This Week on WURD: Media accountability in politics, the holiday stress on mothers, environmental justice in Chester, and the legacies of Jimmy Jam and Laiya St. Clair

Malcolm Kenyatta, Pennsylvania State Rep. and DNC Vice Chair, joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to break down Donald Trump’s latest speech, calling it a cascade of falsehoods amplified by corporate media incentives. Kenyatta challenged claims about inflation and wages, pointing to rising unemployment as a key economic warning sign. He argued that media consolidation are encouraging networks to prioritize access and ratings over accountability.

Future Cain, founder and CEO of Future of SEL, joined Tiffany Bacon on The Midday Break Room to talk about the emotional, physical and financial toll the holidays take on women, especially moms over 40 raising young children. Cain reframed holiday guilt — emphasizing that children need emotional presence more than expensive gifts and noting that chronic stress is a systemic issue, not a personal failure.

Zulene Mayfield, co-founder of Chester Residents Concerned for Quality Living (CRCQL), joined P.O.C. on ecoWURD Magazine to discuss the stalled vote on Philadelphia’s Stop Trashing Our Air Act and the long-running fight against pollution in Chester. She highlighted the imbalance between the millions generated by the incinerator and the limited benefits returned to Chester, underscoring how environmental harm is concentrated in Black communities.

Veteran radio producer and cultural curator Laiya St. Clair joined Evening WURDs to reflect on her decades-long career working with artists like Questlove and Jill Scott, and her role in shaping influential podcasts including Questlove Supreme. She shared insights into Philadelphia’s music ecosystem and discussed her work preserving the photography archive of her father, Ron St. Clair. St. Clair also spoke to the lasting cultural impact of The Roots, emphasizing their influence across generations.

Five-time Grammy-winning producer Jimmy Jam joined Wake Up With WURD to reflect on his creative partnership with Terry Lewis and their work with Janet Jackson, which helped redefine contemporary R&B. Jam also discussed The Next Verse, a global participatory music project tied to the goal of delivering 100 billion meals worldwide. He shared his creative philosophy of allowing each artist’s individuality to lead rather than chasing trends.