WURD Radio

Ernest Crim III is an Emmy-nominated producer, public teacher and antiracist educator, who uses Black historical narratives to empower and educate through a culturally equitable lens. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss social media, the chicago public schools winning back millions in federal grants withheld over Black student success plan, the state of Illinois banning physical mail to prisons, and the shortage of Chicago police staff.

Julian Shendelman is the Co-Director at Bluestoop. Eshani Surya is the Board Member at Bluestoop. Bluestoop is a Philly-based literary arts nonprofit; and this fellowship offers each of the 6 selected fellows an unrestricted $5,000 stipend, one-on-one mentorship from Jennifer Weiner, professional development opportunities, and more. They joined Dr. Peterson to discuss BlueStoop’s partnership with NYT bestselling author, Jennifer Weiner, to launch the 2027 cycle of her fellowship program for emerging women writers.

Beth Hillman is the President of 9/11 Memorial Museum in NYC. Through commemoration, exhibitions, and educational programs, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum remembers and honors the 2,983 people killed in the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993, as well as those who risked their lives to save others and all who demonstrated extraordinary compassion in the aftermath of the attacks. Beth joined the show to talk about the impact of 9/11, and how the 9/11 Museum in NYC is continuing to tell the story of the tragic event.

DJ Jazzy Jeff is an influential American DJ, producer, and hip-hop pioneer from Philadelphia. He rose to fame as part of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince with Will Smith. The pair became known for hits like “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and “Summertime.” Jeff is widely respected for his innovative turntablism, production skills, and contributions to hip-hop culture. On Wednesday, September 9th, DJ Jazzy Jeff will be spinning at the Main Fountain Garden at Longwood Gardens (Longwood Gardens 1001 Longwood Road Kennett Square, PA 19348). This will be from 8p-10p. Jazzy Jeff joins the show to talk about his Fountain Party at Longwood Gardens on Sept. 9th, upcoming project he's working on, and much more.

Chris Norwood joined Dr. Peterson for this week's Critical Commentary segment to discuss the Iran War, and Dan Driscoll's resignation as the Army Secretary.

Leigh Owens is the Education & Advocacy Director of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, which addresses mass incarceration in Pennsylvania, advocating for the health, safety and dignity of incarcerated individuals and their families. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss compassion releases in regards to the elderly getting out of prison.

Sheila Ireland is the President and CEO of Philadelphia OIC and its for profit affiliate Progressive Ventures, Inc, and is leading its revitalization in Philadelphia. She joined Dr. Peterson to discuss OIC’s mission and their 4th annual Alumni and Community Block Party.

Rebecca Franco | Midday Break Room w Tiffany Bacon - 9.2.26 by WURD Radio

Michael Idris | Midday Break Room w Tiffany Bacon - 9.2.26 by WURD Radio

Denae Styles | Midday Break Room w Tiffany Bacon - 9.2.26 by WURD Radio

Alexandra Cade | Midday Break Room w Tiffany Bacon - 9.2.26 by WURD Radio

Matthew Skic | Midday Break Room w Tiffany Bacon - 9.2.26 by WURD Radio

Linn Washington Jr., is a Professor of Journalism at Temple, where he is a co-founder of the award-winning Multimedia Urban Reporting Lab. Linn talks to us about President Trump trying to push for the FCC to “rebuke or punish” Kristen Welker, of NBC’s Meet the Press, because Welker said Trump had mixed results with his primary endorsements.

Rev Jerome Fordham joins the show. He is President of the National Action Network Philadelphia. Rev Fordham talks to us about a failed trip to the march on Washington, after busses did not show up in Philadelphia and other major cities.

Brandon Hensley is a National Political Reporter for Capital B News. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss his coverage of Rev. Al Sharpton, and Martin Luther King III’s March in Washington this past Saturday.

Brittany "Bre" Skullark is an Activist and Founder of the Urban Peace Squad. She joined Dr. Peterson to discuss her wellness activist work with the youth in schools, and young adults in prisons.

Mike Sozan is the Senior Fellow for Democracy and Government at from the Center for American Progress. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss the Trump administration's recent attacks on mail-in ballots.

Cantrell Dumas is the senior researcher for Financial Regulation and Policy at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, where he focuses on retirement security and intergenerational economic stability among older Black Americans. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss the "Job Day" analysis at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

Dr. Ariane Thomas is Lecturer in Education Practice and Direction in the Professional Counseling Program at University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. She joined Dr. Peterson for this week's Tuesday teach-in segment to discuss mental health issues in the city of Philadelphia, and training school and mental health counselors on how to address mental health both on the local and global level.

