When thinking about Maryam Pugh, Tayyib Smith and Sam Katz, we think accomplished visionaries. First up, the revolution may not be televised but it will be featured thanks to Philadelphia Printworks founder, Maryam Pugh. Her mission to promotes social justice just got bigger since being featured in Target stores. This powerful partnership aims to amplify social justice messages and showcase artists from underrepresented communities. Next up, Tayyib Smith and Sam Smith bring their superpowers tog...
Dec 07, 2023•39 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Kyra Knox and Lady Alma are two dope ladies using their voices in different ways. Kyra is using her directing voice to make sure Philly’s basketball courts stay safe. Her passion for the arts created a project that Philly needs: the documentary Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia. The documentary discusses the impact of gun violence in city and highlights the non-profits working hard to create change. Lady Alma has been a legendary force in house music for decades. Around the world she IS the quee...
Oct 19, 2023•27 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Two people that are the voices of Philadelphia: Alejandro Bedoya and GoGo Morrow. First up, Alejandro is not just the Philadelphia Union’s team captain, but also a passionate advocate to end gun violence. He’s also on the board of Live Work Philadelphia whose mission is to grow and diversify the middle-income population in the City of Philadelphia. Add to the list of accomplishments: helping secure Philadelphia's bid to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup! Next up, GoGo Morrow has been b...
Oct 05, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Music and food on your mind? Khemist and Alisha Miranda are about to help sooth your musical and culinary requests. Philly is home to some of the greatest MCs and to add to the list we have Khemist. He’s a teacher, an academic and multi-instrumentalist who has released several studio albums and mixtapes. And now Khemist is working with organizations like the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Kimmel Cultural Campus bridging gaps between the music and local communities. Next, if you want to get the l...
Sep 21, 2023•28 min•Ep. 26
Philly loves options and that’s what Meeka Johnson and Rene Melendez are serving. Johnson has done it all. She's known in Philly for her sense of fashion innovation. She's put in decades of work as a fashion stylist and consultant. And she's even created her own fashion-forward clothing line. But now we are obsessed with her All Black Everything Pop-Up, which is essentially the Black version of QVC on Instagram that exclusively highlights dope Black-owned brands. Next up, Melendez is the owner o...
Sep 07, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 16
It’s the Oscars of food and we have Chad Williams and Jamila Robison talking all things culinary. It was 10 years ago when his now wife Hanna Williams introduced the thought to Chad to buy the Rittenhouse Square staple Friday Saturday Sunday. Two years into the gig and right before the opening, Chad and Hanna would make their commitment to each other and the restaurant official by marrying in its kitchen. Now they have the best restaurant in the country. Next up, not only is Jamila Robinson the ...
Aug 24, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Love + Grit celebrates all things Philly and the BlackStar Film Festival was full of Philly legends and up-and-comers including Emmy Award winner and Mural Arts Philadelphia Black Artists fellow Simone Holland. Simone initially came to the film festival as a cinematographer for another BlackStar Fellow project and returned a second time as a fellow herself. Live from the Daily Jawn Stage at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, Justin and Laiya talk with Simone about her premiere film, All That’s Left. Th...
Aug 10, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Philadelphia’s music scene has produced some of the most notable acts in hip-hop and R&B. Case in point Freeway and Julian King. This year, Freeway is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album: Philadelphia Freeway. He’s also using his platform to better his life as a spokesperson and health ambassador for the National Kidney Foundation and the organization he founded, the Freedom Thinkers Academy. Next up, Julian King comes from the same institution, the High School for Creative &...
Jul 27, 2023•25 min•Season 4Ep. 13
It’s not that our hosts are always hungry, it’s that we have dope people like Justin Coleman and Dionicio Jimenez! Coleman's Bake’n Bacon food truck stepped on the scene in 2019 and has continued to meet his challenge of twisting bacon into all kinds of delicious goodness - like a bacon beer. And soon you’ll get to enjoy Justin’s new brick and mortar restaurant! Next up, Chef Dio is no stranger to Philly’s culinary scene. A true success story, Dio started as a dishwasher, moved to kitchen prep, ...
Jul 13, 2023•27 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Nikisha Bailey and Denice Frohman are two women taking arts and culture to new levels. Bailey wakes up every day and finds time to work on two things she loves: coffee and music! She’s a music executive who was named a 2x Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Power Player and owner of Win Win Coffee Bar, a brand handpicked by Goldman Sachs to be a featured vendor at its 10KSB National Summit. Next up, Frohman’s accolades list starts as a Pew Fellow and Baldwin-Emerson Fellow and leads up to performing at the Wh...
