Philadelphia Community Podcast

Kelly Lyons is an award winning children’s book author and I speak with her about her new book about Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice Inspired Generations. https://www.kellystarlinglyons.com/ The deadline for filling out the Census is coming September 30th. I talked with Stephanie Reid, Executive Director of Philly Counts. https://www.phila.gov/programs/philly-counts-2020/ https://2020census.gov/...

Kelly Lyons is an award winning children’s book author and I speak with her about her new book about Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice Inspired Generations. https://www.kellystarlinglyons.com/ The deadline for filling out the Census is coming up September 30th. I talked with Stephanie Reid, Executive Director of Philly Counts. https://www.phila.gov/programs/philly-counts-2020/ https://2020census.g...

The mission of the Project HOME community is to empower adults, children, and families to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty. Their motto says it all “None of us are home until all of us are home.” On September 16th Project Home’s Largest fundraiser goes virtual. To tell us more I speak with Annette, Jeffrey VP of Development and Communications and Edel Howlin, External Affairs Officer fo...

How would you like to enter a field that offers family sustaining jobs? JEVS Human Services offers training programs in the construction field and the jobs there are in demand. I speak with from JEVS I speak with Kristen Rantanen, SVP Communications and Public Affairs, Lead Employment Specialist Tamika Gary and Jabari Adams - Learning Coach. https://www.jevshumanservices.org/ The mission of the Pr...

Mass Media shapes our reality and when there’s diversity in media – our world opens up to possibility. Color Farm Media’s mission is to build an ecosystem that fosters greater equity, inclusion, and diversity in media and that empowers and elevates voices that are underrepresented, overlooked, and undervalued. I spoke with co-founders Ben Arnon who brings a depth of experience in tech and entertai...

Mass Media shapes our reality and when there’s diversity in media – our world opens up to possibility. Color Farm Media’s mission is to build an ecosystem that fosters greater equity, inclusion, and diversity in media and that empowers and elevates voices that are underrepresented, overlooked, and undervalued. I spoke with co-founders Ben Arnon who brings a depth of experience in tech and entertai...

Ryan White has a youth of 13 years who acquired AIDS through a blood transfusion. This happened in the early eighties when an AIDS diagnosis was a death sentence and he was only given a few months to live. Instead Ryan White survived five more years living a life with significance. Shunned by his community, he found his voice and became an advocate for tolerance and a better understanding of HIV a...

I spoke with Dr. Harry Williams, President and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, about the new study, The State of Opportunity in America, 2020 about our fragile communities faced with deep poverty and racial bias. You’ll be interested to hear what he says about Philadelphia https://advancingopportunity.org/ In the middle of a pandemic and in the wake of the social unrest following the tr...

Ashley Dubose is a performing and recording artist from Philly but based in Minneapolis. I had the chance to check in with Ashley whose music is both beautiful and socially conscious. https://www.ashleydubose.com/home When you think of poverty – many of us imagine it simply has to do with how much you make –In fact Assets are a stronger predictor than income of financial well-being and economic mo...

Ashley Dubose is a performing and recording artist from Philly but based in Minneapolis. I had the chance to check in with Ashley whose music is both beautiful and socially conscious. https://www.ashleydubose.com/home When you think of poverty – many of us imagine it simply has to do with how much you make –In fact Assets are a stronger predictor than income of financial well-being and economic mo...

More than 110 thousand men women and children are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, 20 die each day waiting. In this region more than 50000 people are on the waiting list. Gift of Life has coordinator more 50 thousand lifesaving organs for transplant and about a million life enhancing tissue transplants. I'm a registered organ donor and have my wishes known in my living will and...

August is National Minority Donor Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness about the importance of registering as an organ donor in multicultural communities. 60% of the 110,000 men, women and children waiting for a life-saving transplant are from communities of color. I speak with Leslie Jean-Mary, Multicultural Outreach Coordinator for Gift of Life, Kim Phillips, R.N., BSN, CCTC, Educatio...

