric Dyson. We speak about his new book “Long Time coming: Reckoning with Race in America – a passionate call to America to finally face it’s history of racis...

Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati of the Literary joins us for her once a month segment VLS Journeys. Vanesse speaks with award winning children’s book illustrator Gordon C. James. NBC 10 host of “Philly Live,” lifestyle and entertainment reporter Aunyea Lachelle joins Vanesse for the feature “What is Philadelphia Reading?”

You know with all we’ve been through in 2020 it might be easy to forget that we are a generous people. So many have stepped up to help others during this difficult time – We’ll tell you about a group called the 12 Days of Christmas who decided to channel their personal abundance to help make some kids very happy this holiday season. I spoke to Stephanie Mays Boyd, President, Philadelphia Chapter,...

Hope you had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. I missed our recent tradition of going over to my friend LuAnn’s house – who sets a delicious table. Phil I’m going to especially miss your mashed sweet potato casserole. But we are blessed. There are so many struggling during this holiday season because of the pandemic. We’re going to tell you about two ways you can help. A group called the 12 Days...

Thanksgiving is going to look every different this year. Science is telling us that one of the big drivers of COVID-19 infections are small family and social gatherings. So how do we make this Thanksgiving more meaningful in a time when some of us might feel challenged counting our blessings. The American Jewish Committee has a wonderful reader you can download called America’s Table. It’s a guide...

We’re just a few days away from Thanksgiving and wow how much has changed since last year. Most of us won’t be having our traditional family get togethers because of the COVID-19 pandemic and as hard as that is – it’s a good thing. We’ve discovered that most of the COVID-19 infections have been spreading through small family and social gatherings. So how do we make it special? The American Jewish...

It’s been an incredibly stressful six months but I’m here to tell you that what’s helped me navigate these trying times the most - meditation. And when I tell you that I have tried to find the time and patience to meditate for – ever – I finally discovered an app that’s got me into the regular practice of meditating. It’s call ten percent happier – and I speak to the producer of the ten percent ha...

Cheryl Wadlington is a force in the fashion industry but one of her most lasting accomplishments is the founding of Evoluer House a girl mentoring program that was honored by the Obama White House and now is receiving a huge recognition from L’Oréal Paris. https://www.evoluerhouse.org/ Signing up for Medicare can be a confusing process. We chat with Kortney Cruz, Vice President of Sales and Market...

Are you as exhausted as I am after this crazy election week. We’re going to take a break and focus on folks who are doing good in our community. Like Todd Franzen from Gift of Life who shares information on National Donor Sabbath which provides an opportunity to discuss the critical need for organ and tissue donors and encourage organ donor registration in your house of worship https://www.donors1...

Are you as exhausted as I am after this crazy election week. Hmm huh - so we’re going to take a break and focus on folks who are doing good in our community. Like Cheryl Wadlington who has founded a female mentoring program that is so successful she’s being honored by L’Oréal. https://www.evoluerhouse.org/ Or the volunteers who are raising awareness about Alzheimer's disease. https://act.alz.org/s...

Living with a chronic illness can be stressful and overwhelming. For those living with Crohn’s and Colitis it can get in the way of living a full life. We’ll talk with Saul Laurence, Chairman of the Board of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Philadelphia/ Delaware Chapter about the disease and how his organization is offering support and hope . www.philadelphia@crohnscolitisfoundation.org Did yo...

For Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati’s monthly feature “VLS Journeys” she interviews – Bryan Collier illustrator of Dave The Potter. Vanesse also interviews Anne Turner of Hair Du Jour for her segment “What is Philadelphia Reading?” Dawn Jones Roberts is a marathon runner and yet she discovered that she had a life-threatening heart condition that was found in the nick of time. We’ll tell you about her story...

Dawn Jones Roberts is a marathon runner and yet she discovered that she had a life-threatening heart condition that was found in the nick of time. We’ll tell you about her story and the upcoming American Heart Association Heart Walk November 2-6 which is virtual this year. I also also speak to 2020 Heart Walk Chair, Richard Snyder Executive Vice President, Facilitated Health Networks. https://www2...

The Family Practice and Counseling Network is opening a birth center in the Woodland Village Plaza next year and on October 30th they’re offering free services at the grab-n-go event including: health screenings, FREE COVID testing, FREE flu vaccines, give-aways, FREE haircuts and more 6120 Woodland Avenue from 11-3 pm. I speak with LaQuesha Garland, the Center Director of the impending Family Hea...