Jun 29, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 11
The Roots Picnic was loaded with legends and Black-owned businesses! Creative ambassadors Tina Dixon Spence, Shanti Mayers, Thomas (Tom) Davis and Kimberly McGlonn join Justin and Laiya for Philly trivia live on the Roots Picnic podcast stage. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we had to ask questions around Philly’s musical influences. Can you finish the lyrics to Eve’s Grammy award winning “Let Me Blow Ya Mind?” Can you name the song that won the first award for Best Rap Performance ...
Jun 15, 2023•14 min•Season 4Ep. 10
We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have three dope guests: VINCINT, Dyana Williams and Charisse McGill! First up we’re celebrating Pride with VINCINT. You know him from the hit show The Four and hearing his voice in the theme song of Queer Eye that was based in Philadelphia. We’re also celebrating Dyana Williams aka the mother of Black Music Month discussing how Black music has touched everyone in some way. And it wouldn’t be love or grit without celebrating...
Jun 01, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 9
We’re listening back at some of our favorite interviews and this week we have Ellen Yin and Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon! Ellen Yin’s name is synonymous with the hospitality industry. She recently celebrated 25 years of Fork, one of her many restaurants under the High Street Hospitality Group ownership. Ellen is also up for Outstanding Restaurateur in this year’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards. Another James Beard Award nominee, Chef Chutatip "Nok" Suntaranon recently moved her Kalaya Thai ...
May 18, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 8
We’re listening back at some of our favorite episodes and this week we have Questlove and Roberto Lugo! Did you know Roberto Lugo, born in the Kensington neighborhood of Philly, has been featured in museums across the country including the Metropolitan Museum of Art? He’s also behind the Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter mural right outside the Clay Studio building. Yes, Black Thought from the Legendary Roots Crew who Questlove is also a member of. And just in case you needed a reminder of who Quest...
May 04, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 4Ep. 7
James Jones, Lawrence Harrington and George Morse are representing Philly locally and nationally. First up, Harrington and Morse, both captains of the local Black Men Run chapter, explain the ins and outs of one of Philly's favorite running clubs which has been making its mark on the streets and communities of Philadelphia for over a decade. However, their mission goes beyond running, taking their core values of Brotherhood, Unity, and Health into the communities they run through. Next up, Jones...
Apr 13, 2023•19 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Kimberly McGlonn and Jill Scott are two Philly queens making great moves in the “City of Sisterly Affection.” Black Ivy Thrift Store is an innovative shoppable museum that honors our past. You may remember McGlonn from her activism work and especially for her super dope store, Grant Blvd. McGlonn returns to the Love + Grit podcast to talk about her new project. Next up, Laiya has a one-on-one session with Philly’s own Grammy-award winning Jill Scott! She recently kicked off her anniversary tour ...
Mar 30, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Do what you love...that’s what Victor Tejada and Samantha Smith do. Tejada is improving small businesses through Delivery Guys, his food-delivery business. Launched during the pandemic, Tejada and his start-up have since been able to offer drivers significantly more opportunities, help small business owners keep more profit and employ drivers in the communities where they live. Next up, Samantha Smith is a young Philly actress who stole our hearts in the Peacock Original limited series, The Best...
Mar 16, 2023•22 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Although he needs no introduction, DJ Jazzy Jeff “The Magnificent” is one of the most legendary artists to come out of Philadelphia becoming the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy for best rap performance. DJ Jazzy Jeff is also one of the first hip-hop artists to take over our television screens. But there’s so much more to one of our favorite DJs, making history today during a groundbreaking performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. And yes, you’ll find out why the Philadelp...
Mar 02, 2023•34 min•Season 4Ep. 3
King Saladeen and Tiffani Barbour are taking Philadelphia’s arts & culture scene to the screen and Broadway! Self-taught and world-renowned visual artist King Saladeen not only recently worked on artwork for Netflix's ‘You People,’ but has also collaborated with the New York Stock Exchange, Neiman Marcus and much more! Also, the 1776 musical is launching its national tour in Philadelphia at the Forrest Theatre. Tiffani Barbour discusses the importance of having an all-female, transgender, and no...
Feb 16, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Love + Grit is celebrating 50 Years of Hip Hop and continuing to tell Philly's most phenomenal stories. Musical mastermind Adam Blackstone joins the Love + Grit family for many reasons. To name a few: he is the reason many performers (Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, among others) are your favorite live show artist, he is the reason that you are still thinking about many Super Bowl Halftime shows, and most importantly he is Philly. And now after releasing his first studio album Legacy, he’s on the ve...
