This week on WURD: Jesse Jackson’s political legacy, monetizing content with Fanbase, the government shutdown’s impact, Pennsylvania’s prison conditions

CNN anchor Abby Phillip joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to discuss her debut book “A Dream Deferred: Jesse Jackson and the Fight for Black Political Power,” which reframes Jackson’s political legacy. She argues that Jackson was not a fringe figure but a foundational architect of modern progressive politics. Phillip connected Jackson’s vision to Barack Obama’s coalition-building and current challenges to voting rights and democracy.

Music producer and entrepreneur Isaac K. Hayes III joined The Midday Break Room with Tiffany Bacon to discuss Fanbase, his social media startup designed to let users monetize their content directly. Hayes explained how Fanbase allows users — not just creators — to earn, dismantling traditional gatekeeping in tech and culture. He also detailed the app’s equity crowdfunding model.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin joined Wake Up With WURD to discuss the government shutdown and upcoming elections in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He said that Republicans are responsible for the shutdown since the party controls all branches of the federal government, and that Democrats are standing firm to protect ACA tax credits and SNAP benefits.

Leigh Owens, education and advocacy director for the Pennsylvania Prison Society joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs. He described the prisons in Pennsylvania — which has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country — as overcrowded, understaffed and inhumane. He pointed out that many incarcerated people are eligible to vote, and that families and communities need to spread that information.

Maurice Sampson, Eastern Pennsylvania director for Clean Water Action, joined P.O.C. on ecoWURD Magazine. He traced the history of the environmental justice movement and its roots in Black resistance. Sampson discussed how that history inspired present-day activism in Chester, Pa., where toxic waste, air pollution and environmental neglect pose dangers to communities of color.

Sherrie Darden, publisher of Scoop USA Media — Philadelphia’s oldest free community newspaper and the only one fully owned by a Black woman — joined Evening WURDs to discuss how the federal shutdown endangers key safety-net programs such as SNAP, LIHEAP, and the Affordable Care Act. She said the cuts will raise costs for Black families and criticized both parties for overlooking the impact of these policies.