Commissioner Jamila Winder is the Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. She joined Dr. Peterson to discuss Montgomery County’s 2nd Annual “Reflections on Recovery” event, to spotlight the power of connection. Joining Commissioner Winder for this event is her brother Randy Winder and Congresswoman Madaleine Dean, where they share family experiences about addition and recovery.

Inquirer reporter Melanie Burney and Pastor Amir Khan join the show. They talk to us about the program that’s bringing groceries to the food desert in Camden, New Jersey

Dr. Delana Wardlaw and Dr. Elana McDonald are board certified physicians, and they are twins. They joins us to talk about what measles is, how it’s treated, and what it can do to both children and adults.

Duane Coker is a family law attorney with over 25 years of experience at Coker, Robb, and Cannon. After a diverse start practicing various legal areas, he discovered his passion for helping families navigate the complexities of divorce with minimal conflict. This led him to specialize in family law, establishing a boutique firm focused on representing high-net-worth clients in intricate cases. Duane joins the show to talk about whether or not getting a divorce means that your marriage was a failure.

Dyana Williams is an accomplished media professional, journalist, and radio personality whose career spans decades of influential work in music and broadcasting. A respected voice in the industry, she has used her platform to spotlight artists, shape cultural conversations, and champion the importance of Black music and media. This interview is apart of WURD's Freedom Journeys Initiative, where we are honoring 250 Philadelphians who made a grand impact in the city of Philadelphia. In this Freedom Journeys segment, Dyana is recognizing the late and great singer, Teddy Pendergrass. Dyana joined this Freedom Journeys Live interview to talk about the life and legacy of Teddy Pendergrass, and to discuss his Philadelphia ties.

Dianna Coleman is the Clean Water Action Director of Eastern Pennsylvania and she joins Brother Shomari for the Watershed EcoFEST Block Party

Poetica Bey is a Rec Crew Member at Mural Arts and joins Brother Shomari as the final guest for the Watershed EcoFEST Block Party.

Ryan Strand Greenberg, Executive Director of Civic Engagement, Academy of Natural Sciences & Aquila Chatman, Community Science Specialist, join Brother Shomari for the Watershed EcoFEST Block Party.

Glenn Abrams - Watershed EcoFEST Block Party - 8.15.26 by WURD Radio

State Rep. Darisha Parker - Watershed EcoFEST Block Party - 8.15.26 by WURD Radio

George Theoharis is co-editors of the anthology "Educating in Dangerous Times". The book addresses the rising authoritarianism and white nationalism that is threatening public education and gives readers actionable options for making change.

Dr. Tim Golden Joins the show. The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration on mail voting restrictions. What was the court’s ruling and how can it impact the upcoming election?

Taylor Crumpton is an entertainment freelancer for URL Media, an organization whose mission is to build a sustainable ecosystem where local Black and Brown journalism can thrive at national scale. Recently, Taylor wrote an article titled “Why Black America Claimed Dolly Parton as Family”. In this article, Taylor talks about the various ways Dolly connected and resonated with the Black Community in Tennessee and across the country. Taylor joined the show to further talk about the context of this piece.

Keith Morgan is the author of the book, Ruta’s Closet, the true story of Holocaust survivor Ruth Kron Sigal and her family’s fight to survive the Nazi occupation of Lithuania. Keith worked closely with Ruth for years, and before her passing, she asked him to continue sharing her story. He hopes to reach younger generations with that message of hope and humanity, and Ruta's Closet includes free downloadable teachers' guides and classroom activities to help educators carry those lessons forward. Keith joins the show to further talk about the context of his book, Ruta’s Closet.

Robert Gee is an independent singer, songwriter, and producer from Philadelphia. Robert has been singing professionally for over 30 years. Living Legend Patti LaBelle is credited with discovering Gee as a teen, who, like her, would go on to become an Amateur Night Winner at the world-famous Apollo Theater! Robert's broad talents and classically trained tenor have taken him from local Jazz club beginnings to operas on the grand stage of the Academy of Music and as far away as The Grand Opera House in Armenia, where he starred in Jesus Christ Superstar and numerous other regional and touring theater productions. Robert joins the show to further discuss his music career, as well as an upcoming Labor Day performance he will be having at Philadelphia's City Winery.

On this episode of Life & Tech w/ Tech Life Steph, host Stephanie Humphrey explores the stress and potential dangers that come with children and parents navigating social media, while shifting the conversation toward safer, more controlled online spaces for teens and pre-teens. Juliette Blake, founder of Moxies, joins the discussion to share how her social media platform was designed with young people in mind. Together, they explore how thoughtful restrictions, safety features, and responsible practices can help create a safer online experience for kids.

