In this episode, I speak with Bruce Rush, Treasurer of the Achievement Foundation and member of Kappa Alpha Psi, and Keith Ellison, President of the Achievement Foundation. As part of its yearlong 30th Anniversary Celebration of the Kappa Achievement Center (5521 Germantown Avenue, Germantown), the Achievement Foundation—the charitable arm of the Philadelphia Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.—is presenting the inaugural Germantown Avenue Food Truck Festival on Saturday, September 6, 2025 (12–6 PM) along the 5400 block of Germantown Avenue. Themed “Backpacks, Bites & Beats”, this free community event will feature food trucks, local vendors, live entertainment, an Art Village, a children’s play area, and a bookbag giveaway. Rain date: Sunday, September 7.  
 https://www.instagram.com/p/DNQ6U3DJ2kT/    

Next, I’m joined by Mark Wainwright, Founder & CEO of It Takes A Village To Feed One Child, a nonprofit fighting food insecurity through weekend meals for children, mobile food programs for the homeless, senior food delivery, and pop-up pantries. The organization is also hosting the Hunger Village Awards 2025 at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia this September.
🌐 Website: www.itavtfoc.org
🌐 Hunger Village Awards
📸 Instagram: itavtfocinc    

My conversation continues with Walter Pryor, author of This Leaves Me Okay: Race, Legacy, and Letters From My Grandmother. His memoir reflects on the decades-long correspondence with his grandmother, Lucille “Mama Ceal” Hatch Eldridge, whose handwritten letters helped him find belonging and resilience despite systemic racism. Through her words, Pryor intertwines personal history, the Black experience in rural Arkansas, and the ongoing struggle for racial equity.
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/retlawop/?hl=en

First, I speak with Erikka Goslin, Executive Director of Taller Puertorriqueño, about the annual Feria del Barrio Festival. Taking place Sunday, September 7, 2025 (12–5 PM) on North 5th Street, this free family-friendly event will showcase live music, dance, food, art, and culture.
🌐 Website: www.tallerpr.org
📸 Instagram: @tallerpr
📘 Facebook: Taller Puertorriqueño
🐦 X/Twitter: @tallerpr  

I speak to  Dr. Kirk Noel Garratt, Medical Director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Health at ChristianaCare and former president of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions. A nationally recognized leader in interventional cardiology, Dr. Garratt shares his insights on prevention, education, and equity in cardiovascular care—and invites listeners to the 2025 Wilmington Heart Walk, happening Sunday, September 7 at Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park.
Event Details: 🗓 Date: Sunday, September 7, 2025
📍 Location: Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park, Wilmington, DE
🕗 8:00 AM: Event Opens | 🚶 9:30 AM: Walk Begins
🔗 Register: heart.org/wilmingtonwalkSocial Media: 📱 Instagram & X: @American_Heart
📘 Facebook: @AmericanHeart
🧠 Hashtag: #WilmingtonHeartWalk #HeartWalkDE #CPRSavesLives

Honoring Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month
In recognition of August as Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month, we’re sharing powerful stories that highlight the lifesaving impact of organ donation within communities of color. This episode features Maxine Williams of Audubon, PA, widow of Al Williams — a U.S. Navy veteran, General Mills employee, coach, and kidney recipient. Al’s transplant in 2011 gave him 12 more years of life, during which he witnessed milestones he once thought impossible while on dialysis — including his son Nico’s high school and college graduations. Al was a passionate advocate for organ donation, sharing his gratitude publicly and inspiring others to register as a Gift of Life Ambassador.  Together, Maxine and her family continue this legacy through The Al Williams Foundation, promoting preventative health, wellness, and the power of organ donation. Their story embodies the profound gift of a second chance at life — and the importance of increasing organ donor registration in minority communities.

