Philly is a city of champions, two of them being Travis Wolfe, Jr. and Kareem Rosser. Wolfe is a 16-year-old actor who’s been a show business veteran for a decade, starring in shows like Neighborhood and Grown-ish and most recently CBS’s Bob ❤️ Abishola. Next up, as an interscholastic polo champion, Rosser is everywhere including playing a major role in the inaugural Philadelphia Polo Classic. His biggest goal is to connect the two worlds of an elite sport to everyday folks in Philly. Also, find...
Jul 21, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Yaya Horne, Damion Ward and Eric “Bus Driver Doo” Lilley are showing off Philly in different ways, but spreading the love as they do. Horne and Ward, co-founders of Tiny Room for Elephants, discuss how their month-long festival fuses the work of artists and musicians committed to creating unexpected works. The inspiration for this year's festival is "'made with love and inspired by grit.” We like the sound of that! Next up is Lilley, a SEPTA bus driver who made a big impression on social media b...
Jul 07, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Brandi Nicole and Brannon Johnson are two Philadelphians that know health and wellness! Nicole is the founder of Hike + Heal, which is so much more than hiking. With wellness retreats, healing circles, Nicole shows folks a way to find peace of mind in the City of Brotherly Love. Up next, we have Philly native Johnson, an elite accomplished athlete and head coach and owner of BLJ Community Rowing. A one of the most diverse community rowing programs in Philadelphia, Johnson is making sure the skil...
Jun 23, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Suzann Christine, Gregory Corbin and Aja Graydon test their Philly knowledge live at the Roots Picnic. How well do you know your Reading Terminal Market merchants? Remember when the first Roots Picnic took place? Corbin, community activist, poet and educator, joins Team Justin, and Graydon, the lady from Kindred the Family Soul, and Christine, R&B artist, join Team Rachel for a good time and a great history lesson moderated by Laiya.
Jun 13, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Pink Sweat$ and Dyana Williams represent the past, present and future of music. And that future is looking bright thanks to singer/ songwriter Pink Sweat$. Born and raised in West Philly, Sweat$ discusses how inspired he is by love—something that’s apparent on his newest album Pink Moon. Up next, Dyana Williams, the mother of Black Music Month, makes her return to Love + Grit. This time around, she talks about the importance of Black Music Month, how Black music has touched everyone in some way ...
Jun 02, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Siddiq Moore and Sofia Deleon are getting us in the mood for summertime with all their talk about water ice and street food. Siddiq of the eponymously named Siddiq’s Water Ice gives us the scoop about his shop being a community hub and his journey to owning two stores. And Deleon talks about how she brought her favorite childhood eats to Philly via El Merkury, serving up lauded Central American street food, and about what’s next for her.
May 19, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Chef Kevin Cooper and DJ Diamond Kuts discuss the best of food and music. Chef Cooper is a three-time Food Network champion, winning ‘Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime,’ ‘Guy’s Grocery Games’ and ‘Cooks vs. Cons.’ He’s also launched one of Philly’s newest culinary offerings Succulent Imagination, a one-on-one cooking class, and will own and operate a Chicken Guy, a concept from Guy Fieri. DJ Diamond Kuts is a Philly-native making people dance globally. From traveling and performing on some of the bigge...
May 05, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Two of Philly’s sons, Larry Miller and Mykey Cooper, take to the mic to share their stories of perseverance and hard work. Miller discusses his journey from juvenile offender to president of Nike’s Jordan Brand, and his controversial book, Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom. Next, Cooper breaks down how as a teenager, he balances major acting gigs and writing for the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, all while keeping those grades up.
Apr 21, 2022•31 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Which women are considered to be the most powerful voices in Philadelphia? Laurin Talese and Patty Jackson are certainly contenders for this title. First up in this episode is Talese, a classically trained jazz singer who moved to Philly to further her vocal education and is the first cultural ambassador for American Music Abroad. The vice president of the city’s Grammy chapter is also releasing her second album. Up next, Jackson is a veteran radio personality whose voice has graced the airwaves...
Apr 07, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Two people changing the game in sports and food: Kate Scott and JL Jupiter. Scott is used to making history. She was the first woman to call a men’s basketball game at the Olympics and the first to call an NFL game on the radio. And now she comes to Philadelphia as the first female announcer for the Philadelphia 76ers. Next up is Jupiter, a first generation immigrant that celebrates mom and pop restaurants and their international cuisines. His YouTube videos give an insider's look at his favorit...
