Have you eaten catfish and waffles? Turtle soup? As we now enjoy an enormous variety of food, these dishes are part of Philly’s culinary history. Origins of the city’s food traditions are rooted in the cultural melting pot that includes the African diaspora and the Pennsylvania Dutch. Chef & Culinary Educator Joy Parham and Elwood Restaurant Chef & Owner Adam Diltz join host Racquel Williams to share some holiday traditions and explain why the cultural foods we eat connect us to the regi...
Nov 30, 2024•36 min
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, the country has been divided, with many states banning or restricting abortion and many others passing measures to protect abortion access. Now that Donald Trump has been elected President again, and Republicans have control of both the Senate and the House, what changes could we see, and how could they affect reproductive health care beyond abortion? Rachel Rebouché, Kean Family Dean and Peter J. Liacouras Professor of Law at Temple University Beasley School of...
Nov 23, 2024•43 min
New Jersey was the last northern state to abolish slavery, and you can see the impacts of that today in things like housing inequality and a massive wealth gap. Several Black advocacy groups banded together to form United Black Agenda and push for policies, education, and programs that will help close that gap. Executive Director Rev. Eric Dobson joins Racquel Williams to talk about UBA’s initiatives. Look for Rev. Eric Dobson’s podcast “Navigating Realities: Where dialogue meets understanding” ...
Nov 16, 2024•41 min
While going through a divorce, Robin Shine Maddox realized we need more opportunities to celebrate women. So she started Celebrating Sisterhood, which grew from a gathering of friends into the annual She Shines conference, which is in Philadelphia on November 9. Robin and her She Shines sisters Tracey Calhoun and Lynn Michelle Austin join host Racquel Williams to talk about the conference and share their stories of how they found passion and purpose through their struggles. Then, on Shara in the...
Nov 09, 2024•46 min
Quinta Brunson named her hit TV show, “Abbott Elementary,” after her own elementary school teacher in Philadelphia: Ms. Joyce Abbott. Ms. Abbott is speaking at the Pennsylvania Conference for Women on November 7, and Racquel Williams talks with her about the event, her teaching career, what Quinta Brunson was like as a student, and more. Her book, “Teaching the Ms. Abbott Way”, is available online and in bookstores now. Then, on Shara in the City, Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott come...
Nov 02, 2024•39 min
To conclude our Breast Cancer Awareness Month series, KYW Newsradio and Bridging Philly hosted a live conversation about breast reconstruction with an audience of survivors, doctors, advocates, and supporters. Racquel Williams spoke with surgeons Dr. Alexander Au and Dr. Lori Timmerman with The Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program and two reconstruction patients to hear all the options available, how procedures like implants and DIEP flap reconstruction work, what recovery looks like, an...
Oct 26, 2024•37 min
A study published by JAMA Oncology shows that spouses of cancer patients are at a heightened risk of suicide attempts and death by suicide. A cancer diagnosis can reshape relationships for better or worse, whether they’re family, partners, or friends. How can breast cancer survivors make sure they’re getting the support they need and that their loved ones feel supported, as well? Racquel Williams talks with a panel of survivors and supporters, along with a social worker from The Penn Medicine | ...
Oct 19, 2024•59 min
There’s a lot that people don’t talk about when it comes to the side effects of cancer treatment. Whether patients get chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or a combination of it all, the changes to their bodies have a heavy physical and emotional impact. Racquel Williams talks with a group of survivors and medical experts from The Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program about everything from hair loss to sexual wellness - including how breast cancer impacts men and why “going flat” should be ...
Oct 12, 2024•1 hr 4 min
Estimates say that over 300,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024. The good news is that mortality rates have dropped, and we’ve made tremendous progress on detection and treatment. During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re featuring a special series of conversations about breast cancer - the journey through it and the fight to cure it. To kick it off, Racquel Williams speaks with Dr. Arnold Baskies, chair of the Greater Philadelphia Area Board of the American Canc...
Oct 05, 2024•40 min
Committee of Seventy provides essential voter information, not just on how to vote, but on what happens to your ballot after it’s submitted. How can you be sure your ballot is counted? Who is at polling places assuring security and safety? Host Raquel Williams speaks with C70’s CEO, Lauren Cristella, about their work for a fair and transparent election, and what you should know when you head to the polls or vote by mail. Check out their interactive voter guide at ballot.seventy.org. Then, on Sha...