 🔗 Learn more and register as an organ donor at www.donors1.org — the Gift of Life Donor Program.
📱 Follow Gift of Life:

• Facebook: @donors1
• Instagram: @donors1
• X (Twitter): @donors1

 

Saving the Wanamaker Light Show
Today we’re joined by Kathryn Ott Lovell, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center, to talk about an exciting campaign to bring back two of Philadelphia’s most beloved holiday traditions: the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village. For generations, families have gathered under the glow of the Light Show, listened to the majestic sounds of the Wanamaker Organ, and created cherished memories in the heart of Center City. When Macy’s closed its Center City location, the future of these traditions was left uncertain. But thanks to the Philadelphia Visitor Center and its partners, there’s now a plan to restore the magic for the 2025 holiday season and preserve it for generations to come. ✨ If you’d like to be part of saving one of Philadelphia’s most treasured holiday traditions, visit SaveTheLightShow.org to learn more and make a donation. Every gift helps bring back the magic of the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village.  

Girl Scouts of Eastern PA - Calling All Girl Bosses 
I welcomed four inspiring guests from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania’s Calling All Girl Bosses initiative—a free, yearlong leadership program helping girls in grades 6–12 become confident changemakers in their communities. Joining us are two remarkable Girl Scouts: Jasmine Wielgoszinski from Northeast Philly and Kinsley Jackson from West Philadelphia. They’ll share how their Gold Award projects are making an impact—from advocating for farm animal therapy to leading mural tours rooted in Black history. With them are their biggest supporters—moms and volunteers Adrienne Wielgoszinski and Lillian Jackson.
📍 Learn more or register: gsep.org/girlbosses
📲 Follow on Instagram: @girlbossesphl   

⚖️ Lauren Cristella & Patrick Martin | The Power of Jury Duty
We’re joined by Lauren Cristella, President & CEO of the Committee of Seventy, and Patrick Martin, Philadelphia Jury Commissioner, to highlight the critical civic responsibility of jury service. From ensuring justice to reflecting the diversity of our communities, jury duty is one of the most direct ways citizens can shape the legal system. Lauren and Patrick are working together to educate and empower Philadelphians to take their place in the courtroom and uphold democracy.
🌐 Learn more: https://seventy.org/jury-service-initiative

Barbers Who Care Free Haircut & Back-to-School Drive
Today we’re joined by Kenny Duncan, CEO and co-founder of Barbers Who Care — a celebrity barber, salon owner, and nationally recognized educator. For 16 years, Kenny and his team have been uplifting Philadelphia youth through mentorship, health and wellness, and their annual Barbers Who Care Free Haircut & Back-to-School Drive. This year’s event takes place Sunday, August 24, 2025, from 10 AM – 3 PM at the West Philadelphia YMCA (5120 Chestnut Street). Along with free haircuts for children ages 5–17, families will receive bookbags, school supplies, and access to valuable community resources.
 🌐 Website: barberswhocare.com
📱 Socials: @barberswhocareinc    

Honoring Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month
In recognition of August as Minority Organ Donor Awareness Month, we’re sharing powerful stories that highlight the lifesaving impact of organ donation within communities of color. This episode features Maxine Williams of Audubon, PA, widow of Al Williams — a U.S. Navy veteran, General Mills employee, coach, and kidney recipient. Al’s transplant in 2011 gave him 12 more years of life, during which he witnessed milestones he once thought impossible while on dialysis — including his son Nico’s high school and college graduations. Al was a passionate advocate for organ donation, sharing his gratitude publicly and inspiring others to register as a Gift of Life Ambassador. Together, Maxine and her family continue this legacy through The Al Williams Foundation, promoting preventative health, wellness, and the power of organ donation. Their story embodies the profound gift of a second chance at life — and the importance of increasing organ donor registration in minority communities.

 🔗 Learn more and register as an organ donor at www.donors1.org — the Gift of Life Donor Program.
📱 Follow Gift of Life:

• Facebook: @donors1
• Instagram: @donors1
• X (Twitter): @donors1

 

Today we’re joined by Kathryn Ott Lovell, President & CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center, to talk about an exciting campaign to bring back two of Philadelphia’s most beloved holiday traditions: the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village. For generations, families have gathered under the glow of the Light Show, listened to the majestic sounds of the Wanamaker Organ, and created cherished memories in the heart of Center City. When Macy’s closed its Center City location, the future of these traditions was left uncertain. But thanks to the Philadelphia Visitor Center and its partners, there’s now a plan to restore the magic for the 2025 holiday season and preserve it for generations to come. ✨ If you’d like to be part of saving one of Philadelphia’s most treasured holiday traditions, visit SaveTheLightShow.org to learn more and make a donation. Every gift helps bring back the magic of the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village.