Mar 24, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Terrill Haigler and Jena Harris are two people who are all about love and grit. Born out of the 2020 pandemic, the West Philly Bunny Hop is a food pantry created by Harris that now feeds more than 350 families each week. Next up is Haigler, known as Ya Fav Trashman on social media. He talks about how starting a job as a sanitation worker inspired his activism and raising awareness for the sanitation industry. The fundraiser he led to purchase PPE, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies for sanitat...
Mar 10, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Blew Kind and Dr. Sheena Howard are taking a creative approach to inspiring the next generation of activists in Philadelphia and beyond. Kind is the founder of Kensington-based Franny Lou’s Porch, named after Fannie Lou Hamer and Frances E.W. Harper, two influential Black women from the Civil Rights movement. The Afro-centric cafe is focused on activism, health, history, art and culture in the Black community. Next up is Howard, an award-winning author and professor at Rider University. She uses...
Feb 24, 2022•25 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Love + Grit Season 3 kicks off with an all star reunion featuring Jeannine A. Cook, Chef Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude-Tate who continue to amplify their visions and make Black history as they do. First, Cook discusses growing Harriett’s Bookshop nationwide, a visit from Will Smith, calls from Oprah and a vow of silence. Then, we catch up with TIME 100Next's Chef Omar Tate and his wife Cybille, founders of Honeysuckle Projects. The husband-and-wife duo are set to open their first brick-and-mort...
Feb 10, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Dr. Janice Johnson Dias and Ellen Yin have both been sources of inspiration for women and girls, giving them spaces to grow and develop their skills to succeed in the face of adversity. Johnson Dias, the mother of 16-year-old activist and writer Marley Dias, talks about her new book “Parent Like It Matters: How to Raise Joyful, Change-Making Girls.” Wharton graduate, Ellen Yin, who owns High Street Hospitality Group, is one of the leading forces behind the Sisterly Love Collective (an alliance o...
Dec 30, 2021•31 min•Season 2Ep. 23
PHILADANCO’s Dr. Joan Myers Brown is a true dance pioneer. After founding the Philadelphia Dance Company in 1970, she went on to create the International Association of Blacks in Dance and the International Conference of Black Dance Companies. As she steps down (but not away) from her role at PHILADANCO, she reflects on her achievements and the impact she has made on the dance community globally. Also on the show: Ben “BoxWon” Barnes-McGee, who will take break dancing to the 2024 Olympics for th...
Dec 16, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Khalil Munir is a performer, educator and author who has defied the odds and equips his students with the tools to do the same. His first book, The Crown is Yours, is inspired by the challenges he faced growing up with dyslexia, a disorder he turned into "his superpower." Also on this episode is Natalie Pompilio, talking about her new book, This USED to be Philadelphia. A former reporter for The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News, Pompilio has harnessed her Philly knowledge to write severa...
Dec 02, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 21
This episode features 15-year-old—yes 15-year-old —Trey Brown. The founder of SPERGO, a trendsetting streetwear and lifestyle brand, turned his passion for design and community into a six-figure company in only three years. One of the most sought-after youth speakers in the country, Brown has been featured on a billboard in Times Square, opened up two stores, received a key to the city and just received a deal on ABC’s Shark Tank. Also on this episode is Mz. Icar, the woman behind a dope (and an...
Nov 11, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 20
When it comes to visual arts in Philadelphia, Michelle Angela Ortiz is a local legend. Her work has been presented in all forms — on canvas, lightboxes, building walls and now TV screens with her first documentary, “Las Madres de Berks.” The New York Times recently shouted out the Moore College of Art grad with South Philly roots for her work in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s New Grit exhibition. Also featured in The New York Times and on this episode of the podcast is Kensington-born Roberto ...
Oct 28, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Jennifer Zavala kicked off Philadelphia’s birria taco craze with a graffiti truck and a pop-up shop at Underground Arts. Tune in to hear from the South Philly-based owner of Juana Tamale as she prepares for her brick-and-mortar opening later this year on Passyunk Ave. In Kensington, Nicholas Ducos and Francesca Galarus have opened the city's first independently owned urban winery with the goal of making wine more affordable and accessible. Hear about how Nicholas’ sommelier skills and Francesca'...
Oct 14, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Contributing to Philadelphia’s business community is a conscious effort for the two women featured on this episode. Tess Hart brought her mission to life in the Spring Arts District when she co-founded Triple Bottom Brewing, dedicated to putting people, the planet and profit on equal footing. In Centro de Oro’s Business District, Maria Gonzalez manages a $100 million budget for commercial and housing development. As president of the Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises (HACE), she...
