This Week on WURD: Schools, Art, Olympics & Joe Frazier

WURD Radio 

Arthur Steinberg, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, joined Solomon Jones on Wake Up With WURD to discuss proposed school closures. He warned of “devastating” impacts on neighborhoods, staff morale, and enrollment. Steinberg said the district has not provided enough underlying data to explain why specific schools were selected.

Eleanor Nairne, curator of modern and contemporary art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, joined Tiffany Bacon on Midday Break Room to highlight the exhibition of late California painter Noah Davis, who died in 2015 at age 32 and was known for his melancholic and abstract depictions of everyday Black life. The show, on its only East Coast stop, runs through April 26. 

Kuwilileni Hauwanga, deputy director of audience and innovation at Capital B, joined Dr. James Peterson on Evening WURDs to discuss Capital B’s guide to “rooting for everybody Black” at the 2026 Winter Olympics. This year’s games spotlight Black medal contenders and historic firsts across sports like hockey, bobsled, and speedskating.

Veronica Chapman, founder of Black Children’s Book Week, joined Evening WURDs in advance of the week’s fifth annual celebration February 22–28. Chapman described new youth poetry and poster initiatives, framing the work as cultural protection in a moment of rising efforts to erase Black history.

Peter Lyde, son-in-law of legendary boxer Joe Frazier, joined The Chris Murray Report to celebrate the move of a Joe Frazier statue to the art museum steps, calling it overdue recognition for a champion whose legacy has been overshadowed by Rocky imagery. Lyde also highlighted Frazier’s decades of community investment through his North Broad Street gym.