The numbers tell us too many people experiencing the symptoms of heart attack and stroke are not taking themselves to the ER out of fear of the corona virus. I spoke to Main Line Health patient Gerry Gdanski, who almost died of a heart attack because of a reluctance to get to the hospital. The American Heart Association’s newest campaign - Don't Die of Doubt focuses on the importance of patients c...

Our first segment is our monthly feature VLS Journeys hosted by Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati, founder The Literary and the African American Children’s Book Fair. In a timely interview Vanesse speaks to Jabari Asim, author of Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis and the illustrator of the book, world renowned artist E.B. Lewis. https://www.amazon.com/Preaching-Chickens-Story-Young-Lew...

We begin with the interview with Philadelphia City Councilman Derek Green who tells us about upcoming hearings to look at existing racial and abelist disparities made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. It’s happening Tuesday July 28th at 10 am and you can stream it live on www.phlcouncil.com/watch If you’d like to testify email Derek. Green@phila.gov . 1:00 These are challenging times for small bu...

We begin with the interview with Philadelphia City Councilman Derek Green who tells us about upcoming hearings to look at existing racial and abelist disparities made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. It’s happening Tuesday July 28th at 10 am and you can stream it live on www.phlcouncil.com/watch If you’d like to testify email Derek. Green@phila.gov . 1:00 These are challenging times for small bu...

We talk so much about the importance of essential workers during this pandemic, but how about we pay them a living wage? That and racial justice are the goals of a protest scheduled Monday July 20th at 1 pm at 7th and Arch sponsored by SEIU Local 32BJ. I speak to union organizer and hip hop artist Verse Mega. Twitter/Instagram @32BGSEIU @versemega. If you’re feeling life is tough and it has been f...

We talk so much about the importance of essential workers during this pandemic, but how about we pay them a living wage? That and racial justice are the goals of a protest scheduled Monday July 20th at 1 pm at 7th and Arch sponsored by SEIU Local 32BJ. I speak to union organizer and hip hop artist Verse Mega. Twitter/Instagram @32BGSEIU @versemega. If you’re feeling life is tough and it has been f...

With COVID cases spiking across the country – it’s important to understand why. What we know is that masking, social distancing, handwashing and avoiding face touching are proven strategies for preventing infections. How seriously are we taking these steps? Apparently not so. Penn State has been conducting a survey to find out why and what we can do about it. I speak with Robert P. Lennon, MD, JD,...

With COVID cases spiking across the country – it’s important to understand why. What we know is that masking, social distancing, hand washing and avoiding face touching are proven strategies for preventing infections. How seriously are we taking these steps? Apparently not so. Penn State has been conducting a survey to find out why and what we can do about it. I speak with Robert P. Lennon, MD, JD...

COVID cases are spiking and Philadelphia has put the pause button on going fully Green on reopening – postponing indoor dining among other things. So what locations are risky for coronavirus infections, not so risky or worth the risk? I had a conversation with an MIT Researcher Seth Benzell who coauthored a paper on that issue. But first there have been some very exciting and positive conversation...

Guest Host Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati speaks to a travel expert on tips for safely traveling during COVID and talks with State Rep Jordan Harris about What Philadelphia's Reading. COVID cases are spiking and Philadelphia has put the pause button on going fully Green on reopening – postponing indoor dining among other things. So what locations are risky for coronavirus infections, not so risky or worth...

This week we're reairing a wonderful love story. Lynette and Daniel Trawick.

Hope you’re enjoying the extra freedom we have now that Philadelphia has finally reached the yellow phase and if all goes well we’ll go green on July 3rd so let’s keep doing what we’re doing, wearing masks and social distancing - it’s working and it’s the best we have until we get a vaccine. Moving on – Happy father’s day to all you dads and uncles, grandfathers, mentors who have taken on the role...

A week ago there was a massive and peaceful justice for George Floyd demonstration in Philadelphia that filled the space between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and City Hall with a diverse and mostly young crowd demanding reforms to a system that led to the police involved death of not only George Floyd but has sustained economic disparities that have led to the disproportionate numbers of deaths...