Sep 28, 2024•45 min
Every year, KYW Newsradio and Bridging Philly present an hour-long special during Suicide Prevention Month to break down the stigma surrounding mental health. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the US, but there is help. Host Racquel Williams and our team of reporters and anchors talk with experts about some of the biggest mental health challenges in 2024. If you are in crisis, help is available - call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. 00:00 Intro 01:30 Mo...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 7 min
PECO does more than just keep your lights on - they’re marking 20 years of their Green Region Open Space Program, which has provided over $2.5 million in grants to preserve, protect, and expand green spaces throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. Spaces like gardens and parks are vital for our physical and mental health, but they can be hard to find in the city, especially in disinvested neighborhoods. We hear how PECO has partnered with Natural Lands and Neighborhood Gardens Trust to make nature ...
Sep 21, 2024•44 min
Only 1 in 3 fourth graders in Pennsylvania is reading proficiently - a statistic that Teach Plus hopes to change. The organization works to improve student outcomes by empowering teachers to advocate for policy change, as well as helping to recruit a diverse teacher workforce. Laura Boyce, Teach Plus Pennsylvania’s Executive Director, joins host Racquel Williams to talk about the teacher shortage, teacher retention, the latest school budget, and more. Teachers interested in joining a Teach Plus ...
Sep 14, 2024•50 min
Domestic abusers want to have control over their victims, and often, that involves knowing where they are at all times. Tracking devices have made that easier, and devices that look like a phone charger or a child’s toy are readily available. Amanda L. Murray, Center for Hope & Safety's Domestic Violence Liaison to New Jersey’s Division of Child Protection and Permanency, joins host Racquel Williams to discuss what to do if you think you or someone you love is being tracked. If you need help...
Sep 07, 2024•37 min
The transition to college can be tough for both students and parents. Whether it’s your first time moving a kid into a dorm or you find yourself with an empty nest after all your kids are out of the house, life is suddenly different. Racquel Williams hosts a panel of moms and advisors to learn how to parent differently at this stage of life, avoid being a helicopter parent, and embrace your “second act”. She's joined by Jodi Silverman, founder of Moms Who Dare, Beth Allen, a participant in Moms ...
Aug 31, 2024•52 min
Youth and young adults in Philadelphia can learn about career options and job skills while getting paid through C2L-PHL’s youth work programs, run by JEVS Human Services. Summer and school year job opportunities range from the medical field to government, even working with horses and people with disabilities at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy. Racquel Williams talks with representatives from JEVS, Pegasus, and LNESC - a nonprofit that works with JEVS to place students in meaningful work exper...
Aug 24, 2024•41 min
At 55-years-old, Marie-Monique Marthol made a life-changing decision to change careers. She learned carpentry through Rebuild’s Workforce Development Program, where participants learn trade skills while revitalizing Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. Marie-Monique joins host Racquel Williams to talk about her experience. We also hear from Rebuild’s Director of Workforce Development, Tiffany Smith, about how Rebuild is bringing more women and people of color into the trades. Then, on Shara in the City...
Aug 17, 2024•46 min
We’ve seen a surge of people facing food insecurity since pandemic relief ended, and the numbers have not gone back down. It’s a particular issue in Philadelphia, where about 22% of people live in poverty - twice the national average. Share Food Program is the city’s leading hunger relief organization. Their executive director, George Matysik, and deputy chief program officer, Cat Bartoli, join host Racquel Williams to discuss the programs they offer - from pantries to delivery, school lunches t...
Aug 10, 2024•48 min
The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is on tour! Their “Beloved Community” tour is stopping in towns across the state to host open discussions about civil rights issues in each community. Racquel Williams speaks with Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter to understand the purpose of this tour, the important work PHRC does, and how to reach out if you’re having an issue with any kind of prejudice or discrimination. Then, on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard visits the ABA Centers of Penn...
Aug 03, 2024•36 min
When COVID-19 hit, Dr. Ala Stanford stepped up to help Philadelphians get access to information, testing, care, and later, vaccines. She founded the Black Doctors Consortium, and after her work gained national media attention, President Biden appointed her Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Now, Dr. Stanford has written a book, “Take Care of Them Like My Own”, coming out August 6 with a launch event at the Kimmel Center. It’s about her personal journey, her work...