Joi Washington is the current Mayor of Media, Pennsylvania, making history as the first Black person and the first woman to hold the borough's top office. She joins host, Ernest Owens as the first mayor to join the show, together they discuss what inspired Mayor Washington to run for office and her growing social media presence.

Zabeth Teelucksingh is the president of the Global Philadelphia Association (GPA), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Philadelphia as an influential World Heritage City and as a vital, diverse center for global affairs. Zabeth joins the show to talk about the 11th World Heritage City Celebration in Philadelphia, the first World Heritage City in the United States. This will take place on Sept. 10th from 5:30p-8:30p at the Crustal Tea Room. This year's celebration will honor Cecily Tynan, Chief Meteorologist at 6ABC, with the Distinguished Journalism Globy Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Philadelphia and the region.

Erik Mohn is the author of the memoir, Stranger in My Own Story, which describes his experience as a Black man being raised by a White family. Mohn was born to a Black mother he never knew and raised by a loving white family in small-town Massachusetts. He was taught that love was enough. America taught him otherwise. This is a coming-of-age story about growing up without a mirror and the complicated process of building one. With no one to teach him what his skin would mean in the world, Mohn found his first vocabulary for identity, grief, and belonging in hip-hop. He pieced together a sense of self through headphones before those questions finally came to a head at Howard University, where the identity he'd assembled alone was tested and transformed. He joins the show to further discuss his memoir.

Stephanie Wein is a PennEnvironment Clean Water and Conservation Advocate. She joined the show to talk about water quality issues impacting Philadelphia and the importance of protecting the city’s rivers, streams, and waterways. We discussed environmental concerns, conservation efforts, community engagement, and what residents should know about keeping Philadelphia’s water resources clean and healthy.

Today, P.O.C. spoke with Clean Water Action’s Dianna Coleman, Eastern Pennsylvania Director, Andy Aguilar, Ian Louda, Legislative Coordinator and Regional Canvass Supervisor, and Mercedes Forsyth, Environmental Health Organizer, about the organization’s work, environmental concerns impacting Philadelphia, community engagement, environmental justice, and an upcoming September event designed to educate and connect residents.

Antonia King is the author of Beyoncé—One of One, a book that celebrates Beyoncé’s artistry and places her career in the context of Black American history and culture. Antonia is a historian, poet, and PhD candidate whose personal fandom has driven her to write an thoughtful examination of Beyoncé’s work.

Rukia Lumumba joins the show. She is Director of the Electoral Justice Project & Policy at Movement for Black Lives. Rukia updates us on Mississippi, its voting map and how Mississippi voters choose their politicians.

George Flowers joins the show. He is one of the Founders of "Invisible Hurdle". An organization that works with high impact leaders. George talks to us about how gender plays a role in positions of leadership.

Attorney Melissa Andre joins the show. She is the Executive Director of the Tax review board. She talks to us about how Philadelphian's can handle home taxes based on home assessments.

Senator Anthony Williams joins the show. Senator Williams has called for an audit of the Philadelphia school district. What impact will it have on any current decisions being made by the school district? When will the audit begin and who will do it?

Kadida Kenner is the CEO of the new Pennsylvania project. She is working across the state to increase voter education and engagement.

Beth Grossman joins the show to discuss Act 135 property consevertorship act. Act 135 allows nonprofits, neighboring residents and municipalities to take property that has been blighted.

Karynthia Phillips is an ordained minister, physician assistant in family medicine, and award-winning author. She joined Dr. Peterson to discuss discuss her new book “Press Pause: Making Time for God in an Overscheduled Life”, which takes the reader on a transformative journey to help them disconnect from the chaos of the world and make room for quiet time even, if you feel you have no time.

Lauren Groh-Wargo is the CEO of Fair Fight, a Georgia-based non-profit that fights for free and fair elections, fights against voter suppression and exposes anti-voter policies. She joined Dr. Peterson to discuss the Trump administration pushing new voter fraud narratives, Southern voters and Atlanta and other southern cities not being considered for the 2028 Democratic National Convention.

Christopher Rogers is the Co-Coordinator of Friends of Tanner House, who are committed to the preservation and growth of the rich Black cultural wealth of North Philadelphia. He joined Dr. Peterson to discuss the recent news of the Tanner House (located on 29th and Diamond in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia), being preserved and acquired by a nonprofit preservation group.