  I speak with David Gutstadt, a Philadelphia-based hospitality and real estate executive with over two decades of experience in hotels, leisure, fitness, and real estate. He is the founder and CEO of Ballers, a hospitality-forward social sports brand launched in 2023. Ballers redefines urban recreation by combining elevated sport experiences—like pickleball, padel, squash, golf simulators, and turf—with refined design, dining, wellness, and community programming 

• Ballers Website: ballers-us.com
• Social Media: Follow at @ballers.social.sports (Instagram)

 Then, we dive into the future of emotionally intelligent gaming with William Santo, Chief Technology Officer at Kaiko Studios. With over 20 years of experience at major tech players like Amazon and Google, William is pioneering emotionally aware AI agents that go beyond thought to feel. At Kaiko Studios, the mission is to merge emotional intelligence with artificial intelligence—fostering game characters that respond, adapt, and evolve in real time for more immersive, human-centered experiences

• Kaiko Studios Website: kaikostudios.xyz
• Social Media: @KaikoHQ on X (Twitter)

Finally, our Summer Work Ready student UPenn’s  Trinity Nieves speaks with Felicitas Tananibe, a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, about the critical role of art in healthcare, and how it’s shaping her path as an aspiring medical practitioner.  

In this episode, I speak with Reverend Steven T. Robinson—Founder, Chairman, and Director of the Inter-Faith Social Change Movement, and Pastor of God’s Missionary Baptist Church. Widely recognized as one of Philadelphia’s most innovative and outspoken spiritual leaders, Rev. Robinson is a pioneer in the education of disadvantaged children, an accomplished author, and a musician. His decades of service have earned him numerous citations and proclamations from City Council, honoring his tireless work alongside government, civic, and community organizations. Rev. Robinson joins us to share details about the First Annual Addiction Awareness and Recovery Concert of Philadelphia, happening Saturday, September 27 at The Lutheranian Music Hall, 2715 E. Alleghany Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134. Doors open at 6 PM, and the concert begins at 7 PM. Admission is a $20 donation.
Website: www.ifscm.org
Contact: Rev. S. Robinson – (215) 498-6882  

We also shine a light on the urgent need for organ donation during National Minority Donor Awareness Month. More than 100,000 children and adults in the U.S. are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant—and nearly 60% are from Black and Brown communities. My guest, Phillip Davis, is a passionate educator and father who discovered he was in kidney failure on his 34th birthday. Since then, he has undergone dialysis treatments—four hours a day, three times a week—for over four years while waiting for his gift of life. Married to his wife Akelia since 2023, Phillip speaks movingly about her unwavering love and support, and continues to inspire as an educator, rapper, and advocate for organ and tissue donation.
Learn more: www.donors1.org

This week, we remember Anita Conner, Co-Founder of the breast cancer awareness and resource nonprofit Praise Is the Cure, who was laid to rest alongside the memory of her late daughter, Kerri Conner Matchet. Anita and her family launched the organization to provide life-saving resources and mammograms, partnering with trusted messengers in faith-based institutions to reach women in need. Looking back through my archives, I found an interview from 2022 with Anita and her son, John, that captured her passion, determination, and commitment to the community. Anita Marie Thorne Conner — loving wife, devoted mother, cherished grandmother, trailblazing businesswoman, and founder of Praise Is the Cure — was born October 14, 1956, and was called home on August 4, 2025. Her legacy lives on through the countless lives she touched and the vital work of her organization.

Learn more and support the mission at: www.praiseisthecure.org
📘 Facebook: @PraiseIsTheCure
📸 Instagram: @praiseisthecure
🐦 X (Twitter): @PraiseIsTheCure