Jul 27, 2024•42 min
While many schools have faced fights over book bans and how they teach about racism, Friends Select School in Philadelphia is taking an actively anti-racist approach to education. As a Quaker school, they follow the same philosophies that the Quakers who fought in the abolitionist movement did, and they’re able to incorporate social justice into their curriculum, staff training, and how they interact with the greater Philadelphia community. Racquel Williams speaks with educators and staff from F...
Jul 20, 2024•41 min
The Focus on Fathers parenting education program shows new fathers how to have positive relationships with their kids. The “fathers to the fathers” try to fill in the gaps for men raised without a strong father figure in their lives, through child development education, job readiness, and mental health awareness, with remote and in-person classes. --This interview originally ran on Nov 19, 2023. Then, on Shara in the City, we explore a cave that’s said to be built by America’s first cult of myst...
Jul 13, 2024•31 min
Navigating the mental health care system is a challenge for the most experienced of patients, but what about people looking to see a therapist for the first time? Where do you start? Do you go to someone who matches your demographic? Is telehealth a good option? Host Racquel Williams asks these questions and more with our panel of therapists. Then on Shara in the City, Shara Dae Howard spends some time in nature and introduces us to the poets and musicians who are inspired by the historic German...
Jul 06, 2024•33 min
Pennsylvania’s funding for after-school care ends when children turn 13, and many parents are concerned about where their teens can go after school and in the summer. Caring People Alliance runs a teen program and recently opened a new center at their South Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club where teens can go to get a meal, play basketball, make music and art, and have a safe space to talk and learn. We speak with Branon Gilmore, VP of CPA’s Boys & Girls Club Movement, Jewel Felder-James, D...
Jun 29, 2024•46 min
We’ve seen tremendous progress in diagnosing and treating cancer, but not all people have benefited from that progress equally. The American Association for Cancer Research recently released their 2024 Cancer Disparities Progress Report, which highlights gaps in diagnoses, treatment, and outcomes for people in marginalized groups. What is being done to close those gaps? We talk with Mitch Stoller, Chief Philanthropic Officer and Vice President of Development for the AACR, and Dr. Camille Ragin, ...
Jun 22, 2024•40 min
The experience of traveling to a different part of the world can be life-changing, but many people don’t get that opportunity because of the cost. A new initiative called Invest in Human Potential aims to take five young Black men from Philadelphia on a two-week trip to Sardinia, Italy, and empower them with the skills to become social justice warriors over the course of a year-long fellowship. Racquel Williams talks with the director, Amir Joshua Palmer, about what the fellowship will involve a...
Jun 15, 2024•39 min
A Philadelphia performing arts organization is celebrating Juneteenth with a twist on an old tradition: the house party. Running June 20 - 22, Intercultural Journeys’ “The Re-Emancipation of Social Dance” is an interactive party-performance through five “living rooms”, inviting you to reclaim the freedom of dance. We talk with the show’s curator and former Philadelphia Poet Laureate, Yolanda Wisher, and Intercultural Journeys' Executive Director, Carly Rapaport-Stein, about this performance and ...
Jun 08, 2024•43 min
More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Women Against Abuse aims to help domestic violence victims of all genders by providing shelters, counseling, legal services, and safety planning. Executive Director Joanna Otero-Cruz joins us along with board member Jamie Colleen Miller, who shares her own story of escaping an abusive relationship with help from Women Against Abuse. If you are facing d...
Jun 01, 2024•45 min
Author Susanne Munn of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, says her neurodivergent son had a hard time fitting in. She wrote a poem to help him celebrate himself, and 10 years later, she’s releasing that poem as a children’s book with the help of her friend and illustrator, Amy Towers. Susanne and Amy tell us about “The Great Shape Debate”. Plus Kim Wheeler Poitevien, MSW, LCSW, owner of Amel Counseling, joins us to expand on ways to help kids - and adults - stop comparing themselves to others and love who...
May 25, 2024•33 min
Tahirah Austin-Muhammad was diagnosed with sickle cell disease when she was six years old. Throughout her life, she has dealt with pain and organ failures - she’s currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, living on 7% kidney function. Despite that, she is raising a daughter and has helped found Crescent Foundation to provide education and resources to others living with sickle cell disease. She joins us along with her physician, Dr. Safiyya Shabazz. And on Shara in the City, Shara D...
May 18, 2024•46 min