Feb 02, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Kevin Parker and Nakia and Taahirah Stith are three incredible Philadelphians walking the runway on this episode. Parker, a model turned designer, tells his story of how he created one of the country’s biggest fashion movements, Philly Fashion Week. The goal of the event, which has featured over 75 international brands and 1,000 local designers, was to develop the reputation of Philadelphia’s fashion industry, improving the local economy with jobs and educational opportunities in fashion. Next u...
Dec 08, 2022•38 min•Season 3Ep. 23
We’re thankful for Rich Medina and Chef Kurt Evans promoting Philly’s most celebrated traits: arts and activism. International and legendary DJ Rich Medina shares with us his history expressing his heart, soul and activism through music for the last 30 years. Medina also provides the details surrounding Art Basel in Miami, why it’s important for the Black arts community and details about Love + Grit On The Road during Miami Art Week. Next up, Evans discusses bringing together food and activism t...
Nov 23, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Chef Tonii Hicks and Steven CW Taylor are innovators and history makers. Hicks has worked in some of Philly’s most prestigious kitchens such as SOUTH and High Street Philly, and she’s also an activist, advocating for farm-fresh food in low-income communities. Most recently, Hicks was named a James Beard Foundation Fellow, enabling her to participate in 10 weeks of training in financial and legal matters, public relations, policy and advocacy, brand development and more. Taylor, owner of Ubuntu F...
Nov 10, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 21
Lori Lindsey and Khoran Horn might make you say, “Hey! I know them from TV!” Lindsey, a former United States women's national soccer team(USWNST) player and sports commentator, discusses her advocacy work for equal pay in sports and rights for trans athletes. She also dishes on the excitement about the FIFA World Cup™ coming to Philadelphia in 2026. At the other end of the table, Horn, owner of Guardhouse Café and winner of “It’s compli-plated!” on the Food Network, talks about how he’s never ea...
Oct 27, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 20
This episode is bringing the heat. Shannon Maldonado returns to the podcast to fill us in on what’s new at Yowie and the biggest news in her life. Hint: it involves her opening a boutique hotel on South Street. Next up, Radhi Fernandez, owner of the Faiya Company, discusses how he got started with his hot sauce, his love for Philly and how Philly loves him right back. And yes, he’ll dish on where you can buy the hot sauce, including at the Reading Terminal Market. Philly sports fans, this one’s ...
Oct 13, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 19
Food and fashion mix well in this episode. Just ask Chef Montana Houston, Chef Ja’mir Wimberly-Cole and Zakia Blain. First up, two of the hottest new chefs, both under 30, recently opened Rittenhouse Square’s Restaurant Aleksander. They’re putting their own spin on an American menu with Eastern European influences that pay homage to the culture and cuisine of the owner's family. Next up, Chester’s own Zakia Blain is celebrating 10 years working in the body-positivity space. This educator turned ...
Sep 29, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Vikram and Vivek Nayar and Julieta Zavala are people we can rely on to talk about drinks and fashion! The Nayar twins, Two Robbers Seltzer Co. owners and founders, have lived all over the world, from New York City to New Delhi, but they decided to launch their brand of hard seltzers right here in Philly, because they believed it would be more interesting. Next up, fashion designer Zavala uses recycled materials to create vibrant pieces of clothing, each one an homage to her birthplace of Mexico ...
Sep 15, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 17
On this episode, we have filmmaker Bilal Motley and chef Amanda Shulman. Motley's short animated film Quarantine Kids was an official selection at this year’s BlackStar Film Festival. Co-directed by his then 9-year-old daughter Bria, the film tells the courageous story of Bria's struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic. The film garnered the duo our first-ever Love + Grit Award! Next up, Her Place Supper Club owner and chef Amanda Shulman is doing things her way. Shulman whips up a menu that chang...
Sep 01, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 16
We're taking you on a culinary journey with Dr. Maya, Dr. Kala Johnstone and Chef Hoon Rhee. Philly twins Dr. Maya and Dr. Kala began their careers as Philadelphia public school teachers, but soon felt the pull of their vision boards and decided to launch FoodChasers' Kitchen. Since opening in December 2021, they’ve cooked for memorable guests, including Salt-N-Pepa and Khelani, and were featured in a Pepsi commercial supporting Black-owned businesses. Philly born and bred, Chef Rhee was recentl...
Aug 18, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Darrell Alston and Camille Bell are changing up the fashion and cosmetic industries respectively. Nationally recognized, Alston is the first Philadelphia brand designer to be carried in Footlocker with his company Bungee Oblečení. Bell is working to make everyone feel seen in the cosmetic world with her company Pound Cake. After seeing how a shade of lipstick on a model in a store looked different on her when she got home, she knew she needed to start creating inclusive makeup for all skin tones...
Aug 04, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 14