Sep 30, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a salsa song dedicated to Philly’s Latinx neighborhoods and a sip of the city's first Latinx-distilled whiskey. Strivers’ Row Distillery, based in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood, is owned and operated by Brooklyn ex-pat and the Al Día 40-Under-40-nominated Francisco Garcia. Also on the episode: Alba Martínez, who after a 12-year run at a top financial firm and 23 years dedicated to law, human services and government, is ready to use her expertise to...
Sep 16, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 16
David and Aaron Cabello were delivering for Uber Eats and Caviar in Center City when they saw a hole in the market. They created Black and Mobile and became the first delivery service based in Philadelphia to partner with and highlight Black-Owned Businesses. Live music is back and the Vice President of Business Development and Operations at Live Nation Urban, Brandon Pankey, is working to build the industry back in the most inclusive way. From his Meet the Execs series on BlackStream Live to la...
Sep 02, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 15
This episode’s guests are two women inspired by their children to build thriving Philadelphia businesses. Charisse McGill combined her farmers market expertise and inspiration from her daughter to launch Lokal Artisan Foods. As the first Black woman to vend at Spruce Street Harbor Park and the first Black woman in Pennsylvania with her own craft beer, she’s just getting started. When Tina Dixon Spence could not find a baby store that matched her son’s burgeoning style, she created Buddha Babe, a...
Aug 19, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 14
The BlackStar Film Festival, also known as “Black Sundance,” is the nation’s premier fest for Black, Brown and Indigenous filmmakers. And it’s centered in Philly! On this episode of Love + Grit, hear from local directors screening their work at the 2021 festival. West Philly neighbors and respected filmmakers Raishad M. Hardnett and Aidan M. Un teamed up to produce a short film about Harriett’s Bookshop in Fishtown for the 10th annual festival’s “Stories in Place” series about small businesses. ...
Aug 05, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 13
You can’t talk about Philly’s hip-hop scene without mentioning Lady B and Bri Steves. These two women are essential to the city’s place in the music industry. One of the first female rappers, Lady B recorded her first single, To the Beat, Y’all, in 1979. The “Godmother of Hip-Hop” has been blazing trails ever since as a performer, DJ and podcaster, paving the way for stars like Bri Steves. East Falls native and Temple University grad Steves has opened for H.E.R., Mary J. Blige, Pharrell and Kend...
Jul 22, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Ask anyone to name the most iconic Philadelphians and Questlove is top of the list. The West Philly native is the drummer for The Roots and musical director of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon; cofounder of digital music and media platforms Okayplayer and OkayAfrica; a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author; plant-based cheesesteak maker and more. He joins Love + Grit to talk about his career, health and his latest project, Summer of Soul, debuting in theaters and on Hulu on July 2, 2...
Jul 01, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 11
As the birthplace of a new nation, Philadelphia sees independence not just as a single day, but a full season that bridges the celebrations of Juneteenth and July 4th. The guests on this episode of Love + Grit have devoted their careers to centering the stories of African Americans and the African Diaspora. Ivan Henderson is the vice president of programming at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, who has curated Juneteenth events that will join the City of Philadelphia’s 2021 Wawa Welco...
Jun 17, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Philly’s music scene is one of love, authenticity and community, with people like Kenny Gamble, Dyana Williams and Patti LaBelle supporting and producing unforgettable beats created in the City of Brotherly Love. Today’s hitmakers keep it real. West Philly’s Beano French and North Philadelphia’s Brianna Castro join the Love + Grit hosts in this episode to talk about their burgeoning music careers as Philly — and the nation — celebrates Black Music Month. Both artists are part of the Love + Grit ...
Jun 01, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Two inspiring creators representing Latinx communities join this episode of Love + Grit to discuss their work, their influences and the challenges of turning major artistic experiences into virtual events. Nayara Lopes got her start in Brazil before eventually moving to Philadelphia to join the Pennsylvania Ballet, where the first soloist has starred in The Nutcracker and Cinderella, and is currently filming a new season of original performances for digital audiences. Also going virtual this yea...
May 20, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Dine Latino Restaurant Week is a way for Philadelphians — and all who visit — to support the growth of local businesses and taste the flavors of Colombian, Mexican, Dominican and other cultures. More than 20 restaurants offer deals for the spring 2021 edition of Restaurant Week, and the guests on this episode have dedicated their careers to supporting the work of Philadelphia’s Latinx communities and food businesses. Jennifer Rodríguez, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Cham...
May 05, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 7
